ITU RE 
 
ADVENTURES 
 
 ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
ADVENTURES 
 
 OF 
 
 ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 SOMETIME CAPTAIN IN THE FLORIDA ARMY OF 
 
 HIS EXCELLENCY THE MARQUIS HERNANDO DE SO TO 
 
 GOVERNOR OF CUBA, AND CAPTAIN-GENERAL OF ALL FLORIDA 
 
 AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE SPANISH. AND PREPARED FOR PUBLICATION 
 
 BY 
 
 DOMINICK DALY 
 
 BARRISTER, INNER TEMPLE 
 
 WITH A PREFACE BY HENRY M. STANLEY, M.P. 
 
 AND A ROUTE-MAP 
 
 LONDON 
 SWAN SONNENSCHEIN & CO, LIM. 
 
 PATERNOSTER SQUARE 
 1896 
 
PREFACE 
 
 MY friend Mr. Dominick Daly, who has under 
 taken to edit the Adventures of Roger 
 L? Estrange, desires a few words from me as a preface 
 to the book. The intrinsic merits of the work are 
 quite sufficient in themselves to recommend it to 
 that large class of readers which delights in perusing 
 annals of exploration, discovery, and adventure. 
 The impressions and the varied incidents recorded 
 by Roger are written in a language so like that of 
 to-day, that we have to remind ourselves of the 
 dates to make sure that the events related do not 
 belong to the present generation. Liverpool was, 
 however, only a fishing village, Manchester but an 
 insignificant hamlet, and the Mersey but an obscure 
 stream, at the time the story begins. The senti 
 ments, also, which here and there find utterance 
 might belong to one duly impressed with the 
 moralities of Exeter Hall ; though, when in the 
 thick of the strife, the deeds of the hero are such 
 as we might expect from a valiant of the period. 
 What I most admire in Roger is that he is so fresh, 
 naive, and candid, and can tell a straight story. 
 Even Daniel Defoe, of whose style he reminds me, 
 could not have told it better. 
 
 290581 
 
4.. ... ...; : : /. * . PREFACE 
 
 As a follower of Ferdinand de Soto, the discoverer 
 of the "Father of Waters," he is something new. 
 Incidentally he tells us a great deal of a man of 
 whom too little was known. Columbus, Cortes, 
 Pizarro, Da Gama, and many another great leader 
 and discoverer, have been remembered by historians 
 and poets ; but the discoverer of the Mississippi has 
 had but scant justice done to his memory, though, 
 next to the discovery of Columbus, the finding of 
 the great American river ranked as the greatest feat 
 of the sixteenth century. As some amends for the 
 neglect of such a man this book may be accepted. 
 Our knowledge thus gained of him is I am glad 
 to say not at all disparaging, but is as honourable 
 to the follower as to the leader of the great enter 
 prise. For the above reasons I heartily welcome the 
 appearance of the Adventures of Roger L Estrange; 
 and I think that the literary charm and freshness 
 which I have found in it amply justify the few 
 remarks which I have ventured to make. 
 
 HENRY M. STANLEY. 
 
 CADOXTON LODGE, NEATH, 
 October 6f/i, 1896. 
 
INTRODUCTORY 
 
 IN the year 1891, whilst in Mexico on private business, I 
 was requested by my friend Colonel Hoffman, of New 
 York, to see if there might be found in the literary col 
 lections of the Aztec capital any documents on record 
 calculated to be of use to him in the preparation of his 
 forthcoming v/ork upon Quetzacoatl, the Mexican Messiah 
 that strange legendary white man of the long beard, who, 
 coming from across the eastern sea, seems to have imparted 
 to the ancient Mexicans, the Toltecs, some knowledge of 
 the doctrine and practices of Christianity, hundreds of years 
 before the Spanish Conquest. As I had time at my dis 
 posal, and the task accorded with my own tastes and 
 present plan of work, I very willingly agreed to comply with 
 the request as far as possible. In the event I could find 
 little or nothing fresh, or of use to the Colonel. In the 
 Museum there is a fairly good collection of Aztec picture- 
 writings and works of art, and early Spanish-Mexican 
 compositions. But the largest and best collections of the 
 kind, native or foreign, are not to be found in Mexico at all, 
 but rather at the Vatican at Rome, in the Royal Library at 
 Madrid, or in the Paris Bibliotheque Nationale. For not 
 in vain did Zummaraga, the first Archbishop of Mexico, 
 ruthlessly burn whole mountains of Aztec writings and 
 pictures, and destroy or deface numberless inscriptions and 
 works of art. So well did he do his work that but a 
 small fraction of Aztec literature and art escaped his 
 religious fury, and that mostly what happened to have been 
 previously sent out of the country. Alas for the fate of a 
 native literature left to the mercy of an ignorant foreign 
 bigot such as he ! But what was to be expected from an 
 ecclesiastical potentate so debased in mind and deficient in 
 understanding as to lend the weight of his authority to the 
 
6 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 gross and outrageous fraud associated with the miraculous 
 picture of the "Virgin of Guadalupe" a wretched daub 
 in oil paints, directly handed down from Heaven by the 
 Mother of God herself to a vagabond Indian ? Surely the 
 folly of fools in authority is the most pernicious kind of 
 wickedness ! 
 
 However, in the course of my explorations amongst the 
 dusty shelves, cupboards, and chests in the store rooms of 
 the Library, I came upon many old Spanish documents 
 such as proclamations, charters, grants of land and privi 
 leges dating back to the time of the Viceroys. These, 
 for the most part, were neither curious nor important, 
 relating as they mainly did to the private and personal 
 interests of the early Spanish settlers the extent of their 
 possessions, their rights over the native populations, their 
 obligations to the Crown, and so forth. 
 
 1 persevered in my task with little reward for the time I 
 was spending and the trouble I was taking, and had almost 
 made up my mind to have done with the irksome under 
 taking, when one day I happened to pick out from amongst 
 the contents of an old cedar-wood chest a strongly, though 
 roughly, bound book of quarto size, secured by a broad 
 strap of leather. This I took to be an old account book, 
 several of which I had already come across and replaced 
 after a cursory inspection. But as this particular book was 
 not, externally, quite like the others, and seemed to have 
 had more care taken with it, I went to the trouble of 
 undoing the strap to see what its contents might be. 
 Instead of the crabbed contractions and figures of a 
 Spanish book of accounts which I half expected to find, I 
 saw to my surprise that the writing at the place where I 
 had opened the book was pure English, of the script known 
 as Elizabethan. I read the first few pages of the book 
 with avidity, and quickly formed the opinion that I had 
 happened upon a literary "find" which might be worth 
 taking some trouble about. As I turned over the leaves I 
 found that the book was not all in English, but partly (and 
 indeed for the most part) in Spanish, of the sixteenth 
 century. Some of the earlier pages were all in English ; 
 but the rest were in Spanish, interrupted here and there by 
 more pages in English. The book was in excellent preser 
 vation, written throughout by the same hand, and supplying 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 7 
 
 one continuous narrative, of which not a line was missing 
 nor a word wanting. 
 
 Having mastered the contents of the book, I considered 
 that it would repay transcription and translation, with a 
 view to publication. I was not permitted (and very pro 
 perly so) to remove the volume from the Library ; but, by 
 the courtesy of the Minister of Education, both myself and 
 a secretary were afforded every facility for dealing with the 
 book on the premises in the Plaza Mayor ; and I am glad 
 to have this opportunity of publicly and gratefully acknow 
 ledging the Minister s kindness. 
 
 I do not well understand why Roger L Estrange wrote 
 partly in English and partly in Spanish. It may be that, 
 living amongst Spaniards for many years, Spanish had be 
 come easier to him than his native language, and that it 
 was with a view to keeping himself up in the latter that 
 he commenced writing the book in English, lapsing into 
 the easier language from time to time, and again resolutely 
 reverting to his mother tongue. This, at least, is the only 
 explanation I can suggest. 
 
 The full title of the work, as now printed, is exactly the 
 same as in the original manuscript, only that I have added 
 the self-suggestive words, "An Autobiography," &c. It 
 appears to me that L Estrange must have had the idea of 
 composing a work which should, at one and the same time, 
 be accurately historical, and interesting to his posterity as 
 a personal narrative. The original work is not divided into 
 chapters ; these, with their headings, being my work, and 
 intended to convenience the reader. It is right I should 
 say that I have not fully supplied the text, Spanish or 
 English, of L Estrange s manuscript, but omitted, for the 
 sake of brevity, many passages which appeared to me of 
 small importance or interest, and not essential to the 
 personal adventures of L Estrange. He seems to have been 
 a conscientious and scrupulous recorder of all he observed, 
 great or small ; but I thought it best to omit, or pass over 
 lightly, much that seemed of secondary consequence, or 
 which had exclusive relation to military matters. I did 
 this the more readily when I came to know that two 
 
8 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 contemporary and very full histories of the operations of the 
 army, from first to last, were extant. For I must frankly 
 confess that at first I knew very little about the Expedition 
 of De Soto. But on reading up the subject, I found that, 
 on the whole, L Estrange s narrative agreed with the above- 
 mentioned contemporary histories. One of them is in 
 Spanish ; the other was written by a Portuguese nobleman, 
 who served in the army from its formation, in 1538, to the 
 arrival in Mexico of all that remained of it in 1543. An 
 abridged translation of the former by T. Irving was pub 
 lished in New York in 1835 ; a full translation of the 
 Portuguese narrative was supplied to the English reading 
 public by the press of the Hakluyt Society in 1847. The 
 latter is also epitomised in Purchase s "Pilgrims." The 
 Spanish account mentions, without giving names, that two 
 young Englishmen were with the Expedition ; and no doubt 
 these were L Estrange and his cousin Henry Stanley. 
 
 Of the Stanleys of Hooton, in Cheshire, I was even more 
 ignorant originally than of the Expedition of De Soto. On 
 making certain inquiries, however, I found that L Estrange 
 was here again quite reliable. The Stanleys of this part, 
 with whom he claimed close relationship through his 
 mother, were an ancient and highly distinguished family, 
 of some historical notoriety, at the time about which 
 L Estrange wrote, and also before and afterwards. It is 
 quite correct that they were ardent Catholics, and strong 
 opponents of the Protestant Reformation in England and 
 elsewhere. They were high in royal favour during the 
 short reign of Queen Mary, which was natural ; but they 
 stood equally high in the esteem of Elizabeth (at least at 
 first), which was somewhat remarkable. In both reigns, 
 Sir William Stanley and his son Edward held important 
 offices in Ireland, and also in the Netherlands later on, 
 when Elizabeth was helping the Dutch to shake off the 
 yoke of Spain. The war was one of religion in all its main 
 aspects, and the conscientious strain became at last too 
 great for the loyalty of the Stanleys. They very de 
 liberately betrayed the fortified town of Deventer to the 
 Spaniards, and took service under the Spanish Crown, and 
 Hooton and England knew them no more.* An earlier 
 
 * Motley, in his History of the Netherlands, gives a full account of 
 this historical event. 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 9 
 
 member of this family, also named Sir William, was present 
 at the Battle of Bosworth Field, as mentioned by Sir 
 Thomas Moore in his history of Richard III. He is not 
 to be confounded with Lord Stanley, who also took part 
 in the same battle. 
 
