/ Braííforti €íuí) írcrics. NUMBER FIVE. **'»»»*pè Víè*»*' L|£p_>.T..;..Tr,Q ^£ 3 OTO. X Ali RATI YES OF THE CAREER OF HEIIXAXDO l)i: SOTO CONQUEST OF FLO EI I) A AS TOLU BY A KNIGHT ciK ELVAS AMJ IS A KKLAlHiN ItV ILiUjs iíicrnaníif^ íic Bífírma FACTOU liK THK EXIMOUITION TliAXSLATKD HV BUCKINÍTlIA^r S.MrJMI NEW VoliK M liCCC I.XVl '1 ^'" ,S 7 ^5-7 Copy Í SUBSCRIBERS COPY. Ao. S^ ■ Kntered according to Act of Congress, in the year ISfítí. By John B. Moreau, FUR THE BRADFOKD CLUB, In tlie C'leik's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New \orli. 1 P "^ly 6- SEVENTY-FIVE COl'IES FEINTED. TO JUUN EAUL 'WILLIAMS, A MK\IENT(.I UK A FRIEND SHIP WlllOlI, liEííClN IN YOUTH. HAS STRENGTHENED WITH ADVANilXa YEARS. THE "BRADFOKD CLUB. Under this desiirnation, a few gentleinon, intevesteil in tlie study of Amerioiin Ilistm-y ami Literature, proixise occasionally to print limited editions of siu-h niannseriiits and scarce paniplilets as may be deemed of value towanls illnstratin;? these snlijects. They will seek to obtain for thi-< purpose uiipnblisljed jouiMuds or corre- spondence containing matter worthy of record, aud u hiidi may not properly be included in the Historical Collections or Documentary Histories of the several States. Such unpretendini; contemporary chronicles often throw precious light upon the motives of action and the imperfectly narrated events of liyuone days; ijerhai)S briefly touelied uiiiu) in ilry otiicial doc\nnents. The dull nniy also issue fac-similes of curious manus<-ripts, or documents worthy of notice, which, like the printed issues, will bear its imiirint. '•These are tlie Register.s. the chronicles of tlie age They were written in, aud s]ieak the truth of History Better than a hundred of your ]irinted Communications." — Shake i-h/ MurmncnH Anl/'jin'r;/. Wii.i.iAM BiiAOFonn— the first Xew Y(jrk Printer— whose mime the Club has aibj].ted. came to this country in KÍ82. ami established viii THE BRADFORD rLFB. his Press in the neighborhood of Philadelphia. In 1(593 he removed to this City — was appointed Royal Printer — and set np his Press "at the Sign of the Bible."' For upwards of thirty years he was the only Printer in the Province, and in 1725 published our first Newspaper — The New York- Gazette. He conducted tliis paper until 17-13, when he retired from business. He died in May, 1752, and was described, iu an obituary notice of the day, as "a man of great sobriety and industry, a real friend to the poor and needy, and kind and affable to all." He was buried in Trinity Chnrch Yard, by the side of the wife of his youth ; and the loving affection of relatives and friends reared a simple and unostentatious Monument to his meraorv. iíItlHB íeíé liesllieBodgofMi- WiLLIAmBRÃÍ Prinleriwho debcrted this Life May23I IJSZ . aseclQíTeas^ : He was Irpm ii Leic-tet-lhirenaOId England m \ooo. "Oini-ccime overto America itil6S'2-. berore theCitij'ofilkiladelliliitt ^Nas laidoul;He \NasPriittein(M|iis6o-vernmentfop upwards ol'^olEars: aw^in^£|uiLe worn out Tírith Old age ftnSb|OUt:He left this mortal State in ^Byjl Holies of a tleesed Immoftcilil^^^r (eader, reflect how ÍWijoritkquittliisSti^e ^ull find bul; Few attain to sufeh-an Age LiPes full oFPain:Lo:heresaPlace òf-Best. Prepare to m.eeEi)our GOD . ihen ijou are liitesaj Here lies also lhe Bod^ ofElizabeth^lfeto | thesQidWilliamBiadford: who depat-led |]j l^hisLifeJunoSJ/jj: ag-edÓR uears. LIFE OF SO'l^O I1p;una.\D(i iiic .Sdtci, wIkisc iiaiiR' is iM)iis|]ieiiiiii> uiiioiii; tliu i'.irl\ viiter|ii'i-ies of ilisfove'i'v ;uiil (•i)iii]iK'st in luith Aiiicricaii (■(Hitiiii-nts, was bom at Xerez, in the Province of Estreuiailiira. He was of ^ood oriiiiii ; liis blood wliat is called noble in S])ain, and so derived from the fnnr iinarterinics of ancestry. In liis early yontli, jirobably in .Sevilla, at tlie time the sjilendid arinament was prepared at the royal cost that conveyed I'edrarias to (.'astilla del Oro.-Soto Joiiieil the (iovernor, as one, jierliaps, of the tifteeii liniiihvd men whom lie <_^()ndncted. In the year 1014 he arrived at Xonibre de l>ios. a little while after lialboa, looking from Panamá, made diseo\ery of tlie Houth Scii, which Mftfiallanes afterwards called Pacitico. Soto, niuler Francisco Hernandez de ('órdova. was one of the first settlers of what was afterwards known as Leon in Xicura^ua. He was early sent to drive (iil (Gonzalez Davila from that tei'ritory ; Init he being still yonnii, and with little military experience, l)a\ihi, under pretext of treatini;-, rose niion him at dayliiilit. Althou^li liis men wade brave resistance, they were overcome by a mnch feebler force, losina; a large amount of gold with their arms. The danger of kee]iing so many prisoners inf right to tlie ci-own, w itb specimens of the cotton anulations. At this junc- ture. Ponce arrived with two cargoes of slaves. The vessels were added to the common stock on condition of paying their charter, the bestowal on Ponce of one of the largest apportionments of Indians that should be made, and appointing Soto to be captain of troops, and governor of the principal place the invaders might occupy. ■ One Imndred and eighty-tive capable men embarked, with thirty- seven horses, the men bearing bucklers made of the staves of wine- barrels, almost impenetrable to either dart or arrow. Almagro remained to collect and bring away any other forces that might arrive. After a few days' navigation the Spaniards landed, and de- spoiled the unsuspecting inhabitants of Quaque of twenty thousand pesos' worth of gold and a large amount of precious stones. Tlie ves- sels wei-e immediately sent to take back the news and bring more men and horses. The troops remained in quiet seven months, scourged by a sharp and novel disease. At that time a vessel arrived with some additional strength, when, relying upon the promise of soon receiving more, the army was put in motion. The Indians, alas ! soon began to have a XU LIFE OF SOTO. different impression of tlie white men from that before received; thev were now discovered to be neither good nor averse to rob- bery; but false, cruel, and destructive. The object was to reach Tumbez; but the invader had little idea of the vast forces that the contending brothers, Gnascar and Atahualpa, Princes of Peru, had marshalled, though, fortunately for him, in view of each other they regarded his arrival as a matter too trivial tor present thought. On the mainland near the Island of Puna, where the Spaniards lived for a long while, the force was joined by Belalcázar, with a company of thirty men and twelve horses; and in the year 1531, Hernando de Soto arrived with two ships, bringing infantry and cav- alry. The original force, which had been wasting away by a strange maladv, being thus strengthened, the Comnumder, believing that the people of Tumbez were sufficiently gratified by the outrages thev had been allowed to commit on those of Puna to give his men a friendly reception, determined to remove to the main. Oppor- tunelv a note was found in the hands of one of the Indians of that citv, written by a Castilian left there on the occasion of its discovery, which ran : " Ye who sliall come to this land, know that there are more gold and silver in it than there is iron in Biscava." The greater part of the soldiery, however, only laughed at the paper, as a device to give them encouragement. The Spaniards were astonislied at the ruin of the city, wrought by war with Puna, and, it was said, by pest; but the sorest dis- appointment was felt by those from Nicaragua, who thought they had exchanged a paradise for disease and desolation. Some Indians, seeking to save their property, drew near to the strangers, and in conversation sjioke of Cuzco, Vilcas, Pachacamac ; of edifices having ceilings of gold and silver plate — news ordered to be immediately spread throughout the camp. Not to remain in idleness, the troops ranged the arid country in the hot sun ; discovered a river in a green vale, over which passed the great highway of the lucas; and visited a royal earavansera, where they drank from the cool waters. Cautious in advancing the next step, only after consultation with the officers was it resolved to make reconnoissance about the skirts of the mountains, where were said to be masses of population, LIFE OF SÕTO. Xm ami, if possible-, to Mud CliilK-niasa, tln^ lord of Tuiiilx'Z. This duty being intnisted to Soto, he diix-ctly set ubout to perfonu it, with a coiiiinuiy of sixty cavali'y and a small body of foot. Shortly after, Juan do la Torre came back, sayinij; that he had tied from the Cap- tain, who projiosed to mutiny with that troop, and return upon (Juito. The Commander passed over the intelligcnee delicately, and Soto, bavin;;- proceeded with his i;indes as far as Caxas, came back. He spoke of having seen large edifices, and numerous flocks of the sbeeji and camels of the country. Among the articles of plunder that were disidayed, the soldiers were ]iarticularly ]ileased with some tablets of fine gold. A jiortion of the royal road of the Inca Guay- naeapa, for its grandeur, had awakened the highest admiration. The inhabitants, astonished that these people should venture so far away from their companions, united for their destruction ; but coming hand to hand, many of the Indians were left dead, while they did little injury. The people, at bearing the report from Soto, were delighted, and began to receive with less disfi'ust tlie story the Indians had ti.fld of the magniticenee of Cuzco, in which the great lord held his court and was served from urns and beakers of gold; where the country was productive and populous; the fanes lined with the ]u-ccions metals — a tale they had before attributed to the fancy only of their (ieueral. Still, there were those who did not believe in the reality of such ricdies; and Francisco Ysaga is recorded as one who gave his steed to procure releasenient from the service. Xor should we smile ,at the incredulity of what might have been a swine-herd of the (lehems of Estremadura; since, a few years earlier, in the reign of Ysabel, the sacred mass-bells were of bronze, and the sceptre of Cas- tilla, which waved Colon westward, to throw- open the Portals of the Ocean, was light, and only silver-gilded. The ]irisoners brought by Soto were questioned, and the objects of spoil being carefully con- sidered, it was thought best to establish on the s]iot a permanent foofliold. This, formed of invalid soldiers, was the town of San iliguel, which became finally seated at the junction of several river.s, in the broad and fertile vale of I'iura. Hernando de Soto now went forward with a troop of horsemen, to observe thç passing of Atahuali>!i, who, with a large force, was XIV LIFE OF SOTO. rumoured to be raarcliiiig from Quito to Oaxaraalca, to oppose liis brother, advancing; from Cuzco. Tlie army was found to be very large, and the Spaniards, at siijht of it, quailed in view of the pov- erty of their numbers. Ataliual|>a, on tlie other side, having lieard about the invaders, through the stories in circulation, sent a lord to see what people they miglit be. Wlieresoever this emissary went, the Spaniards were supplied with subsistence from that moment less willingly than before. Having attired himself in the costume of a countryman, he set out to visit the camp. "With a basket of guavas as a gift, he presented himself before the Chief, to excuse the Cacique of Mayabelica for having failed in rendering him obedi- ence ; but Pizarro, displeased, cuffed the Orejon, who tliereupon returned to the Prince, speaking disparagingly of what he had dis- covered, lie said the intruders scarcely numbered two hundred men, were the wash of the sea, had beards, were thieves, and went about carried on a kind of sheep, like that of Callao. After hearing this statement, Atahualpa gave himself no more concern about the strange people. Wliile the invaders paused to make the new settlement, informa- tion was diligently sought concerning the political difficulties of Peru, the customs of tlie inliabitants, their arms, manner of fighting, and their military force. The treasure in hand having been divided, the General borrowed of his friends and sent a large sura 'to Almagro, renewing to him the assurances of good faith, and urging tliat the forces at his disposal should be sent; for he had suspected that it was the desire of his companion to push his own fortunes at a distance, and Pizarro stood in need of his liberality, energy, and promptitude. In September, 15.32, the troop took its departure from San Miguel, in quest of Atahualpa — who, having proved successful in repeated battles over the forces of the legitimate heir of the crimson lorla, held him pent up in Cuzco— and, on the third day, it stopped in the valley of Piúra, to learn more particulars, and make further pre- parations. The entire force now consisted of only sixty-seven cavalry, with a hundred and ten infantry having swords and buck- lers, some with crossbows, and three or four bearing fire-arras. The crossbow-men, numbering twenty, were placed apart, under an LIFE OF SOTO. XV officer. The CoinmiiiKler now l)oUlIy prnolaimed that if tlici-o were any who wouhl f;o hack they miglit return to the town, wljcre ser- vants woukl he allotted them to Lahour, the same as had been provided for otliers who remained there ; for tlio fame of the Indian strength liad alarmed the timid, and it was desirable to have those (iiilv who were williiii;' to jio forward, trustiiiii' more to the valour of a few than to the show of many. Thus provided, the army bcfcan its march, the boldness of the leader well sustaineil by the courage of his companions. The way was found to be o|ien and undefended, left so purposely, it was supposed, to allow them to march as far as they would from sup- port. Words (if ]ieace and grectini,' were cdritinually received, with gifts from Ataluialpa. A message was returned, to say that the Spaniards were inarchinti to his assistance, and to make known t(i him from the Vicar of Christ, and from the great tem])iM-al prince, the King of Castilla and Leon, that there is a (iod in heaven and on earth. After many days, the Spaniards arrived where fnun the direct road to Chincha one forks to C'axamalca, which was chosen, thdugli less favourable than the otlier to movement, and where there were natural defences. The men were told that the success of the enter- prise was dependent on action ; to keep the other road, where they should he lost in time and place, was not the way to their object; and that, after all, rjien liave to die, witli this ditterence, that some leave a name to l)e famous, while others are forgotten. Stimulated by this address, muI reminded that in such a cause, when the Holy Faith is to be jilanted. Christians should look for divine assistance, the soldiers declared their wish to be led, and that, when the occa- sion should present itself, they would be mindlnl of their duty. After a jo\irney through vales at the foot of tin- ridge, the troops were allowed to rest a day before ascending. Forty cavalry and sixty infantry were selected with whicli to advance, intrusted to the experience of guides, leaving the rest in charge of the luggage. The way was steep and ditticult. Fortifications were pass alone seemed to .awaken interest and occupy the attention. X\l LIFK OF SOTO. After several days' niaroli, tlii-ougli a region cdIiI fruiu elevation, in the begiuniuy of tlie year 1533, Caxanialoa being at hand, tlie force was drawn np in tliree divisions. Tlie place the Inca occnpied was exactly ascertained, as well as the strength and position of his troops. On the evening of the 1-ith of November, the Spaniards entered the town, bnt found it nearly uninhabited. In the midst of a great jilaza, within a triangular wall, were only some women in houses, who gave utterance to their sympathy for the fate tliat to them appeared to await the strangers. Nothing anywhere pre- sented a welcome, or bore a tViendly asi^eet. A messenger sent to Atahualpa did not i-eturn ; and it was thought proper that his army should at once be scrutinized. Hei'- naudo de Soto, in the character of ambassador, w'ent, attended by fifteen liorsemen, to gain the presence of the great monarch, au"ith .in r()ual niiiiibci- of hi>r>cmen. bearing what was said, LIFE OF SOTO. XVU made obeisanoe to tlie Inca. He declared that his Highness would be very welcome, even though he should briuii his men armed, for nothing: so delighted Spaniards as military spectacles. Ataliualpn, understanding this person to be the brother of tiie General, raised his eyes and said, that from the banks of the Turicara the Ciiirim had sent him an iron collar, witli word that, for tlic ill-treatment the Caciques had received from the white men, he had killed three of their number and a horse. Tizarro denied the charge, called Maya- belica a great knave, and declared that, even tliongh the Chiefs had been treated badly, the peoide there were as so many turkeys, and all on those plains were not enough to take tlic life of a single horse. The conversation having ce.ased, beautiful women handed drink of maize to the Prince and strangers, in golden cups. Soto, remount- ing with (hiiiiiirc. coursed his steed in tlie royal presence. He skirmished, he charged, wheeled, curvetted, and, returning, halted so nigh to the royal stool, that Atahualpa felt the impatient Idast of the nostrils of the beast, and tlie heat of his strengtli ; still the native remained as composed as tliough he were .accustomed to such pas- time. Calling to him some jieople who had tied, he reproved their timidity, telling them that in tlie country wlieiice those animals came, tliey were like the sheep in Peru. The time, until the morn- ing, was spent on both sides in watchfulness and care. The captains visited tlie guards, the soldiers maile every thing ready, and passed words of encouragement. Indian priests ottered sacritices, uttering supplications in their temples to the Sun. A s(iuadroii of men, apt in tlie use of the /<(.•«), were added to the warriors. The next d.ay Atahualpa. in slow and imposing jirocessiou, marched up to where tlie imiiatient Sjianiards were expecting him within the walls ; and thence he sent word to their com- mander to tie his horses and bloodhounds, or otherwise he .should come no farther. With a liody of eight thousand men. be shm-tly afterward entered the plaz.a, in the middle of which Pizarro awaited him, having iifteeii chosen men, armed with sword and buckler. The Friar Valverde went forward, exhorting the Inca to peace. He held up a cross and presented a Bible, in which he said the commands of God were inscribed. The Prince took the book, turned it over, examined the leaves, and cast it aside, telling the XVUl LIFE OF SOTO. friar to bring back the treasure and tlie tliousand tliiiigs of which the inhaliitants had been robbed. At tliis moment a sliout arose from tlie warriors, wliicli was fol- lowed by the beating of drums; Pizarro then waved a white shawl, the signal preconcerted for action. Thereupon Captain Pedro de Cândia caused a gun to bo fired, and directly began the discharge of the arquebuses, followed by the blast of trumpets and roll of kettle- drums, carrying consternation and fearful panic among the native host. The charge of horse succeeded. Detached bodies, issuing from several directions where they had been concealed, were led upon tlie defenceless squadi-ons by Ilernan Pizarro and Soto; while the infantry, under Belalcázar and Mena, joining in the war-cry of "Santiago," attacked them with sword and crossbow. The General approached the litter, and, with his band, struck down the bearers; these were directly replaced, and they again by others, who took successively the posts of the fallen; first one and then another soldier rushed upon Atahualpa, till Pizarro interpo.sed for his safety. Two thousand Indians were slain within a brief period of time, no one pretending to otter resistance. The spoil was immense. Jars of silver, jewels of gold, and rich stntis, strewed the ground. Many Curacas were killed about the royal litter ; many princesses and priestesses were taken, as well as the wives of nobles. The Inca, pondering upon tbe mutations of fortune, observed that withiu a day, as it were, he was a victor over Guascar, and himself was vanquished. Seeking to extricate himself from present troubles, the unhappy Prince appeared only to have fallen lower in misfortune. He reckoned on the avarice of the white man, but had not calcu- lated his possible perfidy. Thinking to regain his liberty at a |irice so extraordinary that when named the payment was considered impossible, he secretly ordered his brother to be drowned in the Elver Andamarca, incited to this course, not unlikely, by the policy of Pizarro. The room, nevertheless, which was the measure of the purchase-money, was duly filled from the gold and silver of Cuzco, of its temple, ffuacas, or receptacles of deceased kings, and from the oratories. The Inca, notwithstanding, was still detained. In tlie mean time, Almagro, who had been made field-marshal by royal commission, approached the city, and after being greeted on the LIFE OF SOTO. XIX roail by his old comrade, wlio came out to meet him, he u-ent directly to call upon the prisoner. The treasure did not lon^' remain undivided. In the allotment, Almagro probably shared with Pizarro aceordinií to their agree- ment; the Licutenant-General, Ileraan Pizarro, took the second portion in ma.tçnitude, and Soto the third, in amoiint twenty-three thousand five hundred and thirty-two pesrw, eacli of the value of an ounce of pure silver. About this time tliere were rumours of a purpose on the part of the Inea to brinij; war upon the C'liristians. Tliey appear, however, to have had no better foundation than the tales of servants and the apprehensions of timidity, if they were not altogether produced by the Adekuitado, in seeking a pretext to place the succession to the borla in question, by the failure of both pretenders to the empire. Taking occasion of the absence of Hernan Pizarro on a nnssion to Spain, Soto and Guevara, witli some others, were sent to ascertain tlie truth of the rejiort, that an army was to be found at a distant point; but before they could get back to make known the falsity of the news, which had before been suspected, Atahualpa, on a variety of chames, and with the sanction of the Dominican Valverde, was belieaded. The olhcers. on their arrival, reproached the Chief for the wantonness and excess of the action. Some had sought the society of the Prince, being interested in him through his admi- rable conversation, in which tliey discovered a strong understanding and an acute intellect. lu those personages be might have found friends. Soto, whom the Adelantado had just before made lieuten- ant-general, was one of the gentlemen who bad most pleased the captive, having at times, with chess and dice, relieved sonje of his heavy hours. AVith the death of the two Princes, government was suspended, and society became entirely disorganized. Distant Provinces and late territorial accessions withdrew their allegiance : old lords re- gained their possessions, or new masters usurped them. Law was at an end. Life was nowhere safe for the Lidian: the highways became infested with thieves, as the mountains with robbers. The downfall of the extensive monarchy was complete. It had lasted, from its rise, according to some computations, nearly four centuries; XX LIFE OF SOTO. but the perfection and extent of the public works on the soil attest for its civilization a mncli hipjher antiquity. In extent, nlong the sea, it measured from niii'li tlie e(iuator, southward, a distance of about thirty-five degrees of coast. One of kin, on the side of Guascar, was permitted to receive the crimson tassel. The Spaniards, having tarried seven months in Caxamalca, ad- vanced towards Cuzco with the newly appointed sovereign, Almagro conducting the vanguard. As they passed througli Yanamarca, there lay the nnbnried corses of three thcmsand men, slain in a contest between the native factions. Approaching the beautiful valley of Xauxa, the Marshal was directed to advance Avith Soto and other officers. After traversing some distance they met a large body of Indians, who bade them begone from their country, and charged them with the murder of their King. The stream was crossed, the Indians dispersed, and the Spaniards, weary of killing, returned to find that Pizarro had arrived. Provisions, dejjosits of fine cloth, and a large amount of gold in a temple, were the booty. Belalcázar had been sent to command in San Miguel. Finding himself with considerable force from Panamá, he became ambitious to go back to make the conquest of Quito. A rumour prevailed that the Indians to the north were preparing an independency ; and this, joined to the news bronght by the late comers, that the Adelantado of Guatemala was making ready to subdue the Provinces of Quito, was enough to satisfy any scruples that might exist in the con- science of a conquistador as to what should be bis proper course in the face of such temptation; so that when importuned to undertake the adventure, Belalcázar found no difficult)' in acceding to the desire of his men, who believed the treasure of Caxamalca was as notliing compared with tljat of Quito, where the Court once had been held. One hundred and fifty well-appointed infantry and cavalry were got in readiness to march ; but, as the event proved, to contend with no other enemies than cold, hunger, and severe fatigue. Hernando de Soto went forward from Xauxa with sixty cavalry towards Cuzco. The soldiers distrusting their abilities to cope with the Indians in sight, and the Captain, who was considered to be a man of no less judgment than courage, finding himself surrounded, LIFE OF SOTO. XXI addressed his men. He declaroil tlu'ir only safety to be in siving battle; tli.at their enemies were preparing, coiintiiia- the sti-cn^itli they should meet, and increasing their numbers every hour. The Spaniards had hitherto met the inhabitants of tlie ]ilains: these people were the Ayllos, living on the first ascent to tlie mountains. They appeared along the heiglits in masses, with chilis, darts, and slings, swearing by the Sun and tlie Earth to destroy tliis band of robbers, or to die tliemselves. Soto went foremost into action, the Indians, with yells, holding tlie ground with desperate firmness. Five Christians were slain outright, and two horses. The Captain, with one other, fought his way toward the eminences. Some who fell in the passage-way impeded the ascent of the rest, until two, having disi'nounted, jilaced themselves one on eitlier side for defence, thus enabling others to get by. "With these succours, tlie first that passed returned to assist those advancing; when the Indians, weary of the contest, drew ort" to a little distance, and the Spaniards betook themselves to the margin of a bro(dc at hand. Eleven men and fourteen horses were in.jiired. That niglit Ahnagro reached tlie pass, and, sounding a trumpet, was answered from Soto. In the morning the forces united, and easily scattereil the natives. This rencontre appears to have been the severest the Spaniards expe- rienced in the subjugation of the Incas. In tlie year l-'iii-I, Pedro de Alvarado, having sliips in readiness on the Pacific .•■oa>t of Guatemala to go on discoveries in the west, according to the royal permission, hearing of the wealth of Quito, and considering it not within the limits of country assiu'iied to Pizarro, directed his ambitious course thither by sea, with five hundred soldiers, of whom nearly the half were mounted. Among tliose he In-onght in his company was Ca]itain Luis de iloscoso de Alvarado, the same personage who some years later, on the death of .Sito, successfully conducted the retreat of his followers down the Mississippi to the shores of Mexico. Alvarado, having arrived with his army on the coast of Peru, near the equator, marched into the interior. For a time he met no serious interruption. Towns of importance wc-re surprised, and large quantities of gold procured from tlieni. In ascending the Andes, the severity of the weather caused tlie loss of eighty-three XXU LIFK OF SOTO. soldiers: many negroes aii..li> is usoil. t..caus.' that ri-^ion i> ri<-h. FINIS ANDRE DE BURGOS TO TUE PEUDENT EEADEE. Aristotle writes tliat all, or at least most men, are given or prone to look at and listen to novelties, especially when they are of foreign or remote countries. These things, he says, enliven the heavy while they give recreation to delicate and suhtile minds, that propensity moving men not only to see and hear, hut, if possihle, to take part in occurrences. This desire exists in the Lusitanians more than in any other people, — for two reasons : the one, hecause they are very in- genious and warlike ; the other, because they are hy nature great navigators, having discovered more land, with wider sailing, than all the nations <>f the earth beside. So, it appearing to me that I could do some little service to those who should read this hook, I resolved to imprint it, assured, beyond its being in the Portuguese, that it is composed by a native, and likewise hecause citizens of Elvas took part in the discovery, as the narrative will itself disclose. What he has written I undonbtingly credit : he tells no tales, nor speaks of fabulous things ; and we may believe that the author — having no interest in the matter — would not swerve from truth. We have his assurance besides, that all he has set down passed before liim. Should the language, by chance, appear to you careless, lay not the fault on me ; I imjirint and do not write. God be your protector. DISCOVERY OF FLOPxIDA. RELATION OF THE TOILS AND HARDSHIPS THAT ATTENDED DON HERNANDO DE SOTO. (iOVERXOR OF FLORIDA, IX THE CONQUEST OF THAT COUNTRY; IX WHICH IS SET FORTH WHO HE WAS, AND ALSO WHO WERE OTHERS WITH HIM; CONTAINING SOME A(;U()UNT OF THE PECULIARITIES AND DIVERSITIES OF THE COUNTRY, OF ALL THAT THEY SAW AND OF WHAT BEFELL THEM. CHAPTER I. Who Soto was, and how he came to get tue Goveen- MENT OF FlOEIDA. Heenando DE Soto was tlie son of ;ui esquire of Xerez de Badajoz, and went to the índias of the Ocean Sea, belonging to Castilla, at tlie time Pedrarias Dávihi was the Governor. lie liad nothing more than blade and l)uckler: for his coiTrage and good qualities Pedrarias appointed him to lie captain of a troop of horse, and he went by his order witii Hernando Pizarro to conquer Peru. According to the report of numy persons who were there, he distinguished himself THENCE TO Sanlucar; and how the C'ai'tains weee appointed OVER the Ships, and the People distributed among THEM. The Portugnes left Elvas the 15tli day of January, aud came to Sevilla ou the vespers of Saint Sel)astian. They went to the residence of tlie Governor ; and entering the court, over which were some galleries in which he &tood, he came down and met them at tlie foot of the stairs, whence they retm-ned with him ; and he ordered chairs to be brought, in which tlicy might i)e seated. André de \'a3concel(>s told him who he was, and who the others were; that they had all come to go with him and aid in his euteri)rise. The Adelantado thanked liim, and ai)]ieared well pleased with their coming and protier. The table being already laid, he invited them to sit down ; and, while at dinner, he directed his majordonio to tind lodgings for them near his house. From Sevilla the (iovernor went to Sanhicar. with all the people that were to go. He commanded a mus- ter to be made, to which the Português turned out in jiolislied armor, and the C'astiliaus very showily, in silk over silk, pinked and slashed. As such lu.\ur\ did not 12 DISCOVERY appear tu liiiu liecoming uii such occasioii, lie urdered a review to be called for the next day, when every man should appear with his arms ; tu which tlie Português came as at first ; and the Governor set them iu order near the standard borne by his ensign. The greater number of the Castilians were in very sorry and rusty shirts of mail ; all wore steel caps or helmets, but had veiy poor lances. Some of them sought to get among the Português. Those tluxt Soto liked and accepted of were passed, counted, and enlisted ; six hundred men in all followeil him to Florida. He had bought seven ships; and the necessary subsistence was already on board. He appointed captains, delivering to each of them his ship, with a roll of the people he was to take with him. OF FLOiilDA. ];'> CHAPTER nil. How TiiE Adelantadd WITH Ills Pkoi'lk left Si'AIN, GOING TO THE ('aííAKY IsLA>DS, AM) AFTERWARD ARRIVED IX TIIE AxTILI.AS. In the nioiilli of April, of tlie year 15;5S of theCliris- tiaii era, the ^Vdelantado delivered tlie vessels to their several captains, took for himself a new ship, fast of sail, and gave another to André de Vasconcelos, in wliieh the Português were to go. lie passed over the bar of 8anlú- car on Sunday, tlie inoriiiiig of Saint Lazarus, with great festivity, eoimnaudiug the trumpets to lie sounded and many charges of artillery to be tired. With a favourable wind he sailed four days, when it lulled, the calms con- tinning for eight days, with such rolling sea that the ships made no headway. The iifteeiitli day after our departure we eanie to (-romera, one of the Canaries, on Easter Sunday, in the morning. The. Governor of the Island was apparelled all in white, cloak, jerkin, hose, shoes, and cap, so that he looked like a governor of Gypsies. He received the Adelantado with much pleasure, lodging him well and the rest with him gratuitously. To Dona Ysabel he gave a natural daughter of his to be her waiting-maid. For our money we got abundant p)rovision of bread, wine, 14 DISCOVERY and lut'iite, bringing uii' witli n.s wluit was neudful for the sliips. Sunday following, eight days after arrival, we toiilv onr departure. On Pentecost we came into the harbour of the City of Santiago, in Cuba of the Antillas. Directly a gentleman of the town sent to the seaside a splendid roan horse, well cajiarisoned, for the (Tovernor to nmunt, and a mule for his wife ; and all the horsemen and footmen in town at the time came out to receive him at the landing. He was well lodged, attentivel_y "snsited and served by all the citizens. Quarters were furnished to every one without cost. Those who wished to go into the country were divided among the farm-houses, into squads of four and six persons, according to the several ability of the owners, who provided them with food. OF FLOIÍIDA. 15 CHAPTER V. Of tiik Iniiamt^nts titkke ai;e in the C'itt of Santiago ANMi OTHER Towns of the Island, — the C'iiau-actee of THE Son. ANll OF THE Flim'. The City of Santiago consists of al)OiTt eiii'lity spacioHs and well-contrivc'il dwellings. Some arc built of stone and lime, covered with files: the greater part have the sides of board and the roofs of dried grass. There are extensive country seats, and on them many trees, which diii'er from those of Spain. The tig-tree l)ears fruit as big as the hst, yellow within and of little Havour: another tree with a delicious fruit, called anane, is of the shape and size of a small pine-apple, the skin of which being taken off, the pnl[) appears like a i)iece of curaid for any other thing than maize for tlie l.)easts; hecause the Governor at each town assessed tax on the trilinte jiaiil, and tlie laljour done, by the Indians. A deep river runs near Báyamo, larger than the (Tuadiana, called Tanto. The monstrous alligators do hariii in it sometimes to the Indians and animals in the crossing. In all the country there are no wolves, foxes, hears, lions, nor tigers: there are dogs in the woods, wdiich liave run wild from tlie houses, that feed upon the swine : there are snakes, the size of a man's thigh, and even hign'cr; hut they are very sluggish and \n- ritus, sixty leagues from Puerto Principe. The victual they carried was the ca(;abe bread I have spoken of, the nature of which is such that it directly dissolves from moisture ; wdience it happened that some ate meat and no bread for many days. They took dogs with them, and a man of the country, who hunted as they journeyed. 20 DISCUVKKY and wlio killed tiie liogs at iiiglit found further necessary for provision where they stopi^ed ; so that they had ahun- dant supply both of beef and pork. They foimd immense annoyance from mosquitos, ]iarticularly in a lake called Bog of Pia, which they had much ado in crossing between mid- day and dark, it being more than half a league over, full half a bow-shot of the distance swimming, and all the rest of the way the water waist deep, having clams on the bot- tom that sorely cut the feet, for not a boot nor shoe sole was left entire at half way. The clothing and saddles were floated over in baskets of palm-leaf. In this time the insects came in great numbers and settled on the person where exposed, their bite raising lumps that smarted keenly, a single bli:)\v with the hand sutficing to kill so many that the blood would run over tlie arms and body. There was little rest at night, as happened also afterwards at like seasons and places. They came to Sancti Spiritus, a town of thirty houses, near which passes a little river. The grounds are very fertile and pleasant, abundant in good oranges, citrons, and native fruit. Here one half the people were lodged ; the other half went on twenty-five leagues farther, to a town of fifteen or twenty householders, called Trinidad. There is a hospital for the poor, the only one in tlie Island. They say the town -was once the largest of any ; and that before the Christians came into the country a ship sailing along the coast had in her a very sick man, who begged to be set on shore, which the captain di- rectly ordered, and the vessel kept on her \\'ay. The inhabitants, finding him where he had been left, on that OF FLORIDA. 1>1 shore wliicli had never yet been hunted np by Christians, carried him hnnie, and took care of him until he was welL Tlie Chief of the town gave him a daughter ; and being at war with tlie country round about, through the prowess and exertion of the Cliristian he sulidued and reduced to liis control all the i)eople of Cuba. A long time after, when Diego Velas(piez went to cnncpu'i- the Island, whence he made the discovery of New Spain, this man, then among the natives, l)rought them, by his man- agement, to obedience, and put them under the rule of that Governor. From Trinidad they travelled a distance of eighty leagues without a town, and arrived at Havana in the end of March. They found the Go\ernor there, and the rest of the people who had come with him from Spain. He sent Juan de Anasco in a caravel, with two pinnaces and fifty men, to explore tlie harbour in Florida, who brought back two Indians taken on the coast. In consequence, as much because of the necessity of having them for guides and interpreters, as because they said, by signs, that there was much gold in Florida, the Governor and all the company were greatly rejoiced, and longed for the hour of dejjarture — that land appearing to them to be the richest of anv which until then had been discovered. 