Already her seams, calked with moss and
pitch, had opened in so many places that she leaked badly, and only
constant labor at the pumps kept her afloat.
Laudonniere had no hope of a successful termination of their voyage,
and as he shared his fears with Le Moyne and Rene de Veaux, these three
found little consolation in the thought of leaving the river and
embarking upon the turbulent sea that promised them only a grave. They
had no choice, however, but to go on with the rest; for to remain
behind would be to fall into the hands of the savages, and thus meet
with a more terrible death than that offered by the sea.
For several days they awaited the opportunity to depart, and at length
it came. The great waves subsided, the wind blew from the right
quarter, and spreading all their sorry showing of canvas, the little
band of white men carried their vessel over the bar, and putting boldly
out to sea, bade farewell, as they thought forever, to the shores on
which they had suffered so greatly.
But other things were in store for them, and their voyage was soon
brought to an end; for, as they were fast losing sight of the land, and
it showed only as a low-lying cloud in the west, the ship suddenly rang
with the thrilling cry of "Sail, ho!" All eyes were eagerly turned to
the white speck seen far away to the southward, and its probable
character and nationality were anxiously discussed. Many felt
confident that it was one of the ships of Admiral Ribault, bringing the
long-expected reinforcements, but as many more felt certain that it was
a Spanish ship.
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