 I should be glad to have obtained some knowledge of 
 the ultimate fate of Roger L Estrange, or of the history 
 of his descendants j and I see no reason for thinking that 
 such knowledge is not to be had. Unfortunately I could 
 not, during my short stay in Mexico, devote any time 
 whatever to making the necessary inquiries in the most 
 likely place for information ; namely, the district of Cuer- 
 navaca, where L Estrange s estate was situated. It seems 
 to me that a family so prosperous and numerous can 
 scarcely have disappeared altogether, and that probably 
 inquiries on the spot would supply traces of its continued 
 existence. It is not likely that I shall ever have an 
 opportunity of making such inquiries myself. While still 
 in Mexico I heard tell of an officer of the army of the 
 name of L Estrange, but was unable to pursue any in 
 quiries in relation to him. 
 
 It may be advisable to remind the reader that in the 
 days of De Soto, the name Florida was the vague appella 
 tion of the then little known continent now called North 
 America. The Spaniard who first discovered the peninsula 
 at the south-east corner of that continent called the 
 country Florida, without having an idea of the vast extent 
 of the territories stretching away to the north and west 
 for thousands of miles. Thus for a long time " Florida " 
 was a kind of geographical expression of wide but un 
 certain application. In the course of time and political 
 changes the name came to be more and more restricted 
 in application, until now it applies only to that com 
 paratively small area which is included in the United States 
 under the name of the "State of Florida." 
 
 The narrative of Roger L Estrange, and those of his 
 contemporary historians and companions in arms, bring 
 
IO ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 out very strongly and strikingly the fact that the greater 
 part of "Florida," as explored by De Soto, was occupied 
 by numerous, populous, and civilized native communities. 
 This fact is not sufficiently recognised, nor indeed generally 
 known. It is a popular assumption, on both sides of the 
 Atlantic, that all the natives of North America were 
 nomadic savages, wandering from place to place in search 
 of game, and having no permanent dwelling-places, and no 
 towns and villages. As a general proposition this is not, 
 and never has been, true. In all the regions east of the 
 Mississippi penetrated by De Soto, and over a large area to 
 the west of the river included in his survey, he found the 
 natives settled and civilized, living in large and well-built 
 houses, and occupying villages and towns, some of con 
 siderable size. They cultivated the ground and raised 
 great crops of maize and other produce. Often as far 
 as the eye could reach the country was seen to be covered 
 with growing corn, and dotted in all directions with houses 
 and hamlets. More than once De Soto s army was saved 
 from the worst extremes of starvation, by coming upon vast 
 stores of food laid up by the natives for winter use. In 
 the matter of clothing the Indians were well supplied. 
 They made a kind of cloth from cotton and other vegetable 
 fibres, and were able to manufacture for themselves com 
 fortable and even elegant mantles and dresses from the 
 skins of beasts and feathers of birds. Of their laws and 
 institutions very little is known ; but so far as they came 
 under the notice of the Spaniards, they seem to have been 
 of a character suitable to the requirements of simple people 
 having few wants, no commerce, no money, and no political 
 ambitions to gratify. Their social organisation was tribal 
 or territorial, but when occasion required they were able to 
 assemble, and maintain in the field, combined forces 
 numbering thousands of valiant warriors, as De Soto found 
 to his cost, and ultimately to his ruin. Their fortified 
 towns, too, the Spaniards found formidable enough, and 
 by no means easy to take, with all their civilized appliances 
 and European arts and methods. It is true that those 
 people had no knowledge of the use of metals ; no 
 machinery, even in the simplest form; little or no ac 
 quaintance with the mechanical arts, and no domestic 
 animals. They were still in their "Stone Age," like the 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER I/ESTRANGE II 
 
 Mexicans and Peruvians; but not necessarily uncivilized, 
 much less savage. There is the strongest possible contrast 
 between them and the true savages of the far west. It 
 was not until De Soto had penetrated far in that direction 
 that he came upon the real "wild Indian" of popular 
 conception. And it is remarkable that the settled natives 
 of the east and south looked upon the wild men of the 
 west with pity and contempt, and spoke of them as 
 alien people with whom they had no connection and 
 nothing in common. To confuse the two is as great 
 an error as it would be on the part of an ignorant historian 
 to represent the savage, uncouth Huns of the fourth century 
 as types and specimens of the Europeans of that time. 
 
 It would be of little use to speculate upon the possible 
 advances which the settled Indians of " Florida " might 
 have made in civilization if their national development had 
 not been interrupted by European intrusion ; but probably 
 they would have at least attained to that respectable degree 
 of civilization reached by the Indians of Mexico and Peru, 
 who were likewise unacquainted with the practical use of 
 metals. It is enough in this place to recognise as facts that 
 they were a fairly civilized people and no savages ; that 
 they were so from the remotest times of which we have any 
 knowledge ; and that those of them who have been fortu 
 nate enough to survive European wrong and violence have 
 remained civilized, and in a vastly improved sense. The 
 half-dozen Indian nations of the east and south (including 
 the Cherokees) who enjoy the benevolent, if tardy, and 
 perhaps precarious, protection of the government of the 
 United States, are not mere civilized savages, but aboriginal 
 peoples whose ancient native civilization has been grafted 
 upon by the higher culture of the white man. And by all 
 accounts the grafting has taken well. Those Indian com 
 munities are found to be satisfactory constituents in the 
 great social and political agglomeration known as the 
 United States. The members of them make good average 
 progress in mental development, scholastic education, and 
 material wealth. They are decent and well-behaved citizens, 
 taking a remarkably keen interest in local and general 
 politics. In trade, agriculture, and commerce they are 
 industrious and enterprising, and are fairly well represented 
 in most occupations, callings, and professions; wherein some 
 
12 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 of them (as my friend Mr. Walkingstick, the Cherokee 
 barrister-at-law, of Muskogee, I.T.,) have made their mark. 
 
 The task of indicating on a modern map the whole 
 devious route taken by De Soto s army, from first to last, is 
 impracticable. A portion of the route only can be traced, 
 and that with some difficulty; but the rest is impossible. 
 The Indian names of places and objects, as given in the 
 accounts of the expedition, cannot always, nor even often, 
 be identified with modern names ; and even the accounts 
 themselves do not always agree in the names of identical 
 places, peoples, and geographical features, and they more 
 over bristle with discrepancies in regard to relative situa 
 tions, cardinal directions, distances, times, etc. The 
 difficulties in the way of tracing the route of the army, 
 from its landing in Florida until it reached the Mississippi, 
 near the junction with the Arkansas river, are not very 
 great; afterwards the task becomes almost hopeless. 
 Some reasonable speculation is, indeed, possible as to 
 De Soto s line of march towards the west and back 
 again to the Mississippi, where he died; but as to the 
 second advance westward of the Spaniards under his 
 successor Moscoso, and the return journey once more 
 to the banks of the Mississippi, speculation as to 
 the regions traversed becomes mere guesswork, and all 
 that can be said with tolerable certainty is that Moscoso 
 penetrated westward some hundred and fifty leagues from 
 the great river before he turned back. 
 
 It is easy to understand why there should be this 
 graduating difficulty in the effort to trace the entire 
 route of the army. Up to the arrival of De Soto at the 
 Mississippi, things were not so bad as to interfere greatly 
 with careful and deliberate progress and observation. After 
 that, the army was almost continuously in sore or desperate 
 straits, and there was little opportunity or inclination for 
 recording carefully the movements of the force. No doubt 
 as long as De Soto lived the march would be, and appears 
 in fact to have been, conducted with some observance of 
 method and discipline, and with some degree of purpose 
 and foresight; and consequently there is not an absolute 
 lack of information as to its movements. But after De 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 13 
 
 Soto s death discipline relaxed, the force became dis 
 organised, privations and sufferings increased, and the 
 incapable Moscoso was merely the chief of a mob of 
 desperate, ragged, and hungry vagabonds, wandering 
 purposelessly in the western wilderness. Under such 
 circumstances it is not surprising that nothing like a regular 
 itinerary was kept of their movements. 
 
 The accompanying map shows, according to the best 
 authorities, the line of march of De Soto s army from the 
 Bay of Espiritu Santo (now called Tampa Bay), in the 
 peninsula of Florida, to the Mississippi near its junction 
 with the Arkansas river. That is the comparatively cer 
 tain portion of his route, and is indicated by a thick, 
 continuous red line on the map. The continuous dotted 
 line is intended to indicate the probable march and counter 
 march of De Soto westward from the Mississippi. The 
 dotted lines more to the south in the same region are to be 
 taken as mere vague suggestions of the course pursued by 
 Moscoso, from the Mississippi westward and back again , 
 after the death of De Soto. 
 
 It is to be noted, in respect to those westward expedi 
 tions, that the Spaniards always started from, and returned 
 to, the section of the Mississippi near the junction of that 
 river with the Arkansas. It was here that De Soto struck 
 and crossed the great river, and it was here also that the 
 Spaniards finally embarked in the seven frail vessels they 
 had constructed, and sailed away down the river for 
 Mexico, abandoning completely the great enterprise in 
 which so many lives, and so much treasure, had been 
 expended. It was in this region that the Indian town of 
 De Guzman and L Estrange was situated, from which the 
 Spaniards obtained such valuable assistance in their pre 
 parations for descending the Mississippi en route to Mexico. 
 It lay, apparently, to the north of the scene of these prepa 
 rations, and probably to the west of the Mississippi, at no 
 great distance from that river, with which it was connected 
 by a water-way, partly natural, and partly artificial. Sa 
 much may be inferred from casual geographical references 
 in the narrative of L Estrange. Everything seems to point 
 to the site of this town being the same as that of the ruins 
 of the old Indian town known as Capaha, some eight miles 
 south of the present American town of Helena, and above 
 
14 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 and to the west of the junction of the Mississippi and 
 Arkansas. Capaha, too, was connected with the Mississippi 
 by a channel which, in part at least, seems to have been 
 artificial. The ruins indicate the existence at the spot of 
 an old Indian town, of no great size, but of some im 
 portance. They are described as consisting of artificial 
 mounds, embankments, debris of brickwork, and other 
 structural remains, interspersed with broken pottery, and 
 fragments of various utensils. These suffice to establish 
 the fact that the place must long have been occupied by a 
 native race well advanced in the arts of civilization. The 
 ruins of Capaha would apparently be somewhat nearer the 
 Mississippi than the town L Estrange writes about ; but the 
 frequent and considerable changes to which the course of 
 the river is subject, might account for a discrepancy which 
 seems to be the only one which seriously militates against 
 the theory that L Estrange s town and Capaha were one and 
 the same. Any difference in the names is not material, for 
 Indian towns commonly changed their names with their 
 successive chiefs or rulers ; and allowance has also to be 
 made for variations brought about by lapse of time, and the 
 white man s rendering of Indian names. And, after all, 
 there is no great dissimilarity between " Capaha " and 
 " Cargutah." 
 