22 DISCO V ER V CHAPTER VII. ILiw WE LEFT Havana and came to Florida, and WHAT OTHER MatTEES TOOK PLACE. Before our departure, the Governor deprived Nuno de Tobár of the rank of C'ai)tain-General, and conferred it on a resident of Culia, Vasco Porcailo de Figueroa, which caused tlie vessels to be well provisioned, he giving a great many hogs and loads of caçalje liread. That was done because Nuno de Tobár had made love to Doila Ysabel's waiting-maid, daughter of the Governor of Goniera; and though he had lust his place, yet, to return to Soto's favour, for she was with child by him, he took her to wife and went to Florida. DoFia Ysabel renuxined, and with her the wife of Don Carlos, of Baltasar de Gallegos, and of Nuno de Tol)ár. The Governor left, as his lieutenant over the Island, Juan de Rojas, a fidalgo of Havana. On Sunday, the 18th day of May, in the year 1539, the Adelantado sailed from Havana with a fleet of nine vessels, five of them ships, two caravels, two pinnaces ; and he ran seven days with tavcnu'able weather. On the 25th of the month, l)eing the festival of Espiritu Santo, the land was seen, and anchor cast a league from shore, because of the shoals. ( )n Friday, the 30th, the army landed in Florida, twu Icaiiues from tlic town of an OF i'lot:ii».\. -•> Indian chief named Ueita. Two Imndred and thirteen lior.ses were set on shore, to unl)urtlien tlie ships, that they shonhl draw the less water; the seamen only re- mained on board, who going up every day a little with the tide, the end of eight days brought them near to the town. So soon as the ])eople were come to land, the cami) was pitched on tlie sea-side, nigh the bay, which goes up close to the town. Presently the Captain-General, Yasco Porcallo, taking seven horsemen with him, beat up the country half a league about, aud discovered six Indians, who tried to resist him with arrows, the wea]ions they are accustomed to tise. The horsemen killed two, and tlie four others escaped, the country lieing obstructed by bushes and ponds, in which the horses bogged and fell, with their riders, of weakness from the voyage. At night the Governor, with a hundred men in the pinnaces, came upon a deserted town ; for, so soon as the ( 'lu'istians appeared in sight of land, they were descried, and all along on the coast many smokes were seen to rise, wiiicii the Indians make to warn one another. The next day, Luis de Moscoso, master of the camp, set the men in order. The horsemen he ]uit in three squadrons — the vanguard, battalion, and rearward; aud thus they marched that day aud the next, compassing great creeks which run up from the bay ; and on the first of June, being Trinity Sunday, they arrived at the town of Ucita, where the Governor tarried. The town was of seven or eight hriuses, built of tim- ber, and covered with palm-leaves. Tlie Cliief's liouse stood near the beach, upon a very high mount made by 24 DISCOVERY hand for defence ; at the other end of the town was a temple, on the top of which perolied a wooden fowl with Cilded eves, and within were tbnnd some pearls of small valne, injured V)y fire, such as the Indians pierce for beads, much esteeming them, and string to wear about the neck and wrists. Tlie Governor lodged in tlie house of the Cliief, and with him Vasco Porcallo and Luis de Moscoso ; in otlier houses, midway in tlie town, was lodged the Chief Castellan, Baltasar de Gallegos, where were set apart the provisions brought in the vessels. The rest of the dwellijigs, with the temple, were thrown down, and every mess of three or four soldiers made a cabin, wherein thcv hedged. The ground aliout was very fenny, and encund>ereil with dense thicket and high trees. The Governor ordered the woods to be felled the distance of a crossbow-shot around the place, that the horses might run, and the Christians have the advantage, should the Indians make an attack at night. In tlie paths, and at proper points, sentinels of foot-soldiers were set in cou- ples, who watched by turns ; the horsemen, going tlie rounds, were ready to sn]i]iort them should there be an alarm. The Governor made four captains of horsemen and two of footmen : those of the horse were André de Vas- concelos, Pedro Calderon of Badajoz, and the two Carde- nosas his kinsmen (Arias Tinoco and Alfonso Romo), also natives of Badajoz ; those of the foot were Francisco Maldonado of Salamanca, and Juan Rodriguez Lobillo. While we were in this town of Ucita, the Indians which Juan de Anasco had taken on that coast, and were with OF FLORIDA. 2o the Governor as guides ami iiit('r|)r('ters, tliroiigli tlie carelessness of two men who liail diarge of them, got away one night. For this the Governor felt very sonw, as did every one else ; for some excursions had already been made, and no Indians could be taken, the country being of very high and thick woods, and in many places was nuirshv. 26 DISOOVEIIY ciiaptí:r VIII. Of some Inroads that were made, and how a Chris- tian WAS FOUND WHO HAD BEEN A LONG TIME IN THE POSSESSION OF A CacIQDE. From tlie town of Ucita the Governor sent the Cliief Castellan, Baltasar de Gallegos, into the country, with forty horsemen and eighty footmen, to procure an Indian if possilile. In anotlier direction he also sent, tor the same purpose. Captain Juan Kodriguez Lohillo, with fifty infantry : the greater part were of sword and huckler ; the remainder were crossbow and gun men. The com- mand of Lol)illo marched over a swampy land, where horses could imt travel; and, half a league from camp, came upon some huts near a river. The people in tliem plunged into the water ; nevertheless, four women were secured ; and twenty warriors, who attacked otir people, so pressed us that we were forced to retire into camji. The Indians are exceedingly ready witJi their weajions, and so warlike and nimhle. that they have no fear of foot- men ; for if these charge them they flee, and when the}' turn their backs they are presently upon them. They avoid nothing more easily than the flight of an arrow. They never remain rpiiet, but are continually running, traversing from place to place, so that neitlier crossbow OF FLORIDA. 27 nor arqiiebuse can be aimed at them. Before a Christian eau make a single sliot witli eitlier, an Indian will dis- charge three or lour arrows ; and he seldom misses of his object. AVhere the arrow meets with no armour, it pierces as deeply as the shaft from a crossbow. Their liows are very perfect ; the arrows are made of certain canes, like reeds, very heavy, and so stiif that one of them, when sharpened, will pass through a target. Some are pointed with tlie bone of a tisli, sharp and like a chisel ; others witli some stone like a- jxiint of diam(.)nd : of such the greater number, when they strike up)on armour, break at the place the parts are put together ; those of cane split, and will enter a shirt of mail, doing more injury than when armed. Juan Ilodriguez Lobillo got back to camp with six men wounded, of whom one died, and he brought with him the four women taken in the huts, or cabins. AVlien Bal- tasar de Gallegos came ink) the ojien iield, he discovered ten or eleven Indians, among whom -was a Christian, naked and sun-Inirnt, his arms tattooed after their man- ner, and he in no respect diifering from them. As soon as the horsemen came in sight, they ran upon the Indians, who lied, hitling themselves in a thicket, though not be- fore two or three of them were overtaken and wounded. The Christian, seeing a horseman coming upc.m him with a lance, began to cry out: "Do not kill me, cavalier; I am a Christian ! Do not slay these people ; they have given me my life !" Directly he called to the Indians, putting them out of fear, when they left the wood and came to liiiii. Tlic horsemen took uii the ( 'hris- 28 DISCOVERY tian and Indiaus behind them on their beasts, and, greatly rejoicing, got back to tlie Governor at niglit- fall. When he and the rest who had remained in camp heard the news, they were no less pleased than the others. OF FLORIDA. 29 CHAPTER IX. JloW THE ClIKISTIAX C/VME TO TIIK LaND <1F FloEIDA, WHO UE WAS, AXD OV WHAT PASSED AT HIS INTERVIEW WITH THE rTOTERNOK. The name of the Cliristian was .Juan Ortiz, a native of Sevilla, and of noble parentage. He had been twelve years among the Indians, liaving gone into the coun- try with Piuipliilo de Narvaez, and returned in the ships to the Island of Cuba, wliere the wife of tlie Gover- nor remained; whence, liy her command, he went back to Florida, with some twenty or thirty others, in a pin- nace ; and coming to the port in sight of the town, they saw a cane sticking upright in the ground, with a split in the top, holding a letter, which they supposed the (Gover- nor had left there, to give information of himself before marching into the interior. They asked it, to be given to them, of four or live Indians walking along the beach, who, by signs, bade them come to land for it, which Ortiz and another did, though contrary to tlie wishes of the others. No sooner had they got on shore, when many natives came out of the houses, and, drawing near, held them in such way that they could not escape. One, who would have defended himself, they slew on the spot ; the other they seized by the hands, and took him to Ucita, ;',() DISCOVERY their cliief. Tlie people in the plunaee, lUiwilHiig to land, kept along the eoast and retm-ned to Cuba. By command of Ueita, Juan Ortiz was bound hand and foot to four stakes, and laid upon scaft'olding, beneath which a fire was kindled, that he might lie burned ; but a daughter of tlie Chief entreated that he might be spared. Thougli one Christian, she said, might do no good, cer- tainly he could do no harm, and it would be an honour to have one for a captive; to which the father acceded, directing the injuries to be healed. When Ortiz got well, he was ])ut to watching a temple, that the wolves, in the night-time, might not carry ofl* the dead there, which charge he took in hand, having commended him- self to God. One night they snatched away from him the body of a little child, son of a principal man ; and, iroino- after them, he threw a dart at the wolf that was escaping, which, feeling itself wounded, let go its hold, and went off to die ; and he returned, without knowing what he had done in the dark. In the morning, finding the body of the little boy gone, he became very sober; and Ucita. when he heard what had happened, deter- mined he should be killed ; but having sent on the trail which Ortiz pointed out as that the wolves had made, the body of the child was found, and a little farther on a dead wolf; at which circumstance the Chief became well pleased with the Christian, and satisfied witli the guard he had kept, ever after taking much notice of him. Tln-ee years having gone by since he had fallen into the hands of this Chief, there came another, named Mo- cogo, living two days' ji.iuriiey distant from that i)ort, and OF FLORIDA. 31 burnt the town, when Ucita fled to one he had in another seaport, whereliy Ortiz lost his occupation, and with it the favour of liis master. The Indians are worshippers of the Devil, and it is tlieir custom to make sacrifices of the Iilood and bodies of their peo])lc, or of those of anv other thev can come bv ; and they affirm, too, that when he would have them nuike an oifering, he speaks, tellino- them that he is athirst, and that they must sacrifice to him. Tlie <;irl who had delivered Ortiz from tlie fire, told him how her fatiier had the mind to sacrifice Iiim the next day, and that he nuist fiee to Mococo, who she knew would receive him with reijard, as she had heard that he had asked for him, and said he would like to see liim : and as he knew not the way, she went half a leao'ue out of town with him at dark, to put him ou tlic road, returniuc; cai-ly so as not to he missed. (-)rtiz travelled all night, and in the morning came to a river, the Ijoundary of the territoi-y of Mococo, where he discovered two men fishing. As this people were at war with those of Ucita, and their languages difierent, he did not know how he should be ahle to tell them who he M'as, and why he came, or make other explanation, that they might not kill him as one of the enemy. It was not, however, until he had come up to where their arms were placed that he was discovered, wlicn tlicy Hod to- wards the town; and though he called out to them to wait, that he would do them no injury, they onlv ran the faster for not understanding him. As they arrived, shout- ing, many Indians came out of tlie town, and Itegan sur- rounding, in order to shoot him with their arrows, wlien 32 DISCOVERY he, finding liiniself pressed, took slielter l)eliind trees, crying aloud tiiat lie was a Christian lied from Ucita, come to visit and serve Mocoço. At the moment, it pleased God that an Indian should come up, who, speak- ing the language, understood him and quieted the others, telling them what was said. Three or four ran to carry the news, when the Cacique, mucli gratilied, came a quarter of a league on the way to receive him. He caused the Christian immediately to swear to him, accord- ing to the custom of his country, tliat he would not leave him for any other master; and, in return, he ])nimised to show him much honour, and if at any time Christians should come to that land, he would let him go freely, and give him his permission to return to them, pledging his oath to this after the Indian usage. Three years from that time, some people fishing out at sea, three leagues from land, brought news of having seen ships ; when Mocoço, calling Ortiz, gave him per- mission to depart, who, taking leave, made all haste pos- sible to the shore, where, finding no vessels, he supposed the story to be only a device of the Cacique to discover his inclination. In this way lie remained with him nine years, having little hope of ever seeing Christians more ; but no sooner had the arrival of the Governor in Florida taken place, when it was known to Mocoço, who directly told (_)rtiz that Christians were in the town of Ucita. The captive, tliinking himself jested with, as he had sup- posed himself to be before, said that his thoiights no longer dwelt on his people, and that his only wish now was to serve him. Still the ('acique assured him that it OF FLORIDA. 33 was even as lie stated, and ijave him leave to i^o, telling him that if lie did not, and the Christians slionld depart, he nitist not hlame him, for he had fnltilled his ]iromise. (treat was the joy nf Ortiz at this news, though still doubtful of its truth ; however, he thanked Mocoeo, and went his way. A dozen prineipal Indians were sent to aecom[iaiiy him; and on their way to tlie jiort. they met Baltasar ken by an interpreter, they came out and gave him a guide. From there he went to a river of powerful current, in the midst of which was a tree, whereon they made a bridge. Over this the people passed in safety, the horses lieino; crossed swimming to a hawser, by which they Mere dra^^^l to the other bank, the first that entered the water having been drowned for the want of one. The Governor sent two men on horseback, -with word to those in the rear that they should advance rapidly, for that the way was becoming toilsome and the provisions were short. He came to Cale and found the town aban- doned ; but he seized three spies, and tarried there until the people should arrive, they travelling hungry and on bad roads, the country being very thin of maize, low very wet, pondy, and thickly covered with txees. Where there were inhabitants, some water-cresses could lie found, which they who arrived first would gather, and, cooking them in water with salt, ate them without other thino- ; and they who could get none, would seize the stalks of maize and eat them, the ear, being young, as yet contain- ing no grain. Having come to the river, which the Gov- ernor had passed, they got cabbage from the low palmetto growing there, like that of Andaluzia. There they were met by the messengers, who, reporting a great deal of maize in Cale, gave much satisfaction. 6 38 DISCOVERY While the people should l)e coining up, the Governor ordered all the ripe grain in the liekls, enough for three months, to be secured. In gathering it three Christians were slain. One of two Indians who were made pris- oners stated that seven days' jouri\ey distant M-as a large Province, abounding in maize, called Apalaehe. Pres- ently, with fifty cavalry and sixty infantry, he set out from Cale, leaving Luis de Moscoso, the Field Marshal, in command, with dh-ections not to move until he should be ordered. Up to that time, no one had been able to get servants who should make his bread ; and the method being to beat out the maize in log mortars with a one- handed pestle of wood, some also sifting the flour after- ward through their shii'ts of mail, the process was found so laborious, that nnxny, rather than crush the grain, preferred to eat it parched and sodden. The mass was baked in clay dishes, set over fire, in the manner that I have described as done in Cuba. OF FLOTÍIDA. ;'i'.' CHAPTER XI. How THE GOVERNOK ARRIVKD AT CaLIQUEN, AND THENCE, TAKING THE C'aCIQUE WITH HIM, CAME TO NaPETACA, AA'HEEE THE InDIANS, ATTKMPTING TO RE.'^CCE HIM, HAD MANY OF THEIR NUJIBER KILLICD AND CAPTUREI). On the eleventli dayof August, in the year ir);;',t,tlie(T()v- ernor left C'ale. ami arrived to sleep at a small town called Vtara, and the next day at another called Potano, and the third at Utinaina, and then at another named Malapaz. This place was so called l)ecause one, represent in<;- himselt' to he its C'aci(|ue, came peacefully saying, that he wished to serve the (-rovernor with his peojile, and asked that he would cause 'the twenty-eight men and women, prisoners taken the night hefore, to be set at liherty ; that provisions should he hrought, and that he would furnish a guide for the country in advance of us; whereupon, the (lovernor having ordered the prisoners to Ije let hxise, and the Indian put under guard, the next day in the morning came many natives close to a scruh surrounding the town, near which the prisoner asked to l)e taken, that he miglit speak and satisty them, as they would obey in whatever he connnanded ; hut no sooner Jiad he found himself close to them, than he lioldly started away, and tied so swiftly 40 DISCOVERY that no one could overtake Lira, going oft' with the rest into the woods. The Governor ordered a bloodhound, already fleshed upon him, to be let loose, which, passing by many, seized upon the faithless Cacique, and held him until the Christians had come iip. From this town the people went to sleep at the one of Cholupaha, which, for its abundance of maize, received the name of Villafarta; thence, crossing a river before it, by a bridge they had made of wood, the Christians marched two days through an uninhabited country. On the seventeenth day of August they arrived at Caliquen, where they heard of the Province of Apalache, of Narvaez having been there and embarked, because no road was to be found over which to go forward, and of there being no other town, and that water was on all sides. Every mind was depressed at this information, and all counselled the Governor to go back to the port, that they might not lie lost, as Narvaez had been, and to leave the land of Florida ; that, should they gn further, they might not be able to get back, as the little maize that was yet left the Indians would secure : to which Soto replied, that he would never return until he had seen with his own eyes what was asserted, things that to him appeared incredible. Then he ordered us to be in readiness for the saddle, sending word to Luis de Mosííoso to advance from Cale, that he waited for him ; and, as in the judgment of the Field Marshal, and of many others, they should have to return from Apalache, they buried in Cale some iron implements with other things. They reached Calicpien through much suft'ering; for the land OF FLORIDA. 41 over which the Governor had marched hiy wasted and was without maize. All the people having come up, a bridge was ordered to he made over a i-iver that passed near the town, wdiereon we crossed, the tenth day of Septend)er, taking with us the Cacique. When three days on our journey, some Indians arrived to visit their lord ; and every day they came out U< the road, playing upon flutes, a token among them that tliey come in peace. They stated tliat further on there was a Cacique named Uzachil, kins- man of the Chief of Caliquen, their lord, who waited tlie arrival of the Governor, jjrepared to do great services ; and they besought him to set their ('aci(|ue free, wliich he feared to do, lest tliey should go oft" without giving him any guides; so he got rid of tliem from day to day with specious excuses. We marched five days, passing tlirough some small towns, anassed the night, neither party taking any rest. Juan Ortiz told them that, as escape was impossible, they woidd do well to give up ; which tliey did, driven by extreme chillness of the water; and (ine after anotlier, as cold overpowered. OF FLOKIUA. ■^•'' called out to liin., asking not to be killed-tlmt he Avas coming straightway to init himself in the hands of tlie Governor. At four o'clock in the morning they had all surrendered, save twelve of the principal men, who, as of more distinction and valiant than the rest, prefvrred to die rather than yield: then the Indians of Paraco.xi, who were going about unshackled, went in after them, swim- ming, and pulled them out by the hair. They were all put "in chains, and, on the day following, were divided among the Christians for their service. While captives, these men determined to rebel, and gave the lead to an interpreter, one reputed brave, tliat when the Governor might come near to speak with him, he should strangle him; but no sooner was the occasion presented, and before his hands could be thrown about the neck i.f Soto, his purpose was discovered, and he re- ceived so heavy a blow from him in the nostrils, that they gushed with blood. The Indians all rose together. lie who could only catch up a pestle from a mortar, as well he who could grasp a weapon, equally exerted himself to kill his master, or the tirst one he met; and he whose fortune it was to light on a lance, or a sword, handle.1 it in a manner as though he had been accus- tomed to use it all his days. One Indian, in the public yard .if the town, with blade in hand, tbught like a, bull in the arena, until the halberdiers of the Governor, arriving, put an end t» him. Another got up, with a lance, into a maize crib, made of cane, called by Indians barbacoa, and defen.led the entrance with the uproar of ten men, until he was stricken down with a battle- 44 DISCOVERY axe. They who were subdued may liave been in all two hundred men : some of the youngest the Governor save to those who had irood chains and were vigilant : all the rest were ordered to execution, and, being bound to a post in the middle of the town yard, they were shot to death with arrows by the people of Paracoxi. OF FLOKIDA. 45 CHAPTER XII. How THE GOVEKNOE ARRIVED AT PaLACHE, ANT) WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS MUCH GoLD INLAND. On the twenty-third day of Septemlier tlie Governor left Napetaca, and went to rest at a river, where two In- dians brought hiin a deer from the Caeiqne of Uzaehil ; and the next day, liaving passed tlirough a large town called Ilapaliiya, he slept at Uzaehil. He found no per- son there; fur the inhabitants, informed of the deatlis at Napetaea, dared not remain. In the town was found their food, much maize, beans, and pumpkins, on whieli the Ghristians lived. The maize is like coarse millet ; the pumpkins are better and more savoui'y than those of Spain. Two captains having been sent in opposite directions, in quest of Indians, a hundred men and women were taken, one or two of whom were chosen out for the (tov- ernor, as was always customary for officers to do after successful inroads, dividing tiie others among themselves and companions. They were led off in chains, with col- lars about the neck, to carry luggage and grind corn, doing the labour jiroper to servants. Sometimes it hap- pened that, going with them for wood or maize, tliey would kill the Ciiristian, and flee, with the chain on, 7 40 DISCOVERY which others would file at night with a splinter of stone, in the place of iron, at which work, when caught, they were punished, as a warning to others, and that they might not dd the like. The women and youths, when removed a hundred leagues from their country, no longer cared, and were taken along loose, doing the work, and in a very little time learning the Spanish language. From Uzachill the (rovernor went towards Apalache, and at the end of two days' travel arrived at a town called Axille. After that, the Indians having no knowledge of the C'hristians, they were come upon unawares, the greater part escaping, nevertheless, hecause there were Avoods near town. The next day, the first of < )etober, the Gov- ernor took his departure in the morning, and ordered a bi'idge to be made over a river which he had to cross. The depth there, tor a stone's throw, was over the head, and alterward the water came to the waist, for the dis- tance of a crossbow-shot, where was a growth of tall and dense forest, into which the Indians came, to ascertain if they could assail the men at work and prevent a passage; but they were dispersed l)y the arrival of crossbow-men, and some timbers being thrown in, the men gained the opposite side and secured tlie wny. On the fourth day of the week, "Wednesday of St. Francis, the Governor crossed over and reached Uitachuco, a town subject to Apalache, where lie slept. He found it burning, the Indians having set it on fire. Thenceforward the country was well iidiabited, pro- ducius' much corn, the way leading by many habitations OF FLORIDA. 47 like villao-es. Suiulay, the twetity-tiftli nf ( )ct(ilier, lie iUTiveil at tlie town of I'zela, and uii Monday at ^VuJiayea Apalaclie, where the lord of all that country and Province resided. The Camp-master, whuse duty it is to divide and lodge the men, quartered them about the town, at the distance of half a league to a league apart. There were other towns which had iiiucji maize, pumpkins, beans, and dried plums of the country, wiience were broTiii'ht together at Anhaica A])alache what appeared to I)e sutticient provision for the winter. These ameixas are better than those of Sjiain. and come from trees that grow in the fields without being ]ilante(l. Infornied. that the sea was eight leagues distant, the Governor directly sent a captain thither, with cavalry and iufantrv, who found a town calle(l (Jchete, eijiht leagues ou the way; and, coming to the coast, he saw where a great tree had been felled, the trunk split u]i into stakes, and with tin; lindis made into nuxngers. lie found also the skulls of horses. With these discoveries he returned, and what was said of Narvaez was believed to be certain, that be hail there made l)0ats, in which he left the country, and was lost in them at sea. Presently, Juan de Anasco made ready to go to the port of Espiritu Santo, taking thirty cavalry, with orders from the Gov- ernor to Caldcron, who had remained there, that he should abandon the town, and bring all the people to Ajialache. In Uzachil, and other towns on the way, Anasco found many people who bad already become careh'ss ; still, to avoid detention, no captures were made, as it was not 48 DISCOVERY well to give the Indians sufficient time to come together. He went through the towns at night, stopping at a dis- tance from the jiopulation for three or four hours, to rest, and at the end of ten days arrived at the port. He dis- patched two caravels to Cuba, in which he sent to Dona Ysabel twenty women brought by him from Ytara and Potano, near Cale ; and, taking witli him the iuot-soldiers in the brigaiitines, from ])oint to point along the coast by sea, he went towards Palache. Calderon with the cav- alry, and some crossbow-men of foot, went by land. The Indians at several places beset him, and wounded some of the men. On his arrival, the Governor ordered planks and spikes to be taken to the coast tbr liuilding a piragua, into which thirty men entered well armed from the bay, going to and coming from sea, waiting the arrival of the brigantines, and sometimes lighting with the natives, who went up and down the estuary in canoes. On Satur- day, the twenty -ninth of Xovember, in a high wind, an Indian passed througli the sentries undiscovered, and set fire to the town, two portions of which, in consequence, were instantly consumed. On Sunday, the twenty-eighth of Decend)er, Juan de Anasco arrived; and the Governor directed Francisco Mal- donado, Captain of Infantry, to run tlie coast to the west- ward with fifty men, and look for an entrance ; pi'oposing to go himself in that direction by land on discoveries. The same day, eight men rode two leagues about the town in pursuit of Indians, who had become so bold that they would venture up within two crossbow-shot of the camp to kill our people. Two were discovered engaged in ])ickiug OF FLORIDA. 49 beans, and niig-lit have escaped, bnt a woman being present, the wife nt' one of them, they stood to tiglit. Before they could lie killed, three horses were wounded, one of which died in a few days. Calderon going along the coast near by, the Indians came out against liim from a wood, driving him from liis course, and eaptm-ing from many of his company a part of their indispensable sub- sistence. Three or four days having elapsed beyond the time set for the going and return of Maldonado, the Governor resolved that, should he not appear at the end of eight days, he would go thence and wait no longer ; when the Captain arrived, bringing with him an Indian from a Province called (_)chus, sixty leagues from Apalache. and the news of having found a sheltered port with a good depth of water. The (Governor was highly pleased, hoping to find a good country ahead ; and he sent Mal- donado to Havana tor provisions, with which to meet him at that port of his discovery, to which lie would himself come by land ; but should he not reach there that summer, then he directed him to go back to Havana and return there the next season to await him, as he would make it his express object to march in (j^uest of Ochus. Francisco Maldonado went, and Juan de Guzman remained instead, Captain of his infantry. Of the In- dians taken in Napetuca, the treasurer, Juan Gaytan, brought a youth with him, who stated that he did not belong to that country, but to one afar in the direction of the sun's rising, from which he had been !i long time r)0 DISCOVERY absent visiting other lands ; that its name was Yupaha, and was governed by a woman, the town she lived in being of astonishing size, and many neighboring lords her tributaries, some of wliom gave her clotliing, others gold in (jnautity. He showed how the metal was taken from the earth, melted, and refined, exactly as though he had seen it all done, or else the Devil had taught him hiiw it was ; so that they who knew aught of sucli mat- ter declared it impossible that he could give that account witlioLit having been an eyo-witness; and tliey who beheld the signs he made credited all that was understood as certain. OF FLOUIDA. Õ1 CHAPTER XIII. lliiW THE (toVEEXOK went FROM ApALACHE IN QUErST OF YlPAIIA, AND WHAT BEFELL IIIM. On WediR'sday, tlie third of ^larcli, in tlie year 1540, tlie Governor left Anliaica Apalaelie to seek Yupalia. lie had ordered hh men to go ])rovided with maize for a iiiareh through sixty leagues of desert. The cavalry car- ried their grain on the horses, and the infantry theirs on the l)aek ; because the Indians they brouglit with them tor service, being naked and in chains, had ])erislied in great part during the winter. On the fourth day uf the journey they ari'ived at a deep river, where a iiiragua was made; and, in consecpience of the violence of the current, a cable of chains was e.xtended from shore to shore, along wjiicli the boat passed, and the horses were drawn over, swimming thereto, l)y means of a windlass to the other side. A day and a half afterwards, they arri\ed at a town l)y the name of ('apachiqui, and on Friday, the eleventh, the inhabitants were found to have gone oft". The follow- ing day, tive Christians, going in the rear of the camp to search for mortars, in which the natives beat maize, went to some houses siu-rounded by a thicket, where many In- dians lurked as spies, an equal number of whom, separa- i)2 DISCOVERY tino; from the rest, set upon our men, one of wliom fled l)ack, crying out to arms. Wlien tliey who could first answer to the call reached the spot, they found one of the Christians killed, and the three others badly wounded, the Indians fleeing into a sheet of water, full of woods, into which the horses could not gt). The Governor left Capachiqui, passing through a desert; and on Wednes- day, the twenty -first of the month, came to Toalli. The houses of this town were different from those be- hind, which were covered with dry grass ; thenceforward they were roofed with cane, after the fashion of tile. They are kept very clean : some have their sides so made of clay as to look like tapia. Throughout the cold coun- try every Indian has a winter house, plastered inside and out, with a very small door, which is closed at dark, and a fire being made within, it remains heated like an oven, so that clothing is not needed during the nigiit-time. He has likewise a Ikjusc for summer, and near it a kit- chen, where fire is made and bread baked. Maize is kept in barbacoa, which is a house with wooden sides, like a room, raised aloft on four posts, and has a floor of cane. The difference between the houses of the masters, or principal men, and those of the common people is, be- sides being larger than the others, they have deep balco- nies on the front side, with cane seats, like benches ; and about are many large barbacoas, in which they bring together the tribute their people give them of maize, skins of deer, and blankets of the country. These are like shawls, some of them made from the inner bark of trees, and others of a grass resembling nettle, which, by tread- OF VLolUDA. 53 mg; out, liiToines like Hax. The women use tliem tur covering, weariug (tood Master: — I'lie tilings that seldom happen bring astonislinient. Think, then, what must be the efteet on me and mine, tlie sight of you and your people, whom we liave at no time seen, astride the tierce brutes, your horses, entering with such speed and fury into my country, that we had no tidings of your coming — things so alto- gether new, as to strike awe and terror to our hearts, which it was not nature to resist, so that we should receive you with the sobriety due to so kingly «and famous a lord. Trusting to your greatness and personal qualities, I hope no fault will be found in me, and that I shall rather receive favours, of which one is that with my person, my country, and my vassals, you will do as with your own things; and another, that you tell me who you are, whence you come, u'hitlier you go, and what it is you seek, that I nuiy the better serve yon. Tlie Governor responded, that he greatly thanked hiui for his good-will, as nuich so as thongli he had given him a great treasiu-e. lie told him that he was the child of the smi, coming from its abode, and that he was going ahout the eonntrv, seeking for the greatest jn-ince there, and the rieliest province. Tlie Cacique stated that tVir- tlier tin was a great lord, whose territory was called Ociite. lie gave him a guide, who understood the lan- guage, to conduct him thither; and the Governor com- niauded liis subjects to lie released. A high cross, made of wood, was set up in the middle of the town-yard; and, as time did nut allow more to be done, the Indians were instructed that it was put there to commemorate the suf- fering of Christ, who was God and man ; that he had created the skies and the earth, and had sntfered for the salvation of all. and tliereiore that they should revere that sign; and they showed by tlieir manner that tliey would do so. OF FLOUIHA. The Governor set cnt on tlie tirst day of Aiiril, and advanced throngli the cdnntry of the Chief, ah>ng np a river, the sliores of wlncli were very iiupnlous. On the fonrth he went th^niiii tlie town of Altamaca, and on the tenth arrived at ( )eute. The ( 'aei(pie sent him a present, ]>y two tlionsand Indians, of many eonies and partridges, maize hread, numy (h)gs, and two turkeys. On account of the scarcity of meat, tlie (h)gs were ;ts much esteemed liy tlie Christians as though they lia- pearances of my contentment. By what circumstance has this your land, which I govern, deserved to be seen by one so superior and excellent that all on earth should obey and serve as prince? and those who here inhabit being so insignificant, how can they forget, in receiving this vast enjoyment, that, in the order of things, will fiillow upon it some great adversity ? If we are held worthy of being yours, we can never be other than favoured, nor less than protectertioned. Tliey are more civilized than any pefiple i^een in all the territories of Florida, wearing- clothes and shoes. This country, according to AA'hat the Indians stated, had heen very ])oi)ulons. It ajipeared that the yonth Avho was the guide had heard of it; and what was told him he declared to have seen, and magnified such parts as he chose, to suit his pleasure, lie told the (xovcnior that they had begun to enter upon the country he had spoken to him about, which, because of its appearance, with his l)eing ulile to understand the language of the people, gained for him some credit. He wished to become a Christian, and asked to be bajitized, which was dcnie, he receiving the name of Pedro ; and the (lovernor com- manded the chain to be struck oft' that he had carried until then. In the town were found a dirk and beads that had belonged to Christians, who, the Indians said, had many years before been in the port, distant two days' journey. He that had been there was the Governor-licentiate Ay- llon, who came to conquer the land, and, on arriving at the jiort, died, when there tollowed divisions and mur- ders among the chief personages, in quarrels as to who should have the command; and thence, without knowing any tiling of the country, they went back to Spain. To all it ap]ieared well to make a settlement there, the point being a favourable one, to which could come all the ships from New Si)ain, Peru, Sancta Marta, and Tierra-Firme, going to Spain; because it is in the way thither, is a good country, and one fit in which to raise supplies ; but Soto, as it was his object to find another OF FLORIDA. 