The Whole and True Discouerye of Terra Florida by Jean Ribault
and the channell, (thanked be God) we entred
salfely therm with our shippes agenst the opyn-
yon of many, fynding the same one of the great-
est and fayrest havens of the worlde. Howebeyt,
it must be remembred, lest that men approching
nere yt within vij leages of the lande, be abasshed
and afrayed, fynding on the east side, drawing to-
wardes the south est, the ground to be flatt, for
neverthelesse at a full sea ther is every where
foure fadom water keping the right channell.
In this porte are many armes of the sea depe and
lardg, and here and there of all sides many rivers
of a meane biggnes, where withowt danger all
the shippes in the worlde myght be harbored.
We founde no Indians inhabyting there abowt
the porte and river side nerer then x or xij leages
upward into the cuntryes,* although yt be one
of the goodlyest, best and frutfullest cunteres
that ever was sene, and where nothing lacketh,
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* P. : ‘ In thys parte there are manye Ryvers of meane bygness
and large where wythoute daunger the greatest shyppes of the
worlde myght bee harbered, whyche we founde no Indian in-
habityng thereaboutes. The Porte and Ryvers syde is nearer
then tenne or twelve leagues upwardes into the countreys,’&c.
[…] Ribault’s account of his first trip to La Florida entitled “The True Discouerie of Terra Florrida” includes many clues that help pinpoint locations that would be helpful in finding the true […]