There is not space or need to detail here the mutiny and suffering of this military colony, their abandonment of the post, the terrible voyage homeward, or the perseverance of Coligny in his original purpose.  Nor is it within the compass of this narrative to recount the fortunes of the second garrison, which was founded on the St. John’s, the visit of John Hawkins in 1565 with timely relief, the return of Ribault from France and his sad fate, the ferocity of Melendez against all heretic Frenchmen, and the avenging chivalry of Dominic de Gourges.  The student is baffled in attempts to fix localities for the deeds and explorations of this period, even with the help of the several accounts and the drawings of Le Moyne; and, besides, these later vicissitudes did not involve any permanent occupation as far north as Port Royal, that region having been abandoned by the French, and being then visited by the Spanish only for trade or adventure.

Some merchants of Barbados, in 1663, sent William Hilton and other commissioners to Florida, then including Port Royal, to explore the country with reference to an emigration thither.  Hilton’s Narration, published in London the year after, mentions St. Ellens as one of the points visited, meaning St. Helena, but probably including the Sea Islands under that name.  The natives were found to speak many Spanish words, and to be familiar enough with the report of guns not to be alarmed by it.  The commissioners, whose explorations were evidently prompted by motives of gain, close a somewhat glowing description of the country by saying, “And we could wish that all they that want a happy settlement of our English nation were well transported thither.”

Hitherto England had borne no part in exploring this region.  But, relieved of her civil wars by the Restoration, she began to seek colonial empire on the southern coast of North America.  In 1663, Charles II. granted a charter to Clarendon, Monk, Shaftsbury,—­each famous in the conflicts of those times,—­and to their associates, as proprietors of Carolina.  The genius of John Locke, more fitted for philosophy than affairs, devised a constitution for the colony,—­an idle work, as it proved.  In 1670, the first emigrants, under Governor William Sayle, arrived at Port Royal, with the purpose to remain there; but, disturbed probably with apprehensions of Spanish incursions from Florida, they removed to the banks of the Ashley, and, after another change of site, founded Charleston.

In 1682, a colony from Scotland under Lord Cardross was founded at Port Royal, but was driven away four years later by the Spanish.  No permanent settlement of the Beaufort district appears to have succeeded until 1700.  This district is divided into four parishes, St. Peter’s, St. Luke’s, St. Helena, and Prince William, being fifty-eight miles long and thirty-two broad, and containing 1,224,960 acres.  St. Helena parish includes the islands of St. Helena, Ladies, Port Royal, Paris, and a few