65 treasure like tlmt of Atíilialíjui, lord ot' Peru, wmilil iii.it be c-onteut witli grmd lauds uor jioarls. e\eu tlidUii-li uiauy (.)f tlieui were woi-tli their weii^lit in gold (and if tlie eouutrv were di\i(kd auioug Cliristiaus, luoi'c preeiourt should those be the Jndiaus would procure thau these t.lie_y lia\e, Ijeinij; bored with lieat, which causes thcui to lose their hui'): so he answered them who urged him to make a settlement, that in all tlii' cnuntrv together there was not support for hi^ troop> a single mouth; that it was necessary to return to <)chus, wlicai' Maldonado was to wait; and should a richer country not be found, they could alwaVi retui-u to that Avlio woidd, and in their absence the Indians would plant their tichls and be better pro\ided with maize. The natives were askeil if they had knowledge of any great lord farther on, to which they answered, that twelve days' travel thence was a province called Chiaha, sidvject to a chief of Coca. The G(.)vernor then resolved at once to go in ijuest of that country, and heing an iutlexilile man, and dry of wonl, who, idthough he liked to know M'hat the others all thought and had to sav, after he once said a thini; he did not like t(.) be o])})osed, and as he ever acted as lie thought best, all bent to his will ; for though it seemed an error to leave that coinitry, when another nnght have been fomid about it, on which all the peo])le could have been sustained until the crops had lieen made and the grain gathered, there were none who would say a thing to him after it Ijecame known that he had made up his mind. o I) DISCOVERY CHAPTER XV. How THE Governor went from Cutifaciuqxh in quest OF (JoyA, AND WHAT OCCURRED TO HIM ON 'JlIE Journey. On the third day of May the (Tovernor set out from ( 'utiiaehiqui ; and, it being discovered that the wish of the ('aciea was to k»ave tlie C'hristians, if slie eoidd, giv- ing tliem neither guides nor tanienies, l)ecanse of the outrages committed upon tlie inhabitants, tiiere never failhig to be men of low degree among the many, who will put the h'ves of themselves and others in jeopardy for some mean intei'cst, the Governor ordered that she should be placed under guard, and tix.ik her with him. This treatment, which was not a pri^iper return for the hospitable welcome he had received, makes true the adage. For well doing . . ; and thus M'as she carried away on foot, with her female slaves. Tin's brought us service in all the }ilai-es that were passed, she ordering the Indians to come and take the loads from town to town. We travelled through her ter- ritories a hundred leagues, in which, according to wiuit we saw, she was greatly obeyed, whatsoever she ordered being performed with diligence and efficacy. Perico, the guide, said she was not the suzeraine, but her niece. OF FLOIUDA. G7 who liad eonie ti> tliat town l)_v lier Cdiiimaiid to pnnisli capitally èonie |iriii!'i]ial liidiaiis wliu liad seized upon tlie tribute; Init to this no credit was given, heeanse of the falsehoods in wliirh he liad lieen taken, though all was put up with, from the necessity of having some one wherebv to understand what the Indians said. In seven days the Governor arrived at the Province of Cliehuiue, the country poorest otf for nuuze of any tliat was seen in Florida, where the iidudiitants sul)sisted on the roots of phints that they dig in the wilds, and on the animals they destroy there with their ari'ows. Tl.ey are viry domestic peojde, are slight of form, and go naked. < >nc lord lironght th:> (ío\-crnor two deer-skins as a great gift. Turk'eys were ahundant ; in one town they presented seven hundred, and m otliers lu-ouglit him what they had and could pi-ocnrc. lie was detained in going from this proxiuce to that of Xualhi five days, where they found little grain, hut remained two days, because of the weariness of the men ami the leanness of the liorses. From ( )cute to ('utifa<-lii(pii are one hundred and thirty leagiu's, of wdiicli eighty sire desert; from Cutifa to Xualhi are two ]mndrt'(l and iifty of mountainous country; thence to (ína.xule, the way is over very rougli and lofty ridges. One day while on tins journey, tlie ( 'acica of Cutifacld, whom tlie Governor brought with him. as has been stated, to the end of taking hei' to (íuaxule, the farthest linnt of her territories, conducted liy her slave-, she left tlie road, with an excuse of going into a thicket, wheiv, fi8 DISCOVEKY deceiving them, slie so eoncealeil herself tliat for all their ssareli she could imt be found. Slie took with her a cane liiix, like a trunk, called petaca, full of unhored pearls, of which, those who had the most knowledge of their value said they were very precious. They were carried f >r her by one of the women; and the Governor, not to give offence, permitted it so, thinking that in Guaxule he would beg them of her when he should give h?r leave to depart; but she took them with her, going to Xualla, with three slaves who had tied from the camp. A horsenuin, named Alimamos, who remained behiiul, sick of a fever, wandering out of the way, got lost ; and he laboured with the slaves to make them leave their evil design. Two of them did so, and came on with him tn the camp. They overtook the Governor, after a journe}' of iifty leagues, in a province called Chiaha ; and he reported that the Cacica remained in Xualla, with a slave of André de Vasconcelos, who would not come with him, and that it was very sure they lived to ;-ether as num and wife, and were to go together to Cutifarhiqui. At the end of five days the Governor arrived at Guaxule. The Christians being seen to go after dogs, for their flesh, which the Indians do not eat, they gave them three hundred of those animals. Little maize was found there, or anywhere u})on that route. The Gov- ernor sent a native with a message to the Cacique of Chiaha, begging that he would order some nniize to be brought togetlier at his town, that he might sojourn there some time. He left (Tuaxule, and after two days' travel arrived at Canasagua, where twenty OF Fl,(>i:il)A. (i'.t men came out t'rum the town on the mad, eacli laden with a basket of mulberries. This fruit is abundant and good, from Cutifaehique to tins jilace, and thence onward in other provinces, as are tlie wahint and tlie aniexa ; the trees growing about over the country, witliout plant- ing or pruning, of the size and luxuriance they would liave were tliey cultivated in orchards, by hoeing and irrigation. Leaving Canasagua, he marched tive days tlirough a desert. Two leagues before coming to Chiaha, fifteen men met the Governor, bearing loads of maize, with word from the Cacirjue that he waited for him, having twenty barbacoas full ; that, moreover, liimself, his lands, and his vassals, were subject to his orders. ( )n tlie tifth day of July the Governor entered Chiaha. The Gacique received him with great pleasure, and, resigning to him his dwellings for his residence, thus addressed him : — PoWKUKlil. AXI) EXCKI.I.KNT MaSTKU; Fortuiuite inn I tliat yon will make use of my survict-s. Xo- tliing could lia|>]n'ii that would };ive mo so ^ruat oonteiitmeiit, (ii- which I slioidd vabif iiioro. From Gnaxnle yon si'ut to liave maize for you in readiness to last two months: you have in tlii.s town twenty barbacoas full of the choicest and tlie best to be found in all this country. If the rece|)tion I jiive is not worthy of so {Treat a ]n-ince, consider my youth, which will relieve me of blame, and receive my fiood-will, whicli, with true loyalty and pure, sliall ever be shown in all thnig-i that concern yiiur welfare. The (Governor answered him, that his gifts and his kindness pleased him greatly, and that he should ever consider him to be his brother. There was alumdance of lard in calabashes, drawn like olive oil, which the inhabitants said was the fat of 70 DISCOVERY licar. There was likewise found inneli oil of walnuts, which, like the lard, was clear and of good taste ; and also a honey-comb, which the CJhristi^ns had never seen before, nor saw afterwards, nor honey, nor bees, in all the country. The town was isolated, between two arms of a river, and seated near one of them. Above it, at the distance of two crossliow-shot, the water divided, and united again a league below. The vale l)etween, from side to side, was the width in places of a crossbow-shot, and in others of two. The branches were very M'ide, and lioth M'ere fordable: along their shores were very lich meadow-lands, having many maize-fields. As the Indians remained at home, uo houses were taken save those of the Chief, in which the Governor lodged ; the |)eople lived out, where\-er there happened to be shelter, each man having his tree. In this manner the army lay, the men out of order, and far apart. The Governor passed it over, as the Indians were peaceful, and the weather very calm : the people would have suf- fered greatly had they been required to do differently. The horses arrived so worn out, that they could not bear their riders from weakness ; for they had come all the way having only a little maize to live on, travelling, hungry and tired, even from beyond the desert of Ocute ; so, as the greater part of them were unfit to be mounted, even in the necessary case of battle, they were turned out at night to graze, about a quarter of a league from the camp. The Christians were greatly exposed, so much so that if at that time the Indians had set upon OF FLORIDA. 7l tliciii, they would have been in hud way tu deieud tlieniselves. The duration of the sojourn was tliirfy days, in wliich time, the soil being covered with verdnre, the horses fat- tened. At the departure, in conse(iuence of the importu- nity of some who wanted more than was in reason, the Governor asked thirty wmien of tlie Chief for slpves, who replied that he would confer vrith his jirineipal men ; when one night, before giving an answer, all went off tr.ini the town with their women and children. The next day, hav- ing made up his inind to go in search of them, the Caci- que arrived, and, aji])roaching, thus addressed him : — PoWERFl'I. I^dlill : — Becinise of my sliaino, and mit of foav of yon, disoiiveriíi': that my siilijects, coiiti-ary to my wisljos, had chosen to ubsL-ut tlioiiischcs, I Itft witliont your pormissioii ; but, tindiii;; the in-ror of mv wav, I have retiiriied like a tiaie vassal, to put myself in your power, tliat you may do with my person as shall seeiu best to you. .My people •will not obey me, aor do any tliiuji that au uncle of mine does not command : he troverns this country, in my place, until J shall be of uiature aire. If you would i)ursue and punish them for disobedience, I will be your y-uide, since my fate at present forbids nje doin;;- more. The Governor then, witli thirty monnled men and as many footmen, went in search of the peojde. Passiiio; by the towns of some of the chiefs who had gone off, he cut down and destroyed the great nuiize-tields ; and going along up the stream where the natives were,- on an islet, to which the cavalry could not go, he sent word to them, by an Indian, that they should put away all their fears, and, returning to their abodes, give him tamemes, as had been done all the way along, since he did not wish to 72 DISCOVERY have women, finding liow very dear they were to them. The Indians judged it well to come and make their ex- cuses to him, so they all went I)ack to the town. A Cacique of Acoste, who came to see the Governor, after tendering his services, and they had exchanged com- pliments and proffers of friendship, was asked if he had any information of a rich hini-iie in a it) uisnn i:i;y lillof (>n llu- sh.iuldtTs ol' his |irinri|i;il nn'ii, soalcil on a cushion, and coxorcii willi a niaiillo of niaiMtMi skins, ot' liio si.-.t' anil shape ol' a woman's siiawl: on his hoaii iu' \\ ol'<> a liiadiMu ol' i>hn\u's, and hv~ was snrroundod hv inauv atlondants plaviug npon tlnlos and sinjiinj:'. ('onl- ine' to whiTo llu- ( Jovornoi' \\a-, ho niado his ohcisanco, and t'ollowi'd it liv lln->o words: I'ow Kiiri I. l.o\;i>, St \'i;iaoi! rn i;\ Ki;v mina; nv iiiK Iv\i;tii; — •Mllioiiiili I ooiiio Iml iiiiw to moot von, it is i» loiii; linio siiioo I Imvo ivooivoil von in luv li0!\rt. Tli!»! wjis dono I lio first «Ijiv 1 liOiU'd ol' \oii, with so j;roiit ilosiro to sorvo, ploiiso, mut ijivo .von ooiitoiitinoiit, tliiit this, wliioli 1 oxpross, is notliiiij; in oonipiirison with lliat wliioli IS williin mo. Ol' tliis von nuiv lio snro, tli:it to liiivo ivooivoil llio (loiiiiuion ol' llio worlil woiilil not liavo intoivstoil 1110 so jrivativ lis tlio sisilit of von, noi' wonlil 1 liavo liolil it rof si> liivat ii folioitv. IVi not look for mo to otVoi" von tlnit wliioli is vonr own this porsoii, thoso liinils llioso vassals. Xlv oiilv ilosiiv is to oiiil DISCOVERY and great injury done, he ran out ; but before he could get away he fell two or three times, and was helped to rise by those with him. He and they were all badly wounded: within the town five Christians were instantly killed. Coming forth, he called out to all his men to get farther off, because there was much harm doing from the palisade. The natives discovering that the Christians were retiring, and some, if not the greater number, at more than a walk, the Indians followed with great bold- ness, shooting at them, or striking down such as they could overtake. Those in chains having set down their bur- dens near the fence while the Christians were retiring, the people of Manilla lifted the loads on to their backs, and, brinowered. They removed from that town to the one where the Cacique was accustomed ti> live, liecause it was in the open field. In eight days' time they had constructed many saddles from the ash, and likewise lances, as good as those made in Biscay. 98 DISCOVERT CHAPTER XXI. How THE Indian's kkturned to attack TriE Cheistians, AND now THE Governor went to Alimamu, and tiiey TAEEIED TO GIVE IIIM BatTLE IN THE WaY. On Wednesday, the fifteenth day of Maix-h, in the year 1541, eight days liaving passed since the Governor had heen living on a plain, half a league from the place where he wintered, after he had set up a forge, and tem- pered the swords which in Chicaça had been burned, and already had made many targets, saddles, and lances, [on Tuesday night,] at four o'clock in the morning, while it was still dark, there came many Indians, formed in three squadrons, each from a ditfereut direction, to attack the camp, when those who watched beat to arms. In all haste he drew up his men in three squadrons also, and leaving some for tlie defence of the camp, he went out to meet them. The Indians were overthnjwn and put to flight. The ground was plain, and in a condition advan- tageous to the Christians. It was now daybreak ; and but for some disorder, thirty or forty more enemies might have been slain. It was caused by a friar rais- ing great shouts in the camp, without any reason, cry- ing, " To the canq) ! To the camp ! " In consequence the OF FLORIDA. 99 Governor and the rest went thither, and the Indians had time to get away in safety. From some jarisoners taken, the Governor informed himself of the region in advance. On the twenty-fifth day of April he left Chicaça and went to sleej) at a small town called Alimanui. Very little maize was found ; and as it became necessary to attempt thence to pass a desert, seven days' journey in extent, the next day the Governor ordered, that three captains each with cavalry and foot, should take a different direction, to get provision for the way. Juan de Auasco, the Comptroller, went with iifteen liorse and forty foot on the course the Governor ^vould have to march, and found a staked fort where the Indians were awaiting them. Many were armed, walking upon it, with their l)odies, legs, and arms ])ainted and ochred, red, hlack, white, yellow, and vermilion in stripes, so that they appeared to have on stockings and doublet. Some wore feathers, and others horns on the head, the face blackened, and the eyes encircled with vermilion, to heighten their fierce aspect. So soon as they saw the Christians draw nigh they beat drums, and, with loud yells, in great fury came forth to meet them. As to Juan de Anasco and others it ap^jeared well to avoid them, and to inform the Governor, they retired,5over an even ground in sight, the distance of a crossbow-shot from the enclo- sure, the footmen, the crossbow-men, and targeteers put- ting themselves before those on horseback, that the beasts nn'ght not be wounded by the Indians, who came forth Ijv sevens and eights to discharge their bows at them and re- tire. In sight of the Christians they made a fire, and, 100 DISCOVERY taking an IndiaTi by the head and feet, pretended to give him many l)lows on the head and east him into tlie flames, signifying in this way wliat they would do with tlie Christians. A message being sent witli three of the cavalry to the Goxernor informing him of this, he came directly. It was his opinion that they should be driven from the place. He said that if this was not done they would be embol- dened to make an attack at some other time, when they might do him more harm : those on horsel>aek were com- manded to dismount, and, being set in four squadrons, at the signal charged the Indians. They resisted until the Christians came up to the stakes ; then, seeing that they could not defend themselves, they fled through that part near which passed a stream, sending back some arrows from the other liank ; and because, at the moment, no place was found where the horses might ford, they had time to make their escape. Three Indians were killed and many Christians wounded, of whom, after a few days, fifteen died on the march. Everyone thought the Gover- nor connnitted a great fault in not sending to examine the state of the ground on the opposite shore, and discover the crossing-place before making the attack ; because, with the hope the Indians had of escaping unseen in that direction, they fought until they M-ere broken ; and it was the cause of their holding out so long to assail the Chris- tians, as they could, with safety to themselves. OF FLOKIDA. lUl CHAPTEK XXTI. lIllW THE (-ioVEKNOIi WEXT FUOM QriZQl'IZ, AND THENCE TO THE EivEii Geande. Three days Iiaviiig gone l)y since some maize liad been sougiit after, and Init little fonnd in comparison with the great want there was of it, the Governor became obliged to move at once, notwithstanding the wounded liad need 0Í repose, to where there should be abundance. He ac- cordingly set oTit f(ir (Jnizcpiiz, and marched sc\'en days through a wilderness, iiaving many pondy places, with thick forests, fordable, however, on horseback, all to some basins or lakes that were swum. He arrived at a town of (Juizipliz without l)eing descried, and seized all the people before they ctiuld come out of their Ikjuscs. Among them was the mother nf the Cacique; and the Governor sent M'ord to him, by one of the (captives, to eome and receive her, with the rest he had taken. The answer he returned was, that if his lordsliip woidd order them to lieUoosed and sent, he would come to visit and d(.) him service. The Governor, since his men arrived weary, and like- wise weak, for want of maize, and the horses were also lean, determined to yield to the requirement ;;nd try to have peace; so the motlier and the rest were oi-dered to 14 1 02 DLSCOVERY be set free, ami witli words of kindness were dismissed. The next day, wliile he M'as hopino- to see the Chief, many Indians came, \\'itli hows and arrows, to set upon the Christians, when he eonmianded that all the armed horsemen shoidd he mounted and in readiness. Finding tliem prepared, the Indians stopped at the distance of a crossbow-shot from wliere tiie Governor was, near a river-bank, wliere, after remaining quietly half an hour, six chiefs arrived at the camp, stating that they had come to tind out what people it might be ; for that they had knowledge from their ancestors that they were to be subdued by a white race ; they consequently desired to return to the Cacique, to tell him that he should come presently to obey and serve the Governoi'. After pre- senting six or seven skins and shawls brought with them, they took their leave, and returned with the others who were waiting for them by the shore. The Cacique came not, nor sent another message. Tlicre was little maize in the place, and the Governor moved to another town, half a league from the great river, where it Avas found in sufficiency. He went to look at the river, an might be placed, lie direct- ly moved, built houses, and settled on a plain a crossbow- shot from the water, bringing together there all the maize of the towns behind, that at once they might go to work and cut down trees for sa«-ing out plaidvs to build barges. The Indians soon came irom up the stream, jumped on shore, and told the Governor that they were OF FLORIDA. 1 < •."> the vassals of a great lord, named Aqiiixo, who was tlie suzerain of many towns and people on the ether shore ; and they made known from liim, that he would come the day after, with all his people, to hear what his lord- ship would connnand him. The next day the (Jacique arrived, with two hundred cauoes filled with men, having weapons. Tlicy were paiuted with ochre, wearing great bunches of white and other plumes of many culours, having fe'?.tliered shields in their hands, with whidi they sheltcreil the oarsmen on either side, the warrioi's standing erect frt)m 1><>\y to stern, holding bows and arrov,'s. Tlie barge in which the Cacique came had an awning at the poop, under which he sate ; and tlie like had the l)arges of the other chiets : and tht-re, from Tmder the canopy, where tlie chief man was, the course was directed and orders issned to the rest. All came down together, and arrived within a stone's cast of the ravine, whence the Cacique said to the Governoi', who was walking along tlie rivcrdiank, with others who l>ore inni company, tliat he had come to visit, serve, and obey him; for he had licard that he was the greatest of lords, the most powerful on all the earth, and that he must see what he would lii've him do. The Governor expressed his pleasure, and besought him to land, that they might the better confer; luit the Chief gave no reply, ordering three barges to draw near, where- in was great tpiantity of fish, and loaves like bricks, made of the pulp of ameixas, which Soto receiving, gave him thanks and again entreated him tn land. Making the gift had been a pretext, to discover if any 104 DISCOVERT harm might be done ; hut, finding the Governor and his people on their guard, the Cacique began to draw oft' from the shore, when the crossbow-men, who were in readiness, witli hmd cries sliot at the Indians, and struck down five or six of them. Tliey retired with great order, not one leaving the oar, even thougli tlie one next to him might have fallen, and covering tliemselves, they withdrew. Afterward they came many times and landed : when appr(,)ached, they wouhl go back to their barges. These were fine-looking men, very large and well formed ; and what with the awnings, the plumes, and the shields, the pennons, and the number of people in the fleet, it appeared like a famous ai-mada of galleys. During the thirty days that were passed there, four piraguas were l)uilt, into tliree of which, one morning, three hours before daybreak, the Governor ordered twelve cavalry to enter, four in each, men in whom he had con- fidence that they would gain the land, notwithstanding the Indians, and secure the passage, or die : he also sent some crossbow-men of foot with them, and in the other piragua, oarsmen, to take them to the opposite sliore. He ordered Juan de Guzman to cross with the infantry, of which he had remained Captain in the place of Fran- cisco Maldonado : and because the current was stiff, they went up along the side of the river a cpiarter of a league, and in passing over they were carried down, so as to land opposite the camp ; but, before arriving there, at twice tlie distance of a stone's cast, the horsemen rode out from the piraguas to an open area of hard and even «iTound, where tliey all reached without accident. OF FLOKIOA. 105 So soon as they liad eoiiic to shore tlie piraguas returned; and when the siin was up two houi-s high, the people had all got over. The distanee was near half a league: a man standing (.m the shore eould ni>t he told, whether he were a man or something else, from the other side. The stream was swilt, and very deep ; the water, always flowing turbidly, brought along from above many trees and much tind.ier, driven onward by its force. There were many tish of several sorts, the greater part ditfering from those of the fresh waters of Spain, as will be told hereafter. 106 DISCOVERY CHAPTER XXIII. How THE GoVERNOE WENT FEOM AqUIXO TO CasQUI, AND THENCE TO PacAHA ; AND HOW THIS CoUNTKY DIFFERS FROM THE OTHER. The Pio Grande being crossed, the Governor marclied a league and a half, to a large town of Aquixo, which was abandoned before his arrival. Over a plain thirty Indians were seen to draw nigh, sent by the Cacique, to discover what the Christians intended to do, but who fled directly as they saw them. The cavalry pursued, killed ten, and captured tifteen. As the town toward which the Governor marched was near the river, he sent a captain, with the force he thought suflicient, to take the piraguas up the stream. These, as they frequently wound about through the country, having to go round the bays that swell out of the river, the Indians had opportunity to attack those in the piraguas, placing them in great peril, being shot at with l:)0ws from the ravines, while they dared not leave the shore, be- cause of the sM'iftness of the current ; so that, as soon as tlie Governor got to the town, he directly sent cross- bow-men to them down the stream, for their protecticiii. When tlie iiiraguas arrived, he ordered them to be taken OF FLORIDA. 107 to pieces, and tlie spikes kept for innkiiic; otliers, when tliey should be needed. lhe Go\eru(ir slept at the town one niiilit, and the day fdlldwiiiii- he went in (piest of a province called Pacaha, which he had l)een inforuicfl was niii'li ( 'hisca, where the Indians baid there was yold. lie ])assed through large towns in Acpiixo, which the people had left for fear of the C'liristians. From some Indians that were taken, he heard that three days" jonrney thence I'esided a great tJaciipie, called C'asipii. He came to a, small i-iver, over which a bridge was made, whereby he crossi^d. Ail tluit day, until sunset, he marched through water, in places c<.)Uiing to the knees; in otliers, as high as the waist. They were greatly rejoiced on reaching the dry land ; liecause it had appeai-ed to them tliat they ^ll(lnld travel about, lost, all night in the water. At midday they came to the first town uf ('as(pu, where they fonnd the Indians oft' tlii'ir guard, iie\er lia\ing heard ei'ceptible Init from me concealed ; sinee an evil nniy well be [lennitted to avoid another greater, that gocid eau arise, wliicli I trust will be so; for from so excellent a [irince, no bad moti\e is to be sus]iected. My ability is so small to terve you, according to your great merit, that tho\igh yon should OF Fl.UlilDA. lUl) consider even my aluimliiiit will and humility in |iriiireriii;j: you all manner of sei-vii-e>, I must still deserve little in your si-lit. If tins ability can with I'eason be valued, I pray you receive it, and with it my country and my vassals, of me and them disi>osiii- at your plea- su're; tor thouííh you were lord of the earth, with no more good- will would you be received, served, and obeyed. The Governor responded appro^iriately in a few words whleli satlsiied the Chief. Directly they fell to making each other great protfers, using much courtesy, the Caci- que inviting the Governor to go and take lodging in his houses. He excused himself, the lietter to preserve peace, sayiug that he wished to lie in the held ; and, l)ecaiise the heat was excessive, he pitched the camp among some trees, fpiarter of a league from the town. The Gaciqtie went to his town, and returned with many Indians sing- ing, who, when they had come to where the (Governor was, all prostrated themselves. Among them were two Idiiid men. The Cacique made an address, of which, as it w;is long, I will give the substance in a few words, lie said, that inasmuch as the Governor was son of the Sun, he begged him to restore sight to those Indians: whereupon the blind men arose, and they very earnestly entreated him to do so. Soto answered them, tliat in the heavens above there was One who had the ^lower to nntke them whole, and do whatever they could ask of Ilim, whose servant he was; that this great Lord made the sky and the earth, and man after His image; that He had sutfered on the tree of the true cross to save the Inuuan race, and risen from the grave on the third day, — what of mau there was of Him dying, what id' divinity being im- mortal ; and that, having ascended into heaven, lie was 15 110 DISCOVERY there with opeu anus to receive all that would be con- verted to Him. He then directed a lofty cross of wood to be made and set np in the highest part of the town, declaring to the Cacique that the Christians worshipped that, in the form and memory of the one on which Christ suii'ered. He placed himself with his people before it, on their knees, which the Indians did likewise ; and he told them that from that time thenceforth they should thus worship the Lord, of whom he had spoken to them, that was in the skies, asking Him for whatsoever they stood in need. The Chief being- asked what was tlie distance to Pacaha, he answered that it was one day's journey, and said that on the extreme of his territory there was a lake, like an estuary, that entered into the Eio Grande, to which he would send persons in advance to build a bridge, where- by they might pass over it. The night of the day the Governor left, he slept at a town of Casqui ; and the next day he passed in sight of two other towns, and arrived at the lake, which was half a crossbow-shot over, of great depth and swiftness of current. The Indians had just got done the bridge as he came up. It was built of wood, in the manner of timber thrown across from tree to tree ; on one side there being a rail of poles, higher than the rest, as a support for those who should jjass. The Ca- cique of Casqui having come with his people, the Gover- nor sent word by an Indian to the Cacique of Pacaha, that though he might be at enmity with him of Casqui, and that Chief be present, he should receive neither injury nor insult, provided that he attended in peace OF FLOrJDA. 1 1 1 and desired his friendsliiii, Inr rs a liiMtlu-r would lie treat liini. Tlie Indian went í:s lie mt.s Ijí I, and re- turned, stating that ilie Cacitjue took no notice of the message, but that he fled out of the town, from the Lack part, with all his jteople. Then the Governor entered there, and with the cavalry charged in the direc- tion the Indians were running, and at anotlier town, a quarter of a league off, many were taken. As fast as tliey were captured, the horsemen delivered them to the Indians of Casqui, who, from being tlieir enemies, brought them with great heed and pleasure to \]w town where the Christians were, greatly regretting that they had not the liberty to kill them. Many shawls, deer-skins, lion ; nd bearskins, and many cat-skins were found in the town. Numbers who had been a long time badly covered, there clothed themselves. Of the shawls they made mantles and cassocks; some made gowns and lined them with cat- skins, as they also did the cassocks. Of the deer-skins were made jerkins, shirts, stockings, and shoes ; and from the fiear-skins they made very good cloaks, such as no water coidd get thruugli. They found shields of raw cow-hide out of -which armour was made for the horses. 112 DISCOVERT CHAPTER XXIIIl. Of now the Cacique of PxVcaha came in Peace, and HE OF CaSQXII, having ABSENTED HIMSELF, EETUENED TO EXCUSE HIS CoNDUCT ; AND HOW THE GoVEKNOE MADE Friendship betweiín the Chiefs. On Wednesday, the nineteenth day of Jnne, the Governor entered Pacaha, and took qnarters in tlie town where the Cacique was aeciistomed to reside. It was enclosed and very hirge. In the towers and the palisade were many loo]ilioles. There was much dry maize, and the new was in great (quantity, tluvingliout the fields. At the distance of half a league to a league off were large towns, all of them surrounded with stockades. Where the (.Tovcrnor staA'ed was a great lake, near to the enclosure ; and the water entered a ditch that well- nigh went round the town. From tlie Piver Grande to the lake was a canal, through which the fish came into it, and where the Chief kept them for his eating and pastime. With nets that were fiuud in the place, as many were taken as need required ; and liowever nmch might lie the casting, there was never any lack of them. In the many other lakes about were also many tish, though the flesh was soft, and none of it so good as that which (nime from the river. The greater number differ from those in the fresh water of Spain. There was a fish OF FLOPJDA. 113 called bagre, the third part of wliich was head, with gills from end to end, and along- the sides were great spines, like very sharp awls. Those of this sort that lived in the lake were as hig as i>ike; in the river were some that weighed t'nmi one hnndred to one hnndred and iit'ty pounds. Many were taken with the ho:;k. There was one in the shajie of barbel ; another like bream, with the head of a hake, having a colour between red and brown, and was the most esteemecl. Thei'e was likewise a kind called peel-tish, the snont a cubit in length, the u]iper lip being shaped like a shovel. Another fish was like a shad. Except the bagres and the, peel they were all of scale. There was one, called pereo, the Indians some- times bn.iught, the size of a hog, and had rows of teeth above and below. The Cacique of Casqui many times sent large presents of fish, shawls, and skins. Having told the Governor that he would deliver into his hands the Cacique of Pacaha, he went to Casqui, and ordered many canoes to ascend the river, while he shduld march l)y land, taking- many of his warriors. The Governor, with forty cavalry and sixty infantry, was conducted by him np stream ; and the Indians who were in the canoes discovei-ed the Cacique of Pacaha on an islet between two arms of the river. Five Christians entered a canoe, of wlmm was Don Antonio Osório, to go in advance and see what number of people the Cacique had with him. There were five or six thiuisand souls, Mdio, directly as they saw the people, taking the Indians who went in tlie canoes to be Cliristians ;ds(>, tlie Cacique, and as many as could ll-t DISCOVERY get into three canoes that were there, fled to the opposite hank ; the greater part of the rest, in terror and confu- sion, phmging into the river to swim, many, mostly women and infants, got drowned. Tlien the Governor, who was on land, without knowing wliat was passing with Don Antonio and those who accompanied him, ordered the Christians, in all liaste, to enter the canoes with the Indians of Casqui, and they directly joining Don Antonio on the islet, many men and women were taken, and ninch clothing. Many clothes, vrhich the Indians had in cane hurdles and on rafts to carry over, floated down stream, the people of Casqui filling their canoes with them ; and, in fear that the Christians might take these away, their Chief went ofi' with them down the river to his territory, with- out taking leave. At this the Governor became indignant, and directly returning to Pacaha, two leagues on the road, he overran the country of Casqui, capturing twenty or thirty of its men. The horses being tired, and there re- maining no time that day to go farther, he went on to Pacaha, with the intention of marching in three or four days upon Casqui, directly lettmg loose a man of Pacaha, sending word by him to its Chief^ that should he desire his friendship to come to him, and together they would go to carry war upon Casqui : and immediately there arrived many people of Pacalia, Ijringing as the chief an Indian, who was exposed l)y a prisoner, brother of the Cacique. The Governor told them that their lord must come ; that he well knew that Indian was not he ; for that nothing could be done without its being known to liim OF FLORIDA. 115 before they so iniieli as tlinn,i;-Iit of it. The t'aci([ne came the next (hiv, fiUowed \>y many Indians, with a hirge gift of lish, skins, and shawls. He made a speech, that all were s^hil to hear, and concluded hy saying, that although his lordshii» had causelessly inflicted injury on his country and his subjects, he did not any the less cease to be his, and was always at his counnand. The Governor ordered his brother to be let go, and some i)rincipal men he held captives. That day a messenger arrived from C'asqui, saying that his master would come early on the morrow to excuse the error he had committed in going away Avithout his license ; to which the ( iovernor bade him say, in return, to the Cacique, that if he did not come himself in person he would go after him, and inflict the punish- ment he deserved. The Chief of Cascjui came the next day, and after presenting many shawls, skins, and flsh, he gave the Gov- ernor a daughter, saying that his greatest desire was to unite his lilood with that of so great a lord as he was, beg- ging that he would take her to wife. He made a, long and discreet oration, full (.>f praise of Soto ; and concluded by asking his forgiveness, for the love of that cross he had left, for having gone otf without his permission ; that he had done so because of the shame he felt for what his people had done without his consent. The Governor said that he had taken a good sponsor; that he had him- self determined, if the Cacique had not come to apolo- «■ize to ii'o after him and burn his towns, kill him and his people, and lay waste his country. To this the Chief replied : — 116 DISCOVERY Master; — I and mine lielong to you; and ray territory is yours, so that von will destroy it, if yon will, as your own, and your people you will slav. All that falls frniji ycmr hand I sliall receive as from my lord's, and as merited ehastisenR-nt. Know, that the service you have done me in leaving that cross has been signal, and more than I have deserved ; for, you know, of jjreat droughts the maize in our fields was perishing, and no sooner had I and mine thrown ourselves on our knees before it, asking for water, than the want was supiilied. The Governor made tricmlsliip Ijetween the C'liiefs of Casqui and Pacaha, and phiced them at the table, that they should eat with him. They had a diffienlty as to who shotild sit at his right hand, which the Governor quieted by telling them that among the Christians the one seat was as good as the other ; that they should so consider it, and wdiile with him no one should tradeistand otherwise, each taking the seat Ije tirst came to. Thence he sent thirty horsemen and fifty footmen to the Province of Caluça, to see if in that direction they could turn back towards Chisca, where the Indians said there was a foundry of gold and copper. They travelled seven days through desert, and returned in great extremity, eating green amexeas and maize-stalks, which they had found in a poor town of seven or eight houses. The Indians stated that thence towards the north, the country, being very cold, was very thinly populated ; that cattle were in such plenty, no maize-field could be protected from them, and the inhabitants lived upon the meat. Seeing that the country was so poor otf for maize that there could be no support, the Governor asked the Indians in what OK FLOKLUA. n: direction there were most iiiliiibitaiits ; niul they said that they had knowledge ot a hirge iirovinee and a country of great abundance, called Qiiiguate, that lay in the south- ern direction. 