ADVENTURES 
 
 OF 
 
 ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 My parentage, relatives, and early life My Sheffield uncle Death of 
 my father and mother I abide with the Stanleys of Hooton My 
 education and training To the Wars in Ireland Heresy in 
 England Persecutions and Forfeitures Return from Ireland 
 Death of my grandfather Departure from Hooton with Henry 
 Stanley Voyage to Bilbao. 
 
 MY father, Roger Strange, or L Estrange as sometimes 
 called, was a yeoman of Yorkshire, holding in fee, 
 by ancient descent, a small but sufficient estate in land, not 
 far from the town of Sheffield. My mother was daughter 
 of Sir Geoffrey Stanley, of the ancient and noble family 
 of Stanleys of Hooton Manor in Cheshire, which is not 
 many miles distant, in a south-westerly direction, from a 
 town called Manchester, where they make fustians and 
 other cloth. 
 
 My earlier years were partly passed in my father s house, 
 and partly in that of a bachelor brother of his, Uncle 
 Richard, who was a founder and worker of metals, at 
 Sheffield, where he made knives, scissors, and cutting 
 implements of all kinds, as well as many other useful 
 things. Now Uncle Richard was much attached to me 
 from my earliest youth, and desired greatly that I should 
 come into his trade at Sheffield, and keep it as my own 
 business after he had passed away. Therein I was nothing 
 
 15 
 
l6 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 loth, nor was my father unwilling; but my good mother 
 and the Stanleys were cold to a proposal which they said 
 would turn me from a gentleman into a mere mechanic. 
 So, though much was spoken about it, nothing ever came 
 of Uncle Richard s plan ; though all the same I spent a 
 good deal of time with him, and by his help gained some 
 knowledge of the many curious arts of his business, and 
 also of those appertaining to other trades carried on by 
 artificers engaged in making metal implements and utensils, 
 pottery, bricks, grindstones, charcoal, lime, and other 
 things. For Sheffield is a town where there are five 
 rapidly flowing streams, which are made use of to turn 
 a multitude of wheels for all kinds of purposes. Besides 
 which, great quantities of metallic ores, stones, and clays 
 of various sorts, and wood, are found very near the town, 
 or not far off. What I learned while with my Uncle 
 Richard in Sheffield was afterwards very useful to me, 
 as shall appear further on in this history. 
 
 I was nigh seventeen years of age when my father died 
 somewhat suddenly, and then my brother Hugh succeeded 
 as heir to the paternal estate, he being at the time married 
 and the father of a family. Thereupon my grandfather, 
 Sir Geoffrey, sent to my mother to say that she should 
 come back to Hooton to live again with him, and should 
 bring me with her, and he would take charge of my 
 education and future advancement. My mother very 
 willingly did as her father desired; but she did not live 
 long after our arrival at Hooton, for from the death of 
 my father she pined continually away, and never came 
 round. 
 
 I was now fully adopted as one of the family at Hooton, 
 and always well treated. My education (which had not y 
 theretofore, been neglected) was completed in the company 
 of my two cousins, William and Henry, sons of my uncle, 
 Sir William Stanley, who himself was only son of Sir 
 Geoffrey, and lived always at Hooton. There was little 
 difference in the ages of we three cousins ; but I was the 
 oldest, and Henry the youngest. We had excellent teachers- 
 to instruct us in all branches of an education fit for gentle 
 men. In Latin and mathematics, we had for tutor Father 
 Whateley, an old priest who had long been at the Manor 
 as chaplain and confessor. In Spanish, French and Italian, 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE I/ 
 
 our instructor was Father Nicholas Gomez, a Spanish 
 monk, of good family, who, in his earlier and secular days, 
 had served under Cortes in Mexico ; but with such ill- 
 fortune, as to be one of the few who came back unenriched 
 from the conquest of that empire, and one of the many 
 who returned broken in spirits and constitution. He was 
 wont to tell us how his health never recovered from the 
 sufferings he had endured in the terrible " Night of 
 Sorrow " (" Noche triste "), when the Mexicans sallied 
 forth from their city, and overwhelmed the Spaniards on a 
 great causeway running through a lake. He, wounded 
 and exhausted, had to lie concealed in the water, amongst 
 the reeds, for sixteen hours, before he could safely get 
 away. He told us also of many incidents which gave us 
 the impression that he had lost at play whatever booty he 
 had obtained in Mexico, for, according to his representa 
 tions, the Spaniards were inveterate gamblers and card 
 players. After his sufferings and losses, and also because 
 of his great disgust with the cruel way in which the Indians 
 were treated, he abandoned the army, and became a 
 Dominican. Then he joined with one Las Casas in trying 
 to secure the Indians against the cruelties of the Spaniards, 
 but doing little good in that matter, he had returned to 
 Spain with Las Casas. How he came to be established at 
 Hooton I know not ; but I think he had some connection 
 and correspondence with the Spanish Court. For the rest, 
 my grandfather s hospitable house was a resort for priests 
 and monks from far and near. 
 
 As the Stanleys of Hooton had always been soldiers, we 
 three boys of the family were carefully instructed in all 
 branches of the military art. In this, our chief teacher was 
 Captain Roland Wyke, a valiant veteran, who had served 
 under the Spinolas, on the Spanish side, in the Italian wars 
 of the Emperor Charles V. We had instructions also in 
 military mathematics and fortification, and in marine 
 manoeuvres ; our nearness to the river Mersey and the sea 
 affording the best opportunities and great facilities for the 
 latter. Under such instruction, and in the hands of such 
 teachers, our education throve apace ; and for myself, I may 
 say that, by the time I had reached my twentieth year, I 
 was as well grown and sturdy a youth, and as fairly good a 
 soldier for land or sea service, as any one of my age might 
 
 B 
 
1 8 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 be who had never had the experience of actual warfare. At 
 broadsword and buckler I was quite equal to another, and 
 with long and cross bow I excelled most with whom I com 
 peted. I could use the halberd and spear, and go through 
 all the exercises of a fantassin or foot soldier. As a bare, 
 or unarmoured cavalier, I was competent enough on horse 
 back ; but it never fell to my lot to carry plate armour, or 
 wield the long lance of the knight, both of which, indeed, 
 were then going out of fashion. In the use of matchlock 
 and musquetoon I never became proficient; and that of 
 my own fault, for I despised such weapons as cumbrous 
 and unsoldierly. This contempt, together with my great 
 preference for the crossbow, and our good old English 
 longbow and clothyard shaft, caused me to profit but little 
 by Captain Roland s lessons in the use of those treacherous 
 and murderous weapons, which, with loud noise and great 
 stench and smoke, propel a lump of base lead into a man s 
 vitals, without giving him a chance of getting out of the 
 way or parrying the shot. Nor have I anything to repent 
 me of for this neglect of Captain Wyke s teachings in the 
 use of firearms. I say nothing of ordnance, which may be 
 of the utmost importance at sieges, and on other special 
 occasions ; but of firearms of the smaller sort, I can aver 
 from my own experiences in the Indian wars that he would 
 be but a poor bowman who could not shoot half-a-dozen 
 times, with good aim, for the once that an arquebus or 
 matchlock might be discharged. Wherefore I think less of 
 the latter kind of arms than of the bow and crossbow. In 
 addition to the military acquirements I have herein men 
 tioned, I was fairly well versed in grammatical studies, could 
 read my Latin prayer-book with ease, knew a little French, 
 and was proficient in Spanish, as every gentleman should be. 
 This brief account of my early life I give as a necessary 
 introduction to the adventures it is my purpose herein to 
 relate. For I am fully conscious that the minute narrative 
 of the life of a private and unimportant person is of little 
 interest to others, however noteworthy and remarkable 
 some of his experiences may be. But I have also given 
 the foregoing particulars because my training and education 
 at my grandfather s house practically came to a close, and 
 my manhood s life began thereupon, shortly after I had 
 completed my twentieth year. 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 19 
 
 A little before that time my uncle William had gone to 
 Ireland in the train of the Lord Deputy Skeffington, 
 leaving orders that his son William and myself should 
 follow him thither. Obedient to his command, we set out 
 on horseback with three of our men from Hooton ; rode to 
 Bristol and then took ship to Dublin, where, on our arrival, 
 we were most paternally received by my uncle, and com 
 fortably lodged in his quarters in the Castle of Dublin. 
 We soon came to learn that English law prevails in Ireland 
 only in the district around Dublin which is called the Pale, 
 and this is all the actual dominion of the King of England, 
 though he has the title of " Lord of Ireland." Beyond the 
 Pale the native princes and chiefs, and those of English 
 origin who have adopted Irish manners, observe the ancient 
 laws of the country; or, more commonly, observe no settled 
 law at all, but act each as he pleases for his own interest. 
 Hence there are constant wars and feuds in progress beyond 
 the Pale, and frequently these spread within the Pale, or in 
 one way or another embroil the government of Dublin in 
 hostilities with the Irish and Irish-English. 
 
 In those wild wars, we of the house of Stanley had our 
 full share during the eighteen months of my stay in that 
 country. It never in that time happened to fall to our lot 
 to have to go far into the interior, but we had many rough 
 affrays with the native tribes of the O Tools, O Byrnes, and 
 Cavanaghs, of the eastern districts. Nor did we always 
 come off best on those occasions. In one memorable 
 encounter our force, under command of my uncle, was 
 surprised amongst the Wicklow mountains, and we were so 
 badly beaten that all who were left of us had to fly for our 
 lives, nor did we dare draw rein until we reached the walls 
 of Dublin. 
 
 Our stay in Ireland was cut short by bad news from 
 home. That sage, pious, and mild sovereign, King Henry 
 VIII., after twenty years of godly and beneficent rule, 
 became, through the machinations of the devil, a ferocious 
 and impious tyrant and cruel monster. Like our first 
 parent, Adam, he was led to his destruction by a woman 
 the frivolous-minded Lady Anne Boleyn for love of whom 
 he abandoned his saintly wife, Catherine, and broke 
 with the Holy Father and the only true Church. For a 
 time it was hoped that as his passions abated he would 
 
20 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 repent of his errors, but as years went on it became plain 
 that the Satanic influence over him was growing stronger 
 and stronger. From repudiating the authority of the Holy 
 Father he proceeded to the suppression of the lesser and 
 greater monasteries, and from this to the persecution and 
 slaying of Catholics. The executions of Bishop Fisher 
 and Sir Thomas More, for refusing to recognise the 
 ecclesiastical supremacy of the King, filled all true 
 Catholics with horror and alarm, and the subsequent 
 sentence of excommunication passed upon Henry by the 
 head of the Church, broke the last link between him and 
 his Catholic subjects. 
 
