In  1706,  the  Spaniards  endeavored  to  retaliate,  and,  aided  by  their  French
allies,  equipped  a  considerable  armament.  Their  admiral,  Le  Feboure,  with
five  ships-oi-war,  forthwith  summoned  the  capital ;  but  the  governor,  Sir  Nathan-
iel Johnson,  who  had,  with  great  spirit,  though  inadequate  means,  prepared  for
defence,  sent  an  indignant  defiance.  The  invader,  whose  main  land  force  had
not  yet  arrived,  imprudently  sent  on  shore  a  small  detachment,  which  was  im-
mediately attacked  and  cut  off.  This  success  inspired  such  courage,  that  Cap-
tain Rhett,  with  six  small  vessels,  sailed  against  the  enemy,  who,  struck  with


98  THE   PICTORIAL   HISTORY

alarm,  immediately  retired.  Soon  after,  an  additional  armament  appeared,  and
a  body  of  troops  were  landed  ;  but  the  English,  flushed  with  victory,  attacked
them  with  such  resolution,  that  both  they  and  their  ships  were  captured.
After  some  years  of  repose,  the  colony  was  involved  in  all  the  horrors  of  Indian
war  ;  the  origin  of  which  is  difficult  to  trace,  though  the  settlers  throw  the  whole
blame  upon  the  natives.  It  is  manifest  that  they  waged  it  with  deep  treachery
and  ferocity,  and  yet  there  seems  room  to  suspect  that  they  had  heavy  wrongs
to  avenge.  The  first  burst  was  from  the  Tuscaroras,  on  the  frontier  of  North
Carolina,  whose  attack  against  the  settlements  on  the  Roanoke  was  made  with
the  usual  secrecy  and  rapidity,  and  above  a  hundred  perished  before  measures
of  defence  could  be  adopted.  This  was  all  that  could  be  done  till  aid  was  pro-
cured from  South  Carolina,  whence  Captain  Barnwell,  with  600  militia  and  360
Indians,  penetrated  the  intervening  wilderness,  defeated  the  enemy,  and  pursuing
them  to  their  main  fortress,  obliged  them  to  surrender.  They  soon  after  migra-
ted northward,  and  formed  a  union  with  the  Five  Nations.