16 118 DISCOVERY CHAPTER XXV. How THE GOVEENOR WENT FROM PaCAHA TO AqUIGTIATE AND TO CoLIGOA, jVBD CAME TO CayAS. The Governor rested in Paeaha forty days, during wliicli time the two Caciques made him j^resents of fish, shawls, and skins, in great quantity, each striving to outdo the other in the magnitude of the gifts. At the time of liis departure, the Cliief of Paealia bestowed on liim two of his sisters, telling him that they were tokens of love, for his remembrance, to be his wives. The name of one was Macanoche, that of the other Mochila. They were symmetrical, tall, and full: Macanoche bore a pleasant expression; in her manners and features appeared the lady ; the other was robust. The Cacique of Casqui ordered the bridge to be repaired ; and the Governor, returning through his territory, lodged in the field near his town. lie brought there much fish, exchanged two women for as many shirts with two of the Christians, and furnished a guide and tamenies. The Governor marched to one of his towns, and slept, and the next night came to another that was near a river, where he ordered him to brine- canoes, that lie misrht cn)ss over. There taking his leave, the Chief went back. The Governor travelled towards Aquiguate, and on OF FLORIDA. 11 1^ the tViiutli (lay of August came to the residence of tlie C'acic^ue, wlio, althuugli he had sent liini a present, on the road, of many shawls and skins, ahandoned the place through tear on his arrival. That town was the largest seen in Florida : one-half of it was occupied ly the Governor and his people; and, after a lew days, discovering that the Indians were dealing in falsehoods, he ordered the other i)art to be burned, that it might not afford them cover should they attack him at night, nor be an embarrassment to his cavalry in a movement to repel them. An Indian having rouie, attended by a nudtitutle, (le<-laring himself to l)e the Cacique, the Governor delivered him over to be looked after by his body-guard. Many of the Indians went off, and returned with shawls and skins; but, finding small opportunity for carrying out their evil plan, one day the })retended Cacique, walking out of the house with the (iovernor, ran away with such swiftness that not one of the Chris- tians could overtake him ; and plunging into the river, at the distance of a crossbow-sliot from the town, he made for the other shore, where many Indians, giving londs and shallow puddles. Fish were so plentiful in them tliat they were killed with l)]o\vs of cudgels; and as the Indians travelled in chains, they disturhed the mud at the hottom, hy which the lish, becoming stupetied, would swim to tlie surface, when as many were taken as were desired. The inhalútants of Coligoa had never heard of the Christians, and when these got so near their town as to he seen, they tied up stream along a river that passed near hy there ; some throwing themselves into the water, whence they were taken hy their pnrsnei's, who, on either Ijank, captured many of hoth sexes, and the Cacique with the rest. Three days from that time came many Indians, hy his order, with offei-ings of shawls, deer-skins, and two cowhides : they stated that at the distance of five or six leagues towards the north werj many cattle, where the country, being cdld, was thinly iidiabited; and that, to the best of their knowledge, the province that was better provisioned than any other, and more populous, was one to the south, called Cayas. About forty leagues from Qm'guate stood Coligoa, at the foot of a mountain, in the vale of a river of medium 122 DISCOVERT size, like the Cava, a stream that passes through Estre- madura. The soil was rich, yiekliii"' ujaize in such pro- fusion that the old was thrown out of store to make I'oom for the new grain. Beans and pumpkins were likewise in great plenty : both Mere larger and better than those of Spain : the pumpkins, when roasted, have nearly the taste of chestnuts. The Cacique continued behind in his own town, having given a guide for the way to Cayas. We travelled five day;?, and came to the Province of Palisenia. The houae of the Cacique was canopied with coloured deer-skins, having designs drawn on them, and the ground was likewise covered in the same manner, as if with carpets. He had left it in that state for the use of the Governor, a token of peace, and of a desire for friendship, though still he did not dare to await his coming. The Governor, finding that he had gone away, sent a captain with horse and foot to look after him ; and though many persons were seen, because of the roughness of the country, only a few men and boys were secured. The houses were few and scattered : only a little maize was found. Directly the Governor set forward and came to Tata- licoya, whence he took the Cacique, who guided him to Cayas, a distance of four days' journey from that town. When he arrived and saw the scattered houses, he thought, from the information he had received of the great populousness of the country, that the Cacique was lying to him — that it was not the province ; and he men- aced him, bidding him tell where he was. The Chief, as likewise the other Indians taken near l)y, declared that to OF FLOKIDA. 123 be in Cayas, the best tuwu in all the jirovinee; and that although the houses -were lar apart, the country occupied being extensive, it had numerous people and many niaize- lields. The town was called Tanico. The camp was placed in the best part of it, nigh a river. On the day of arrival, the Governor, with some mounted men, went a league farther, but found no one, and only some skins, M-hich the Cacirpie had jmt un the I'nad to be taken, a sign of peace, by the usage of the country. 124 DISCOVERY CHAPTER XXYI. IJow THE Governor went to visit the Province <^f Tl'lla, and what itappened to him. The Governor tarried a montli in the Province of Cayas. In this time the horses fattened and tlirove more than they had done at other phices in a longer time, in consequence of the hirge qnantity of maize there. The blade of it, I think, is the l)est fodder that grows. The beasts drank so co])itinsly from the very warm and Ijrack- ish lake, that they came having their bellies swollen witli the leaf when they were broniiht back from watering. To that spot the Christians had wanted salt : they now made a qnantity and took it with them. The Indians carry it into other parts, to exchange for skins and shawls. The salt is made along by a river, which, when the water goes down, leaves it upon the sand. As they can- not gather the salt without a large mixture of sand, it is thrown together into certain baskets they have for their purpose, made large at the mouth and small at ilie bot- tom. These are set in the air on a ridge-pole ; and water being thrown on, vessels are placed under them wherein it may fall ; then, being strained and placed on the lire, it is boiled away, leaving salt at the bottom. The lands on the shores of the liver were fields, and OV FLOKItlA. 125 maize was in plenty. Tlie Indians dared not cross the river to where we were. Some appearing, were called to by the soldiers who saw them, and having come over were conducted by them before the Governor. On ])eing asked for the Caci(|ue, they said that he was peaceful Init afraid to show himself. The Governor directly sent them back to tell him to come, and, if he desii-ed his friendshij), to bring an interpreter and a guide for the travel before them; that if he ilid not do so he would go in pursuit, when it would lie the worse for him. The (iovernor waited three days, and linding that the Cacicpie did not come, he went in pursuit ami brought him there a captive, with one hundred and fifty of his people. He asked him if he had knowledge of any great cacique, and in what direction tiie country was mo^^t inhabited. The Indian stated, that the largest jiopulation al)out there was that of a province lying to the southward, thence a day and a half's travel, called Tulla ; that he could give him a guide, but no intcrjn'cter ; that tlie tongue of that country was ditferent tVoiu his, and that lie and liis ancestors had ever been at war with its chiets, so that they neither con- versed together nor understood each other. Then the Governor, with cavalry and fifty infantry, directly set out for Tulla, to see if it were such a land as he might pass through with his troojis. So soon as it be- came known that he had reached there, the inliabitants were summoned ; and as they gathered by fifteen and twenty at a time, they would come to attack the Cliris- tians. Finding that tlicy were sharply handled, and tliat in runuiug the horses would overtake them, they got IT 126 BlriCOVEKY upon the liouse-tops, where they endeavoured to defend themselves with their hows and arrows. Wlien Ijeaten oii' from one roof, they wouhl get up on to anotlier ; and the Cliristians while going after some, others would attack them from an opposite direction. The struggle lasted so long that the steeds, hecoming tired, could not be made to run. One horse was killed and others were wounded. Of the Indians fifteen were slain, and forty women and boys made prisoners ; for to no one who could draw a bow and could be reached was his life spared him. The Governor determined at once to go back, Ijefore the inhabitants should have time to come together. That afternoon he set out, and travelling into tlie night, he slept on the road to avuid Tulla, and arrived the next day at Cayas. Tliree days later he marched to Tulla, bringing with him the Cacique, among whose Indians he was un- able to find one who spoke tlie language of that place. He was three days on the way, and at his arrival found the town abandoned, the inhabitants not venturing to re- main for him. But no sooner did they know that he was in the town, than, at four o'clock on the morning of the first night, they came u])on him in two squadrons, from diiferent directions, with bows and arrows and with long staves like pikes. So soon as they ^vere felt, both cavalry and infantry turned out. Some Christians and some horses were injured. Many of the Indians were killed. Of those made captive, the (lovernor sent six to the Cacique, their right hands and their noses cut oif, with the message, that, if he did not come to him to apologize and render obedience, he .vould go in pursuit, and to him. OF FLORIDA. i'-'i and as many of his as lie niiíílit find, wonld lie do as lie had done to those he sent. lie allowed him tliri'e days in which to appear, making himself nnderstood hy signs, in the hest manner possible, for want of an inter) n'eter. At the end (if that time an Indian, hearing a liack-lond ut' cow-skins from the Caeiipu', arrived, weeping witli great srds the (xovernor and the rest were all rejoiced; for in no way could they go on without a guide. He ordered the mau to be safely kept, and told him to tell the Indians who came with him to go liack to the Cacique and say, that he forgave him the past ami greatly thaid^ed him for the interpreter and the presents; that he should be pleased to see him, and to come the next day, that they might talk together. He came at the end of three days, and with him eighty Indians. As he and his men entered the camp they wept, — the token of obedience and the repentance of a past error, according 128 DISCOVERY to the usage of tliat conntiy. He Lrouglit a present of many cow-skins, which were found very useful ; the coun- try being cold, tliey were taken for bed-covers, as they were very soft and the wo(_)l like that of sheep. J^ear by, to the northward, are many cattle. The Christians did not see them, nor go where they were, because it was a country thinly populated, having little maize. The Ca- cique of Tulla made an address to the Governor, in which he apologized and oifered him his country, his vassals, and his person. The speech of this Cacique — like those of the other chiefs, and all the messengers in their behalf who came before the Governor — no orator could more elegantly phrase. OF FLORIDA. 129 CHAPTER XXVII. How THE GoVEKNdR WENT FROM TuLLA TO AuTIAMQUE, WIIEIÍE HE PASSED THE AViNTEE. The (ruveriKir informed liiniselt' of the eoiiiitry in everv direction. lie ascertained tliat toward the west there was a tliin pojndation, and to the southeast were great towns, priiici|)ally in a provinee, al)unthint of maize, called Autianique, at the distance of ahout eighty leagues, ten days' journey from Tulla. The winter was already come. The cold, rain, and snow did not permit the people to travel for two ov three months in the year, and the Governor feai'cd to remain among that sparse po))ulatioii, lest his force could not he subsisted for that length of time. Moreover, the Indians said that near Autianique was a great water, which, from their account, appeared to him to be an arm of the sea. Hence, he determined to winter in that province, and in the follow- ing summer to go to the sea-side, where he would build two hrigantines, — one to send to Cuba, the other to New Spain, that the arrival of either might bear tidings of him. Three years had elapsed since he had been heard of 1)V Dona Ysabel, or by any person in a civilized com- munity. Two hundred and tifty of his men were dead, likewise one hundred and fiftv horses. He desired to 130 DISCOVERY recruit from Cuba of man and beast, calculating, out of liis property there, to retit and again go liack to advance, to discover and to conquer farther on towards the west, where he liad not reached, and whither Cabeça de Vaca had wandered. Having dismissed the Caciques of Tulla and Cayas, the Governor took up his course, marching tive days over very sharp mountains, and arrived in a peopled district called Qui pana. Not a native could be captured, because of the roughness of the country, and the town was among ridges. At night nn amljuseade was set, in which two men were taken, who said that Autiamque was six days' journey distant, and tiiat there was another province toward the snuth, eight days' travel oil", called Guahate, very abundant in maize and very populous. However, as Autiamque was nearer, and most of the Indians spoke of it, the Governor continued on his jnur- ney thither. At the end of three days he came to a town called Anoixi. Having sent a captain in advance, with thirty horse and fifty foot, they came suddenly upon the inhabitants, taking many of both sexes. On the second day afterwards, the Governor arrived at another town, called Catamaya, and slept in the adjacent fields. Two Indians coming to him from the Cacique, with the pretext of a message, in order to ascertain his business, he told them to say to their master, that he wished to speak with him ; but they came no more, nor was other word returned. The next day the Christians went to the town, which was without penple, and having taken what UF FLUKIDA. 1:'>1 maize tlie_y needed, tliat night tliey reached a vcooú tt) rest, and the day following arrived at Autiaraque. They found in st(.)re niueh maize, also beans, walnnts, and dried ameixas in large ([uantities. Some Indians were taken while gathering up tlieir clothing, having already carried away their wi\'es. The country \vas level and very populous. The Governor lodged in the best portion th al)Ove and below the town. Indians ap- peared on the ])art of the Cacique with a present (.)f shawls and skins, and a lame Chief, the lord of a town called Tietiquaquo, subject to the Cacic[ue of Autiamcaie, came frequently to visit the Governor, and brought him gifts of the things he possessed. The Cacique sent to the Governor to incpiire what length nf time he would re- main in his territory; and hearing that he was to be there more than three days, he sent no more messages nor Indians, but treated with the lame Chief to insurge. Numerous inroads were made, in which many perstms of both sexes were taken, and among the rest that Chief, whom the Governor, having reprehended and admon- 132 DISCOVERY isbed, set ;it libei-tj, in consideration of tlie presents he bad made, giving bim two Indians to bear bim away on tbeir sbonldei's. Tbe Cacique of Aiitianir|ue, desiring to drive tbe strangers out of liis ten-itory, ordered spies to be set about tbem. An Indian, coming at nigbt to tbe en- trance of tbe jialisade, was noticed by a soldier on guard, who, putting liimself beliind tlie door as lie entered, struck bim cUnvn witli a cutlass. Wben taken before tbe Governor, be was asked why be came, but fell dead without utterance. Tbe next nigbt the Gov- ernor sent a soldier to beat the alarm, and cry out that he saw Indians, in order to ascertain how fast the men M'ould hasten to tbe call. This was done also in other places, at times when it appeared to bim they were careless, that he might reprove those who were late in coming ; so that for danger, as well as for doing his duty, each one on such occasion would strive to be tbe iirst. The Christians stayed three months in Antiamque, enjoying the greatest plenty of maize, beans, walnuts, and dried ameixas ; also conies, which they bad never had ingenuity enough to ensnare until the Indians there taught them. Tbe contrivance is a strong spring, that lifts the animal oif its feet, a noose being made of a stiff cord to run about the neck, passing through rings of cane, that it may not be gnawed. Many of them were taken in the maize-fields, usually when it was freezing or snowing. Tbe Christians were there a month in snow, when they did not go out of town, save to a OF FLORIDA. 188 wood, at. the distance of two erossliow-shots, to wliic/li, whenever fuel was wanted, a road was opened, tlie Governor and others, on horseback, going to and return- ing from it many times, wlien it was brought from there by tliose of foot. In tliis time many conies were killed with arrows by the Indians, who were now allowed to eo at laro-e in their shackles. The animal is of two sorts; one of them like that of Spain, the other of tlie colour, form, and size of the great hare, though longer even, and having bigger loins. 18 134 DISCOVERY CHAPTER XXVIII. How THE Governor went feom Autiaaique to Nilco, AND thence to GuACHOYA. On Monday, the sixth day of March, of the year 1542 of the Christian era, the Governor set out from Autianique to seek Nilco, which the Indians said was niu'h tlie Eiver Grande, with the purpose, l\v going to the sea, to recruit his forces. He had not over three hundred efficient men, nor more than forty liorses. Some of tlie beasts were lame, and useful only in making out the show of a troop of cavalry; and, from the lack of iron, they had all gone a year without shoes, though, from the circumstance of travelling in a smooth cou.ntry, they had little need of them. Juan Ortiz died in Autiamqiie, a loss the Governor greatly regretted ; for, without an interjireter, not know- ing whither he was travelling, Soto feared to enter the country, lest he might get lost. Thenceforth a lad, taken in Cutifachiqui, who had learned somewhat of the lan- guage of the Christians, served as the interpreter. The death was so great a hindrance to our going, whether on discovery or out of the country, that to learn of the Indians what would have been rendered in four words, it became necessary now to have the whole day : and OF FLORIDA. l.'l.J oftcner than otliorwise tlie very opposite was iiiiderstood of what was asked; so that many times it liaj>]iened tlie road that we travelled one day, or sometimes two or three days, would have to he returned ovei', wanderinji up and down, lost in thickets. The (ioveiMior went to a province called Ayays, arri\ing at a town near the river tliat ])assed hy Cavas, and hy Autianique, from which he had heen ten days in Coming. lie ordered a piragua to lie liuilt, in which he crossed ; and, having arrived on the other shore, there set in such weather that marching was impossihle for four days, because of snow. When that ceased to fall, he travelled three days through tlesert, a i-egion so low, so full of lakes and bad passages, that at one time, for the whole day, the travel lay through water up to the knees at places, in others to the stirrups; and occasionally, for the distance of a few paces, there was swinnning. And lie came to Tutelpinco, a town untenanted, and found to be without maize, seated near a lake that flowed copi- ously into the river, with a violent current. Five Chris- tians, in charge of a captain, in attempting to cross, by order of the (Governor, were upset; when some seized hold of the canoe they had employed, others of trees that grew in the water, while one, a worthy man, Francisco Bastian, a native of Villanueva de Barcarota, became drowned. The Governor travelled all one day along the margin of the lake, seeking for a ford, but could discover none, nor any way to get over. Eeturning to Tuteljiinco at night, the (Tovernor found two friendly natives, who were willing to show 186 DISCO VEEY liini the crossing-, and the road lie was to take. From the reeds and tiniljer of the honses, rafts and causeways were made, o7i which the river was crossed. After three days' marchino;, at Tianto, in the territory of Nilco, thirty Indians were taken, among whom were two Chiefs of the town. A captain, with infantry and cavah-y, was directly dispatched to Nilco, that the inhabitants might not have time to carry oii' their provisions. In going through three or four large towns, at the one where the Cacique resided, two leagues from where the Govei'uor stayed, many Indians were found to he in readiness, with bows and arrows, who, surmunding the place, appeared to invite an onset ; but so soon as they saw the Christians drawing nigh to them witliout faltering, they approached the dwelling of the Cacicp;e, setting fire to it, and, by a pond near the town, through which the horses could not go, they tied. The following day, Wednesday, the twenty-ninth of March, the Governor arrived at Nilco. making his quarters, and those of his people, in the town of the Cacique, which was in an o}ien field, that for a quarter of a league over was all inhabited; and at the distance of from lialf a league to a league ofl' were many other large towns, in which was a good quantity of maize, beans, walnuts, and dried ameixas. This was the most populous of any country that M'as seen in Florida, and the most abundant in maize, excepting Coça and Apa- lache. An Indian, attended by a party, arrived at the camp, and, presenting the (iovernor with a cloak of marten-skins and a string of pearls, he received some OF FLORIDA. 137 margaridetas (a kind of bead imu-li esteemed in Peru), and other trinkets, witli wliicli he was well i)]eascd. At leaving, he promised to he baek in two days, bnt did not return. In the night-time, however, the Indians came in canoes, and carrying away all the maize they cimld take, set up their luits on the other side of the river, among the thickest hushes. The Governor, tinding that the Indian did not arrive within the time promised, ordered an amhuscade to he placed at some cribs, near the lake, to wiiich the Indians eaine for maize. Two of them were taken, wlio told him that the person who had cduie to visit him was not the Ciaei(pie, but one sent by him, pretending to be he, in order to observe what might lie the vigilance of the Christians, and whether it was their purpose to remain in that country, or tci go tarfher. Directly a captain, with men on horseback and foot, were sent over to the other shore ; but, as their crossing was observed, only ten or a dozen Indians, of both sexes, could be taken ; and with these the Christians returned to camji. Tills river, passing by Anilco, is the same that flows by Cayas and Autiam a country of Christians. As he crossed the River of Nilco, there came up Indians in canoes from Guachoya, who, when they saw him, thinking that he was in their pursuit, to do them harm, they returned down the river, and informed the Cacicpie, when he took away from the town whatsoever his people could carry, and passed over with them, all that night, to the other bank of the River Grande. The Governor sent a cap- tain with fifty men, in six canoes, down the river to Guachoya; while he, with the rest, marched liy land, arriving there on Sunday, the seventeenth day of April. He took up his quarters in the town of the Cacique, which was palisaded, seated a crossl)Ow-shot from the stream, that is there called the Riv-er Taraaliseu, Tapatu at Nilco, Mico at Coça, and at its entrance is known as The River. OF FLORIDA. 139 CHAPTER XXIX. The Message sent to Quigaltam, and the Answer iseought back to the goveenoe, and what occueeed the while. So soon as tlie Governor arrived in Guac-lujva, lie ordered Jnan de Anasco, with as many peoi)le as could go in the canoes, to ascend the river ; for while they were coming from Anilco they saw some cabins newly huilt on the opposite shore. The Comptroller went, and hroii-lit hack the boats laded with maize, l)eaus, dried ameixas, and the pulp of tbem made into many loaves. The same day an Indian arrived from Guachoya, and said that the Cacicpie would come on the morrow. The next day, many canoes were seen ascending the river ; and the peoi>le in them remained for an hour on the opposite side of the Eiver Grande, in consultation, as to whether they shoidd come to us or not ; but finally they concluded to come, and crossed the river, among them being the Ca- cique of Guachoya with many Indians, bringing nuu-h fish, many dogs, skins, and blankets. So soon as they had landed, they went to the lodging of the Governor in the town, and having presented him with the ofterings, the Cacique thus spoke : — 1 4< > DISCOVERY Potent and Excellent Masteii: — I c'liti'eat you to foi'give me the error I committed in going away IVoiii this town, and not waiting to greet and to obey yon; since the occasion should have been for me, and is, one of pride : l)ut I dreaded what I should not have feared, and did consequently what was out of reason ; for error comes of haste, and I left without proper thought. So soon as I had reflected, I resolved not to follow the inclination of the foolish, which is to persist in his course, but to take that of the discreet and the wise : thus have I changed my purpose, coming to see in what it is you will bid me serve you, within tlie farthermost limits of my control. The Governor received him with mitch pleasure, tliank- ing him for the proft'ers and gift. Being asked if lie had any information of the sea, he said, none, nor of any other inhabited country below on that side of the river, except a town two leagues distant, belonging to a chief subject to him ; nor on the other shore, save three leagues down, the I']-ovince of Quigaltam, the lord of which was the greatest of that Country. The Governor, suspecting that the Ca- ci(|ue spoke untruthfully, to rid his towns of him, sent Juan de Auasco Avith eight of cavalry down the river, to discover what population might be there, and get what knowledge there was of the sea. lie was gone eight days, and stated, when he got back, that in all that time he could not travel more than fourteen or iifteen leasrues, on account of the great bogs that came out of the river, the cane-brakes and thick scrubs there were along the margin, and that he had found no inhabited spot. The Governor sank into a deep despondency at sight of the difficulties that presented themselves to his reach- ing the sea ; and, what was worse, from the way in which the men and horses were diminishing in numbers, he OF FLOIÍIDV. 141 could not sustain himself in tlie eonntrv without succour. Of that i-eflcction lie pined: hut, heture he took to his pallet, he sent a messenger to the C'acicpie of Quigaltam, to say that he was the child of the Sun. and whence he came all obeyed him, rendering their tribute; that he besought him to value his friendship, and to come where he M-as; that he wnuld be rejoiced to see him ; and in token of love and his obedience, he nnist bring him something from his e')untrv that was in most esteem there. I5y the same Indian the Chief n turned this answer: — As to what you s;iy of your luMiii; tlje son of the Sun, it' you will cause liini to dry up the great river, I will helieve you : ;is ti> the rest, it is not luy eustoin to visit any one, but riitlier all, of whom 1 have ever heard, have come to visit me, to sei-veand obey me, and pay me tribute, either voluntarily or by force: if you desii-e to see liie, come whei'e I am ; if for peace, I will receive yon with special good-will; if for war, 1 will await yau in my town ; but neither for yon, nor for any man, will I set back one foot. When the messenger returned, the Governor was already low, being very ill of fevers. He grieved that he was not in a state to cross the river at once, and ao in quest of the Cacique, to see if he coidd not abate that pride ; though the stream was already flowing very power- fully, was nearly half a league broad, sixteen fathoms in height, rushing by in furious torrent, and on either shore were many Indians; nor was his power any longer so great that he might disregard advantages, relying on his strength alone. Every day the Indians of Guachoya brought fish, until they came to be in such plenty that the toAvn was co^•ered with them. 142 DISCOVERY Tlie Governor having been told by the Cacique, tliat on a certain niglit the Cliief of Quigaltam \\-oulil c()nie to give iiini battle, he suspected it to be a iiction ()f his devising to get him out of his country, and he ordered him to be put iinder guard, and from that night forth the watch to be well kept. Wlien asked why the Chief did not come, he said tliat he had, but that, finding the Governor in readinr-ss, he dared not adventure ; and he greatly importuned him to send the captains over the river, offering to supply many men to go upon Quigaltam ; to which the Governor said, that so soon as he got well he would himself go to seek that Cacique. Observing how many Indians came every day to the town, and how populous was that country, the Governor fearing that they would plot together, and practise on him some pei-fidy, he permitted the gates in use, and some gaps in the palisade that had not yet been closed uj), to i-emain op'-n. that the Indians might not suppose he stood in fear, ordering the cavalry to be distributed there ; and the night long they made the round, from each squadron going mounted men in couples to visit the scouts, outside the town, at ])oints in the roads, and to the crossbow-meu that guarded the ciinoes in the river. That the Indians might stand in terror of them, the Governor determined to send a ca]>tain to Nilco, which the people of (Tiiachoya had told him was inhabited, and, treating the iidiabitants there severely, neither town would dare to attack him : so he commanded Captain Nuno de Tobar to march thither with fifteen horsemen, and Captain Juan de Guzman, with his company of foot. OF FLORIDA. 143 to ascend the river hy water in canoes. The ("aciiiiic (if Guachoya ordered canoes to he hronjj;ht, and many war- riors to come, who went with tlie ( 'liristians. Two leao-ues from Niico, the cavah-v, liavin.sed to take him away at such a time, and «hen he could recognize tlie moment of his death, he. His most unworthy servant, rendered Him hearty tlianks. He confessed his deep ohligations to them all, whether present or ahsent, for their great qualities, their love and loyalty to his person, well tried in tlie sutferance of hardship, which he ever wished to honour, and had designed to reward, when the Al- mighty should be pleased to give him repose from laliour with greater ])rosperity to his fortune. He begged that they would pray for him, that through mercy he might be pardoned his sins, and his soul be received in glory: he asked that they would relieve him of the charge lie held over them, as well of the indeVitedness he was 146 DISCOVERY under to them all, as to forgive liiiu any wrongs they might have I'eeeived at his hands. To prevent any divisions that might arise, as to who shonld command, he asked that they would be pleased to elect a principal and able person to be governor, one with whom they shonld all be satisfied, and, being chosen, they v\õuld swear before him to obey : that this wonld greatly satisfy liim, abate somewhat the pains he snti'ered, and mode- rate the anxiety of leaving them in a country, they knew not where. Baltasar de Gallegos responded in behalf of all, consoling him M-ith remarks on the shortness of the life of this world, attended as it was by so many toils and afflictions, saying that whom God earliest called away, He showed particular favour ; with many other things appropriate to such an occasion : And finally, since it pleased the Almighty to take him to Himself, amid the deep sorrow they not unreasonably felt, it was necessary and becoming in him, as hi them, to conform to the Divine Will ; that as respected the election of a governor, which he ordered, whomsoever his Excellency should name to the connnand, liim would they obey. Thereujwn the Governor nominated Luys Moscoso de Alvarado to be his Captain-General ; when by all those present was he straightway chosen and sworn Governoi-. The next day, the twenty-first of May, departed this life the magnanimous, the virtuous, the intrepid Captain, Don Hernando de Soto, Governor of Cuba and Adelan- tado of Florida. He was advanced by fortune, in the wav she is wont to lead others, that he might fall the OF FLOIUDA. 147 greater depth : he died in n land, and at a time, that could arturd liini littk' eonitV>rt in liis ilhicss, when the danii'er of Ijeinj;' m) more lieanl from stared hi;5 eimijian- ions in tlie face, each one himself liaving need of s\ m- pathy, wliicli was the cause why they neither gave him their companionship nor visited him, as otherwise they wi;>uld have done. Lnys de Moseoso determined to conceal what Inid ha])pened from the Indians; for iSoto had given tlieni to understand tliat the C'liristians were immortal; besides, they liekl him to be vigilant, sagacitnis, brave ; and, although they were at peace, should tliev know him to be dead, they, being of their nature inconstant, niiglit venture on making an attack ; and they were credulous of all that be had told them, who made them believe that Some things which went on among them privately, and he had come at without their being able ti> see how, or by what ine;ins, that the figure which appeared in a mirror he showed, told him whatsoever they might be about, or desired to do; whence neither l)v word nor deed did they dai-e undertake any thing to his injury. So soon as the death had taken ]>lace, Luys de Moseoso directed the l>ody to l>e put secretly into a house, whei'e it remained three days ; and thence it was taken at night, l\v his order, to a gate of the town, and buried within. The Indians, who had seen him ill, finding him no longer, suspected the reason ; and ])assing by where he lay, they observed the ground loose, and, looking about, talked among themselves. This coming to the knowledge of Luys de Moseoso, he ordered the corpse to be taken 148 DISCOVERT np at niglii, aiul among tlie shawls that enshrouded it having cast abiuiihincj of sand, it was taken out in a canoe and committed to tlie middle of the stream. The Cacique of Guachoya asked for him, saving : " What has been done witli my l)rotlier and lord, the Governor ?" Luys de Moscoso told him tliat he had ascended into the skies, as he had done on other many occasions; Lut as he would have to be detained there some time, he had left him in his stead. The Chief, thndcing within himself that he was dead, ordered two well-proportioned young men to be brought, saying, tliat it was the usage of the country, when any lord died, to kill some persons, who should accompany and serve him on the way, on whicli account they were brcught ; and he told him to conmiand their heads to be struck oil', that they might go accord- ingly to attend his friend and master. Luys de Moscoso replied to him, that the Governor was not dead, but only gone into the heavens, having taken with him of his sol- diers sufficient number for his need, and he besought him to let those Indians go, and from that time forward not to follow so evil a practice. They were presently ordered to be let loose, that they might return to their houses ; but one of them refused to leave, alleging that he did not wish to remain in the power of one who, without cause, condemned him to die, and that he who had saved his life he desired to serve so long as he should live. Luys de Moscoso ordered the property of the Governor to be sold at puhlic outcry. It consisted of two male and three female slaves, three horses, and seven hundred swine. For each slave, or horse, was given two or three OF FLORIDA. 