 The news of those troubles induced my uncle to hasten 
 home from Ireland, taking me with him, but leaving his 
 son behind in charge of the Lord Deputy. The Stanleys 
 of Hooton had always been staunch and ardent Catholics ; 
 and in those troubled times our house became the refuge 
 of some of the many thousands of monks and nuns who 
 were cast homeless and penniless on the world by the 
 sacrilegious and hypocritical confiscation of the monastic 
 institutions. For a time the remoteness of Hooton 
 from the Court served as a protection from the crowd of 
 hungry and insatiable parasites who were ever inciting 
 the king to further spoliations of the Church and 
 her faithful adherents, in order to enrich themselves 
 thereby. 
 
 But at length the wilds of Lancashire and Cheshire 
 no longer availed as a shelter against those heretical 
 plunderers. Commissioners arrived from London, and 
 fixed their headquarters at Manchester. Hooton was 
 visited by those children of Belial and their agents, and 
 what with fines and penalties, bribes and presents, my 
 grandfather was well-nigh ruined within a short space. The 
 establishment became so reduced as to be almost broken 
 up, and the many dependants upon Sir Geoffrey s bounty 
 were forced to disperse and shift for themselves as best 
 they could. My grandfather did not long survive this 
 altered state of things. His own troubles, and the 
 troubles of the State, so preyed upon him that he took 
 to his bed and died quite broken-hearted within a little 
 while. 
 
 I now thought the time had come when it would be 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 21 
 
 proper for me to go into the world on my own account. 
 There was no future for me at Hooton, nor indeed in 
 England, so far as I could see; and my uncle had cares 
 and troubles enough of his own without being embarrassed 
 with the duty of providing for me. I had, moreover, a 
 longing to see the world, and a desire for foreign service 
 under some Catholic prince. As Father Nicholas was 
 about to return to Spain, I induced my uncle to permit 
 me to accompany him. No sooner had this been settled, 
 than my cousin Henry preferred a similar request, which 
 at first was little to the taste of my uncle ; but, after fully 
 discussing the matter with Father Nicholas and Captain 
 Wyke, he at length consented to let us both go together 
 to seek our fortune in Spain. Father Nicholas promised 
 to do all he could for us on our arrival in that country, and 
 letters of commendation in our favour were prepared for 
 us by my uncle and Captain Wyke, and addressed to 
 clerical and lay personages known to the writers. These, 
 it was hoped, would be of service to us when we got to 
 Madrid. Other preparations for our departure were soon 
 made, and then it only remained to find a ship to carry 
 us to some convenient Spanish port. 
 
 On the opposite side of the Mersey to Hooton there 
 is a small fishing village, or hamlet, known as Liverpool, 
 which is occasionally visited by foreign ships, mostly 
 Spanish, commonly contrabandists, and not infrequently 
 concealed pirates. The wars in Ireland had long given 
 much encouragement to ships of this dubious character; 
 for the princes, lords, and chiefs of that country were 
 good customers for arms, silk, cloth, wine, and other 
 foreign commodities. Of late many such ships had found 
 profitable employment in carrying ecclesiastical and other 
 refugees from England to Spain, France, and the Nether 
 lands. We soon came to learn of the presence at Liverpool 
 of a Biscayan ship an honest enough trader, as it proved 
 which was on the point of sailing for Bilbao. This was 
 not the most convenient port from which to reach Madrid ; 
 but it was decided that we should not miss the opportunity 
 presented of getting to Spain, and accordingly a passage was 
 secured in the Biscayan for Father Nicholas, Henry 
 Stanley, and myself. Sir William, in spite of his reduced 
 fortune, liberally supplied our purses, and dismissed us 
 
22 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 on our adventures with a fervent blessing and a promise 
 to remember us constantly in his prayers. 
 
 We sailed from Liverpool, and made a good and 
 sufficiently expeditious voyage of ten days duration to 
 Bilbao. There we rested ourselves for a few days, during 
 which we hired guides and purchased mules and provisions 
 for our long journey to Madrid. 
 
CHAPTER II, 
 
 Arrival in Madrid New Expedition for Florida De Soto Failure 
 of former Expeditions Henry and I seek to join Success We 
 sail with De Soto and the Army Its Composition and Equip 
 ment Arrival at the Canaries At Cuba De Soto assumes 
 Governorship Juan de Anasco sent forward to Florida His 
 Success and Return with Indian Guides Everything ready The 
 Ships and their Freights A splendid Expedition. 
 
 OUR journey from Bilbao to Madrid was long and toil 
 some, and not free from dangers. We passed through 
 a great mountain region full of precipices and gorges and 
 roaring torrents, which at times turned us aside from our 
 proper course, and in other ways caused us loss of time. 
 On the higher grounds it was bitterly cold, the winter (we 
 were told by our guides) being unusually long and severe. 
 There were dangers, too, from savage beasts (wolves and 
 bears), and scarcely less savage outlaws and robbers. 
 However, we suffered only from the weather, and got at 
 last into the more level and open country, and a better 
 climate, and thereafter had more ease and made better 
 speed. As for lodgings, we mostly stayed at monasteries 
 and other religious houses (of which there were great 
 numbers), and in such places we were always made 
 welcome and hospitably treated. 
 
 Coming, in fine, to the capital of the great Spanish 
 empire, we found it in a sort of uproar, because of the 
 preparations being made by the famous hidalgo Hernando 
 De Soto, for a new venture to the Indies. This lord had 
 not long come back from the kingdom of Peru, where he 
 had been, as it were, the right hand of Pizarro in the 
 conquest of that rich state. De Soto had gone thither a 
 penniless gentleman, and had come back with much 
 treasure. The Emperor Charles V. had ennobled him, and 
 he had secured in marriage the hand of a noble and agree 
 able lady. But he was not content to live at home in 
 
 23 
 
24 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 peace and comfort, but must needs dream of seeking fresh 
 conquests and more glory and riches in those unknown 
 regions of the Western Indies lying to the north of the great 
 gulf or sea of Mexico. At one time it was thought that this 
 country reached towards Cathay on the further or western 
 side, and stretched northward to the frozen seas ; but it is 
 now certain that the first opinion is wrong, and it is yet 
 doubtful if the second is right. There is a western ocean 
 of great width lying beyond the terra firma of Florida, and 
 dividing it from Cathay and the Indies lying on that side of 
 the world, east from Europe and higher Asia. So far as 
 the country was known or imagined, it had got the name of 
 Florida, and this because the southern part of it, north 
 of Cuba, and in the form of a peninsula, was first dis 
 covered on Pascha Florida, or (as the English say) Palm 
 Sunday ; likewise (it is said) because of the great abundance 
 of flowers seen there by those who first set foot upon its 
 shores. 
 
 Before De Soto s expedition, there had been earlier 
 attempts at penetrating to the interior of this vast country, 
 and disclosing its limits and condition ; but only with the 
 utmost misfortune to every adventurer. Of them the first 
 was Ponce de Leon, and he, and most of those with him, 
 were killed in fight with the natives. After him other 
 Spaniards of low order came to the shores of Florida, and, 
 whenever they could, seized upon the natives, and carried 
 them off to Cuba to serve as slaves; committing great 
 cruelties, and many slayings and burnings, in this lawless 
 work. Thus it fell out that when the Cavalier Vasquez de 
 Ayllon led a more regular force into the country to explore 
 its interior, he, and nearly every man of his, perished 
 miserably, and with much torture, at the hands of the 
 natives. These, for revenge, lulled the Spaniards into a 
 sense of security by hospitality, and every mark of friend 
 ship, and then treacherously fell upon and overcame them. 
 After Vasquez, and about ten years before we came to 
 Madrid, Pamphilo de Navarez invaded Florida with a great 
 armament, and a commission from the Emperor. He 
 sought for gold, but only found hosts of fierce warriors, 
 of vast size and strength, who harassed him day and night, 
 and inflicted constant losses upon him. This was mostly 
 in* a province called by the Indians Apalachee. In the 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 25 
 
 end, the Spaniards were utterly destroyed, and it was long 
 thought that no single man of them had escaped ; but, to 
 the wonder of everybody, the year before we came to 
 Madrid, that is, the year 1537, one of the leaders, named 
 Alva Nunez, appeared in Spain, having first landed at 
 Lisbon, in Portugal, after unheard-of adventures. He had 
 been enslaved by the Indians, and, suffering many hard 
 ships, had been passed from tribe to tribe, far away towards 
 the west, crossing mighty rivers, hideous deserts, and high 
 mountain ranges, until he got at last to the western ocean, 
 and the Spanish settlement of Compostella on its eastern 
 shore. 
 
 I have thought it well to speak shortly of those earlier 
 explorations in Florida, because they serve to illumine that 
 which is to follow. Their miscarriage, one and all, did not 
 daunt De Soto. He judged that, in the boundless and un 
 discovered regions of Florida, there must be empires as 
 rich as Mexico, or even Peru ; and he thought that, with a 
 stronger and altogether better force than any that had gone 
 before, and, above all, with a policy of kindness towards 
 the natives, he should succeed where the others had failed. 
 
 Seeing and hearing all that was going on, Henry and I 
 thought, here was a hopeful chance for us, if only we could 
 become engaged in the expedition of De Soto. But this 
 was no easy matter, for the number of the company was to 
 be no more than one thousand, of all arms and degrees, 
 and already many more than that (mostly noble gentlemen, 
 accoutred at their own charge) were offering themselves. 
 Whilst thinking of what was best to be done, we found out 
 that the commander of the halberdiers of De Soto s body 
 guard was none other than that Christopher Spinola to 
 whom Captain Roland Wyke had given us a letter. 
 Thereupon we hastened to pay our respects to Spinola, 
 and deliver him the letter. He received us very kindly, 
 and, having read our letter, protested his desire to fully 
 honour the recommendations of his old friend and comrade. 
 We then spoke of our desire to join the expedition, and he 
 promised to help us as he best could. In the end, his 
 influence, backed by the good offices of Father Nicholas, 
 procured us admission into the halberdiers as gentlemen 
 volunteers ; but first we had to pass a strict inspection as to 
 our health and strength, and also to give proofs of our 
 
26 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 military knowledge and skill. Then we were sent on to 
 Seville, which was the place of assembly for the whole army. 
 
