th. (M551) Wee beganne
therefore to fortifie our selues and to repaire that which was broken
downe, principally toward the water side, where I caused three score foote
of trees to be planted, to repaire the Palissado with the plankes which I
caused to bee taken of the ship that I had builded. Neuerthelesse
notwithstanding all our diligence and truaille, wee were neuer able fully
to repaire it by reason of the stormes which commonly did vs so great
annoy, that wee could not finish our inclosure. (M552) Perceiuing myselfe
in such extremitie I tooke a muster of the men, which captaine Ribault had
left me, to see if there were any that wanted weapon: I found nine or
tenne whereof not past two or three had euer drawen sword out of the
scabbard, as I thinke. Let them which haue bene bold to say, that I had
men ynough left me, so that I had meanes to defend my selfe, giue eare a
little vnto mee, and if they haue eyes in their heads, let them see what
men I had. Of the nine there were foure but yong striplings, which serued
Captaine Ribault and kept his dogs, the fift was a cooke: among those that
were without the fort, and which were of the foresaid company of Captaine
Ribault, there was a Carpenter of threescore yeeres olde, one a Beere
brewer, one olde Crosse-bowe maker, two Shoomakers, and foure or fiue men
that had their wiues, a player on the virginals, two seruants of Monsieur
du Lys, one of Monsieur de Beauhaire, one of Monsieur de la Grange, and
about fourescore and fiue or sixe in all, counting aswel Lackeys as women
and children. Behold the goodly troupe so sufficient to defend themselues,
and so couragious as they haue esteemed them to be: and for my part I
leaue it to others consideration to imagine whether Captaine Ribault
woulde haue left them with me to haue borrowed my men, if they had bene
such. Those that were left me of mine owne company were about sixeteene or
seuenteene that coulde beare armes, and all of them poore and leane: the
rest were sicke and maymed in the conflict which my Lieutenant had against
Vtina. This view being taken, wee set our watches, whereof wee made two
Centinels, that the Souldiers might haue one night free. Then wee
bethought our selues of those which might bee most sufficient, among whome
wee choose two, one of whom was named Monsieur Saint Cler, and the other
Monsieur de la Vigne, to whom we deliuered candles and Lanterns to goe
round about the fort to viewe the watch because of the