14'.) Imndred cruzados, to lie paid at tlie liivt multiiiii up of irold or silver, or division of vassals and territorv, with the oblio-ation that sluudd there he nothinii' ihund in the country, the payment should he made at the end of a year, those having no property to jiledge to give their bond. A hog brought in the same way, trusted, two hundred cruzados. Those who had left any thing at home bought more sparingly, and took less than others. From that time forward most of the people owned and raised liogs; they lived on pork, observed Fridays and Saturdays, and the vespers of holidays, which they had not done hefure; for, at times, they had passed two or three months without tasting any meat, and on the day they got any, it had been their custom to eat it. Í0 1 ÕO DISCO VEKr CHAPTER XXXI. IIoW THE GOVEUNOE LuYS DE MoSCOSO LEFT GuA- CHOYA AND WENT TO ChAGUATE, AND FEOM THENCE TO Aguacat. Some were glad of the deatli of Don Hernando de Soto, liolding it certain tliat Lnvs de Moseoso, wlio was given to leading a ga}' life, preferred to see himself at ease in a land of Christians, rather than continue the toils of war, discovering and subduing, which the peo- ple had come to hate, finding the little recompense that followed. The Governor ordered that the captains and principal pei'sonages should come together, to consult and determine upon what they would do ; and, informed of the population there was on all sides, he found that towards the west the country was most inhaljited, and that descending tlie stream, after passing Quigaltam, it was desert and had little subsistence. He besought them all to give him their opinion in writing, signed with their names, that, having the views of every one, he might determine whether to follow down the river or enter the land. To every one it appeared well to march westwardly, because iu that direction was NeM' Spain, the voyage by sea being held more hazardous and of doubtful accom- OF FLORIDA.. IT)! plislimeut, as a vessel of sufficient strciigtli to weather a storm could not Ije built, nassal)]e wilderness sliould intervene, they could not l)e hindered from going forward that summer; and, iinding provision for support in some peopled coun- try where they might stop, the following summer they should arrive in a land of Christians ; and that, going by land, it might be they should discover some rieh country which would avail them. Moscoso, although it was his desire to get out of the land of Florida in the shortest time, seeing the difficulties that lay before him in a voy- age by sea, determined to undertake that whicli should appear to be the l)est to all. Monday, the tifth of June, the Governor left Gua- clioya, receiving a guide from the Cacifpie who remained in his town. They passed through a province called Catalte ; and, going through a desert six days' journey in extent, on tlie twentieth of the niontli they came to Chaguate. Tlie Cacique of the province had been to visit the Governor, Don Hernando de Soto, at Autiam- que, where he took him j'vesents of shawls, skins, and 152 DISCOVERY salt. The day before Luys de Moscoso arrived, a sick Christian becoming missed, whom the Indians were siis- pected to have liilled, he sent word to the Cacique to look for and return hini — that in so doing he would con- tinue to be his friend ; if otherwise, the Cacique should not hide from him anywhere, nor he nor his, and that he woidd leave his country in ashes. The Chief directly came, and, bringing the Christian, with a large gift of shawls and skins, he made this si^eedi : — Excellent Masteh: — I wnnld not deserve that opinion you have of me for all the wealtl] of the world. Who impelled me to visit and serve that ex- cellent lord, the Governor, your father, in Antiamipie, which yon should have rememhered, where I olfered myself with all loyalty, truth, and love, to serve and obey his lifetime : or what could have been my purpose, having received favours of him, and witliont either of you having done me any injury, tliat I should be moved to do that which I should not ? Believe me, no outrage, nor worldly interest, could liave been equal to making me act thus, or could have so blinded me. Since, however, in this life, the natural course is, after one pleasure should .succeed many pains, fortune lias been pleased Avitli your indignation to moderate the joy I felt in my heart at your coming, and have failed where I aimed to hit, in pleasing this Christian, who remained behind lost, treating him in a manner of which he shall himself speak, thinking that in this I sliould do you service, and intending to come with and deliver him to you at Chaguate, serving you in all things, to the extent possible in my power. If for this I deserve i)unishment from your hand, I shall receive it. as coming from ray master's, as though it were favour. The Governor answered, that because he had not found him in (Uiaguate he was incensed, supposing that he had kept away, as others had done; but that, as he now knew his loyalty aud love, he would ever consider him a In-other, and would favour him in all matters. The Ca- OF FLORIDA, 153 ciqne went with liim to tlie town where he resided, the distance of a (hxv's jonrney. They passed tlirough a small town where was a lake, and the Indians made salt: the C'liristians made some on the day they rested there, from water that rose near l)y from springs in pools. The Governor was six days in ("liaguate, where he informed himself of the people there were to the west. He heard that three days' journey distant, was a province called Aguacay. On leaving Chagnate, a Christian remained Iseliind, named Francisco de Guzman, bastard son of a gentleman of Sevilla, who, in fear of being maile to pay for gaming debts in the person of an Indian girl, his concubine, he took her away with him; and the Governor, having inarched two days before he was missed, sent ^vord to the Cacique to seek for and send him to Aguacay, whither he was marching, Imt the Chief never did. Ecibre ar- riving!: at this prdvince they received live Indians, com- ing with a gift of skins, iish, and roasted venison, sent on the part of the Caci(pie. The Governor reacheil his town on Wednesday, the fourtli day ot July, and finding it unoccupied, lodged there. He remained in it a while, makino; some inroads, in which nuiuv Indians of both sexes were captured. There they heard of the South Sea. Much salt was got out of the sand, gathered in a vein of earth like slate, and was made as they make it in Cayas. 154 DISCOVERY CHAPTER XXXII. How THE GOYEKNOE WENT FROM AgEACAY TO NaGUATEX, AND \YHAT happened TO IIIJl. The day the GoYenior left Agiiacay lie went to sleep near a small town, snl)jet't to the lord of that province. He set the encampment very nigh a salt lake, and that afternoon some salt was made. lie marched the next day, and slept between two moinitains, in an open grove ; the next after, he arrived at a small town called Pato ; and on tlie fourth day of his departure from Aguacay he came to the iirst inhabited place, in a province called Amaye. There they took an Indian, who said that thence to Nagnatex was a day and a half's journey, all the way lying through an inhabited region. Having passed oi;t of Amaye, on Saturday, the twen- tieth of July, between that place and Naguatex, at mid-day, along a clump of luxuriant woods, the camp was seated. From thence Indians ficing seen, who had come to espy them, tliose on horseback went in their pursuit, killed six, and ca})tured two. The prisoners being asked by the Governor why they had come, they said, to discover the numbers he had, and their condition, having been sent by their lord, the Chief of Naguatex ; and that lie, with other OF FLORIDA. 155 caciques, who caiue in his company and liis cause, had determined on giving liim l)attle that day. Wliile thus conferring, many Indians advanced, formed in two squadrons, who, so soon as they saw that they were descried, giving whoops, they assailed the Christians with great fury, each on a different rpiarter; hut finding how firm was the resistance, they turned, and fleeing, many hjst their lives; the greater jmrt of the cav;dry ])ursuing them, forgetful of the cam]), when tliose that remained were attacked hy other two squadrons, that had lain in concealment, who, in their turn, having heen Avith- stood. }>aid the penalty that the first had done. When the Christians came together, after the Indians fled, they heard loud shouting, at the distance of a cross- l)Ow-shot from where they M'ere ; and the Governor sent twelve cavalry to sec what might l)e the cause. Six Christians wei'e found aniiilst numerous Indians, two, that were mounted, defending four on foot, with great difficulty; and they, as well as tlu>e who went to their Buci^onr, finally ended hy killing many. They had got lost from those who followed after the first squadrons, and, in returning to the camp, fell among them with whom they were found fighting. One Indian, liruught back alive, being asked by the Governor who they ^vere that had come to give him battle, said the Cacique of Naguatex, the one of Maye, and another of a province ciilled Ilacanac, lord of great territories and numerous vassals, he of Naguatex being in comnumd. The Gov- ernor, having ordered his right arm to be cut ofl', and hia nose, sent him to the Cacique, with word that he would 1Õ6 DrSCOVERY march tlie next day into liis terintory to destroy it, and tliat if he wisheil to dicpiite his entrance to await him. The Governor sttijiped there that niglit, and the fol- hjwing- day he came to the hahitations of Naguatex, which were much scattered, and having asked for the town of the Cacicpie, lie was told that it stood on the opposite side of a river near by. lie marched thither- ward ; and coming to the river, on the other bank he saw many Indians awaiting him, set in order to defend the passage ; but, as he did not know whether it might lie forded or not, nor whereabouts it could be crossed, and having some wounded men and horses, he determined to repose for some time in the town where he was, until they should be healed. In consecjuence of the great heats that prevailed, he pitched his camp a quarter of a league from the river, in a fine open grove of high trees, near a brook, close to the town. Some Indians taken there, having been asked if the river were fordable, said yes, at times it was, in certain places ; on the tenth day he sent two captains, each with fifteen cavalry, one up and the other down the stream, with guides to show where they might get over, to see what towns were to be found on the opposite side. They were both opposed by the Indians, who defended the passages the best they could ; but these being taken notwithstanding, on the other shore they found many habitations, with mxich subsistence ; and having seen this, the detachments went back to the camp. OK FLORIDA. 15^ CHAPTER XXXIII. How THE Cacique of Naguatex c.\jme to \^SIT the Go\-EKNOE, AND HOW THE GuVEliNOE WENT THENCE, AND ARiaVED AT NoNDACAO. Feom Xaguatex, wlierc the Govcnior was, lie ^eiit a message to tlie f'afiijuc, tliat, slioiilil he eome to serve and ohey him, lie would pardon the past; anco|ile tliat nii^-lit lie found. They Imnied imicli provision, and ca[)- tured many Indians. The Caeiqne, seeing the damage his territories were receiving, sent five princiiial men to Moseoso, with three gnides, who nndentood the lan^ gnage farther on, whither he would go. Directly the Governor set out from Nagnatex, airi- vinii, on the third day, at a hamlet of fonr or tive ho ses, belonging to the Cacique of the jioor ]irovince named Nissohone. a thinly peoplcil country, having little maize. Two days' journey .111 the way, the Indians who guided the Governor, in place of taking him to the west, would lead him to the east, and at times they went through heavv thickets, out of the road: in conse.inence, he or- dered that they should he hanged upon a tree. A woman, taken in Nissohone, served as the guide, who went hack to iiiid the road. In two (lavs' time the Governor came to another mis- erahle country, called Laeane. An Indian was taken, who said the land of Xondac-ao was very jiopnlous, the houses much scattered, as in mountainous regions, and tin re was plenty of maize. Tlie ('acii|ue came with his Indians, weeping, as tho^o of Xaguatex had done, which is, according to their custom, significant of ol.eilicnce; and he made a present of much hsli, offering to do what- soever nn'glit he reucli men were mo\ ing about. For twenty days the march was through a \erv thinly peopled country, where great ])i-ivation and toil were endured; the little maize tliere was, the Indians having buried in tlie scrub, where the Christians, at tlie close of the day^s march, when they were well weui'\', went trailing, to seek for what they had need of it to eat Arrived at a ])rovince called (lUasco, they found maize, with which they loa(ied the horses and the In- dians ; thence they went to another settlement, called Naquiseoça, the inhabitants uf which said that tliev had no knowledge of any other Cliristiaiis. The (-iovernur nr- dered them ]iut to torture, when they stated that farther on, in the territories of another chief, called Xaçacahoz, the Christians had arrived, and gone back toward the west, whence they came. He reached there in two days, and took some AVomen, among whom was one who said that she had seen Christians, and, having been in their hands, had made her esca])e from tbeni. The Governor 162 DISCOVERY sent a captain witL fifteen cavalry to where she said they were seen, to discover if there were any marks of horses, or signs of any Clu'istians liaviiii; been tliere; and after travelling three or four leagnes, she wlio was tlie gnide declared that all she liad said was false; and so it was deemed of every tiling else tlie Indians had told of liav- ing seen Christians in Florida. As the region thereabont was scarce of maize, and no information conld lie got of any inliabited conntry to tlie west, tlie Governor went back to (Inasco. Tlie residents stated, that ten days' jonrney from there, toward the snnset, was a river called 1 )aycao, whither they sometimes went to drive and kill deer, and whence they had seen persons on the other bank, but without knowing what people tliey were. The ('liristians took as innch maize as they conld find, to carry with them ; and journeying ten days through a wilderness, they arrived at the river of which the Indians had spoken. Ten liorsemen sent in advance bj' the Giivernor liad crossed; and, following a road leading up from the bank, they came upon an en- campment of Indians living in very small huts, who, directly as tliey saw the Christians, took to flight, leaving what they had, indications only of poverty and misery. So wretched was the country, that what was found every- where, put together, was not lialf an ahpieire of maize. Taking two natives, they went back to the river, where the Governor waited ; and on coining to question tlie captives, to ascertain what towns there iniglit be to the west, no Indian was found in the camp who knew their language. UF FLORIDA. 163 The Governor commandeil the captains and principal j)crsonag'es to be called together, that he niiglit deter- mine now by their o})ini(ins what was l)est to do. The majority declared it tlieir judgment to return to tlie River Grande of Guachoya, because in Anilco and thereabout was much maize; that during the winter they would build brigantines, and the following sitriug go down tlie river in tliem in (juest of the sea, wiiere having arrived, they would Inllow the coast tlience ahmg to ]Ve\v Spain, — an enterprise wliich, altliough it ap]ieared to be one dif- licult to accomplisli, yet from their experience it ottered the only course to he pursued. Tliey could not travel by land, for want of an interpreter; and they consid- ered the country fartlicr on, beyond tlie liiver Daycao, on wliicli they were, to be tliat which Gabeça de Vaca had said in his narrative sliould liave to be traversed, where the Indians wandered like Aralis, having no settled place of residence, living on prickly pears, tlie roots of plants, and game; and that if this should be so, ami they, enter- ing upon that tract, found no pro\ision for sustenance during winter, they must inevitably perish, it being already the beginning of October; and if they remained any longer where they were, what with rains and snow, tliey should neither be able to fall back, nor, in a land so poor as that, to subsist. The (iovernor, who longed to be again where he c(_>uld get his full measure of sleej), rather than govern and go conquering a country so beset for liiui with hard- ships, directly returned, getting back from whence he came. 164 DISCOVERY CHAPTER XXXV. ]I()\V THE ClIKISTIAXS EETfEXED To jVlLCO, AND TIIEXCE went to minoya, where they peel'.uied to build Vessels iji which to lkave Florida. WnEX what liad l)cen detcniiiiied on was proclaimed in the camp, nianv were greatly disheartened. They considered the Vijvage by sea to he very liazardoiis, Le- canse of their poor subsistence, and as perilous as was the journey by laud, whereon they had looked to find a rich country, before coming to the soil of Christians. This was according to what Cabeça de Vaca told the Emperor, that after seeing cotton cloth, would be found o-old, silver, and stones of much value, and thev were not yet come to where he had wandered ; for before arriving there, he had always travelled along the coast, and they were marching far within the land ; hence by keeping toward the west they must unavoidably come to where he liad been, as he said that he had gone about in a certain region a long time, and marched northward into tlie in- terior. Sow, in (iuasco, they had already found some turkoises, and shawls of cotton, which the Indians gave them to understand, by signs, were brought from the direction of the sunset ; so that they who should take that ourse must approach the country of Ciiristians. OF FLORIDA. 165 There was likewise imu-li other discontent. Many grieved to go hack, and wouhi rather have continued to run the peril of their lives than leave Florida poor. They were not equal, however, to changing what was resolved on, as the persons of inqtortance agreed with the (iov- ernor. There was one, nevertheless, who said afterwards that he would willingly ])luck out an eye, to put out an- other for Luys de Moscoso, so greatly would he grieve to see him prosjier ; with such bitterness did he inveigh against him and some of his friends, which he would not have dared to do, only he knew that in a couple of days from that time the government woidd have to he re- linquished. From Daycao, where they were, to the Kio (irande, was a distance of one hundred and fifty leagues, towards which they had inarched always westwardly ; and, as they returned over the way, with great difficulty could they find maize to eat ; for, wheresoever they had passed, the coun- try lay devastated, and the little that was left, the Indians had now hidden. The towns they had burned in isagua- tex, of which they had repented, they foimd already rebuilt, and tlie houses full of maize. That country is populous and abundant. Pottery is made there of clay, little differing from that of Estremoz or Montemor. To Chaguete, by command of the Cacique, the In- dians came in peace, and said, that the Christian who had remained there would not come. The Governor wrote to him, sending ink and paper, that he might an- swer. The purport of the letter stated his determination to leave Florida, reminded him of his being a Christians 166 DISCOVERT and tliat he was unwilling to leave him among heathen ; that he wonlil panlon the error he had committed in going to the Indian:i, shonld he return ; and that if they should wish to detain him, to let the Governor know hy writing. The Indian who took the letter came back, bringing no other response than the name and rubric oi tlie person written on the back, to signify tliat lie was alive. The Governor sent twelve moinited men after him ; but, having his watchers, he so hid himself that he could not be found. For want of maize tlie Governor could not tarry longer to look for him ; so he left Cha- guete, crossed tlie river at Aays, and following it down, he discovered a town which they had not seen before, called Chilano. They came to Nilco, where the Governor found so little maize, that there was not enough to last while they made the vessels; for during seed-time, wliile the Chris- tians were in Guachoya, the Indians, in fear of them, had not dared to come and plant the grounds ; and no other land about there was known to have maize that being the most fertile region of the vicinity, and where they had the most hope of finding sustenance. Evei-ybody was confounded. Many thought it bad counsel to have come back from the Daycao, and not to have taken the risk of continuing in the way they were going by land ; as it seemed impos- sible they sliould escape by sea, unless a miracle might be wrouglit for them ; for there was neither pilot nor sea- chart ; they knew not where the river entered the sea, nor of the sea could they get any information ; they had OF FLORIDA. 107 notliiiiij; out of wliieli to make sails, nor for rope a suffi- ciency of enequen (a grass gTowiui;' tliere, wliieh is like hemp), and what thev diil find was saved for calk; nor was tliere wlierewith to pitch them. Neitlier could they Iniild vessels of such strength that any accident might not jiut them in jeopardy of life ; and they greatly feared what l)efell Xarvaez, who was lost on the coast, might happen to them also. But the most of all they feared was the want of inaize; for without that they could not support themselves, or do any thing they would. All were in great dismay. The Christians chose to commend themselves to God for relief, and beseech Ilini to point them out a way by which they might be saved. By His goodness lie was pleased that the ]ieo])le of Anilco should cinne ]icace- fully, and state that two days' journey thence, near the River <4ran(le, were two t(.iwns of which the Christians had not lieaid, in a fertile country named Aminoya; but whether it then contained maize or not, they were unable to tell, as they were at war with those places ; they woxdd nevertheless 1 )e greatly j )lcased to go and destroy them, with the aid of the Christians. Tlie Governor sent a captain thither, with horsemen and footmen, and the Indians of Anilco. Arriving at Amimna, he found two large towns in a level, open field, half a league apart, in sight of each ofher, where he captured many persons, and found a large (piantity of maize. He took lodging in one of the towns, and directly sent a message to the Gov- ernor concerning what he had found, with which all were well content. They set out from Anilco in the beginnijig 168 DISCOVERT of December, and on that march, as well as before com- ino; there from Chilano, they underwent great exposure ; for they passed thrcmgh miicli water, and rain fell many times, bringing a north wind, with severe cold, so that when in the iield they had the water both above and below them ; and if at the end of a day's jonrney they found dry ground to lie njion, they had occasion to be thankful. In these hardshiiis nearly all the Indians in service died, and also many Christians, after coming to Aminoya ; the greater number beinj- sick of severe and dangerous diseases, marked with inclination to lethargy. André de Vasconcelos died there, and two Portuguese brothers of Elvas, near of kin to him, by the name of Soti. The Christians chose for their quarters what appeared to be the best town : it was stockaded, and stood a quar- ter of a league distant from the Rio Grande. The maize that lay in the other town was brought there, and when together the quantity was estimated to be six thousand fanecas. For the building of ships better timber was found than had been seen elsewhere in all Florida; on which account, all rendered many thanks to God for so signal mercy, encouraging the hope in them, tliat they should be successful in their wisli to reacli a shore of Christians. OF FLORIDA. 169 CHAPTER XXXVI. How Seven Beigantines were built, and the Chris- tians TOOK their Departure from A^^NOYA. So SOOU as tlie Christians arrived in Aniinova. the Governor commanded the chains to be collected wliich every one hronght idt.iug for Indians, the iron in sliot, and what was in tlie camp. Tie ordered a furnace to he set up for mailing spilces, and likewise timber to be cut down for the brigantines. A Portuguese, of Ceuta, had learned to saw lundjer while a cajitive in Fez ; and saws had been brouglit for tiiat purpose, with whicli he taiiglit otliers, who assisted liini. A (ienocse, whom (bid liad been pleased to spare (as without him we could not have gone away, there being not anotlier person wlio knew how to construct vessels), built the brigantines with the help of four or five Biscayan car))enters, who hewed the plank and ribs for liim ; and two calkers, one a Genoese, the other a Sardinian, closed them up with the oakum, got from a plant like hemp, called enequen, of which I have before spoken ; but from its scai'city tlie flax of tlie country was likewise used, as well as the ravellings of shawls. The cooper sickened to the point of death, and there was not another workman ; but God was pleased to give him health, and notwitli- 170 DISCOVERT standing he was very tliin, and nnfit to labour, fifteen days before tlie vessels sailed, he had made for eaeh of them two of the half-hogsheads sailors call quartos, four of them holding a pipe of water. The Indians of a province called Tagoanate, two days' journey u)) the river, likewise those of Anilco and Guaehoya, and other neigliljouring people, seeing the vessels were building, thought, as their places of conceal- ment were by the water's side, that it was the purpose to come in quest of them ; and because the Governor had asked for shawls, as necessary out of which to make sails, they came often, and brought many, as likewise a great deal of fish. Of a verity, it did appear that God chose to favour the Christians in their extreme need, disposing the Indians to bring the garments ; otherwise, there had been no way but to go and fetch them. Then the town where they were, as soon as tlie winter should set in, would become so surrounded by water, aiul isolated, that no one could travel from it by land farther than a league, or a league and a half, when the horses could no longer be used. Without them we were unable to contend, the Indians beiug so numerous ; besides, man to man on foot, whether in the water or on dry ground, they were superior, being more skilful and active, and the conditions of the country more favourable to the practice of their warfare. They also lirought us ropes; and the cables needed were made from the bark of nnilberry-trees. Anchors were made of stirrups, for which others of wood were substituted. In March, more than a month having OF FLORIDA. 171 passed since rain fell, the river became so enlarged that it reached Nilco, nine leagues ofl'; and the Indians said, that on the opposite side it also extended an equal distance over the country. The gruund wliercon the town stood was higher, and where the going was best, the water reached to the stirrups. Rafts were maile of trees, ujnm which wei'e placed many boughs, whereon the horses stood ; and in the houses were like arrangements; yet, even this not proving sufficient, the people ascended into the lofts; and when tliey went out of the houses it was in canoes, or, if on horseback, they went in places where the earth was highest. Such was our situation for two months, in which time the river did not fall, and no work could be done. The natives, coming in canoes, did not cease to visit the brig- antines. The Governor, fearing they would attack him in that time, ordered one of those coming to the town to be secretly seized, and kept until the rest were gone ; which l)eing done, he directed that the prisoner should be tortured, in order to draw out from him any plotting of treason that might exist. The cai)tive said, that the Caciques of Nilco, Guachoya, Taguanate, and others, in all some twenty, had determined to come upon him, \vith a great hndy of people. Three days before they should do So, the better to veil their evil jiurpose and perfidy, they were to send a present of fisli ; and on the day itself, another ju-esent was to be sent in advance of them, by some Indians, who, with others in the conspi- racy, that were serving, should set fire to the liouses, 172 DISCOVERY after getting possession of tlie lances placed near the doors of the dwellings, when the Caciques, with all their people, being concealed in the thicket nigh the town, on seeing the flame, should hasten to make an end of them. The Governor ordered the Indian to be put in a chain; and on the day that was stated, thirty men hav- ing come with fish, he commanded their right hands to be cut off, sending v.'ord by them to the Cacique of Guachoya, whose they were, that he and liis might come when they pleased, he desii'ed nothing better, but they should learn that they could not think of a thing that he did not know their thought before them. At this they were all greatly terrified; the Caciques of Nilco and Taguanate came to make excuses, and a few days after came the Cacique of Guachoya, with a principal Indian, his vassal, stating that he had certain information of an agreement between the Cacicpies of Nilco and Taguanate to come and give the Christians battle. So soon as some Indians arrived from Nilco, the Gov- ernor questioned them, and they confirming what was said, he delivered theni at once to the principal Indian of Guachoya, who took them out of the town and killed them. The next day came others from Taguanate, who likewise having confessed, the Governor connnanded that their right hands and their noses should be cut otf, and he sent them to the (Jacique. "With this procedure the people of Guachoya were well satisfied, and often came with presents of shawls and fish, and of hogs, which were the breeding of some sows lost there the year OF FLORIDA. 173 before. Ihiviiig ])ei',-;iia(le(l the Goveninr to send people to Ta2;uanate, so soon as the waters fell, they l)rouglit canoes, in wliicli iiitaiitry went clown the river, and a captain proeeedele of Aminoya came to oti'er their service, being compelled by hunger to beg some ears of that corn which had been taken from them. As the country was fertile, the)' were accustomed to subsist on nniize ; and as all that they possessed had lieen seized, and the population was numerous, they could not exist. Those who came to the town were weak, and so lean that they had not flesh on their bones, and nniny died near ])y, of clear hunger and debility. The (lovernor ordered, under pain of heavy pimishments, that maize should not be given to them ; 174 DISCOVERY still, when it was seen that they were willing to work, and that the hogs had a plenty, the men, pitying their misery and destitntion, M-ould share their grain with them ; so that when the time arrived for departure, there was not enough left to answer for what was needed. That which remained was put into the brigantines and the great canoes, which were tied together in conples. Twen- ty-two horses were taken on board, being the best there were in the camp ; the ilesh of the rest was jerked, as was also that of the hogs that remained. On the second day of July, of the year one thousand five hundred and forty- three, we took our departm-e from Aminoya. OA FLOlilDA. 175 CHAPTER XXXVII. How THE Christians, on their Voyage, were at- tacked IN the IJrVER, BY THE INDIANS OF Qui- GUALTAM, and WHAT HAPPENED. The day Ijefure tlie Christians left Aiiiinoya, it was deteniiined to dismiss the nieii and women that were serving, with the exception of some hnii(h'ed slaves, more or less, put on board by the Governor, and hx those he iavoured. As there were many persons of condition, whom he could not refuse what he allowed to others, he made use of an artifice, saying, that while they should be soing down the river they might have the use of them ; but on coming to the sea they would have to be left, because of the necessity for water, and there were but few casks ; while he secretly told his friends to take the slaves, that they would carry them to New Spain. All tliose to whom he bore ill-will, the greater number, not sus- pecting his concealment from them, which after a while appeared, thought it inhuman for so short service, in return for so much as the natives had done, to take them away, to be left ca])tives out of their territories, in the hands of other Indians, abandoning live hundred males and females, among whom were many boys and girls who understood and spoke Spanish. The most of 176 DISCOVERY them wept, wliirh caused j;'reat eoiiipassion, as tlicy were all C^hriritiaus of their own free will, and were now to remain lo>t. Tu seven brigantines went three hundred and twenty- two Spaniards from Aminoya. The vessels were of good build, except that the planks were thin, on account of the shortness of the sj)ikes ; and they were not pitched, nor had they decks to shed the M-ater tliat might enter them, but planks were placed instead, upon which the mariners might run to fasten the sails, and the ])eo]ile acconnnodate themselves above and below. The Governor aj)]i()inted his captains, giving to each of them his lirigantiiie, taking their word and oath to obey him until they should come to the land of Chris- tians, lie chose for himself the brigantine he liked best, (hi the day (if his departure they passed by (ruaclioya, where the Indians, in canoes, were waiting for them in the river, ha\ing made a great arbour on the shore, to which they invited him, but he made excuse, and passed along. TJiey accompanied him until arriving where an arm of the river extends to the right, near which they said was Quigualtam ; and they importuned him to go and make war upon it, ottering their assistance. As they had told him there were three days* jom-ney down the river to that province, suspecting they had arranged s;>me perfidy, he dismissed them there ; then, submitting himself to where lay tlie full strength of the stream, went his voyage, driven on rapidly by the power of the current and aid of oars. On the first day they came to land in a chmi]) of trees. OF FLORIDA. 1' l)y tlio left l)aiilc, ami at d I'k tliey retired to the vessels. The t'nlldwiii^ ih\v they eaiiie to a tnwii, whei-e they went oil shore, hilt the oeeui)ants dare the river in eanoes; and, on the oiiposite side, in front, so:iiewlia.t carelessly ]int tliemselves in order of battle. The Governor sent after them the erosshow-men lie had wiih him, in two canoes, and as many other persons as they could hold, when the Indians tl:d; hut, seeing tha Spaniards were uiiahle to overtake them, ivturiii;ig, they took couivge, and, coming nearer, menaced them v>'idi loud yells. So soon as the Chrihtiaiis retireil, they ware tollowed hy some in canoes, and others on land, ah^ng the rix'er; and, getting hefore them, arrived at a town near the river's hlutt", where they united, as if to make a stand. Into each canoe, for every hrigantine was towing one at the stern for its service, directly entcre lav liold of tlie canoes of the Sjjaniards, to cause them to ca])size ; which was presently accomplished, the Chris- tians falling into the water, and, by the weight of their armour, going t(_i the bottom ; or when one by swimming. OF FLORIDA. 17!» or clino-iiiij; to a canoe, could sustain hiuiself, tlicv with paddles and clubs, striking liini ou tlie head, would send liim below. When those in the brij>-antines who witnessed the defeat desired to render succour, the force of the stre- ni would not allow them to return. ( )ne hriiiaiitine, which w as that iiii^hest to the canoes, saved lour men, who wei'e all of those that went after tlie Indians who escaped. Eleven lost their lives; among whom was Juan de Guzman and a son of Don Carlos, named Juan de Vargas. Tlie ereater nundter of the others were also men of considera- tion and of courage. Those who escaped by swimming said, that they saw the Indians get into the stern of one of their canoes with Juan de Guzman, but whether lie was carried away dead or alive, no one could state. 180 DISCOVERY CHAPTER XXXVIIT. How THE CnEI8TI.\HS WEEE PlTESUED BY THE InDIANS. The natives, finding tliev had gained a victory, ti.iok so great enconragenient tliat they proceeded to attack the brigantines, wliicli they had not dared to do before. They first came up with one in the rear-guard, com- manded by Calderon, and at the first volley of arrows twenty-five men were wounded. There were <->nly four on board in armour, who went to the side of the vessel for its defence. Those unprotected, finding how they were getting hurt, left the oars, placing themselves below under the cover ; and the brigantine, beginning to swing about, was going where the current of water chanced to take her, when one of the men in armour, seeing this, witliout waiting the Captain's order, made one of the in- fantry take the oar and steer, while he stood liefore to cover him with his shield. The Indians afterwards came no nearer than bow-shot, whence they could assail with- out l)eing assaulted, or receiving injury, there being in each brigantine only a single crossbow much out t)f order; so that the Cin'istians had little else to do than to stand as objects to be shot at, watching for the shafts. The natives, having left this brigantine, went to another, OF FLUlIIDA. IfSl asrainst which tlicv toiiii'lit for hiilfaii liotir: and, mw at'ter aiiotlier, in this way they ran tiiroui;'h witli them all. Tlie Christians had mats witli them to lie iijkhi ot'two thicknesses, very close and strong, so that no arrow could pierce tliem, that, when safety required, were hung up; and the Indians, tiinhug that these couhl not lie ti'aversed, directed their shafts upward, tliat, exhausted, fell on hoard, inflicting some wounds. Not satished with this, they strove to get at the men with the horses ; liut the bi'igantines were hrought about the canoes in which they were, to give them |irotei-tion, and in this position con- ducted tlieni along. The Christians, finding tlicmselves thus severely tried, and so worn out that they couhl hear lip no longer, determined to continue their journey in the dark, thinking that they should he left ah.ine on getting through the region of Quigualtam. While they pro- ceeded and were least watchful, sui)posing tliemselves to be left, they would be roused with deafening yells near by : and thus were they annoyed through the night and until noon, when they got into another country, to the people of which they were reconniiended for a like treat- ment, and received it. Those Indians having gone back to their country, these followed the Christians in fifty canoes, lighting tlieni all one day and night. They sprang on board a brigantine of the rear-guard, hy the canoe that fliiiited at the stern, whence they took out an Indian woman, and wounded from thence some men in the brigantincs. The men with the horses in the canoes, becoming weary with rowing day and night, at times got left behind, when 24 182 DISCOVERY the Indians would directly set upon tlieni, and those in the brigantines would wait until they should come up : so that in consecjuence of the slow way that was made, because of the l)easts, the Govenior determined to go on shore and slaughter them. So soon as any befitting ground fur it was seen, a landing was nuule, the animals were butchered, and the meat cured and brought on l)oard. Four or five horses having been let go alive, the Indians, after the Spaniards had embarked, went up to them, to M'hom being unused, they wei'e alarmed, running up and down, neiiihina: in such wav that the Indians took fright, plunging into the water ; and thence entering their canoes, they went after the brigantines, shooting at the, people without mercy, following them that evening and the night ensuing, until ten o'clock the next day, when they returned up stream. From a small town near the bank, there came out seven canoes that pursued the Christians a short distance, shooting at them ; but finding, as they were few, that little harm was done, they went back. From that time forth the voyage, until near the end, was unattended by any misadventure; the Cln-istians in seventeen days going down a distance of two hundred and fifty leagues, a little more or less, by the I'iver. When near the sea, it be- comes divided into two arms, each of which may be a league and a half broad. OF FLORIDA. 