 I need not dwell upon things of small moment, nor set 
 down our trivial experiences until the time we embarked at 
 San Lucian de Barameda. The fleet consisted of seven 
 large and three small ships, with well-nigh nine hundred 
 men on board. Most of these, common soldiers and 
 officers, were Spanish, but there was a good company of 
 Portuguese gentlemen, and a few of other nations as 
 Italians, French, Germans, Flemish, one Irishman named 
 O Donel, and we two English. There were twenty-four 
 ecclesiastics, twelve being priests ; likewise a number of 
 skilled mechanics, and some negro and Moorish slaves. 
 All the public cost of the expedition, and a good deal of 
 the private charges of officers and men, were borne by 
 De Soto, whose whole fortune was thus engaged in the 
 enterprise. On this account, as well as for the better 
 assurement of the success of the expedition, the P^mperor 
 made him Captain-General of Cuba, as well as Adelantado, 
 or Governor of all Florida. 
 
 We sailed from San Lucian on the 6th of April, 1538, 
 and in fifteen days arrived at the Canaries, and (having 
 stayed there three days) in a month thereafter reached 
 Santiago de Cuba. From thence we sailed to Havanah. 
 In all we stayed three months in Cuba, the Governor 
 visiting the chief towns and districts, appointing officers, 
 making arrangements for the administration of affairs 
 during his absence, and completing all things for the 
 expedition. Meanwhile, Juan de Anasco, the Contador, 
 had been sent forward with a brigantine to spy out a proper 
 port in Florida. He duly returned with a good report, 
 bringing with him four Indian prisoners, who, it was hoped, 
 might serve as guides to the interior of the country. 
 Several volunteers were allowed to join the army at Cuba, 
 which was now nearly 1,000 strong. We likewise took on 
 board 350 horses and thirteen sows, mostly in young. 
 Nothing was wanting for the equipment of an army setting 
 out for the conquest or colonization of an extensive 
 country, and I was assured and believed that no better or 
 more brilliant force than this of De Soto had ever been 
 organised by a Spanish commander for exploration and 
 conquest in the Western Indies. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 Departure from Havanah Blown from our course Arrival on the 
 Coast of Florida Natives hostile Landing and taking possession 
 Night attack on Camp Cavalry charge How the Indians shoot 
 Occupation of a deserted town Structure and arrangements 
 Ships sent back to Havanah Examination of country The 
 fugitive cacique His former barbarous treatment Will not be 
 mollified Attempt to secure him A march through the woods 
 Battle Wounded and made prisoner. 
 
 THE fleet sailed from Havanah on the i2th of May. 
 1539, with a favourable wind and every appearance 
 of fine weather. At the end of a couple of days, however, 
 there came a strong wind from the east and north-east, 
 which forced us far out of our course into the gulf of 
 Mexico. It was not until the end of thirteen days out 
 from Havanah that we were able to make the western side 
 of the peninsula of Florida at a deep bay, which in 
 memory of the day (being Whit Sunday) we called the 
 Bay of Espiritu Santo.* This part of Florida had been 
 ravaged by Spanish slave seekers, and the natives most 
 barbarously used ; and, as a consequence, we found them 
 on the alert and bitterly hostile. The Governor, seeing 
 this, did not dare to disembark until a favourable landing 
 place had been selected and secured. He ordered 
 soundings to be obtained, and other precautions taken ; and 
 some days elapsed before a satisfactory place was found. 
 It was not until the last day of May that three hundred 
 of the troops were disembarked, and the country taken 
 possession of in the name of Charles V. The natives 
 showed no hostility during the day, nor for best part of 
 the night ; but shortly before dawn the camp was aroused 
 by savage yells and whoops, and the onward rush of 
 numbers of Indians, who sent clouds of arrows flying 
 
 * Now known as Tampa Bay. 
 
28 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 through the air. The Governor not having gone on shore, 
 we of his body-guard were not with those who had landed ; 
 but we could hear from the ships the great uproar and the 
 alarms of drums and trumpets in the camp, and as soon 
 as it was dawn we saw the soldiers crowded on the beach 
 in much confusion and panic. Boats were sent from the 
 ships with fresh troops and seven horses, and the moment 
 these latter reached the strand they were backed by 
 cavaliers, who charged boldly upon the Indians. 
 
 The Indians of Florida are brave and dauntless warriors, 
 and rarely quail before white men, though they have naught 
 but their naked bodies, and poor weapons of wood or 
 stone, wherewith to confront enemies clad in armour or 
 leather, and bearing bucklers and steel swords and lances. 
 But horses are unknown amongst them, and of such they 
 have in warfare the greatest dread, taking them to be 
 supernatural creatures. No sooner, then, did the horsemen 
 come upon them in this combat, than they turned about 
 and fled away into the thickets with all speed. One horse 
 only was struck with an arrow, shot by a bold Indian who 
 stayed a little behind his comrades, and drew his bow 
 against the foremost horse as if to see whether or not it 
 could be injured. As soon as the cavaliers got back to 
 the camp this horse dropped dead, to the surprise of 
 everyone, for it had shown no signs of being badly hurt. 
 An examination disclosed a flint-tipped arrow, which had 
 been shot with such force as to pass through the saddle 
 and its housings, and bury itself for one-third of its length 
 between the animal s ribs. We had examples later on of 
 equally wonderful shots, showing with how great force the 
 Indians can send arrows, even when the tips are not of 
 flint, but merely hardened by fire. 
 
 We were not again troubled at this place by the natives, 
 and after a few day s rest the army marched along the 
 coast two leagues northward (the ships sailing in the same 
 direction) to a large village, which we found deserted. 
 Here, in a kind of temple, surmounted with the image of 
 a bird with gilded eyes, a quantity of pearls was found, 
 but all injured by being bored with red hot copper spikes 
 in order to string them for necklaces. Afterwards we 
 came upon great quantities of similar pearls in the native 
 temples and charnel-houses. 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 2Q 
 
 The village in which we were now quartered was (as is 
 customary in this land) called by the name of its chief, 
 Ucita ; but it had also another name, difficult to pronounce, 
 which I have forgotten. It contained, besides many huts 
 in the outskirts, several large timber houses, each capable 
 of lodging many people. At one end was the house of the 
 chief, or kathick (cacique, according to the Spanish spel 
 ling), perched upon an artificial mound, and so constructed 
 as to serve for a fortress. It was reached by a narrow road 
 or pathway, fenced on each side by a strong wall of trunks 
 of trees interlaced with branches and tendrils of the wild 
 vine. This is the manner in all the villages in those parts ; 
 but very often the walls so constructed enclose the whole 
 place, and are smoothly plastered over with kneaded clay. 
 De Soto took up his quarters in the chief s house, and the 
 others were turned into barracks, stables, and store houses 
 for provisions, arms and ammunition, tools, and materials 
 of every description landed from the ships. The ground 
 around the town to the distance of a bow-shot was cleared 
 of trees and undergrowth, so that the cavalry might act if 
 necessary, and patrols and sentinels were appointed for 
 regular service to guard against surprise, especially at 
 night. Several of the largest vessels were ordered back to 
 Havanah ; only the caravel and the two brigantines being 
 kept. Herein the Governor sought to follow the example 
 of Cortes, and some sagacious captains of antiquity, who 
 by similar means made their soldiers feel that they must 
 depend upon their own courage and resources, and that 
 they were wholly committed to the enterprise in hand. 
 
 It being at this time the intention of De Soto to make 
 the town of Ucita the head depot for supplies, he gave 
 orders for its proper fortification, and decided to leave there 
 a strong garrison of foot and horse, while he advanced into 
 the interior of the country at the head of the main army. 
 Meanwhile the country round the town was explored by 
 parties of cavalry, in order to discover its nature and 
 resources, and what enemies there might be in the neigh 
 bourhood. The Governor was very desirous of establishing 
 friendly relations with the natives, in order to procure 
 guides and carriers for his march into the interior. This 
 could only be done through the cacique, who lay concealed 
 in a thick wood some distance off. From this retreat he 
 
30 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 could not be drawn by all the friendly messages sent to him 
 by De Soto through natives who had been captured and 
 released with presents and fair words. This was no wonder, 
 for ten years before Ucita had suffered the most intolerable 
 wrongs at the hands of Navarez. This Spanish commander, 
 in a transport of rage, and in flagrant violation of a recent 
 treaty of peace and amity, had caused the chief s nose to be 
 cut off, and his mother to be torn to pieces by bloodhounds 
 before his face. Wrongs such as those are unpardonable 
 by ordinary Christians, much less unbaptised heathens. 
 De Soto was by nature a kind and humane man, and when 
 he came to hear of those things he was truly grieved ; and 
 now pity, not less strongly than policy, made him wish to 
 be friends with the chief, and make him such amends as lay 
 in his power. So all the Indians of his who were made 
 prisoners he treated very kindly, and released them with 
 gifts. By some of them he sent valuable presents to the 
 hidden cacique, with many friendly messages. But only 
 bitter and scornful words were sent back by way of answer. 
 To one message he made the reply : " I want neither 
 their words nor their presents j bring me their heads and 
 then I shall rejoice." 
 
 De Soto at length lost all hope of making friends with 
 Ucita by fair words and means, and also he was unwilling 
 to leave in his rear an enemy so bitter and implacable, who 
 might cut him off from communication with the coast when 
 he advanced further inland. In this difficulty he formed 
 the resolve of trying to capture the chief, so as to keep him 
 with him as a hostage, but with all honourable treatment. 
 The enterprise being one of some hazard, as well as nicety, 
 he took it into his own hands. Having gathered such 
 information as he could about the lurking place of the 
 cacique, he took a hundred men, half of them horsemen, 
 and set out an hour before dawn under the guidance of an 
 old and friendly Indian, who knew that part of the country, 
 though he was not of Ucita s people. Henry Stanley and I 
 were of the party, and we both rejoiced thereat, though for 
 me the occasion well-nigh proved my last, as it was my first, 
 experience of real fighting ; though by the mercy of God and 
 the protection of the holy saints, my life, limbs, and liberty, 
 were in the end spared. 
 
 After a rapid march of six hours, we came near the place 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 31 
 
 where the cacique was hidden. The way lo it was along a 
 narrow path, cut through the thick undergrowth of a great 
 and swampy forest. A little way along the path we came 
 suddenly upon a palisade, the posts of which were inter 
 woven with wild vine and other tendrils, as good as ropes 
 of hemp for the purpose. This defence was guarded by 
 Indians, who greeted us with flights of arrows. De Soto 
 dismounted, and led some of the footmen against the 
 palisade, armed with swords and axes ; but the place was so 
 strait, that only two or three could engage in front at one 
 time, though the men behind them could make some use 
 of their crossbows from sundry points of vantage. 
 
