XI.
CONSPIRACY OF LE GENRE.
HISTORICAL SUMMARY.
The necessities of the colony now began to open the eyes of Laudonnierein respect to the errors of which he had been guilty. He found itimportant to discontinue his explorations among the Indian tribes, andto employ his garrison in domestic labors. They must either work orstarve. Their tasks in the fields were assigned accordingly. Thisproduced discontent among those who, having for some time, in Europe aswell as recently in the new world, been chiefly employed as soldiers,regarded labor as degrading, and still flattered themselves with themore agreeable hope of achieving their fortunes by shorter processes.Their appetite for the precious metals had been sufficiently enlivenedby the glimpses which had been given them, during their intercourse withthe natives, of the unquestionable treasures of the country. It wasstill farther whetted by the influence of two persons of the garrison.One of these was named La Roquette, of the country of Perigort;the other was known as Le Genre, a lieutenant, and somewhat in theconfidence of Laudonniere. Le Genre was the bold conspirator. LaRoquette was perhaps quite as potential, though from art rather thanaudacity. He pretended to be a great magician, and acquired largeinfluence over the more ignorant soldiers on the score of his supposedcapacity to read the book of fate. Among his professed discoveriesthrough this medium, were certain mines of gold and silver, far in theinterior, the wealth of which was such--and he pledged his life uponit--that, upon a fair division, after awarding the king's portion, eachsoldier would receive not less than ten thousand crowns. The argumentsand assurances of La Roquette persuaded Le Genre, among the rest. Hewas exceedingly covetous, and sought eagerly all royal roads for theacquisition of fortune. He was more easily beguiled into conspiracy, inconsequence of the refusal of Laudonniere to give him the command of apacket returning into France. It was determined to depose and destroythe latter. Several schemes were tried for this purpose; by poison, bygunpowder, all of which failed, and resulted in the ruin only of theconspirators. With this introduction we introduce the reader moreparticularly to the parties of our history.