1 S8 CHAPTER XXXIX. How THE ChEISTIANS CAME TO THE SeA, WIFAT OC- CURRED THEN, AND WHAT BEFELL THEM ON THE ^ YOYAOE. ^ Half a league before coming to the sea, the Chris- tians cast anchor, in order to take rest for a time, as they were weai'3' from rowing. They were disheartened also, many days having gone by since they had eaten other thing than maize, parchedand then boiled, given out in daily rations of a casque l)y strake to a mess of three. While riding at anchor, seven canoes of natives came to attack those we had bronglit in tlie canoes along with us. The Governor ordered men to enter ours in armour, to go after the Indians and drive them away. There also came some by land, through thicket and bog, with staves, having very sharp heads of fish-ljone, who fought valiantly those of us who went out to meet them. Such as were in tlie canoes, awaited with tlieir arrows the approach of those sent against them ; and presently, on the engaging of these, as well as those on land, thev wounded some on our side in both contests. "When we on shijre drew nigh to tlieui they would turn their backs, running like fleet steeds before infantry, making some turns without ever getting much beyond the flight of an 184 DISCOVEIÍY arrow, and. returning- again, tliev would slioot witlioxit receiving any injury from us, who, though we had some bows, were not skilled to use them ; while the Indians on the water, finding their pursuers unahle to do them harm, though straining at the oars to overtake them, leisurely kept within a circle, their canoes pausing and return- ing, as in a skirmish. The men discovered that the more successful their effort to approach, the greater was their own injury; so, when they succeeded simply in driving them oft", they went back to the brigantines. After remaining two days, the Christians went to where that branch of the river enters the sea; and hav- ing sounded there, they f mnd forty fathoms dei)th of water. Pausing then, the Governor re(|uired that each should give his opinion respecting the voyage, whether they should sail to New Spain direct, by the high sea, or go thither keeping along from shore to shore. There were different opinions upon this, in which -Fuan de Anasco, who was very presumptuous, valuing himselt much npim liis knowledge of navigation, with other nuitters of the sea of which he had little exjierience, influenced the Governor ; and his opinion, like that of some others, was, that it would lie much better to put out to sea, and cross the Gulf l)y a passage three-fourths less far, than gi>ing from shore to shore, wliich was very circuitous, because of the bend made by the land. He said that he had seen the sea-chart ; that whence they were the coast ran west to the Eiver of Palmas, and thence south to New Spain ; conserpiently, that kcep- inii in sio-ht of land, there wouhi be wide compassing. OF FLOUIKA. 185 with loiiii detention, and risk of l)eini!; overtaken hy the winter hefore eoniinjj; to the eonntry of Christians; wliile, witli a fair wind, in ten or twelve davs' time they should arrive there, hy keeping- a straii;;lit eourse. The majority were not of that way of thiiddng, and said there was more safety in o;()inij; along the eoast tlioiiii'h it mij,-Iit take longer; tlje vessels being frail, and withont deeks, a light storm might sutiiee to wreck them ; and in consequence of tlie little room they had for water, if calm or head wind should occur, or adverse weather, they would also run great hazard; Imt even were the vessels so substantial that they might venture in them, there being neither pilot nor sea-card to show the way, it was not wise to traverse the sea. Tins, the opinion of tlie greater number, was apjiroved ; and it was decided to go along from one to another shore. AVlien they were ab;>ut to depart, the brigantine of the Governor parted her cable, the anchor attached to it remaining in the river; and. notwithstanding she was near the shore, the deiitli was so great that, although it was industriously sought for by divers, it could not be found. This gave much anxiety to the Governor and the others im board. With a stone for crushing maize, and the bridles that remained, belonging to some of the fidalgos and gentlemen who i-ode, they made a weight that took the place of the anchor. On the eighteenth day of July the vessels got under weigh, with fair weather, and wind fa\oui'able for the voyage. The Governor, with Juan de Anasco, put to sea in their brigantines, and were followed bv all the 1S6 I DISCO V KEY 1-est, wlio, at two or three leagues out, having come \\\) with the two, the Captains asked the Governor why he did not keep tlie land; and tuld Idni that if he meant to leave it he should say so, though he ought Udt to do that without having the consent of the rest, otherwise they would not follow his lead, but eacli would do as he thought best. The Governor replied that he would do nothing witliDut consulting them; he desired to get away from the shore to sail the better, and with the greater safety at night ; that in the morning, when time served, he would return. With a favourable M'ind they sailed all that day in fresh water, the next night, and the day following until vespers, at wliii/h they were greatly amazed; for they were very distant from the shore, and so great was the strengtli of the current of the river, the coast so shallow and gentle, that the fresh water entered far into the sea. That afternoon, on the starboard bow, they saw some kays, whither they went, and where they rej)osed at night. There Juan de Ailasco, with his reasoning, con- cluded by getting all to consent, and deem it good, that they should go to sea, declaring, as he liad before said, that it would be a great gain, and shorten tlieir voyage. They navigated two days, and wlien they desired to get back in sight of land they could not, because the wind came oil' from it: and on the fourth day, finding that the water was giving out, fearing extremity and peril, they all comjilained of Juan de Afuisco, and of the Governor, who had listened to liis advice : and all the Captains OF FLOUIUA. 187 declared tliey woidd run no farther out, and that the Governor might go as he ehuse. It pleased God that the wind should change a little; and, at the end of four days from the time of their Lav- ing gone out to sea, by strength of arm they arrived, in want of fresli water, in sight of the coast, and with great laliuur gained it on an (ij.en beach. That afternodu the wind came round from the south, wliicji on that coast is a side wind, and so stiff that it threw the brigantines on to the land, the anchors bending of their slenderness iind dragging. The Governor ordered all to leap into tlie water, on the hirhoard side, to hold tiicm, and wlicn each wave had passed they would launcii the brigantines to seaward, sustaining them in this manner until the wind went down. 188 DISCOVERY CHAPTER XL. How THE Beigantines lost Sight of each other in a St(_)Em, and afteewaeds came together at a Kay. The tempest having passed off from the beach where the brigaiitines were riding, the people went on shore. With mattocks they dug holes there, into which the water having tiowed, they thence filled their pipkins. Tiie next day they left ; and sailing two days, they entered a basin, like a cove, which aiforded shelter against a high wind that blew from the south. There they tarried, un- able to leave, until the fourth day, when the sea subsided and they went out by rowing. They sailed until near evening ; the wind then freshened, driving them in such manner upon the land, that they regretted liaving left the harbour; for no sooner was it nightfall tlian the storm began to rise on the sea, and with its approach the wind gradually increa!^ed. The brigantines separated. The two that were farthest out entered an arm of the sea, a couple of leagues beyond the place where the others found themselves at dark. The five that were astern remained from half a league to a league apart, along an exposed beach, upon which the winds and waves Mere casting them, without one vessel's knowing the fate of another. The anchors having yielded, the vessels were ol' I'LUKIUA. IN'J dra2;s;inç; tUciii : the (lars, at each of whicli t^even and eiijht were pulling seawanl, ciiulil nut hold the vessels; the rest of the men, leaiiinii' into the water, with the utmost diligence, after the wave had passed that drove them to the shore, would launcli the brigantine ; while those on hoard, hefoi'e another wave could come, haled out with liowls the water that came in upon them. While thus engaged, in great fear of being lost, from midnight forward they sutiered tlie intolerable torment of a myriad of mosipiitos. The flesli is directly iiiHamed froui their sting, as tliougli it had received venom. To- wards mornin:^- the wind bdled, and the sea went down ; but the insects eontinncil none the less. The sails, which were white, appeared Idack with them at daylight; while the men could not pull at the oars without assistance t(j drive away the insects. Fear having passed otf with the danger of the storm, the people observing the swollen condition of each other's faces, and the marks of the blows they had given and received to rid them of the mosquitos, they could but laugh. The vessels came to- gether in a creek, where lay the two hrigantines that preceded them. Finding a scum the sea casts up, called copee, which is like pitch, and used instead on shijiping, where that is not to be had, they payed the bott<.)nis of their vessels with it. After remaining two days they resumed their voyage ; and having run likewise two days, they entered an arm of the sea and landed. Spending there a couple of days, they left ; six men on the last day having gone up tlu; bay in a canoe without finding its head. The brigautines 190 DISCOVERY went out in a head-wind Mowing from the south, which being light, and the peo[)k' having a strong desire to hasten the voyage, they pulled out hy strength of arm to sea with great toil, and making little headway for two days, they entered by an arm of the sea behind an islet which it encircles, where followed such bad weather, that they were not unmindful to give thanks for that good shelter. Fish abounded there. They were taken in nets and with the line. A man having thrown out a cord made iast to his arm, a fish caught at the hook and drew him into the water up to the neck, when, remembering a knife that he had providentially kept, he cnt himself loose. At tlie close of the fom-teenth day of their stay, the Almighty having thought proper to send fair weather, the Christians very devoutly formed a procession f >r the return of thanks, in which, moving along the beach, they supplicated Ilim that He would take them to a land in which they might better do Him service. OF FLORIDA. 1'.»! CHAPTER XLI. IToW THE ClIKISTIAXS AKRIVKI) AT THE TiIVEK PaNICO. Wheresoever the peúpk- diii;' along the shore thev found fresh water. The jars being tilled, and the pro- cession concluded, thej embarked ; and. going ever in sight of land, they navigated fur six days. Juan de Aflasco said it would lie well to stand directly "Ut to sea ; for tluit he had seen the card, and rcmendiereil that, from the Rio de Pahaas onward, tlie coast ran south, and up to that time they had gone westwardly. According to his opinion, by tlte reckoning he kept, the river could not be distant from where they were. That niglit they ran out, and in the morning they saw palm-trees rising above the water, the coast trending southwardly ; and from midday forward great mountains appeared, Avidcli had nowhere been seen until then ; for to that place, from the port of Esjiiritu iSauto, where they had entered Florichi, was a low, level shore, not discover- able at sea until very near. From what they observed, they thought that during the niglit they had passed the Ivio de Palmas, sixty leagues distant from Pânico, in New Spain. So they consulted together. Some were of ojiinion that it woidd not be well to sail in the dark, lest they should overrun the Pio de 192 DISCOVERY Paiiico ; others, that thev eoiild not be so near as to run 1)V it that night, and that it wouhl not he well to lose a favourahle wind; so they agreed to spread half the sails and keep on their way. Two of the brigantines, which ran with all sail up, at daylight passed the river without seeing; it : of the iive that remained behind, the first that arrived was the one Calderon coinnianded, fmin which, when a quarter of a league ofl:', and before the entrance had been discovered, the water was observed to be thick and found to be fresh. Coming opposite the river, they saw where the waves Ijroke upon a shoal, at the entrance into the sea ; and, not any one knowing the place, they were in doulit whether they should go in there or ])ass l.>y ; but finally, having agreed to enter, they approached the shore without getting into the current, and went in the port, where no sooner had they come, than they saw Indians of both sexes in the apparel of Spain. Asking in what cuuntry they wei'c, they received the answer in their own language, that it was the Rio de Pânico, and that the town of the Christians was fifteen leagues inland. The pleasure that all received at this news cannot be suf- ficiently expressed : they felt as though a life had been newly given them. Many, leaping on shore, kissed the ground ; and all, on bended knees, with hands raised above them, and theii- eyes to heaven, remained untiring in ffivino- thanks to (rod. Those who were coming astern, mIicu they saw that Calderon with his brigantine had anchored in the river, directly steered to enter the }>ort. The other two, which had gone by. tried to run to sea, that thev miçcht put OF FLORIDA. 108 aliont t(i jiiiu the rest, liut could not, tlie wind beiiii; Mil- verse and the sea trettul ; so, tearint;- that thev niiy-ht he lost, they came nigh the land and cast anchor. A storm c une up, and finding that they could not sustain them- selves there, much less at sea, they determined to I'tin on shore; and as the brigantines were small, drawing hut little water, and the hearh sandy, the force of the wind on the sails carried them up dry, without iiijurv to anv one. If those who gained the haven at tluit time were nuide happy, these were oppressed by a double weight of gloom, not knowing what had happene-ht betake themselves, or sup- port of any sort, they slionhl have sustained themselves for such a length of time among the heatlien. He imme- diately gave an order, directing that suljsistence should be given them wheresoever it might be needed, and the Indians found requisite for carrying their l)urdens; and, should there be refusal, to take by force, witlmut incur- ring any penalty, whatsoever sliould be necessary. The mandate was so well obeyed, that on the road, before the peoide had arrived at the towns, the inhabitants went out to receive them, bringing fowls and provisions. OF FLORIDA. V.)7 CHAPTER XLIII. The Favour the People found in tue Yiceuoy and Residents of Mexico. Fbom Pânico to the great city of Mestitain, Mexico, there are sixty leagues, and as many leagues from each to the jMirt of Vera ( 'ruz, wliicli is where the enil)arka- tions take place for Sjiain, and where those who go hence to New Spain arrive. These three towns, etjui- distant, are inhaljited liy Spaniards, and form a triangle: Vera Cruz on the soutli. Pânico on the east, and Me.xico, whicli is inland, on the west. The country is so pojm- lous, that the Indian ti.iwns farthest apart are not more than half a league to a league from each other. Some of the people who came from Florida remained in Pauico, reposing a month, others fifteen days, or such time as each pleased ; tor no one turned a trrndirinj; fVice to his guest, hut, nil tlie contrary, gave him of every thing he had, and ajipeared sad at liis leave-taking; whicli may well enough be believed, for the jU'ovisions the natives brought in i)ayment of tiieir tribute more than sufficed f )r consuinj)tiiin, so that there was no one in tliat town t" buy or tn sell, ami few Spaniards liciiig there, the iiihaliit.ints Wi're glad of company. All the clothing in the custody of the Alcalde-Mayor, paid to 198 DISCOVERY him there as the Emperor's tax, he divided among those that would go to receive aii}-. He who had a coat of mail was happy, since for it a horse might l)e had in exchange. Some got mounted, and tliose not able to get lieasts, who were tlie greater number, took up the journey on foot. They were Avell received by the Indians, and better served than they could have been at tlieir own homes, paiticularly in respect of every thing to eat ; for, if an Indian was asked for a fowl, he would l)ring four; and if for any sort of fruit, though it might be a league off, some one would run to fetch it ; and were a Christian ill, the people would carry him, in a chair, from their own to the next town. Wheresoever they came, tlie Caeicpie of the place, through an Indian who bears a rod of justice in his hand they call tapile (which is eipiivalent to saying meirinho), ordered provisions to be brouglit, and men for the loads of such things as there were, and the others necessary to carry the invalids. The Viceroy sent a Poituguese to them, twenty leagues from Mexico, with (piantity of confections, rai- sins, pomegranates, and other matters proper for the sick, should they need them ; and, in advance, ordered that all should be clothed at the royal charge. The news of their approach being known to the citizens, they went out on the highway to receive tliem, and with great courtesy entreated for their companionship as favour, each one taking to his house as many as he dared, giving them for raiment all the best lie could, the least well dressed wearing clothes worth thirty cruzados and up- OF TLOEIDA. 109 Wiird. Cldtliiiiy was given to those wlio eliose to go I'or it to the residence of the Viccrre open ; and it has very good fields along the margins of the rivers. Fi'om there to Cuti- fachiqui are about one hundred and thirty leagues, of which eighty leagues are of desert and pine forests, through which run great rivers. From t'utitachiqui to Xuala there may be two hundred and fifty leagues, and all a country of mountains : the places themselves are on high level ground, and have good fields upon the streams. Thence onward, througli C'hiaha, Coça, and Talise, the C(juntry of whicli is flat, dry, and strong, yielding abundance of maize, to Tascaluça, may be two hundred and fifty leagues ; and thence to Pio Grande, a distance of OF FLORIDA. 201 al)Out tliree liuiulreJ leagues, the laud is low, abounding in lakes. The country afterward is higher, more open, and more jiopulons tlian any other in Florida; and ahmg the Kiver Grande, from Aqiiixo to Pacaha and Coligoa, a distance of one hundred and tifty leagues, the land is level, the forest open, and in jjlaces the fields very fertile and inviting. From Coligoa to Autiamque may he two hundred and fifty leagues of mountainous country ; thence to Guacay may be two hundred and thirty leagues of level ground; and the region to Daycao, a distance of one hmulred and twenty leagues, is continuously of moun- tainous lands. From the port of Es})iritu Santo to Apalache they marched west and northeast; from C'utitachicpii to Xuala, north ; to Coça, westwardly ; and thence to Tascaluca and the River Grande, as far as the Provinces of Quiz- quiz and A(|uixo, to the westward; from thence to Pa- caha northwardly, to Tula westwardly, to Autianiijue southwardly, as far as the Province of Guachoya and Daycao. The bread that is eaten all through Florida is made of maize, which is like coarse millet ; and in all the islands and índias belonícina; to Castilla, beirinninir with the Antillas, grows this grain. There are in the country many walnuts likewise, and amexeas, mulberries, and grapes. The maize is planted and picked in, each per- son having his own field; fruit is common for all, because it grows abundantly in the woods, without any necessity of settiuii out trees or iiruninji them. Where there are •202 DISCOVERY iiiomitains the cliestiiut is found, the fruit of which is somewhat snuiller than the one of Spain. "Westward of the Kill (-irande the walnut differs from tliat wliicli is found before cominf!; there, being of tenderer sliell, and in form like an acorn; while that behind, from the river back to the port of Espiritu Santo, is generally rather hard, the tree and the nut being in their appearance like those of Spain. There is everywhere in the country a fruit, the produce of a plant like ligoacani, tliat is propa- gated liy the Indians, having the api>earance of the royal pear, with an agreeable smell and taste ; and likewise another plant, to be seen in the fields, bearing a fruit like strawberry, near to the ground, and is very agree- able. The aniexeas are of two sorts, vermilion and gray, of the form and size of walnuts, having three or f)ur stones in them. They are better than any plums that are raised in Spain, and make much better prunes. The grapes apjiear only to need dressing; for, altliough large, they have great stones : the other fruits are all in great perfection, and are less unhealthy than those of Spain. There are many lions and bears in Florida, wolves, deer, jackals, cats, and conies ; numerous wild fowl, as large as pea-fowl ; small partridges, like those of Africa, and cranes, ducks, pigeons, thrushes, and sparrows. There are blackbirds larger than sparrows and smaller than stares; hawks, goss-liawks, fíílcns, and all the birds of I'apine to be found in Spain. The Indians are well proportioned: those of the level country are taller and better shaped of form than those of the mountains; those of the interior enjoy a greater OF FLORIDA. 0(J3 alniiidance of maize and clotliing tlian tliose of tlie coast, where the huid is i)oor and thin, and the people along it more warlike. Tlie direction from the port of Espiritu Santo to Apalache, and thence to Rio de las Palmas, is from east to west ; from that river towards ]N"e\v Spain, it is south- M-ardly ; the sea-coast being gentle, having many siioals and higii sand-hills. Deo Geatias. Tims Relation nf tln' Discovory of Florida was iiiii)rL'ssc(l in the house of Androu y his xVddress: what oceurred to him on the Route, ;nul how he came to Co<;a 73 CIIArTKI! XVII. Of liow tlie Governor went from Coca to Taslaluca . . .78 CIIAl'TEl; X\'III. How the Indians lose upon llic Governor, and wliat followed upon tliat RiMun' ........ 8.Í CIIAI'TER XrX. How the Governor set his Men in order of Baltic, and eutered the town of Manilla ........ 8S OIIAI'TER XX. How the Governor set out from Manilla to '.;o to Chicaea, and what lief.dl him . . . . . . . .01 CHAPTER XXI. How the Indians returned to attack the Christians, and how the Governor went to Aliuiamu, and they tarried to give him Battle in the Way ........ OS 208 DISCOVERY OF FLOEIDA. CHAPTER XXII. Hi)W the Governor went from Quiziniiz, and tlienoc to tlie River Grande 101 CHAPTER XXIIT. How tlie Governor went from Aquixo to Cas(iui, and tlicnce to Pacalia; and lioTV tliis Country differs from tlie otlier . . lOCl CHAPTER XXIIII. HoTV the Cacique of Pacaha came in Peace, and he of Casrjui, having aliscnted himself, returned to excuse his Conduct; and how the Governor made Fricndsliip bi'twi-eii tlie Chiefs . . . 113 CHAPTER XXV. Ildw the (iovernor went from Pacaha to Aquicuate and to Coligoa, and came to Cavas ....... 118 CHAPTER XXA'I. How the Governor went to visit the Province of Tnlla, and what luqiiiencd to hint lâé CHAPTER XXVII. How the lioveruor went from TuUa to Antiamqne, where lie passed the Winter 12» CHAPTER XXVIII. How the Governor went froni Autiaiii(]ue to Nilco, and thence to Guaeliova . . . . . . '. . • 134 CHAPTER XXIX. The Message sent to Qniiioltam, and tlie Answer hrouiiht baclc to the Governor, and what oieurred I lie wliile . . . l?>fl INDEX. 209 CITAPTER XXX. PAGE Tlie Death of the Adelantailo, Don Ilcrnanrto de Soto, and liow Luys Moseoso de Alvarado was elioseu Governor . . . 145 CHAPTER XXXI. How the Governor Luys de Moscoso left Guaehoya and went to Cliagnate, aud thenee to Aguaeay ..... 1.50 CHAPTER XXXTI. How the Governor went from Aiiuacay to Naiiuatex, and what happened to hhn ....... 1.54 CHAPTER XXXITI. How the Cacique of Naguatex came to visit tlie Governor, and liow tlie Governor went thence, and arrived at Nondacao . . 1.57 CHAPTER XXXIIII. How the Governor marched from Nondacao to Soacatino and Guasco, passins; tlnonsih a Wilderness, whence, for want of a Guide and Interpreter, lie retired to Nileo ..... 160 CHAPTER XXXV. How the Christians returned to Nilco, and theuee went to Minoya, where tliey prepared to huild Vessels in which to leave Florida . KU CHAPTER XXXVI. How Seven Brigantines were liuilt, aiul the Christians took their Departure from Aminoya ...... 169 CHAPTER XXXVII. How the Christians, on their Voyage, were attacked in the River, hy the Indians of Quigualtam, and what happened . . 175 210 DISCOVERY OF FLORIDA. CIIATTER XXXYIII. PAGE IIow tlic Christians were Pursucil liv the Indians . . . 180 CHAPTER XXXIX. How the Cliristians eame to tlie Sea, wliat occurrccl tlieii. and wliat befell tliein on tlie Vovaiie ...... 183 CHAPTER XL. How the Brigaiitincs lost Sight of eaeh other in a Storm, ami after- wards came togetlier at a Kay ..... 188 CHAPTER XLI. How the Cliristians arrived at tlie Kiver Pauieo . . . 191 CHAPTER XLII. How the Christians came to Pauieo, and of tlieir Reception hy the Inhabitants ........ 194 CHAPTER XLIII. The Favour the Peoiilc found in the Viceroy and Kcsidents of Mexico 197 CHAPTER XLIIII. Which sets forth some of the Diversities and Peculiarities of Florida; and the Fruit, Birds, and Beasts of the Coimtry . . .200 ANNOTATIONS ilADK BY THE TRANSLATOR TO MATTERS IX TUK RELATAM. EnuATA. — A 5;i'iitli-iiuiii who has caixfully t.cnitniizL'(l tlic; tixt makes some sui;'gostions of ei-ior. Where the dillerenee of time is Ijiit a (lay — and the instauees of such in the original are many — it has not been annotated. It may be well to name, for the purijoses of investigation, the days of the week on whieh several years begin : Wednesday in loii'.l, Thursday, leap year, in 1540, Saturday in 1541, Sunday in 1Õ4'3, and Monday in 1543. The following are the more important errors: — at page 30, the year 1540 should be 153!); at jiage .5?i, line 8, the ^Ist of the month was on Snmhtij, not Wednesday ; at page Gi», the 5th day of July should lie that day in June ; at page 75, the Kith of July should be the 20th; at page 01, Sunday, the 18th of November, came on Thursday, and, as the stay at Mauvilla was twenty-eight days from the ISth of October, ])rol>ably Siimhiij the 14th is the ritrht date; at page 08, there is a typographieal blunder, one or more, also error in the date on the first line of the section, which might correctly read TucsdHi/ the 15th ; at page 112, the 10th day of Jiuie came on Nnmlay — the 20th was Wednesday. At page 1.54, the 23d of July came on Sidni'duij. At page 73, the 7th day of July is a misprint for tlie 2d ; and at page .56, Tuesday the 12th should be Muiiihiij — both errors in the trauslathin. CHAPTER I. These items of accounts, selected from two earlj' manuscripts, to show the value of moneys mentioned in ditt'erent parts of the text, give some idea, likewise, of the decreased value of the precious metals fri«m their dates to the present time. In an appraisement made "in the usual money of ('astilla," at ("adiz, of personal pr(ij)ertv £fi\eii in dowei', liy r Sp,-iin. Another in^trument, made by the .same parties at Havana, the 13th day of May, 1539, ratifying the first, declares the amount taken by the Adelantado to Spain, and registered, to be fifty thou- saiul dollars in gold and three thousand marks of silver ; and it further states, that he had received seven thousand castellanos as the dower of his wife, although this, from the relin have been lai'ge. YsAKEL DE r>oi!ADiLLA Was tlie third daugbter of Pedro Arias I)á\ihi, cl Galán., eonqueror of iSíiearagua, the seeond of the bonse and estate of Punonrostro, by Ysabel do Bobadilla, granddaughter of Frani-iseo Fernandez de Bobadilla and Maria Penalosa, residents of Sea-ovia, Dona Maria Penalosa, the second daughter, named after her maternal grandmother, became the wife of Rodrigo de Contreras, (jo\ernor of Nicaragua, by the appointment of his father-in law : and the eldest danght<'r. Dona Elvira, became the wife of Urban de Arellano. A son, Arias Gonçalo ].)ávila, succeeded to the name and estates. Tlie marriage of Ysabel and Soto was childless; the descend- ants of her sister Elvira continue in Spain ; tliose of Maria are perpetuated in America in the name of Contreras. The title of Count of Punonrostro began with Juan, brother of Pedro Arias, or Pedrarias, as he was usuallv called, who, having served Fernando and Ysabel in their wars, and afterwards Felipe, the husband of Juana, their daughter, held Toledo suc- cessfully against the Comtnieros for the grandson, afterward the Emperor Charles Y. ; and, among other noted military actions of the time, relieved the fortress at Madrid. For his well-tried loyalty the Emperor conferred on him a title — the name of his town — of wdiich a grandchild, Juan Portocarrero, became the next possessor, and whose son married Francisca, granddaughter of the first Manpiis of <.'Iiarcas, Francisco Pizarro, Conqueror of Peru ; the title thence w'ent to the line of Pedrarias, thi-ough his son Arias Gonzalo, to Pedro Arias de Bobadilla, who became the third count of J^ulonrostro. The title has continued in the family to the Count, in the present Marquis of Casasola, by the name Arias Dávila Mathieu, who, in the year 1858, was Chief Equerry of Her Majesty Queen Ysabel 11. Pedrarias Dávila had the seigniorv of Punonrostro, but was ne\ er count : he was a great military disciplinarian, and in tlie year 1514 became oovernor of Tierra-firme. ANNOTATIONS. 2 1 Õ The Tatext is^iicl to Ilrrn.-iiiiln cle Sot.,, (L-iti'd nt \'.-ilhi(l«.liil, tlu' 20tli (Imv nf Ainil, in tliL' \r:iv irr.^l, ;i trniishit inn ,,( wliicli is given in tlie Api>i.'ncli\, cimlrrs on iiini niilitnry ami [loliliciil antliority, tlic jxisition of nnM-rnor and iMptaiii-iíeneral ovev two liiinilicd Icao'iR'S of tin' coast lie slionlil sclert from tliaf lie shall discover, conquer, quiet, ami Colonize, witliin llio Tr/s (jiie hiiliiio ti Senithi con /res de sii coni/icnia. ()f this edition, onlx one copv — that ill the possession of James Lenox, in this coniitrv — is Wnown to be 216 DISCOVf:RY ÕF FLORIDA. extant. In 1555 it was printed at ValiaJolid with the produc- tion styled Comnientarios, after the return of Cabeça de Vaca from the government of the Province of La Plata, written by his secretary, Pero Hernandez, the works totfcthcr bearing the title : La relacion y comentários del f/overnador Ahiar riunez cabeça de vaca de lo acaescldo en las dos jornadas que liizo a las Yndias, the first book bearing the running title of JVaiifrar/los. The Relacion of Cabeça do Vaca is a story of wild misad- venture, from the Bay of Tampa to Yec'ora, or Village of Cora- zones, at tlie junction of the Mulatos with the eastern branch of the River Yakee, in Sonora, made in the long period of nearly eight years, fmm 1528 to 1530, during the early part of whiidi the army was wasted and lost by privation, accidents, shipwreck, in conflicts with the natives, and civil broils. In this time, near the close of the journey, he saw traces of the precious metals, and cotton clothing worn by the Indians, who told him of the great houses towards the north — in Cibola, The host of Soto, it will be seen in the twenty-seventh and thirty-fifth chapters, marked well the position the narrator indicated, and the reasons why he believed the country to have wealth. Geira, in Portuguese, the quantity of arable land a pair of oxen may ordinarily plough in a day. Among the records belonging to the niarquisate of Astorga, whicli * * * * * Osório, Count of Altamira, Duke of Mt)nteniar, repi'esents, is the will of Don Pedro Alvarez Osório, second Marquis of Astorga, father of the nobleman referred to in the text, dated at Astorga, the 7th day of July, in the year 1505, some passages of which doubtless refer to members of the family afterward in the army of Soto. "Again: inasmuch as Don Diego and Doiia Teresa, my legiti- mate children, and Don Alonso, and Don Jnan, and Don Antonio, and Dona Y.sabel, and Dona Catalina, my children, are not of age, it is my wish, and I desire, that they remain under tutelage and government until they are of an age to know how to take the management of their estates." ANNOTATIONS. 217 "Again: I order wliat I have taken from tlie Jews at;-ainst tlieir will, wlien they went out of the kino-rlom, moiable as well as real, to be ascertained and returned to the owners or to their heirs." "Again : I order that there be annually given to Don Antonio, my son, fcjr liis subsistence, one hundred thousand maravedises, until such time as the income of fifty thousand maravedises shall be given to Idm from the Church, to be paid in the best manner and form possible, with which duty I charge mv son I »(jn Álvaro, under pain of forfeiture of my benediction; and should that sum not be coming from the Church, let the hundred thousand be paid during lifetime." "Again: to Galaor Osório, other twenty thousand maravedis: and I strongly charge it upon Don Álvaro, my son, so to aid and favour him, that he may receive income from the Churcli, and to assist him with some benefices that may become vacant, to which he may have the presentation." "Ag.iin: I order that there be given to his brother, Garcia Osório, forty thousand maravedis: And likewise I order tliat they strivi' to bring back Villagomez, my servant {criado), to this House, and return to strive, for he is servant and kinsman, and that they give him what shall be proper." Some particulars in the life of Garcia Osório appear in one of the ofticial papers printed in the Appendix. The Biedma spoken of is Luys, not Antonio. lie wrote the account of the march of the army, Rrlarirm de Id Ixla dc la /YoWí/íí, given in this volume. His title as /((c/oi-, and that of Anasco as contador, of Gaytan as treasurer, and Gallegos as akaide-maijor, are also added in translations made from the book of entries at Sevilla. 218 DISCOVERY OF FLORTPA. ClIAPTEi: V. TiiR pcTsnii meiitioiird as (Tovonior 'if one of the CnuaiT Islaiiils was (iiiilléii I'eraza de Ayala, proprietor of Ilierro and Goniera. His mother, Doiia Beatriz de Bobadiila, was tirst cousin to tlie mother of Doiia Ysabel, and a sister "f tlic Mar- quesa de Mova, tlie assoeiate of tlie Queen of Castilla from child- liood, and her honored intimate tlirough life. The father of those celebrated women was Mosen Pedro de Bohadilla, castellan of the Alcázares of Segovia. Some hif;-hlv interesting particulars in the life of Doila Beatriz are given in the " Ilistorv of the Canaries." liy (ilas, translated, accordino- to A'iera v Tlin widow (if I'eraza soon ;it'toi- marricil Alonso de Luijo, tlioiio'h not lic't'oi'c she liad, hv arliilrarv afts, caused two Span- iards to he lianrjed — one for treason to her ^overnnient, the other for expressions east on the purity of lier womanly eondnet. Coniinsx to Spain afterward, affuinst the advice of lier luisiiand, to answer for licr aihninistration, slie was received «itli the most friendly feclÍMi;s at ( 'ourt. ( >iie moruini;, however, the beauteous Beatriz was found lyinL;- in her l>ed lifeless. The fimeral, liy order of tlic (^)nccn. uas one of nja^nilii.'ence. Alonso dc Luu'o continued to adnnnister tiie affairs of 'íoniera, until the youthful Count, assisted hv liis friends, ohlio'ed him to relin(|uisli the station ; annor, and descrihes her as a hcauty of seventeen sumnu/rs, whom the Adelantado earnestlv sc,ili(.-ited of ]ier father, that he niig-ht mari'V her to some one of liiçh position in his prosjiective con(]uest. The laiiy, it may he seen, is mentioned in the will of Soto, witli substantial renicmbranec both of her and her husband. CHAPTER VI. Tme liivKR CÁuTo, misspelled Tanto in the text, is tlie lai-i;est river of Cuba, and runs its entire course westwai'dlv a distance of sixty leagues. ASasco, called Danhusco in the text, bore the royal license of exclusive privileg-e to ti'ade with the inhabitants of Florida. The recoi-d of it exists in the archives of índias at Scxillc, in the volume entitled Llhn> ilr la Fhiridii i/e Vapitnhirioncs if .Isienlos desdf cl iiiio 1517, hastu il i/c l.iTS, a translation of which into English is given iu the Appendix to this volume. 220 DISCOVERY OF FLORIDA. CHAPTER IX. The ano paracitsi (according to the friar Francisco Parcja, in his Catechism in Spanish of tlie Tiiuuquana tongue), with kolata yco, or olata aco, or utinama. are principal caciques, having other chiefs subject to them. From this stock comes a counsellor, ynihamn, "who leads the cacique by the hand," and from him descend other lines or stages in society. Perhaps the XIIII. plate in the Brevis Narratio of De Bry, Second Part, illustrates the rank and relation of these personages to each other. CHAPTER XI. YiLLA HARTA (in the Portuguese, Villa-farta) is a small town of Spain, in the Province of Córdova, six leagues from the citv, and twenty-eight from Seviila, situated in a liealthy climate, on the side of the elevated mountain of La Solana, having an uneven, stony, and fertile soil. It is strictly agricultural, and only com- mercial to the extent of sending away its superfluous productions of grain and wine, pork, and a little honey. The district is also verv plentiful in game. Its insignificance could scarcely have permitted it to rise to the casualty of giving its name to another town; and the meaning of the word "harta," abundant, will be thonght perhaps sufficient reason alone for its use, without seek- ing other explanation. The name of the Chief Uzaehil is spelled, in Oviedo, Uçahile ; by Garcilasso, Ochilc ; by Captain Biedma, Veachile ; in Hen-era, Osacfiile ; and is perhaps that of the personage or dignitary spoken of by Cabeça de Vaca as met by the army of Narvaez, in ANNOTATlUNtí. 221 about the same region of eouiitiy, in tlie year 1528. wlidui lie calls Dulebaneliellin. " Having learned this mueh, we left the next day, going ever in quest of that country which the Indians had told us of as Apalache, carrying for guides those of them we had talieii. We travelled until the seventeenth dav of «Inne, without seeing anv natives who would venture to await onr coming up with them, when a chief apprcjached, carried on the back of aimther Indian, and covered with a painted deer-skin, ha\ing a great many jieople walking in advance of him, playing on tintes of cane. In this manner he came up to where the Governor stood, and was with him an lioiir. By sio-ns we gave him tn understand that we were going to Apalache; and it a[>pearrd to us, hy those lie made, that be was an enemy to its people, and wimld go to assist us against them. Wo gave him beails and bawk-liells, with other articles of traffic, and be presented the (in\ciih)r with the skin he wore, and then returned, we following liini in the rnad he took. "That night we came to a verv wiile and deej) river, with current very rapid. As we could not venture to cross with rafis, we made a canoe for the ])urpiise, and spent a dav in getting over. If the Indians bane of the horsemen, .luaii Vaz(pn_'Z by name, a native of Cnellar, impatient of detention, liaving entered the river, the violence of the current cast him from his horse, when be grasjied the reins of the bridle, and both were drowned. The people of that chief, whose name was Dulchanchelliu, found the body of the beast, and told us where we should find the corpse in the river below. This death gave us nundi pain, for. until then, not one had been missing." — Xaufragios. 