 Though the Indians fought with good resolution, we pre 
 vailed in the end, and drove them off, breaking and cutting 
 through the palisade. But when we made a further 
 advance, we found ourselves face to face with another 
 palisade, made like the first, and just as stoutly defended. 
 This, too, we carried, after some hard fighting, again only 
 to discover that there was a third similar defence further 
 on. In truth, we found in the end that there were no fewer 
 than seven or eight of those impediments to our forward 
 march, for the possession of every one of which we had to 
 fight. With much heat and labour, and most fatal loss of 
 time for our purpose, we gained one defence after another, 
 until at length we came to a clear space in the midst of the 
 wild and ragged forest, with a little hut or cabin in the 
 centre. The Indians had all disappeared, and the cabin 
 was empty, though a fire was still alight on the floor, and 
 there were other signs of late habitation. All was plain 
 enough the cage was there, but the bird had flown we 
 had lost too much time, and all our labour had been for 
 nothing, It was for scarcely more than form sake that the 
 almost impenetrable forest round about was searched as 
 well as might be. Nowhere could the cacique, or, indeed, 
 any of his men, be found; and at length the Governor, 
 deeply mortified, gave the order to return, after the men had 
 rested and refreshed themselves, and provision had been 
 made for carrying back the wounded ; for none of our party 
 were killed outright, for all the hard fighting. 
 
 It happened that some of the soldiers, in searching about 
 in the forest, had come upon what seemed to be a fair open 
 road running in the direction of our return. The Governor, 
 
32 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 having inspected this road, resolved to return by it, as a 
 way to be preferred to the narrow and incommodious path 
 through the forest by which we had come, and which was 
 in no way fit for horses. The old Indian guide made signs 
 of disagreement, either to imply that he did not know that 
 way back, or did not like it for some reason, which he had 
 not words enough to explain for our comprehension. 
 However, his objection, whatever it might be, was un 
 heeded, and the force set out on its return march along 
 the newly-found road. 
 
 For about the distance of a mile the road was good, and 
 all went well. Then we came to a swampy place, and very 
 difficult ground for the horses. They sunk deep into the 
 soft soil, and some were in danger of being lost. This 
 threw us into disorder, our ranks being broken up in our 
 efforts to extricate the horses, and get them to more solid 
 ground. Suddenly, in the midst of our confusion, there 
 arose in the woods around us terrific yells, and before the 
 least attempt could be made to re-form our ranks, the 
 Indians were upon us. My share in the earlier fighting 
 was the using of my crossbow at a safe distance ; now I 
 was engaged in a real battle at closest quarters. Spaniards 
 and Indians were altogether mixed up, and every man had 
 to do what he could for his own hand, without trusting to 
 his comrades for help, for we were without formation of any 
 kind, and greatly outnumbered. Moreover, our horses were 
 of no use in such a marshy place. It was altogether a 
 hand-to-hand battle of men on foot, which would have 
 been over in brief space, to our destruction, but for our 
 better weapons and our body armour. On all sides re 
 sounded the noise of blows, the shouts and war-cries of the 
 Spaniards, and, above all, the diabolical yells of the Indians, 
 which were blood-curdling and most inhuman. How I 
 bore myself, I cannot well say, for the strangeness of the 
 circumstances greatly discomposed me, and filled my mind 
 with confusion. However, I know I struck away right 
 vigorously with my broadsword at all the Indians within 
 my reach; at times charging hither and thither with much 
 fury, but with nothing at all of the purpose and coolness 
 which come only from warlike experience. Whilst thus 
 employed, I happened to see my cousin a little way off, 
 beset by four or five naked savages, who were striking at 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER I/ESTRANGE 33 
 
 him with clubs and unstrung bows, he confronting them 
 alone. I at once ran to his aid, and with the help of a 
 soldier who joined us at the same time, we cut down two of 
 the Indians, and drove the rest back towards the forest. I 
 followed them up, and laid one of them low just at the 
 edge of the wood ; but had hardly done so when out 
 rushed a crowd of Indians, who were upon me in a 
 moment. Before I could strike a blow in my defence, my 
 sword was knocked out of my hand, and a terrible blow on 
 the head felled me to the ground and left me senseless. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 In the hands of the Indians Fellow captives Ucita threatens A 
 Ministering Angel The place of torture Death of three Spaniards 
 My turn The Cacique s daughter Saved Guardian of the 
 Cemetery Interview with Aymay Falling in love Slaying the 
 great panther Delusive hopes. 
 
 HOW long I remained insensible I cannot say. I only 
 know that I was aroused from that state by being 
 roughly carried through the forest by a couple of big 
 Indians, who had hold of me by the legs and shoulders. 
 I then realised that I was a captive in the hands of cruel 
 enemies of an evil repute for inflicting horrible tortures on 
 their captives. It was night-time, and the forest was 
 perfectly still, save for the noise made by my bearers 
 passing along. I judged from this that I must have 
 remained insensible for a long time, and that I had been 
 carried some distance from the scene of the conflict. As 
 soon as I had collected my senses a little and realised 
 my position, I made a violent struggle to free myself from 
 my bearers. This was not so much from any design to 
 escape, for that I felt to be impossible at the moment, but 
 on account of the intolerable pain I was suffering by being 
 carried in such a manner. The Indians allowed me to get 
 my feet on the ground, still keeping fast hold of me ; and 
 I made them understand by signs and motions that I did 
 not want to escape, but was unable to endure their rough 
 method of carrying me. I was, in truth, willing enough to 
 walk as well as my strength would permit, and I found on 
 trial that I could walk fairly well ; though a wound in my 
 side was painful, and I was bruised and sore all over, and 
 weak from loss of blood. Having come to this under 
 standing with the Indians, I walked for some time between 
 them, each keeping a firm grip on my wrist. But the 
 inconvenience of this mode of keeping me secure appeared 
 
 34 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L*ESTRANGE 35 
 
 to strike them after a time ; and, having talked together for 
 a while, they tied my hands securely behind my back with 
 a long tendril of wild vine, the ends of which they kept 
 hold of. In this way we continued our journey all through 
 the night, with intervals of rest. At daybreak I found we 
 were out of the forest and in an open country, and 
 obviously making our way to a village not very far in the 
 distance, and of no great size. 
 
 At the entrance to the village a party of Indians at once 
 took charge of me, and rudely thrust me into a small and 
 miserable hut with an earthen floor, the open doorway of 
 which was hung with a half-rotten reed mat. Here, to 
 my surprise, I found three of our soldiers made fast, hands 
 and feet, by leather thongs to stakes driven into the ground. 
 I was not myself similarly secured, for the Indians, seeing 
 that I was badly wounded, and faint from loss of blood and 
 from fatigue, made signs to me to occupy a sort of rough 
 bed in one corner of the hut, consisting of a heap of coarse 
 dried grass covered with a deer skin. They untied my 
 hands, and I gladly threw myself upon the couch; but 
 I could get no sleep, though most thoroughly worn out 
 and exhausted. My mind was occupied with the events 
 of the previous day, my body was sore, and I discovered 
 that I had received a severe injury to the back of my head, 
 probably inflicted by the hoof of one of our horses as I lay 
 on the ground during the melee ; I was feverish and delirious, 
 and parched with thirst. All the morning the Indians kept 
 coming in and going out of the hut, gesticulating and 
 threatening us ; and this also added to my unrest. To my 
 signs for water they paid no attention, but seemed rather to 
 exult in my sufferings. Later in the morning the cacique 
 visited us, attended by a number of the leading Indians. 
 I knew him then by his mutilated face, and I had after 
 wards good cause to know who he was. His language and 
 gestures were angry and menacing ; but these did not 
 prevent me from repeating to him the signs I had made for 
 water. I was desperate and half-delirious, and in no wise 
 daunted by his furious language and looks. I suppose he 
 saw that the vengeance he meditated would be but poorly 
 gratified by letting me die there and then, for shortly after 
 he went away an Indian boy brought us an abundant and 
 most grateful supply of water in a large earthen vessel. 
 
36 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 This was followed later on by a great bowl of boiled maize, 
 sufficient for all four of us. 
 
 During the day I learned from my fellow-prisoners that, 
 like myself, they had been borne down in the battle by the 
 rush of Indians, and had been disarmed and carried off 
 without being able to make much resistance. None of 
 them received serious injuries. Of the results of the con 
 flict they could tell me nothing, for they had been made 
 prisoners whilst it was still in progress ; but we made no 
 doubt that the Spaniards must have succeeded in the end 
 in driving off the Indians and making good their retreat. I 
 felt some anxiety for the safety of my cousin Henry, but in 
 my present circumstances could only hope that no great 
 harm had befallen him. 
 
 As night came on, my feverish condition increased and 
 continued getting worse. My sleep was broken by delirious 
 fancies and imaginings, and I wandered in my talk. At 
 one time I thought that someone was tenderly bathing and 
 dressing my wounds, and in the dim light of the early dawn 
 I imagined I saw the slim form of an Indian girl stooping 
 over me, and anointing my wounds with some oily sub 
 stance. This, at least, I subsequently found was not 
 wholly a delusion, for after a period of comparatively easy 
 repose I awoke to find that I had indeed received such 
 kindly attention from someone, my condition being thereby 
 immensely improved. But this feeling of comfort and 
 relief was not destined to last long. 
 
 While it was still early in the day the Indians came into 
 the hut, unbound my companions, and made signs to me to 
 get up. Then they stripped us naked, and we judged that 
 now our hour had come, and that we were to be sacrificed 
 to the vengeance of the cacique. For me, I could hardly 
 walk, and was scarcely sensible enough to realise what was 
 going on. Supported by two Indians I was taken to the 
 open space in the middle of the village, where I was 
 allowed to sit down on the ground. As I waited for my 
 turn, I saw my three companions put to death one after 
 another in a barbarous manner. Each in his turn was 
 made to run round the open space while being shot at 
 by the Indians. To prolong the misery of the victims and 
 the enjoyment of their tormentors, only one Indian was 
 allowed to shoot at them at a time. It was sad to see the 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 37 
 
 poor Spaniards running from place to place in their agony, 
 seeking to escape the cruel shafts, which hardly ever failed 
 to strike them in some part of their bodies. When at last 
 they bristled with arrows and could afford no more amuse 
 ment, the Indians rushed upon them and beat out their 
 brains with their clubs and heavy bows. 
 
 My turn came when the last of the Spaniards had perished 
 in this miserable manner. The Indians gathered around 
 me in consultation. It was easy to see that I could not 
 afford them the same kind of sport my companions had 
 supplied them with, and they seemed to differ amongst 
 themselves as to the best way of dealing with me. At last 
 the matter seemed to be referred to the cacique, who had 
 come up and joined in the conference. I looked wistfully 
 at him, and for a time thought that he showed upon his 
 deformed but otherwise noble and handsome face, some 
 signs of pity for my youth and deplorable condition. But 
 as he closed the conference with an impatient wave of his 
 hand towards me I felt sure that he had, in the action, dis 
 carded any idea of mercy which he might have momentarily 
 entertained, and had abandoned me to my fate, whatever 
 that might be. I was not long left in doubt ; for as I lay 
 there, inwardly praying to God, I was witness to the 
 preparations being made to put me to a painful death. 
 
