AN HISTORICAL SKETCH.


was only too complete. The French were taken by surprise,
and almost without resistance the Spaniards rushed into the
fort and began an indiscriminate massacre which, for a
time, spared not even women and children. Only seventy
persons in all escaped, and some of the prisoners were hung
upon the neighboring trees with the cynical inscription
over them, "Not as Frenchmen, but as Lutherans."
 Having repaired and strengthened the fort (which he
named San Mateo), and garrisoned it with three hundred
men, Menendez returned in triumph to St. Augustine, and
there learned of the unfortunate position of the shipwrecked
Ribault. Proceeding to Mantanzas Inlet with a party of his
men, he compelled the French to surrender, partly by prom-
ises and partly by threats, and then when they were help-
lessly at his mercy had them cruelly massacred to a man,
not even sparing the gallant Ribault. "The atrocity of the
deed," says Mr. Fairbanks, "struck all Europe with horror,
even in that day; and the shocking story has been perpet-
uated over three hundred years, giving the name of Me-
nendez a stain of infamy which time can not wipe out."
 Thus ended in one of the bloodiest tragedies of history
 the efforts of the French to establish a colony on the south-
 ern coast of America, and for many years the Spaniards
 were left in undisputed possssioof their territory. Not
 quite undisturbed, however, for they soon quarreled with
 the natives, and found the latter very different antagonists
 from those more feminate races whom their countrymen
 had encountered -Mexico and Peru. Even at this early
 date the Florida Indians exhibited the hardy and obstinate
 courage which distinguished them at a later period, and
 they kept the soldiers of Menendez everywhere close shut
 up in their forts. Harassed by these troubles and by dis-
 affection among his own men, Menendez exhibited an in-
 domitable perseverance, and, besides gradually enlarging
 and strengthening St. Augustine, established other posts at
 10