222 DiscovKKY or flokida. CHAPTER XV. In the ;iccoiint o-i\eu cl' the ni;ireh of Soto b}' his private secretary (see Oviedo), (Juazvilu or Guazulle is spelled Guasili ; and the writer savs, because of the good fortune that attended the soldiers there, the Chief having given tlu'ni many tamcmes, much maize, and many little dogs, they «ould say at a favourable throw of dice, " The house of Guasuli !" in recollection of the luck that there befell them. The word is spelled, in all the other nar- ratives, nearly in the same way as that more familiar to Spanish ears, Guazul or Gazul, the name borne by a ti'ibe of Bcrheriscos of the coast of Africa, who had given it to a town of the Penin- sula they once guarded — Alcalá de los Guazules (çil, the ; calat, castle), whence has come the woid there f/andtil, vagabond, as a term of reproach, from the Arabic into the familiar language of the country. Barb.^coa, Maiz, Tameme, Petaca, are words used in this narrative derived from Indian tongues, and recognized in the Spanish. " Barbaeoa," of which we have not the elements, is from the Yucayo, and in its simplest signification appears to mean scaffolding raised on posts, such an arrangement as was made for burning Ortiz, mentioned in Chapter IX. ; or a crib, such as was used for storing the crop ; or a staging put up in the fields, whereon the natives watched, that birds should not take the grain. From it, through the Spanish, comes the word into the English " barbacue," and, perhaps, the word " bucanier," through the French. "Maiz" belongs also to the same language, the one spoken by the natives of Cuba and Hayti. " Tameme," used by the descendants of the Spaniards in Mexico, is from Ihimama or tlameme in the Mexican language proper, signifying porter, or carrier of loads on the back. "Petaca" is likewise from the Mexican, a corruption of petla caUi, cane house, a word in general use all over Spanish America for cigar-case, or other V>ox made of grass. ANNOTATIõNfi. 2"-^3 CHAPTKU XVII. The Amêijoa is the green gao-e, the «"himlia nf Siuiiii, where it is produced in jierfection and abuiid;uire. The shape of the phini is precisely that of the pci-siinnion, the fruit undoubtedly that is referred to as growing without licinL; planted, and wild in the woods. Moreover, as will he seen in the concluding chapter, whi.di treats of the soil of Florida, its aniuud and vegetahle life, this fruit is spoken of as of two kinds, tiie red and gray, and as being the size of a walnut, with three nr four pits, and also as making a fiir lietter prune than the plum of Spain. They are the IJioKpi/ros Virf/iniaua and the Z>. Texiimi. CHAl'TKU XXIV. With reference to the fisiu's that are mentioned in this chap- ter, we are indebted for the following observations to I'rofessor Tlieodore Gill, of the Smithsonian Institution. "I have carefully perused the account, and although there is little on which to base the identification .if the .species, I am disposed to believe that the following conjectures will at least closely approximate the truth. The histoiian enumerates tive species, of which three have scales, while the others are naked. The sealeless species are the ' bagre ' and the ' peel-fish.' "The 'baoTc' is undoubtedly the large 'cat-tish' of the West, known as Ictalurus ccernkiicens, that being tlie only species that attains a weiglit of ' one humlred to one hundred and fifty pouiuls.' The head is large, as in all its c.nigeners, but n-es, is crosNcd duiiii"' the season of fi Is in little boats. CIIAPTER XXXI. The ocean, as snrveved from Biscay, was the North Sea, and that n;inie. for the maritime people there, extended over the Atlantie : the dJM'overv of another ocean, the Pacific, as seen from Panama, becann', in contradistinction for .Spaniards, the South S,.a. ANNOTATIONS. ClIArTER XL I. The liiVEK I'Axrco, in the text misspelled Panieo, lias for its outlet the li.'ii' of I'uerto Es,- li,|,,. The town of IVuiiioo is ahout nine leagues distant from that entrance, situate on the south bank of the river, in 22° 4' of northern latitude. CIIATTEU XLIII. The tnpilr was an otti.-er that tlie couiiuerors, roiiund it to be a small town, called Etocale. We got some maize, beans, and little dogs, which were no small relief to people who came perishing with hunger. ISLAND OF FLORIDA.. 233 We remained seven or eight days, ami in tliat time made several forays, to oatcli Indians for gnides to the Province of Apalaclie, which had great fame whereso- ever we went. Tlirce or fonr men were taken, of whom the best informed knew nothing of the conntry two leagues in advance. We went on still in the direc- tion of New Spain, keeping some ten or twelve leagues from the coast. In four or five days' march we passed through several towns, and came to a moderately large one, called Agua- calecuen. The inhabitants were all found to have gone off atfrighted into the M'oods. We remained six or seven days, to hunt some Indians for guides, and while engaged in the search we caught ten or twelve women, one of whom was declared to be the daughter of the Cacique. The consequence was, that her father came to us in peace. He promised we should have interpreters and guides ; but, as he did not give them, we had to take him along with us. With the intent of wresting him from us, at the close of six or seven days' march there came upon us about three hundred and iifty warriors, with bows and arrows, of whom we killed some and captured the remainder. Among them were Indians who liad know- ledge of the country farther inland, yet they told us very false stories. We crossed another river, in a Province called Veachile, and found towns on the farther bank which the inhabitants had left, though we did not tail, in consequence, to iind some food in them, wliich we needed. We set out for another town, named Aguile, 234 ACCOUNT OF THE which is on the confines of Apalache, a river dividing the one from the other province. Across tliis stream we made a bridge, by lashing many pines together, uj^on which we went over with much danger, as there were Indians on the opposite side who disputed our passage ; when they found, however, that we had landed, they went to the nearest town, called Ivitachuco, and tliere remained until we came in >iglit, when as we appeared they set all the place on fire and took to flight. There are many towns in this Province of Apalache, and it is a land abundant in subsistence. They call all that other country we were travelling through, the Pro- vince of Yustaga. We went to another town, called Iniahico. Tliere it appeai'ed to us to be time we should know of those who remained at the port, and that they should hear from us ; for we proposed to travel so far inland that we might not be able to hear of them again. The distance we had now marched trom them was one hundred and ten leagues, and tlie Governor gave orders that they should come to where we then were. From that town we went to look for the sea, which was about nine leagues ofi", and we f )und, on the t-hore, where Pánfilo de Narvaez had built his boats. We found the spot whereon the forge had stood, and many bones of horses. The Indians told us, tln-ough the interpreter, what others like us there liad done. Juan de Afiasco put signals on some trees standino- near the water, because he was coinmaiided to return to the port, and bid the people there come on by the way we had marched, while he ISLAND OF Fl.OUIliA. 235 should sail in the two hrigaiitiiies and the boat that were left, and we would await his arrival, at the Pro\iuce of Apalache. Juau de Anasco sent the peojile on hy land, while he came hy sea, as the Governor liad ordered, eneonntcring much fatigue and danger; for he could iii)t iiiid the coast he had observed from the land before leaving, discovering no marks whatsoever from the sea, as these were in shallow inlets, that with the rise of tide had water in them, and with the ebb were bare. We made a jiiragna, which went out every day two leagues to sea, lookino; for the l)riirantines, to show them where to sto]). I was thankful when the ]>eople arrived, not less for those that came by land than those by water. On the arrival of the t)rigantines, the Governor directed that they should sail westwardly to discover a harbour, if one were near, whence to ascertain, l)y exploring the coast, if any thing coidd be found inland. Francisco Maldonado, a gentleman of Salamanca, had the conunand. He coasted along the country, and intcred all the coves, creeks, and rivers he discovered, until he arrived at a river having a good entrance and harbour, with an Indian town on the seaboard. Some inhabi- tants approaching to traffic, he took one of them, and directly turned back witli him to join us. On this voyage he was absent two months, which apjieared to us all to be a thousand years, inasmuch as it detained us so long from advancing to what we understood was to be found in the interior. After Maldonado got back, the Governor told him. 2;3(> ACCOUNT OF THE that, as we were about to set off in qTiest of tlie country wliich tliat Indian stated to be on anotlier sea, lie must return witli tlie lirigantines to Cuba, where the Doiia Ysabel de Bobadilla, his wife, remained ; and if within six months' time he should hear nothing of us, to come with the brigantines, and run the shore as far as the Eiver Espiritu Santo, to which we should have to resort. Tlie vessels weut to the Island, and we took our way again northward, going to seek after what the Indian had told us of. We marched five days througli an uninhabited coun- try, when, coming to a great river, as we could not build a bridge over it, because of tlie stiffness of the current, we made a piragua. With this we reached the opposite shore, where we found a Province called Acapa- chiqui, very abundant in the food to which the Indians are accustomed. We saw seme towns, and others there were we did not visit, because the counti'y was one of very large swamps. There was a change in the habita- tions, wliich were now in the earth, like caves : heretofore they were covered with palm-leaves and with grass. We continued on, and came to two other rivers, over which we had to make bi'idges, in our usual manner, by tying pine-trees together. An'ived at another Prov- ince, called Otoa, we found a town rather larger than any we had seen to that time. We went thence to towns of another province, wliich may be about two days' march distant, where we took some persons not on the look-out, they never having heard of us. Tlie people agreed to come and serve us peacefully for the return of ISLAND OF FLOKIDA. 237 tlie captives, wlioui the Governor gave up, keepiiii^ only a jiart as interpreters and guides, for the use of tlie way. We were five or six days in going tiiroiigh tliis Prov- inee, called Chisi, where we were well sujijilied liy the Indians from their slender stores ; and having marched three days more without seeing any large town, we came to the Province of Altapalia. Here we found a river that had a course not southwanlly, like tlio rest we liad passed, but eastward to the sea, where the Licentiate, Lucas dc Ayllón, had come ; whence we gave still more credit to what the Lidian said, and we came to helieve as true all the stories that he had told us. This province was thickly peoiiled, and the inhabitants all desired to serve us. The (iovernor inquired nf tliem fir that province, Cofitachyipie, of whicii we came in pursuit; they said it was not possiljle to go thither, there being no road, and on the journey we should taniish, there being no tuod. We went on to other caciques, of the names Ocuti and t'afaqui, who gave us of what they had to eat. They said if we were giiing to make war on the Lady of C(jtitachiipie, they would give us all we should desire for the way ; Viut we sin mid understand there was no road overwhich to pass; that they had no intercourse, because of their enmity, except when they made war ujion each other, which was carried on through obscure and intri- cate parts, out of which no one would be expected to issue, and that they were on the journey from twenty to twenty-two days, eating in the time only plants and the parched maize they took with them. Seeing our deter- mination, they gave us eight hundred Indians to carry 31 2 38 ACCOUNT OF THE our loads of clothing and provisions, and also others as guides. . We were taken directly to the eastward, and thus travelled three days. The Indian who deceitfully led us had said, that he would place us whither we were going in that time ; and notwithstanding, towards the close, we began to discover his perfidy, the Governor did not desist from the course, but connnanded that we should husband our provisions as much as possible, since he suspected we should find ourselves — which did actually come to pass — in embarrassment and want. We went on through this wilderness, and at the end of thirteen days arrived at some cottages. The Indians had now become so bewildered, that they knew not in what direction to turn. The road had given out, and the Governor went around to regain it, but, failing to find it, he came back to us des])erate. He directed that the people should return some half a league to a gi'eat river, and there he began to give out rations of fresh pork from the hogs we drove with us, a pound to each man, which we ate boiled, without salt or other seasoning. The Governor sent in two directions to find a path, or any mark indicating inhabitants — one person up the river to the neirth and northeast, and the other down along it to the south and southeast, and he allowed to each ten days in which to go and return. He that went to the south and southeastward came in, after being gone four days, with the news that he had come upon a little town having some provisions. He brought three or four people from it, who speaking with ISLAND OF FLORIDA. '2'.)9 our perfidimis Indian, he undc-rstood tiiem. Tliis was no little relief to us, because of the diliienlty there is every- where in tlie country of heing nnderstood ; and once more the guide repeated the falsehoods he had before told us, which we believed, because we heard him talk the language with tliose Indians. We directly set out, with all our people, for that little village, to await tlun-e the returu of those who had gone in other directions to seek for paths. We tarried four or five days, until all had come together. About fifty hanegas of maize were found in the place, and some parched meal; there were many nuilberry-trees loaded with fruit, and likewise some other small fruits. Thence we set out for the town of Cofitachique, two days' journey from the village, seated on the banks of a river, which we believed to be the Santa Elena, where the Licentiate Ayllón had been. Having arrived at the stream, the Lady nf this town sent to us her niece, borne in a litter, the Indians showing her nuich respect, with the message that she was pleased we had arrived in her territory, and that she would give us of all she could or might possess. She likewise sent the Governor a necklace of five or six strings of i)earls. We were furnished with canoes iu which to jjass over the river, and the Lady gave us one-half of the town ; but after stavins three or Ibur davs, she suddenlv went ofi' into the woods. The Governor caused her to be sought, and not finding her, he dpened a moscpie, in which were interred the bodies of the chief personages of that country. We took from it a quantity of pearls, of the lUO account of the weic'lit of as many as six arrobas and a lialf, or seven, thougli thev were injured from lying in the eartli, and in the adipose substance of the dead. We found buiied two wood axes, of Castilian make, a rosary of jet beads, and some Mse pearls, such as are taken from this comitry to traffic with the Indians, all of M-hieh we supposed tliey got in exchange, made with those who followed the Licentiate Ayllón. From the infirmation given by the Indians, the sea should be about thirty leagues distant. We knew tliat the people who came witli Ayllón hardly entered the country at all ; that they remained continually on the coast, until his sickness and death. In strife for command, they then commenced to kill each other, while others of them died of hunger; for one, whose lot it was to have been among them, told us that of six hundred men who landed, only fifty- seven escaped — a loss caused, to a great extent, by the wreck of a big ship they had lirought, laden with stores. Having remained in the town of this Lady some ten or eleven days, it liecarae necessary that we should go thence in quest of a countiy which miglit furnish food, as the quantity where we were was sufficient only for the necessities of the Indians, and we, our horses and followers, consumed it \'ery fast. Again we took the direction of the north, and for eiglit days we travelled through a poor country, scarce of food, until arriving at one called Xuala, where we still found some Indian houses, though a thin popula- tion, for the country was broken. Among these ridges we discovered tlie source of the great river whence we ISLAND OF FLORIDA. 241 bad taken our departure, believed to be the Espiritu Santo. We went on to a town called Guasnli, wliei-e the inhabitants gave us a number of dogs, and some maize, of which they had but little. From there we marclied four days, and arrived at a town called C'liiha, which is very plentiful in food. It is secluded on an island of this river of Espiritu Santo, which, all tlie way from tlie place of its i-ise, forms very large islands. In this province, where we began to find the towns set about with fence, the Indians get a large quantity of oil from walnuts. We were detained twenty-six or twenty- seven days to refresh the horses, which ari-ived greatly fatigued, having worked hard and eaten little. We left, following along tlie banks nf the river, and came to another province, called Costehe, the towns of wliich are likewise on islands in the river, and thence we went to Coca, one of the finest countries we discovered in Florida. The Cacique came out in a liurdle to re- ceive us, with great festivity and many people, he having numerous towns subject to him. The next morning we saw all the inhabitants, and having detained the Cacique, that he might give us persons to carry our h^ads, we tarried some days until we could get them. We found plums like those here in Castile, and great quantities of vines, on which were very good grapes. From this we went to the west and southwest, passing through the towns of the Cacique for live or six days, until we came to another i)rovince, called Italisi. Tiie people being gone, we went to look for tiiem. Some Indians came to us, by whom the Governor sent to call 242 ACCOUNT OF THE the Catrique, who, coming, brought to us a present of twenty-six or twenty-seven women, skins of deer, and whatever else they had. From this point we ^\'ent south, drawing towards the coast of New Spain, and passed through several towns, before coming to another province, called Taszaluza, oi which an Indian of such size was chief that we all considered liini a giant. He awaited ns qnietly at his town, and on onr aiTival we made much ado for him, with jonit at reeds, and great running of liorses, although he appeared to regard it all as sinall matter. After- ward we asked him for Indians to carry our burdens ; he answered that he was not accustomed to serving any one, but it was rather fur others all to serve him. The Governor ordei'ed that he should not be allowed to return to his house, but be kept where he was. This detention among us he felt — whence sprang the ruin that he afterwards wrought us, and it was why he told us that lie could tliere give us nothing, and tliat we must go to another town of his, called Mavila, where he would bestow on us whatever we might ask. We took lip our march in that direction, and came to a river, a copious flood, which we considered to be that which «mpties into the Bay of Chuse. Here we got news of the manner in which the boats of Narvaez had arrived in want of water, and of a Christian, named Don Teodoro, who had stopped among these Indians, with a negro, and we were shown a dagger that he had worn. We were here two days, making rafts for crossing the river. In tliis time the Indians killed one of the sruai'd of tlie ISLAND OF FLORIDA. 'J-Í3 Governor, who tliercu])oii, l)eing iingrv, tlircateiied the Cacique, and ti>hl him that lie slioiihi liurn liiiii if he did not give np to him those wlio liad shiin tlic Christian. He replied that he would deliver them to us in that town of his, Mavila. The Caeique had many iu attendance. An Indian was always liehind him with a fly-brush of plmnes, so large as to afford his person shelter from the sun. At nine o'clock, one morning, we arrived at Mavila, a small town very strongly stockaded, situated on a plain. We found the Indians had demolished some liahitations al)out it, to j)resent a clear field. A number uí the chiefs came out to I'eceive lis as soon as we were in siirht, and they asked the Governor, through the intei'preter, if he would like to stop on that plain, or preferred to enter the town, and said that in the evening thev would give us the Indians to carry burdens. It appeared to our Chief better to go thitlier with them, and lie ci.immanded that all should enter the town, which we did. Having come within the enclosure, we walked about, talking with the Indians, supposing them to be friendlv, there being not over three or four liundred in sight, though full five thousand were in the town, whom we did not see, uor did they show themselves at all. Apparently rejoicing, they began their customary songs and dances ; and some fifteen or twenty women having performed before us a little while, for dissinndation, the Cacique got up and -withdrew into one of the houses. The Governor sent to tell him that he must come out, to which he answered that he would not ; and 244 ACCOUNT OF THE the Captain of the body-gnard entered the door to bring him fortli, bnt seeing many Indians present, fully prepared for battle, he thouglit it best to withdraw and leave him. He reported that the houses M-ere filled with men, ready with bows and arrows, bent on some mischief The Governor called to an Indian passing by, who also refusing to come, a gentleman near took him by the arm to bring him, when, receiving a push, such as to make him let go his hold, he drew his sword and dealt a stroke in return that cleaved away an arm. With the blow they all began to shoot arrows at us, some from within the houses, through the many loop- holes they had arranged, and some from without. As we were so wholly unprejiared, having considered ourselves on a footing of peace, we were obliged, from the great injuries we were sustaining, to flee from the town, leaving behind all that the carriers had brought for us, as they had there set d«;>wn their burdens. When the Indians saw that we had gone out, they closed the gates, and beating their drums, they raised flags, with great shout- ing ; then, emptying our knapsacks and bundles, showed up above the palisades all we had brought, as much as to say that they had those things in possession. Directly as we retired, we bestrode our horses and completely en- circled the town, that nonemiglit thence anywhere escape. The Governor directed that sixty of us should dismount, and that eighty of the best accoutred should form in four parties, to assail the place on as many sides, and the first of us getting in should set fire to the houses, that no more harm should come to us : so we handed over ISLAND OF FLOKIDA. 245 our liorses to other soldiers who were not in armour, that if any of the Indians should come running out of the town they miglit overtake them. "VVe entered the town and set it on tire, whereby a number of Indians were burneíl, and all that we had was consumed, so that there remained not a thing. We fought that day until nighttall, without a single Indian having surrendered to us — they fighting bravely on like lions. We killed them all, either with tire or the sword, or, such of them as can)e out, with the lance, so that when it was nearly dark there remained onh' three alive ; and these, taking the women that had been Ijrought to dance, placed the twenty in fnmt, who, crossing their hands, made signs to us that we should come for them. Tlie Christians advancing toward the women, these turned aside, and the tliree men behind them shot their arrows at us, when we killed two of them. The last Indian, not to surrender, climbed a tree that was in the fence, and taking the cord from his l>ow, tied it about his neck, and from a lindi hanged himself This day the Indians slew more tlian twenty of our men, and those of us who esca})ed only hurt ^vere two hundred and fifty, bearing upon our bodies seven hun- dred and sixty injuries from their shafts. At night we dressed our wounds with the tat of the dead Indians, as there was no medicine left, all that belonged to us liaving been liurned. We tarried twenty-seven or twenty- eight days to take care of ourselves, and God be praised that we were all relieved. The women were divided as servants among those who were sutiering most. We 32 246 ACCOUNT or tike learned from the Imliaus tliat we were as many as forty leagues from the sea. It was much the desire that the Governor sliould g-o to the coast, for we had tidings of the hrigantincs ; but he dared not venture thither, as it was already the middle of Novendjer, the season very cold; and he found it neeessai-}' to go in quest of a country where subsistence might be had • for the winter; here there was none, the region being one of little food. We resumed our direction to the northward, and travelled ten or twelve days, suffering greatly from the cold and rain, in which we marched afijot, until arriving at a fertile province, plentifiil in provisions, where we could stop during the rigour of the season. The snows fall more heavily there than they do in Castile. Having reached the Province of Chicaza, tlie wamors came out to interrupt the passage of a river we had to cross. We were detained by them three days. Finally, we went over in a piragua we built, when the Indians fled to the woods. After seven or eight days, messengers from the Caci'pie arrived, saying that he and all his people desired to come and serve us. The Grovernor received the mes- sage well, and sent word to him to do so without fail, and that he would present him with many of the things he brouglit. Tlie Cacique came, having with him a number of persons, who bore him upon their shoulders. He gave us some deer-skins and little dogs. The people returned, and every day Indians came and went, bringing us many hares, and whatever else the country supplied. ISLAND OF Í^LOIUDA. 1*47 lu the night-time we captiu'ed some Indians, m'Iio, on a footing of peace, came to observe liow we slept and guarded. We, unaware of the perfidy that was intended, tohl tlie Cacique that we desired the next day to continue our march, wlicn lie left, ;ind that night fell upon ns. As the enemy knew whereabout our sentinels were set, they got amongst us into the town, without being ob- served, liy twos and fours, more than three hundred men, with fire which they brought in little pots, not to be seen. When the sentinels discovered that more were coming in troop, they lieat to arms; l)Ut this was not done until the others had already set fire to the town. The Indians did us very great injury, killing fitly-seven horses, more than three hundred hogs, and thirteen or f .urteen men ; and it was a great mysterious ])rovidence of God, that, though we were not resisting them, nor giving them any cause to do so, they tunietl and fled; had they followed ns up, not a man of all our number could have escaped. Directly we moved to a cottage about a mile oif. We knew that the Indians had agreed to return u]ion US that night ; but, (tchI be p)raised, in conseipience of a liglit rain, they did not come ; for we were in so bad con- dition, that, although some horses still remained, we had no saddles, lances, nor targets, all having been consumed. We hastened to make them, the l)est we could M'ith the means at hand ; and at the end of five days, the Indians, coming back upon us with their squadrons in order, attacked us with much concert at three points. As we were prepared, and, moreover, awai-e of their ap])roacli, we met them at the onset, beat them Ijack, and did them 248 ACCOUNT OF THE some injury ; so that, thank God, they returned no more. We remained here perhaps two months, getting ready what were necessary of saddles, lances, and targets, and then left, taking the direction to the northwest, toward a Province called Alibanio. At this time befell us what is said never to have occurred in the índias. In the highway over which we had to pass, without there being either women to protect or provisions to secure, and only to try our valour with theirs, the Indians put up a very strong stockade directly across the road, about three hundred of them standing behind it, resolute to die rather than give back. So soon as they observed our approach, some came out to shoot their aiTOws, threatening that not one of us sliould I'cmain alive. When we had surveyed that work, thus defended by men, we supposed they guarded some- thing — provision perhaps — -of which we stood greatly in need ; for we had calculated to cross a desert of twelve days' journey in its extent, where we could have nothing to eat but what we carried. We alighted, some forty or fifty men, and put ourselves on two sides, arranging that at the sound of the trumpet we should all enter the barricade at one time. We did accordingly, carrying it, although at some cost, losing on our side seven or eight men, and having twenty-five or twenty-six more wounded. We kiDed some Indians, and took others, from whom we learned that they had done this to measure themselves with us, and nothing else. We looked about for food, although at great hazard, that we might begin our journey in tlie wilderness. ISLAND OF FLOIUDA. 249 We travelled eight days with great care, in tenderness of the wounded and the sick we carried. One mid-day we came upon a town called Quizquiz, and so suddenly to the inhabitants, that they were without any notice of us, tlie men being away at work in the maize-iields. We took more than three hundred women, and the few skins and shawls they had in their houses. There we first found a little walnut of the country, which is much better than that here in Spain. The town was near the banks of the River Espiritu Santo. They told us that it was, with many towns about there, tributary to a lord of Pacaha, famed throughout all the land. When the men heard that we had taken their women, they came to us peacefully, requesting the Governor to restore them. He did so, and asked them for canoes in which to pass that great river. Tliese they promised, but never gave ; on the contrary, they collected to give us battle, coming in sight of the town where we were ; but in the end, not venturing to make an attack, they turned and retired. We left that place and went to encamp by the river- side, to put oui-selves in order for crossing. On the other shore we saw numbei"s of people collected to ojipose our landing, who had many canoes. We set about building four large piraguas, each capable of taking sixty or seventy men and five or six horses. We were engaged in the work twenty-seven or twenty-eight days. During this time, the Indians every day, at three o'clock in the after- noon, would get into two hundred and fifty very large canoes they had, well shielded, and come near the shore on which we were; with loud cries they would exhaust ÍÕO ACCOUNT OF THE their arrows upon us, and then return to the other bank. After they saw that our boats were at the point of readiness for crossing, they all Avent off, leaving the passage free. We crossed the river in concert, it being nearly a league in ^vidth, and nineteen or twenty fathoms deep. We found some good towns on the other side ; and once more following up the stream, on the way to that Province of Pacaha, we came first to the province of another lord, called leasqui, against whom he waged severe war. The Cacique came out peace- full v to meet us, saving that he had heard of us for a long time, and that he knew we were men from heaven, whom their arrows could not harm ; wherefore, lie desired to have no strife, and wished only to serve us. The Governor received him very kindly, and permitting no one to enter the town, to avoid doing mischief, we encamped in sight, on a jJain, where we lay two days. On the day of our arri\'al, the Cacique said that inas- much as he knew the Governor to be a man ft-om the sky, who must necessarily have to go away, he besought him to leave a sign, of which he might ask support in his wars, and his people call uptm for rain, of which their fields had great need, as their children were dying of hunger. The Governor commanded that a very tall cross be made of two pines, and told him to return the next day, when he -would give him the sign from heaven for whicli he asked ; Init that the Chief must believe nothing could l>e needed if he had a true faith in the cross. He returned the next day, complaining much because we so long delayed giving him the IHI.ANI) dl'' I'l.olMDA. 251 nij;'li he linked, miiiI lie lin'l I'^nciil uill Id scl'\r :iiii| liillnw IIH. 'l'liiTcil|ion he scl ll|i :i lollil w ;i Mill;:,- lir(;iil;c (lie (•niii|iliniMc uiis mil iinnicili.'ilr, wliirli ransccl us nil l<> \\('r|i, w iliici;sini;' such iIcMilidii .'iml niriicKl ncss In liis I'lili'cMlifS. 'I'lic ( i<)\ ri'imr li.ld liiin |o luiiM:; .1 lllii,; |i('(i- I'li' liiirK in llii' cvcnliiL':, .■mil lli;il we Wdulil ru wllli llicni 111 Ills liiwn :in(l l;ikr IIiIiIiit \\if nli;n lie li;i(l .•iskcil. lie (■;ini(' In llir 11 flrmiMin wllli litem, :inil we wcnl In |ir(i(Tssiiin In Ihc Inw 11, w lillc I hrv fnlhiw nl iin. AiTuhii;' llicrc, iin il In Ihc cnsloni iil' llic ( 'iirlipicn In \y.i\f nc'ii- llicir 1 scs ii lii;^;li liill, m:nlcli\ inim I, mimr Inning llic Ikuiscs |(lacc(l I lici-cnn, we .scl n|i llic cmss mt llic rtnnunil nl' a nnl, am! \vc all uciil on licndcd knccn, willi i;|-cal linmilllv. In kl;-.s llic rnnl (iT lliaT cra\v mm i|(i, iinr niiii'ii iKir Ichs; Ihcn dlri'cllv IIh'V IumiijíIiI a i;rcal i|uanlil\ nf cane, makiiiL^- a Iciii'c almnl il ; ami w c rclninnl llial nii;lil 111 iiiir cam|i. '11 III'' iminiini;-, \\r lunL ii|i mir cniirsc I'ur I'acalia,, wliirli was l)V llic river upward. W'c Iraxcllcd Iwn davs, and llieii disciiNcrcd llic luwn mi a |ilaiii, well reiieed alimil, and siirronnded hv a, walerdileli made liv liaml. Ilaslciiini;'un an (iisl as |iossil)lc, \vc caiiio near and hailed, iiol (Inriiii;- Id cnlcr Ihcrc; liiit y-din^- almnl 1 nc side and Ihc nllier, and disrnv'criiii;- llial many |ieii|ile wero L'Hi^aiiini;-, W'C assailed and enleied Ihc Inwii, nicclin"' mi o|i|iiisili(in. We look cnly a few |ieii|i|e, fiir iicai-ly !ill li.i'l lli'd, wilhoiil, huwcNcr, IicIiil;' aMc In carry oil Ihc lilllc Ihey |insscsscd. While we \el hailed in sif;'hl. uf Ihc linvii, lielore venliirini;' In eiiler il, w c saw i,")2 ACOOVNT ov ruK OvMuinsi Wlutiil MS a lai'sso VhhIv of luiHans^ \vl>on\ wk^ s«jv ^hv