 Under a tall, solitary tree the Indians made a great fire of 
 branches and timber, and as it burnt up they busied them 
 selves in constructing a sort of open hurdle, or gigantic 
 gridiron, out of thick green osiers and canes. This they 
 hung by long vine tendrils from the spreading branches of 
 the tree in such a manner as to bring it over the fire, by 
 this time burnt down to a thick bed of red and glowing 
 embers. I realized what they meant I was to be roasted 
 alive, and slowly, on this rough grid ! I now abandoned 
 all hope and resigned myself to my fate, invoking the aid of 
 St. Lawrence the Martyr, to enable me to die with Christian 
 fortitude. The savages seized me, and drawing the hurdle 
 to one side stretched me upon my back, securing my wrists 
 and ankles to it by thongs of raw hide. Then they let go, 
 and the hurdle began to swing to and fro over the 
 hot fire. 
 
 At first I did not feel the heat much, but as the grid lost 
 motion, and gradually settled over the fire, my sufferings 
 
38 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 commenced, and rapidly became unendurable. My forti 
 tude gave way, and, despite my will, a long, low cry of 
 agony escaped from me. It found an echo somewhere in 
 the crowd of Indians surrounding me, and for a moment I 
 saw the Indian girl, my visionary benefactress of the night 
 before, rush towards the place of my execution, with 
 streaming hair and violent gestures. I have but a confused 
 notion of what followed ; but before I quite lost conscious 
 ness, I knew that something was being done for my rescue. 
 I saw the girl and an elderly woman (her mother, as I 
 afterwards heard) apparently entreating the grim-visaged 
 cacique I saw the flitting forms of Indians busy about 
 me and I remembered no more, until I awoke in a strange 
 house, and found myself stretched on a bed of reeds, with 
 Indian women tending me kindly. 
 
 The Indian girl was the daughter of the cacique. At 
 the last moment she and her mother had begged my life 
 from the cacique. The daughter had gone so far as to 
 threaten to cast herself into the fire if her father did not 
 relent. He did so, and I escaped with my life. I came to 
 know in time that he was not naturally a cruel or blood 
 thirsty man, but that, in consequence of what the Spaniards 
 had done, he had sworn some terrible oath to pursue them 
 with unrelenting vengeance. 
 
 For many days and nights I lay suffering on my bed of 
 reeds, sometimes delirious and unconscious, at other times 
 more or less sensible. My back and thighs had been badly 
 burnt, and my other wounds were likewise painful. I was 
 well and tenderly nursed by the Indian women. They 
 brought me food and clothing, and dressed my injuries 
 with ointments, lotions, and herbs. At times I was aware 
 of the presence of the two women who had interceded for 
 me, and I took opportunities of kissing their hands, with 
 tears of gratitude, and every demonstration of what I felt, 
 but could not express in words which they might under 
 stand. 
 
 It was a long time before I recovered, but my body still 
 bears many a deep scar, which it will carry to the grave. 
 When I was able to get about, I was left unbound and 
 unconfined, but I was closely watched by all the Indians, 
 and made to understand that if I made the least attempt to 
 escape, I should at once be put to death. I was secretly 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 39 
 
 prepared to take this risk at a proper time, but for the 
 present I knew I was not in a fit state to attempt to get 
 away, and likewise ignorant of the country around. For 
 the time being, therefore, I was content to remain, and I 
 endeavoured to make myself useful and popular amongst the 
 Indians. The women were all compassionate and friendly, 
 but the men were mostly harsh and brutal. I sought to soften 
 them a little by showing them things of which they were 
 ignorant ; and, in particular, displaying to them my dexterity 
 with the longbow, which they admired and praised. The 
 cacique I always tried to avoid ; for though he had spared 
 my life, he seemed to hate the sight of me, and bore him 
 self as if he half repented of his clemency. 
 
 I think it was partly to keep me out of the cacique s 
 sight, and partly because of my skill with the bow, that I 
 was appointed to a duty which I was far from relishing. 
 This was to guard the village graveyard, or place where the 
 Indians deposited their dead. It was a lonely field in the 
 midst of a forest, some way from the village. The bodies 
 were not buried in the earth, but placed in wooden coffins, 
 or boxes covered with loose boards, kept down by stones, 
 or logs of wood. Owing to this, and the situation of the 
 place, wild beasts often tore open the lids, and carried off 
 the dead bodies. It now became my task to watch this 
 place day and night, and I was plainly made to under 
 stand that if I allowed a single body to be carried off, I 
 should be burnt alive without hope of mercy. 
 
 In this lonely and melancholy place I took up my abode 
 in a small cabin, or watch-house, made of wattles and clay. 
 Food was regularly and liberally supplied to me, and some 
 times those who brought it, or others friendly disposed 
 towards me, would give me their company for a while. 
 With such visitors I endeavoured to converse in their own 
 language ; and in return for their assistance, I taught them 
 Spanish names and other words, and found them very 
 quick at learning. In this way I made rapid progress in 
 their tongue, and in a few months time was able to 
 express myself very intelligibly in it. 
 
 Two things greatly reconciled me to my life of isolation 
 in the cemetery. One was my freedom from the dread 
 presence and terrible scowl of the cacique. Before him, I 
 always had the feeling that he was balancing in his mind 
 
40 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 whether he ought not to destroy me out of hand, and that 
 the slightest impulse might cause him to do so. So I was 
 thankful to be in the cemetery out of his sight. The other 
 reason for my contentment arose from the occasional visits 
 I received from the wife and daughter of Ucita. Towards 
 them, my heart was full of the tenderest emotions of 
 gratitude. They had comforted and befriended me in my 
 anguish of mind and body, and to them I owed my salva 
 tion from a dreadful and heathenish death. 
 
 The daughter, whose name was Aymay, was young, and 
 truly beautiful, and I could not help falling deeply in love 
 with her. Soon our interviews at the cemetery became 
 real lovers meetings, though free from secrecy, and perfectly 
 innocent. Her mother, or a sister, often came with her, 
 and always showed me much kindness. They recognised 
 my love for Aymay without mystification or pretence, and 
 seemed pleased, or, it might be, amused at the devotion of 
 the white stranger to the Indian maiden. 
 
 The Indians of Florida have dark eyes, long black hair, 
 and reddish-brown skins ; but some in the more eastern 
 parts of the country are of lighter complexion (a few having 
 even grey-blue eyes), and seem to be of an original different 
 from the rest of the natives. In effect, the Spaniards were 
 told that this foreign origin was believed in by the Indians 
 themselves, who have a tradition that many ages ago the 
 ancestors of their fairer countrymen had come from the 
 eastern sea in large canoes, and were white people, with 
 blue eyes, and fair or red hair. Some such story as this, I 
 was informed, had been heard by the Spaniards in Mexico ; 
 but, for myself, I know not what to think of a tale which 
 seems equally incredible, whether as a truth, or as an 
 invention of the natives. The Indian women are lighter in 
 complexion than the men, and the younger ones, and those 
 of the better sort daughters of the caciques and lords 
 very little different in colour from the women of Spain, or 
 than some in that part of England which I came from. 
 Aymay was of this lighter complexion ; sixteen years of age 
 when I first knew her, thin and shapely in form, though 
 not tall, and with very beautiful hands and feet. Her 
 features were fine and regular, her face generally somewhat 
 favouring the cast of countenance I had seen amongst Jews 
 and Moors in Spain. Anyone might well have loved her 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 41 
 
 for her beauty and her gentle nature ; how much more so 
 I, for the mercy and pity she had shown me? But how all 
 this was to end I knew not, for withal she was an un- 
 baptized pagan, and I a miserable slave, who might at any 
 time be slain by her father, with as little compunction as if 
 I were a dog. However, I trusted to time, and the provi 
 dence of God, to solve those difficulties ; but I knew that, 
 come what might, I should never forget, nor cease to love 
 Aymay. 
 
 One night as I was on guard as usual at the cemetery, 
 I became weary of watching, and lay down on the ground, 
 overpowered by sleep, my bow and arrows by my side. 
 Towards morning I was awakened by the noise of the lid 
 of one of the chests falling. I started to my feet and ran 
 to the spot whence the noise had proceeded. There, to 
 my horror, I saw that one of the chests had been rifled 
 of the body of an infant recently deceased, the child of 
 an Indian of note. I knew the penalty which awaited my 
 default, unless I could remedy it, and plunged at once into 
 the forest, resolved to recover the body, or, failing in this, 
 to flee from the fate which would await me. After a little 
 time I heard a noise like the crunching of bones by a dog. 
 Creeping along very cautiously, I saw in the dim light the 
 form of a large beast crouching in the thicket over some 
 prey. With a muttered prayer to God and St. Sebastian, 
 I took aim as well as I could, and, drawing an arrow to its 
 head, let fly. I could not see the effect of my shot ; but 
 the creature never moved, and I hoped I had killed it, 
 though I did not dare to advance to see whether this was 
 so or not. Remaining where I was until day dawned, I 
 then saw I had killed a great cat-like beast (which I after 
 wards knew to be called a panther), the arrow having 
 passed through its entrails and pierced its heart. I was 
 still more pleased to find the body of the child, not greatly 
 mutilated ; and taking it up I made all speed back to the 
 cemetery and carefully replaced it in its chest, and arranged 
 the lid as before. I then returned to the forest, and by 
 great exertions dragged the carcase of the beast in triumph 
 to the village. This exploit gained me much credit with 
 the Indians, and even Ucita seemed to look less sternly 
 upon me. The animal I had slain had long infested the 
 cemetery, and been the terror of the village ; and owing to 
 
42 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 its ferocity and extraordinary size, it was looked upon as 
 something supernatural. 
 
 About this time a great feast was being prepared in 
 honour of a powerful prince who was coming to pay a 
 visit to Ucita. To this feast I was bidden, and I now 
 thought that my safety was secured, and my peace made 
 with Ucita. I was mistaken in both respects. Ucita 
 could never permanently abandon his resentment against 
 the white men, of whom I was one ; and some untoward 
 events at the feast itself rekindled his wrath against me, 
 and impelled him to seek my life once more. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 Tuscaluza and his mission His anger and my danger A timely 
 warning My flight I surprise two Indians Reception by the 
 Cacique Mucozo Mutual friendship I give him good advice 
 and many promises I set out to rejoin the army Attacked by 
 Spaniards as an Indian My man Choquo. 
 
 r I "HE great chief came with a large following of stately 
 JL warriors, dressed in magnificent skins gaily bedecked 
 with feathers and pictures of animals in bright colours. 
 On their heads and down their backs they wore plumes 
 and rows of feathers, and the sides of their loose leggings 
 or trousers were similarly decorated. Their surcoats or 
 mantles were of bear or buffalo skins, beautifully prepared, 
 thick, soft, and glossy. I gathered that their chief had 
 come thither to inform himself of the new invasion of the 
 country by white men; news of which had been spread 
 abroad by Ucita with the object of forming a confederation 
 of all the Indian nations against the Spaniards. 
 