iho asisistsuvoo of tho }\b<\^ ; bxjt s^MUsi to tniHH then», wo foutid tlioy \wt\^ th«\v\>pU^ wtMV so jjlad of it that thoy wishoii t\^ follow and not loavo us, Tho t^xn-x^ruor put hiui into tho town, and spivo him ovory thiusi tound thon\ wlnoh was groat richi\s tor th^^so jHH^plo — Svmuo boads niado of soa-snails, tho skins of oats and of doi^r, and a littlo nxaifto, Uo ivtviruod homo with thon», n\uch jjnuilvvxi. Wo rx^uaiiunl in this town twonty- sovon or twotity-^Msiht days, to disiwor if wo Ov>\dd tako a J^ath to tho uorthwavxi. who»vby to í\m»\o out on tho South Soa. Son\o inovirsious wow tuado to oa\>tntv Indians who luight jiivo us tho i)\foriuatio»» ; \vartionlarly was ono vm- dortakon to tho uorthwt^t, whoiv wo wo»"^ told thoiv woiv hu-jix^ sottloiuoutss thivusih whioh wiMuijrht giv Wo wont in that dinvtion oight day^ tlmnisrh a wildornoss winch had lai-iso pondy sw aut^vs whoiv wo did not tiud ovou tix\>s, and only sonio wido plains, on whioh jir^nv a plai\t so rank aud hijih, that ovon on horsohaok wo otudd not brv^ak our way thwuijih. V^tuvUy. wo v-anio to sonio o»>lKvtions of huts, ov>\xn\Hl with rtish sow^hI tojixnhor. Whon tho owner of ono u\ovos awi\Y. ho will ivU up tho ontiiv «snorit\si, and carry it, tho wife takiuji tho tbuuo of IS1.AM> Ol'' I'l.olMI» \. ])(.li>s oviT which il is rthflilicil : Ih.'.c liii'v t;ilv<' ilowii ;,iui pul ll|' >o i'f:ulil\, lllill lhou:'h liu'V A\>'u\A iiiovf niii'w i'\ri'\ hour, lhii\ f.>ii\ I'liicnl Iv cuoui;!! riwy\ ihcir house on I iirlr l);irlvs. W'c loMnuMJ iVom this poo^h' I iial ihcic wore souio hiiiuK'ls ol' lho soi-| iihoiit lho couiilrv, tho iiihiihilíUits of whioii otiiiihivod ihoinsohos ill lindiii;;' |>hioo> lor thoir (IwoUiiiiis wliorovor lunuv door woro ;ioolisloinod lo r;Ui;;c, Mild .'I sWiinip w iioro woro IIKUIV lisli : iiihl thill whoH tiio\ iiad iViiiiiloiiod iht' !;:iliio mid tho lish iVoin ono plaoo, so tiial tiio\ look Ihoiii ihoro not so oiisilv as at lirsl, lho\ woidd all iiiovo olV wilii liioir dwi'llini;-s for sonio otiior part, w horo tho animals wcio not M't shv. This I'rov iiioo, oalh-d Tahio, had a pi'opio who oarod iitlli' to phiiil, lindiii:'' supiiort in moat iliid lisli. ^Vo roturiiod lo I'aoaha, w horo lhi> (5ovonior had roinainod. and t'oiind thai llio ('aoi.|no hail oonio in liO!iooriill\, h\lii^- with liiiii in tho low ii. In this liino arri\od I ho ( 'aoii|in> iVoin tho plaoo hohind, at w hioh wo had pill II)' tho oro-s. Tho ollorls ol' tlioso Iwn ohiol's, who wcro oiioiiiios, OiU'li to plaoo hinisolf on tho I'iglit iiaiid whoii lhi> Hovonior ooiiiiiiaiidod liiat tlu>_v should sit 111 liis sidos, \V!>s il fiiiiil worth w itiiossiiii;-. Fiiidiiii;- ihal thoro was no w a_v hy which to inarcii lo tho otiior so.'i, wo voluniod towards tho south, and wont with tho l'iici'. We went from this place and came to the Province of Xacatin, which was among some close forests, and was scant of food. Hence the Indians guided us east- ward to other small towns, poorly oif for food, having said that they would take us where there were other ISLAND OF FLORIDA. L'59 Christians like us, wliidi afterwards proved false; for they could have had no kno\vledi;e of any others than ourselves, although, as we made so many turns, it min'ht be in some of them they had ol)served our passing. We turned to go southward, with the resolution of either reaching New Spain, or dying. "We travelled about six days in a direction south and southwest, when we stopped. Thence we sent ten men, on swift horses, to travel in eight or nine days as far as possible, and see if any town could be found where we might re-sup2)ly ourselves with maize, to enable us to pursue our journey. They ■went as far as they could go, and came upon some poor jieople without houses, having wretched huts, into which they withdrew ; and they neither planted nor gathered any thing, but lived entirely upon Hesh and tish. Three or four of them, whose tongue no one we could iind understood, were bi'ought back. Eeflecting tluit we had lost our interpreter, that we found nothing to eat, that the maize we brought upon our backs was failino-, and it seemed impossible that so many peojile should be able to cross a country so poor, we determined to return to the town where the Governor Soto died, as it appeared to us there was convenience for building vessels with which we might leave the country. "We returned by the same road we had taken, until we came to the town ; but we did not discover so good outtit as we had thought to Iind. There were no pro- visions in the town, the Indians having taken them away, so we had to seek aiiotlier town, where we min-ht 260 ACCOUNT OF THE pass the winter and build tlie vessels. I thank God that we found two towns very much to our purpose, standing upon the liio Grande, and Mliich were I'eneed around, having also a large quantity of maize. Here we stopped, and with great labour built seven brigautines, which were iinished at about the end of six months. We threw them out into the water, and it was a mystery that, calked as they were with the bark of mulberry-ti'ees, and without any pitch, we should find them stanch and very safe. Going down the river, we took with us also some canoes, into which were put twenty-six horses, for the event of finding any large town on the shore of the sea that could sustain us with food, while we might send thence a couple of brigautines to the Vice- roy of New Spain, with a message to provide us with vessels in which we could get away from the country. The second day, descending the stream, there came out against us about forty or fifty very large and swift canoes, in some of which were as many as eighty war- riors, who assailed us with their arrows, following and shooting at us. Some who were in the vessels thought it triiiing not to attack them ; so, taking four or five of the small canoes we brouglit along, they went after them. The Indians, seeing this, surrounded them, so that they could not get away, and upset the canoes, whereby twelve very worthy men were drowned, beyond the reach of our succour, because of the great power of the stream, and the oars in the vessels being few. The Indians were encouraged by this success to fol- low us to the sea, which we were nineteen days in ISLAND OF FLORIDA. 201 reaching, doing iis niiicli damage and wounding many people; for, as they ionnd we had im arms tliat roidd reaeh them fnjni a distance, not an ai-quel)use nor a crossbow liaving remaiiu'd, l)ut only some swords and targets, they lost tiieir fears, and \V(_inId draw verv nigli to let drive at ns their arrows. We came out by the mouth of the river, and entering into a very large bay made by it, which was so extensive t.iat we passed along it three days and three nights, with fair weather, in all the time not seeing land, so that it appeared to us we were at sea, although we f(.)mid the water still so fresh that it could well l)e drunk, like that of the river. Some small islets were seen westward, to which we went: thenceforward we kept close along the coast, where we took shell-tish, and lo(.)ked fur otlier things to eat, until we entered the Kiver of Púnuco, where we came and were well received liy the Chris- tians. LuYS IIeenandez De Biehma. 34 APPENDIX TRANSLATIONS. COXVEYAyUE OF DOWER BY THE WIIx^W OF TE- ]iI;ARIAS DAVILA to IIEKXAXDo DE SOTO. IN COX- SlUEliATloX OF TilE ESPoUSAl, OF IIEU DAIdHTEIl. I!e it kiHiwii to all will) sluill see tliis writiiiix, that I, Dona Ysaliel de Ijnliaililla. witV' that was of I'rilr.irias ik- A\ ila, drrcaseil, — be lie ill fjlory — (ioveriior that was of Tierra Firme, my loril and liusbaiid, declare, that iiia^iniirh a~. by the assistance of Om- Lord and His Blessed Mother, es]ioii^als of iiiarriaL'e are roiieerted and contracted, by words of assent, between llofia Ysabel ile líobadilla, my legitimate d.aiighter and of said IVdrarias, with you, Sefior Ca|itaiii Fernando de 8oto, being at this Court of their Majesties, native and resident of the City of liadajóz, by tliese presents, lieiice- forth I promise and obligate iny.self to give yon, and do beiireforth give in dower and marriage with the said Dona Ysabel de Bobadilla, my dangliter, for her and for lier goods of dower, that yon may keeji and marry her with tlie consent and in the ]ieace of the Holy ;N[otlier C^hnroh of liome, that is to say, all tlie cattle with tlieir young which the said Cnivernor, iny lord and husband, established and left at Panamá, in Tierra Firme, with all the cottage, the slaves who tend the cattle, tlie stud of horses with them in the fields, and every thing else tliat to said round cottage and stock is in all or in any wise belonging, with the increase of slaves, and whatever else is thereto pertinent, which the said Pedrarias de Avila, by a clause made of his will lietweeii living, in ]inre and perfect git't irrevocable in favour of said Doiia Ysabel de Bobadilla, my daughter, that she thereby might the better and more honorably marry, as more fully 264 DISCOVERY OF FLORIDA. may be found in the clause refen-ed to of said will, which I deem here inserted and incorporated with the same force and vigour it would have were it written out word for word; of the which I, for what tiierein belongs to me and appertains, or that can appertain, by reason of any right of dower, paraphernalia, and goods, acquired during the matriuiony existing between me and the said Pedrarias Dávila, my lord and husband, as well in whatever other manner, I consent publicly, and approve consent to the aforementioned dona- tive made by Pedro Arias, and e paid us thereupon one-fifth of all. Also we give, free of import duty, to the iidiabitants of that country for the said six years, and as much longer as shall be our will, all they may take tor the furnishing and provision of their houses, the same not lieing to sell ; and whatsoever they or any other, nierrliants or trallickers, sell, shall go free of duty for two years, and not longer. Likewise, we promise that for the term of ten years, and until we command otherwise, we will not imi)o.se on the inhabitants of those countries any excise duty, or other ti'ibute whatsoever. Likewise, we grant that to said inhabitants may be given tlirough you the lots and grounds proper to their conditions, as lias been done, and is doing, in the Island of Espafiola ; and we also give you license, in our name, during the time of your govern- ment, that you take the bestowal of the Indians of that land, observing therein the instructions and provisions that will be given to you. Again, we bestow on the hospital that m.ay be built in that country, to assist the relief of the poor who may go thither, the 35 27<) DISCOVERY OF FLOIilDA. cliarity of one luindred thoiisanil maravedis from the fines imposed by the trihunal of tluit country. A^ain, also, according to your petition and consent, and of the settlers of that country, we promise to give to its hospital, and by these ])resents we do give, the duties of eicuhilla and relahes, existing in the foundries that may there be made; and, as respects that, we will order our provision to be issued to you in form. Also, likewise we will order, and by the present command and defend, that from these our kingdoms do not pass into said country, nor go, any one of the persons prohibited from going into those parts, under the penalties contained in the laws and ordinances of our letters, upon which subject this by us and by the Catholic Kings are given, nor any counsellors nor attorneys to exercise their callings. The which, all that is said, and each thing and part thereof, we concede to yon, conditioned that you, the said Don Hernando de Soto, be held and obliged to go from these our realms in person to make the conquest within one year next following, to be reckoned from lhe day of the date of this charter. Again, on condition that when you go out of these our said kingdoms, and arrive in said country, you will carry and have with you the officers of our excheijuer, who may by us be named ; and likewise also the persons, religious and ecclesiastical, who shall bo appointed by us for the instruction of the natives of that Province in our Holy Catholic Faith, to whom you are to give and pay the passage, stores, and the other necessary subsistence for them, accord- ing to their condition, all at your cost, receiving nothing from them during the said entire voyage ; with which matter we gravely charge you, that you do and comply with, as a thing for the service of God and our own, and any thing otherwise we sliall deem contrary to our service. Again, whensoever, according to right and the laws of our king- doms, the people and captains of our armaments take prisoner any prince or lord of the countries where, by our command, they make war, the ransom of such lord or cacique belongs to us, with all the other things movable found or belonging to him ; but, considering the great toils and ]icrils that our subjects undergo in the conquest APPENDIX. 271 of tlie índias, as some recompense, and to favour tlieni, we make known and command, that if in yonr said eon([nest and iiovernment any caciiiue or princiiial lord be captured or seized, all the treasnres, gold, silver, stones, and pearls that may be fiot from him by way of redemiition, or in any other manner whatsoever, we award you the seventh part thereof, and the remainder shall be divided amoni; the conqnerors, first takini; ont onr fifth; and in case the said caeiipie or lord sliould be slain in battle, or afterward by course of justice, or in any other manner whatsoever, in siicli case, of the treasures and goods aforesaid obtained of him justly we have the half, which, before any thins tlse, our ofMcers shall take, after having first re- served our fifth. Again, since our said otticers of said Province might have some doubt in making the collection of our duties, especially on gold and silver, stones and [jcarls, as well those that may be found in sepul- chres, and other places where they m.ay be hidden, as tliose got by ransom and incursion, or other way, our [deasure and will is, that, until some change, the following order be observed. First, we order that of the gold and silver, stones and pearls that m.ay be won in l.iattle, or on entering towns, or by barter with the Indians, should and must be ]iaid us one-fifth of all. Likewise, that all the gold and silver, stones, pearls, and other things thiit may be found and taken, as well in the graves, sepul- chres, ocues, or temples of the Indians, as in other jdaees where they were accustomed to ofier sacrifices to their idols, or in other concealed religious precincts, orb\iricd in house, or patrimonial soil, ur in the ground, or in some other public place, whether belonging to the community or an individual, be his state oi' dignity what it may, of the whole, anil of all other, of the character that may be and is found, whether finding it by accident or discovering it by search, sball pay us the half, without diminution of any sort, the other half remaining to the person who has found m- maile the discovery; and should any person or persons have gold, silver, stones, or pearls, taken or found, as well in the said graves, sei)ulchres, oenes, or Indian temples, as in the other places where they were accustomed to otl'er sacrifices, or other concealed religious places, or interi-ed as before said, and do not make it known, that they may receive, in 272 DISCOVERY OF FLORIDA. coiitormity with tliis oliapter, wliat may belong to them, they liave I'oi'teiteil all the gold ami silver, stones and jieai-ls, besides the half of theii- goods, to our tribunal and exchequer. And we, having been informed of the evils and disorders which occur in making discoveries .ind new settlements, for the redress thereof, and that we may be en.abled to give you license to inake them, with the accord of the members of our Council and of our consultation, a general provision of chapters is ordained and dis- patched, respecting what you will have to observe in the said settlement and conquest, and we command it here to be incorporated in tenor as follows:' — * 5ii * * * * Hence, by these presents, you, the said Captain Hernando de Soto, doing as aforesaid at your cost, according to and in the manner be- fore contained, observing and complying with the said provision here incorporated, and all the other instructions we shall henceforth com- mand you to obey, and to give witli regard to that country, and for the good treatment and conversion to our Holy Catholic Faith of the natives of it, we promise and declare that to you will be kept those terms, and whatever therein is contained, in and through all; and you doing otherwise, and not complying therewith, we shall not be obliged to keep with you and comply with the aforesaid, nor any matter of it ; on the contrary, we will order that you be punished, and proceed against you as against one who keeps not nor complies witli, but acts counter to, the commands of his natural king and lord. In confirmation whereof we order that the present be given, signed by my name, and witnessed by my undersigned Secretary. Done at the town Yalladolid, the twentieth d.ay of the month of April, of the year one thousand five hundred and thirty-seven. I The King. 1 This Ordinance, first placed in the charter granted to Francisco Montejo for the con- quest of Yucatan, dated the seventh da}' of December, of the year 1526. siçrned by the King, his Secretary. Francisco de los Cobos. Mereurinus cancellorius. fr. G. Epus. Oxemes, Dotor Caravajal. Epus. Canariensis, el Dotor Beltram, fr. G. Epus. Civitatem, was after- wards inserted in all like concessions, and is deemed to follow here. APPENDIX. 273 ROYAL CÉDULA PERMITTINTG JUAN DE ANASCO TO TRAFFIC WITH THE INDIANS OF FLORIDA, SO LONG AS THERE ARE NO DUTIES ON IMPORTS IN THAT PROVINCE. THE KING. Inasmuch as thou on thy piii-t, Juan de Auasco, our Coniiitroller of tlie Province of Fhirida, the government whereof I have con- ferretl on the Cajjtain Ilernanilo tie Soto, hast petitioned me to command that tliou be permitted to traffic witli the Indians of the Province, notwitlistanding tliou he our Comptroller there, or in such way allowed as might to us l)e deemed proper, -ve by tliis present do license and empower thee, so long as in tliat Province we shall not he paid tlie duties of ahnoxarifadgo, to bargain, contract, and traffic witli tlie Indians thereof, alone or in company, as thou wilt, and shalt deem proper, as well in the things of these our kingdoms, as in those which in that country may he produced or may exist there; observing in respect thereof the ordinances that are or may be enacted by our Governor and officers of that Province, to the extent that neither thou nor the said company treat or contract with our exchequer, directly or indirectly, under penalty of forfeiture of onr favour, and of your goods to the fiscal advantage of our Treasury. Dated at Valladolid, the fourth day of the month of May, of the year one thousand tive hundred and thirty-seven. I The King. WILL OF HERNANDO DE SoTO. Ill Dei Kiiiiihie, Amfii. Kn-ow ye who shall see this testamentary K-tter, that I, the Ade- lantado, Don Hernando de Soto, being of sound body and free mind, such as my Redeemer Jesus Christ has been pleased to bestow on me, believing tirndy in what believes .lud lidlds the Holy Mother ('li\irch, in the most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Ibdy fihost, 274 DISCOVERT OF FLORIDA. three persdiis and oiii? only true God, promising as a faitliful Chris- tian to live and die in llis Holy Catholic, faith, mindful of the hlood that Jesus Christ shed for me as the price of my redemption, and endeavouring to repay and satisfy so great benefit, kiiouing that death is a natural thing, and that the inoi-e I shall he prepared for it the better will lie be [deased, I declare that I commend my soul to God, who createosed of, that it may be taken to the land wheresoever our Lord shall be ])leased it shall come to port, and should a church be there, (ofia Ysabel, who are Maria Arias, and ('atalina Ximenes, and Mexia, and Arellano, and Carrefio. which will be divided among them by Dona Ysabel de ISobadilla, my wife, as shall appear well to litr, and as tla-y shall have served her. Also, I order to iJofia Leonor de Bobadilla, in marriage, one thous.and ducats, for the service that she and Nnuo de Tobar have rendered, of which I desire she have five hundred, and he five hun- dred, to avoid delicacy or doubts. Also, I order to Leonor de Piohiuos two hundred ducats for her services. Also, I acknowledge and declare that I have made a writing of companionship with the Captain llernan Ponce de Leon, in which are contained many tlungs, as will a]ipear by it, which was executed before Domingo de la (illiijihlr), jiublic lujtary, resident in Liuja, and of that city, in tlje Province of Peru, wiiich was amended and reaffirmed, with some additions, by another writing, ma the otlK-r Iniiiilrud mui lit'ty flions.iiid iiuiraveilis, Iiciiitr tlirou Imii- drcd tlioiisand maravedis of rent employed in the maiTÍa,2:e of six diirascls yearly, in tlie same manner as liereinbefore declared of the three, to eaeli of Avhoui sliall lie iiiven fifty thousand maravedis for their dowry — tlie lialf in money, the half in apparel and furniture ; and for the better execution hereof, I leave for patrons and admin- istrators of the three liiindred th^Misand maravedis' rent, tlie very reverend fathers, tlie prior, or president, of the Convent of Santo Domin^-o, of the city of Uadajôz, and the minister of tlie Convent of the Santisima Trinidad, of that city, and the prior of Sto. Ajiustin, of that city, and the guardian of iSaii Francisco, which is within that city, Avho now are, or shall be, to whom I jrive my complete power to tliat end, and Í order tliat tlie persons whom they name and desijrnafe stand named ami designated as if by nie; and I entreat them as favonr, and chariie their consciences, that this be done with all diligence, for it is in the service of Onr Lord, mindful of all the foregoing ciuitained aliove, that they be all six damsels of nobility of my line, the nearest of kin, and to the fifth degree, anil should there be no relatives of my line within this grade, I desire they be daughters of nobility, orphan damsels, the poorest there are in the city of Xerez, of líadajóz. And should there be no oi'iihans that are of the poorest, 1 give such patrons the full power I have and possess, and of right behnigiiig to me, to receive the said three hun- dred thousand maravedis, and have an administrator, that they may be collected, to whom shall lie paid such salary for bis troidile as they shall deem just ; and, that there may be memory of this, I desire that each of these reverend fathers have one thousand mara- vedis of alms, which, with what will have to be given the adminis- trator, shall be taken from the said three hundred thousand mara- vedis. And in order to make compliance with and protect this my will, and the bequests in it contained, I leave as my executors Dofia Ysabel de Bobadilla, my wife, Captain llernan Ponce de Leon, Juan Mendez de Soto, my brother, and (iutierrez Garay de Cardenosa, and, in default of him, bis son llernan Gutierrez Cardeflosa, to whom and to each I give in snUduin all my complete power, with general administration, and all its incidences and dependences, acci- 280 DISCOVERY OF FLORIDA. denoes, annexes and conne.xes, so much, in such ease as may be requisite, that without autliority of judge or superior, but of their own inherent, they ni;iy enter upon those my said goods, and tal-'« Servants, who your Imperial feet kiss. Juan Jno. de As Luis Fernandez Gattan asco de Biedma Rubrica. Rubrica. Rubrica. APPENDIX. 283 284 DISCOVERY OF FLORIDA. LETTER OF HERNANDO DE SOTO AT TAMPA BAY TO THE JUSTICE AND BOARD OF MAGISTRATES IN SANTIAGO DE CUBA. Very Noble Gentlemen : The bu'mg in a new country, not very distant indeed from that where you are, still with some sea between, a thousand years api)ear to me to have gone by since any thing has been heard from you ; and although I left some letters written at Havana, to go oif in three ways, it is indeed long since I have received one. However, since opportunity offers by which I may send an account of what it is always my duty to give, I will relate what passes, and I believe will be welcome to persons I know favourably, and are earnest for my success. I took my departure from Havana with all my armament on Sunday, the XVIIIth of May, although I wrote that I should leave on the XXVth of the month. I anticipated the day, not to lose a favourable wind, which changed, nevertheless, for caltns, upon our getting into the Gulf; still these were not so continuous as to prevent our casting anchor on this coast, as we did at the end of eight days, which was on Sunday, the festival of Espiritu Santo. Having fallen four or five leagues below the port, without any one of my pilots being able to tell where we were, it became necessary that I should go in the brigantines and look for it. In doing so, and in entering the mouth of the port, we were detained three days ; and likewise because we had no knowledge of the passage — a bay that runs up a dozen leagues or more from the sea — we were so long delayed that I was obliged to send my Lieutenant-General, Vasco Porcallo de Figueroa, in the brigantines, to take possession of a town at the end of the bay. I ordered all the men and horses to be landed on a beach, -whence, with great difficulty, we went on Trinity Sunday to join Vasco Porcallo. The Indians of the coast, because of some fears of us, have abandoned all the country, so that for thirty leagues not a man of them has halted. At my arrival here I received news of there being a Christian in APPENDIX. 285 the possession of a Caciiiiic, anil I sent IJaltazar de Gallegos, with XL. men of the horse, and as many of the foot, to endeavonr to get him. He found the mau a day's journey from this phice, with eight or ten Indians, wlium he hrouglit into my pou'er. We rejoiced no little over him, for he speaks tlie language ; and although he had forgotten his own, it directly returned to him. Ilis name is Juan Ortiz, an hidalgo, native of Sevilla. In consequence of this occurrence, I went myself for the Caoiipie, and came hack with him in peace. I then sent Baltazar de Gallegos, with eighty lancers, aiul a hundred foot-soldiers, to enter tlie country. lie has found fields of maize, heans, and pumpkins, with other fruits, ami provision in such cpuuitity as would suffice to sub- sist ii very large army without its knowing a want. Having been allowed, without interruption, to reach the town of a Caciijue named Urripacoxit, master of tlie one we are in, .also of many other towns, some Indians were sent to liim to treat for peace. This, he writes, having been accomplished, the Caciijue failed to keep certain promises, wliereupon he seized about XVll. persons, among whom are some of the principal men ; for in this way, it appears to him, he can best secure a iierformance. Among those he detains are some old men of authority, as great as can be among such people, who have information of the country far- ther on. They say that three days' journey from where tliey are, going by some towns and huts, all well inhabited, and liaving many maize-fields, is a large town called Acuera, where with much conve- nience we might winter; and that afterwards, farther on, at the dis- tance of two days' journey, there is another town, called Ocale. It is .so large, and they so extol it, that I dare not repeat all that is said. There is to be found in it a great plenty of all the things mentioned ; and fowls, a multitude of turkeys, kept in pens, and herds of tame deer that are tended. What this means I do not understand, unless it be the cattle, of which we brouglit the knowledge with \is. They say there are many trades among that peojile, and mucli intercourse, an abundance of gold and silver, and many pearls. May it please God that this may be so; for of what these Indians say I believe nothing but what I see, and must well see ; although they know, and have it for a saying, that if they lie to me it will cost them their 37 2S(.i DISCOVKRY (1F FLORIDA. lives. This interpreter puts a new lite into ns, in affording the means of onr understanding these people, for without him I know not what would become of us. Glory be to God, who by His good- ness has directed all, si> that it ajiiiears as if He had taken this enterprise in His especial keeping, that it may be for His service, as I have supplicated, and do dedicate it to Ilim. I sent eighty soldieis by sea in boats, and my General by land with XL. horsemen, to fall upon a throng of some thousand Indians, or more, whom Juan de Anasco had discovered. The General got back last night, and states that they fled from liim ; and although he pursued them, they could not be overtaken, for the many obstructions in the way. On our coming together we will march to join Baltazar de Gallegos, that we may go thence to pass the winter at the Ocale, where, if what is said be true, we shall have notldng to desire. Heaven be pleased that something may come of tills that shall be for the service of our Divine Master, and whereby I may be en.abled to servo Your Worships, and each of yon, as I desire, and is your due. Notwithstanding my continual occupation here, I am not forget- ful of the love I owe to objects at a distance ; and since I may not bo there in person, I believe that where you. Gentlemen, are, there is little in which my presence can be necessary. This duty weighs upon me more tlian every other, and for the attentions you will bestow, as betits your goodness, I shall be under great obligations. I enjoin it upon you, to make the utmost exertions to maintain the repose and well-being of the public, with the proper administration of justice, always reposing in the Licentiate, that every thing may bo so done in accordance with law, that God and the King may be served, myself gratified, and every one be content and pleased with the performance of his trust, in such a manner as you, Gentlemen, have ever considered for my honour, not less than your own, although I still feel that I have the weight thereof, and bear the responsibility. As respects the bastion which I left begun, if labouring on it have been neglected, or perhaps discontinued, with the idea that the fabric is not now needed, you, Gentlemen, will favour me by having it finished, since every day brings change; and although no occasion should arise for its employment, the erection is provident for the APPENDIX. 287 well-being and satVty of tlic tmvn : an ai.'t that will yield uil- increased satisfaction, tlirouiih yonr very noble personages. That onr Lord may gnard and increase your prosiierity is my wish and your deserving. In this town and Port of Espiritn Santo, in the Province of Florida, July the IX., in tlie year 1539. The servant of you, Gentlemen. El Adelantado Don IIerxaxdo I)e Soto. This «lociimcnt, which exists in copy only, written in a firm, clear baud, is to be found in the At'chiro de IndiaH,-\m\ doubtless is that which accompanied the letter of the Lieeiuiate líartolftniú Ortiz, dated at Santiago, the eighth day of November, 1509, addressed to the Emperor and Council of the índias. In it he says : "Directly as the (iovernor left here I fell sick in bed, and remained so three months, on which account I could not finish the bastion and bulwark be commenced. * * * It may be a month since the Governor of tl]i> Nland wrote from the Port of E^piritu Santo to the Hoard of this City, stating bis arrival in Florida, and its occurrences, ;i copy of which I send. He strongly urges the completion of the bastion at this [Hirt, but the magistrates oppose it; and, contrary to my commands, have ordered the assessment to cease, which is necessary for this purpose, and the following up of the wild Indians. * * * " Notwithstandiníí the cliaracter in which tlic letter of the .Vdelantado is copied, the transcript seems to be faulty in omissions, and alTords several evident mistakes of words. 288 DISCOVERY OF FLORIDA. LETTER TO CHARLES V. FROM TUE JUSTICE AND BOARD OF MAGISTRATES OF SANTIAGO DE CUBxi, GIVING A STATEMENT OF OCCURRENCES ON THE ISLAND. [Original in the Archivo General de Indius at Scvilla.] On the envelope is iCT'iifen : — TO THE SACRED IMPEKIAL CATHOLIC MAJESTY, THE EMPEROR KING OUR MASTER. S. I. C. M. On the seventh day of June, of the present year, the Adelantado Don Hernando de Soto arrived at this port with five ships, bringing six hundred men for tlie conquest of Florida. He laid before us a provision bestowing on him the government of this Island, which we receive as favour. Being mindful that he goes to serve Your Majes- ty in the settlement of that country, his people have been enter- tained among the inhabitants of the place in the best manner pos- sible, and he now makes ready for his departure. May our Lord guide him thither, and give the success most for His service and that of Your Highnes.s. According to Your Majesty's command, he presented for his Chief Judge the Licentiate Bartolomé Ortiz, a civilian, long resi- dent in these parts, of whom we liope that he will see the inhabi- tants receive good treatment, with considerations of justice and honour. On the 5th of April just past, a French vessel, having seventy- eight men, entered this port, with the intention of robbing the city, at a time when it pleased God there should be found here a vessel belonging to Diego Perez, resident of Sevilla, which opposed her, the two with bombards fighting together a day and night, each killing three or four men for the other, the most of the townspeople in the mean while going to their farmhouses and bringing together their women and property, as in the city there was no military defence or support of any sort. With this resistance, that vessel went out and went off. Now we have news that she sailed to San APPENDIX. 'J89 X"v;il of tlie ll;iv;iiin, on this; Islainl, Imnieil all tho town, the churrli inclusive, talcin;; a certain amount in gold, the property of persons deceasei-1, and another of the Crusade, with one hundred and fifty dollars, the proceeds of gate duties, belonging to Your Highness, besides doing other injuries to individuals. When she left this city, they said slie would return ; and as it may be tliat these or some other Frenchmen might dare as much, we resolve to make this known to Your Majest\r, that the remedy may be applied in afford- ing the protection of some artillery with which to make defence at the wharf, and give that security which a half dozen of large calibre and a dozen culverins we think sutticient to insure. These we beg that Y'our Highuess will order to be sent to us, and the necessary ammunition from the House of Contratacion iu Sevilla, with the haste possible ; for if this town ha burned or destroyed, the Island is ruined, and tlie injury is great, (iod will not permit that the Church and other stone edifices shall be consumed. They have cost much to erect, and coidd not be rebuilt in a long time. We likewise make known to Your Majesty that, eight months since, twenty or thirty wild natives insurged, and liave committed many atrocities, killing Christians, Spaniards, negroes, domestic Indians, an[aster. Be the Imperial person of Your Majesty preserved, and your dominion eidarged, as we your vassals desire. From the City of Santiago, of the Island of Fernandina, the XXVI. day of July, of the year lõ:W. From Y. S. I. 0. Majesty's humble vassals, who kiss yotir royal feet and hands. Juan de la Torre. Tno. Armaxsa. Loi'E Hirtado. Andres Parada. TiioKiBio de Castro. By order of the .lustice and Boanl of Magistrates: X°rAL DE Torres, K'ltdi-y Piihlic, and of the Board. 292 DISCOVERY OF FLORIDA. MEMOIR OF THE NAMES OF PERSONS WHO CAME FROM FLORIDA, WHO THEY ARE, AND OF WHAT COUNTRIES NATIVE. FROM SEVII.I.A. Balthasar de Gallegos. Rodrigo de Gallegos. Jno. de Aiiasco. Xpóval Espíndola. Tnigillo. Jno. Lopez Cliachon. Fneiites. Villalobos. Algalin. shoe-maker. Bartliolonie Rniz. stocking-maker. Porras. Tristan. Coria. Jno. de Mesa. Morales. Ynistrosa. Rodon, sword-cutler. G". Cartuyo, sailor. Carrançe. Galindo. Alonso. Rui Garcia, from Santlúcar Barraraeda. Jno. Diaz, from Sanldcar. FHOM BADAJOZ. Pedro Calderon. and two sons. APPEXDIX. 203 Arias Tiiiiiro, iind twn lirotliers, sons of Cirdefiosa. I.uis Bravo, son of li.iltliasar ilruvo. Juan Je Veira. ]?;iltliasar Gen. notary. Jno. Xuarez, companion of Lnis Bravo. Jno. Guttierrez. Francisco Sancliez. Andres Sancliez, brother. Hernando de Vega. Juan G". Rneda. •Tno. Carrion, tail(jr. Xinion Perez. Rodrigo Alonso. .Ino. Rniz, carpenter. Ilernan Manzera. Atanasio. Yiilalobos. FROM XEREZ AND yil.I.AXfEVA. Alonso Vasquez, anil Rodrigo Alvarez, his brother, from Xerez. Gonzalo Vazquez, from Villanueva. Alonso Blasco, his hrotlier. Diego Garcia, brother of a prebend of Bad.ajúz. Jno. Carrasco, tailor. Two Franciscos Vazquez. Alonso de la Parra. Alonso Botellon. Pero Nunez de Prado, from Llorena. Jno. Gonçalez Alor. Gonçalo Mendez. Alonso Gomez. Bacau de Xerez. Agnillar de Villanueva. (ionçalo Alonso. 3S 294 DISCOVERY OF FLORIDA. FROM Bl'RGUILI.OS. Zarabrano. Two Vargas. Bolanos. Audres Perez. Francisco Perez. FROM ZAFRA, ALMEXDRALEJO, AXD SEGURA. The General Luis de Moscoso, and two brotliers. Gonzalo Quadrado. Francisco de Tapia. Jno. Coles, tailor. Sayago, tailor. Cortes, from Alraendralejo. Pero Alonso del Azuchal. Eangel, from Alraendralejo. Ortiz, his brother. Villegas, from Almendralejo. Alonso Caro, from Almendralejo. Andrez Marin, from Almendralejo. The Father Pozo, from Segura. Almendron, brother, from Segura. Perez, farrier, from Segura. Portillo, brother, from Segura. Galvau. Maçueles. Madrigal. Calçada. Cornejo. Francisco Martynez. Pedro de Figueroa. FROM MEDELLIN. Alonso Caro. APPENDIX. 295 Garcia de (iodoy. ,Tno. de Aiii;irilla. G". Martin. Redondo. Sagrado. Sanabria. Alouso Gntirrez. Favian Rodriguez. ri; BAEZA. Biedma, factor of this armament. 296 DISCOVERT OF FLOKIDA. Rayo. Fraucisco de Lera, tailor. Gaflete. Jno. Eodriguez Lobillo, from Ronda. Alonso de Torres. Jno. Lopez Çaliarron. Anotlier Juo. Lopez. Carrion. FROM CASTILLA LA VIEJA. Tiedra, of Salamanca. Pedro de Torres, from Medina del Carapo. Bonifacio, from Valladolid. Lnis Dace. Gin. Alonso Hernandez. Miranda de Soria. Pedro de Soria. Bnstillon. Baeça. Verdugo. Vai de Olivas. Pozo Salmeron. Bauti.sta and liis brother. Salamanca, tailor. Tapia. Calva Rasa. Villegas, from Plazencia. Velasoo. Ortiz. Castro. Alvanes. Velasqnez. Salazar. Saldnendo. Villa Roei. APPENDIX. 297 FnOM THE SAME COUN'TKY. Carrion, trmn Carrion Jo los Condes. Vuldoras, from I.ron. Morales, from Soria. Sancho ile T(jrres. Agostin. Valtierra. .Tno. de la Calle. slioc-makor. Jno. Dnarte. Diego Gallego. G.aspar de Agnilar. Diego de Oliva. rilOM ASTOniiA. Don Antonio, lirother of the Marquis. Reinoso. Marban, notary. Another Marhan. Alonso Gonealoz. Jiraldo. Otaeo. Argote. Maestre Jno. Castrejon. Osório Garcia. Custreros. FIIOM VIZCAYA, MEX OF THE SEA. Juaiies de a Vedi, seaman. Miguel. Pedro de Aroca. Tolosa. Min. Alrianes. Jno. Perez. 298 DISCOVERY OF FLORIDA. Agostin. Martucho. Peria. Bernaldd, calkor. THE AILING Willi KEMAIXED AT PANAMA. Jiio. Riiis. from Scvilla. Enrriiiiiez, from Astorga. Viceiute Martinez. Arias, a Galician. FKIAKS AND Cl.KRGYMEN. Three Friars. One Clerfiviiian, French. FKOM THE MOl'NTAIXS, ANI-) STUANGEKS. Sin Ventura Sahxzar, from tlie Mountains. Silvera, a G.alieiaii. Sant Jorje, also. Moreno, also. Pedro de Rybera, also. Ilortufio, a Portuguese. Jno. Cordero, also. Alonso Gutierrez, also. Pegado and his son, also. Anton Martinez, also. Manuel de Torres, also. Gavian Lopez and his brother, also. Domingo Sardina, also. Jno. Alvarez, also. Álvaro Alfonso, also. Antonio Velazquez. Jorge Matheos. Viota, from Aragon. APPENDIX. 2',)'.) (i", a (jaliciaii. Jno. Sedefios. Jaciitne. Antonio, a Galiciaii. MiiTiK-l de Anilirrola. This (1,,,-u.iK'Mt, whii-li. fn.m tl.o foWs -.xnú l.."k .,f Ihr l.ai'or, :il.l..'ai-3 t.. I.;iv./ Ik'.ii r.n-i.'d in tin- poi'l^i't some littlf tinu-. is to he IV.Hn.l in t\w Arddra ile /inluis, with.iut ■mv niarlc or inilicatinn „f its uriRin. «.nrof, or antln.rity. In the lu-adinp, -The- ailing who r.-maiii.-.l at Panamá." tli.'iv is |.i-o1kiI.I,v in 111.' proiifi- name a mistake lor Pann™. Til.- numlHT ..r iRM-sons is tw(r liiiii.lr.-.l anil twint> -ono. LETTER TO THE KING FROM THE VICEROY OF NEW SPAIN, WITH TESTIMONY IN BEHALF OF GARCIA OSÓRIO, SOLICITINC; THE ROYAL FAVOUR. His Catholic Majefíty : At the request of (iareia Osório, resident of tlie city, evidence has been tttlcen in tliis Royal Andiencia, wherewith to inform Your Majesty tone.liing his rank, merits, and ]iast servici>s, of his marriaiie ■with tlie (hiuííliter of a coii^ji(;.- Vazqiu-z spoUt- tlie words, was nut in tlic advant-t'. and docs nut know. XIII. That lie knows Alonso Vazquez was struck by an arrow in the nnklo nt th.at fiiilit, of which he remained lame for a long time ; and this he knows, hei-ausc he was present throughout. XIIII. That he knows what is stated, for he was there present; and that tlnui^-h he only looked out for himself, Alonso Viiziiuez was a soldier of high character, and should have behaved well, for that he did everywhere. XV. That ia C'liicaca. at tlie savanna, the linliaus irave thcin battle, in which they ^ol■cly used many soldiers; and not Ix-ing at that part where Alonso Vazquez was, but only present, for tlie Indians entered the town on three sides to engage them; still, he heard it said that he ha of age. i- not a relative, til 31U DISCOVERY OF FLORIDA. II. Thiit she knows the truth of wliat is said; for the Alonso Vazquez went in tlie armada, herself with Dofia Ysabel de Soto, her mistress. . . . III. That she knows the truth of the statement, having wit- nessed. . . . IV. Tliat Alonso Vazquez was there; she saw him, that lie was among the men; that she was in all that took place at that time in Florida. . . . V. That she knows the truth of the inquiry; Alonso Vazquez being a worthy man, the cai)tain set him as chief officer of the squadron over the people at sea. VI. Tliat she reaffirms her statements, and of the rest knows nothing. VII. That she knows its truth, as she witnessed it all. VIII. That the truth is stated; for that she was present, and there went there the said Alonso Vazquez, and Kodrigo his bro- tlier. IX. Tliat she remembers crossing that swamp, there being much water in it, in places reaching to the knee, in others to the waist, and thence over the head, which they went througli with much labour in three days; but has no recollection whether they passed the time without food or not. X. That she knows it; for that she was present, and there was fear as stated. XI. That she does not remember, but declares anew what she has stated. XII. That she remembers it ; that it was so. XIII. That it is true; that she saw them light and the Indians kill there Don Carlos, her master, and Alonso Vaz