 The chiefs name was Tuscaluza a name which the 
 Spaniards had afterwards good reason to become familiar 
 with. He was a man of about forty years of age ; and his 
 general appearance corresponded well with the reputation 
 he bore. He was of gigantic stature and powerful frame, 
 very proud and haughty in bearing. He towered a foot 
 and a half above his attendant chiefs ; but he was so well 
 proportioned and admirably formed in limbs and features, 
 that he was, altogether, the finest man I had ever set 
 eyes on. 
 
 The festivities lasted for three days, during which the 
 greatest freedom and ease were permitted to everyone, 
 myself included. Elated by my new sense of liberty, I was 
 not sufficiently on my guard against exciting the ill-will of 
 those who had so many reasons for disliking and distrusting 
 
 43 
 
44 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 the white man. Nor did I then know that the great Tusca- 
 luza, although already married, and having a son as big as 
 himself, had looked with favourable eyes on the beautiful 
 Aymay, and (with the approval of Ucita) contemplated 
 making her his wife. In the exciting freedom of those 
 festive days I did not conceal my attachment for Aymay. 
 Tuscaluza saw it, and became angry and jealous. Of this 
 I was unconscious, and had no suspicion that I was in 
 danger, until one night Aymay and her sister came secretly 
 to me, in the hut in the village where I was lodged during 
 the festival, and told me of my peril. They informed me 
 that their father, partly influenced by Tuscaluza, had 
 determined to sacrifice me at the stake on the next day. 
 Their mother had pleaded her best for me; but the cacique 
 would listen to nothing in my favour, and had firmly 
 resolved that I should die by fire. Finding him immov 
 able, the mother and her daughters had considered what 
 was best to be done, and had arranged a plan of escape for 
 me. The mother was sister to a neighbouring cacique, 
 whose name was Mucozo, and with him I was to seek 
 refuge and ask for hospitality and protection in his sister s 
 name. They gave me a small wooden image of a tortoise, 
 which they said would be a sign to Mucozo that I came 
 from his sister. "This very night," said Aymay, "you 
 must go secretly to the north end of the village, and there 
 you will find a trusty friend who will guide you to a bridge 
 about two leagues from here. He will then point out the 
 right road for you to take, and you must then let him come 
 back at once, so that he may reach home before morning 
 dawns ; otherwise he would be suspected of helping you to 
 escape, and he and all of us might be destroyed. Follow 
 the road he points out to you for six leagues, and you will 
 reach the village where Mucozo lives. Show him the little 
 tortoise, which is the totem of his family, tell him who 
 sends you, and he will certainly befriend you. Go, go at 
 once, and may the Great Spirit of white man and Indian 
 protect you !" With these words she threw herself into my 
 arms with tears and kisses. After a long embrace, and 
 passionate pledges of perpetual love and fidelity, we parted, 
 not knowing if we should ever meet again. Aymay and 
 her sister stole away through the darkness as quietly and as 
 secretly as they had come, and I crept cautiously from the 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 45 
 
 hut and made my way as directed to the north end of the 
 village. 
 
 True to the plan which the mother had arranged, I found 
 the Indian waiting for me at the end of the village. Making 
 myself known to him, we went away quickly and softly, 
 without alarming anyone. In due time we reached the 
 bridge over the river, and the Indian having shown me a 
 well-beaten track beyond it, left me to pursue it by myself. 
 I followed the path all night, and, soon after daybreak, 
 came to the banks of a small stream, which I judged could 
 not be far from the village of Mucozo. Looking cautiously 
 around I saw two Indians fishing, and as I could not pass 
 them without being observed, I paused to consider what 
 was best to be done. Notwithstanding my dress of skins, 
 they could not fail to see that I was a white man, and 
 therefore their first impulse would probably be to kill me as 
 an enemy. If I could only gain time to parley with them I 
 should be safe. I saw that they had left their weapons 
 some distance away from the place where they were engaged 
 in fishing, and I thought if I could secure these I should 
 have time to explain myself to them. I ran swiftly to the 
 place and took possession of the weapons, crying out to the 
 Indians (who had turned round and were gazing at me with 
 astonishment) that I was a friend. Without attending to 
 my words or signs, they ran at the top of their speed to the 
 village and gave the alarm. Presently the inhabitants 
 sallied out, armed, and advanced to attack me. I fixed an 
 arrow in my bow to let them see that I intended to defend 
 myself, and at the same time called out in their language 
 that I was a friend, and was bringing a message to their 
 cacique from his sister. At this they paused and held a 
 consultation, at the end of which an old Indian advanced 
 towards me with outstretched hands, to show that he was 
 unarmed. I immediately took the arrow from my bow, and 
 signed to him to come on. When he came up to me I 
 explained to him as well as I could what my business was, 
 showing him the little wooden tortoise, which I had carried 
 in a skin pouch. This appeared to satisfy him, and after 
 communicating with the other Indians I was invited to join 
 them, and the whole party escorted me to the dwelling of 
 Mucozo. I gave him the tortoise (which he at once recog 
 nised), and told him fully how it was that I sought his 
 
46 ADVENTURES OF ROGER ^ESTRANGE 
 
 protection. He received me most kindly, and assured me 
 that he would be my friend. He kept his promise most 
 faithfully, and as we grew in intimacy we became attached 
 to each other like brothers. He was but a few years older 
 than myself, and, though not robust, of graceful form and 
 handsome countenance. 
 
 Ucita soon heard of the place where I had taken refuge, 
 and several times sent messages to demand my surrender ; 
 but to this Mucozo would not consent. At length he sent 
 another brother-in-law of Mucozo to mediate, with a view 
 to my delivery up to him as the simplest way of avoiding 
 hostilities. Mucozo was far less powerful than Ucita ; but 
 he did not hesitate about his decision. With every mani 
 festation of indignation he rejected the proposal as 
 dishonourable, and plainly told the ambassador that he 
 would not violate the rights of hospitality, be the conse 
 quences what they might; nor would any consideration 
 induce him to surrender the poor white fugitive to so cruel 
 and unreasonable an enemy as Ucita. This bold answer 
 was successful, and Ucita did not carry out his threats of 
 making war on Mucozo. Good actions have their reward ; 
 and I lived to be mainly instrumental in making Mucozo 
 the richest and most powerful chief in all this part of 
 Florida. 
 
 Mucozo frequently spoke with me about the Spaniards, 
 their exploits and their intentions; and I faithfully gave 
 him every information and advice which I thought might 
 be useful to him. I endeavoured to make him understand 
 that I was not myself a Spaniard, but belonged to another 
 nation of white men, who were also Christians ; and this 
 I did, the better to convince him of my impartiality and 
 friendliness towards himself. In our many conversations 
 on this subject, I quite persuaded him that his best policy 
 was to make friends with the Spaniards ; and that hostility 
 to them would involve him in ruin and destruction, because 
 of their immense superiority in arms, military knowledge, 
 resources, and, above all, in their possession of horse 
 soldiers. I persuaded him finally to open communications 
 with the Spaniards. I myself had long desired to have 
 news of the army, and I was particularly anxious about 
 my cousin Henry, not knowing whether he might not 
 have been killed in the battle when I was made prisoner. 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER ^ESTRANGE 47 
 
 I could learn nothing about what was going on whilst 
 I was detained in the country of Ucita. I knew very 
 well from the movements of the Indians, their going to 
 and fro in large numbers, and the arrival of wounded men 
 from time to time, that something was in progress ; but all 
 intelligence was carefully kept from me. In the village of 
 Mucozo there was no such secrecy ; but being out of the 
 range of the Spanish operations, little intelligence reached 
 us. We did learn in a vague way that the greater part of 
 the Spanish army had marched inland from the sea, and 
 that there had been much fighting; but beyond this I 
 could gather nothing which appeared at all probable. 
 
 It was now more than six months since I had been 
 absent from the army ; four months of which I was Ucita s 
 prisoner. I was now free, and perfectly restored to health 
 and strength ; and I thought it my duty, as it certainly was 
 my inclination, to return to the army. I proposed to 
 Mucozo to supply me with guards and an escort, and offered 
 to communicate to the Spaniards his desire for peace and 
 friendship with them. Mucozo, though loth to part from 
 me, saw that my request to leave was reasonable and 
 natural ; and that for himself it was of great importance 
 that he should make friends with the Spaniards. It was 
 accordingly arranged that I should go, escorted by ten of 
 the best warriors of Mucozo. As I took an affectionate 
 leave of him he laid his hand on my shoulder, and, looking 
 me kindly in the face, spoke as follows : " White brother, 
 I gave you shelter when you were friendless and homeless, 
 and Ucita sought your life. Rather than give you up, I 
 chose to fall into disgrace with my relations and neighbours. 
 Did I do this through hope of reward ? No j there was 
 no such hope. But now a time has come when you can 
 show your friendship for me. Go to the great chief of this 
 white army and tell him that what I have done for you 
 I would have done for any of his people in distress. Beg 
 him to believe in my friendly disposition, and my desire 
 to be of service to him ; and ask him not to lay waste the 
 small territory of one who is not his enemy, and is willing 
 to be his friend." This formal speech was in the Indian 
 fashion, and embodied my instructions as the messenger 
 of Mucozo. I assured him it should be faithfully delivered, 
 and that the great white chief would certainly be rejoiced 
 
48 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 to have him for a friend. I then took my departure with 
 my escort. 
 
 We left at a good hour in the morning, and marched all 
 day through the forest, sometimes having to cross small 
 rivers and morasses. At night we camped in a clear space, 
 lit fires, and partook of the food we had brought with us. 
 The night passed quietly, and early in the morning we 
 resumed our march. Towards sunset we came in sight of 
 a body of Spanish cavalry riding over a green plain 
 bordering the forest from which we were just issuing. No 
 sooner did they catch sight of us than they came upon us 
 at the charge, regardless of the cries of their leader to stop. 
 The Indians fled back into the wood, all but one who kept 
 by me in the open. This was a young man whom Mucozo 
 had given me as a servant, and who had become very 
 attached to me. His name was Choquo; and on this, as 
 on many after occasions, he proved his fidelity and devotion. 
 I stood my ground, supposing the Spaniards would recognise 
 me; nor did I reflect that I was now, to all appearances, 
 an Indian, almost indistinguishable from the rest. My 
 skin was sunburnt, my arms painted, my head decorated 
 with feathers, and I carried an Indian bow and quiver of 
 arrows. One of the troopers, whom I recognised as a 
 cavalier named Alvaro Nieto, rode at me with his lance; 
 and but for the interposition of Choquo I should have 
 been transfixed on the spot. The faithful Indian threw 
 himself in front of the furious cavalier, and was knocked 
 down by the horse ; but the animal swerved from his course, 
 and I was for the moment saved. Nieto, nevertheless, 
 wheeled round and came at me again, while Choquo lay 
 senseless on the ground. This time I parried the lance 
 with my bow, at the same time leaping on one side to 
 avoid the horse. All the time I kept crying out "Christiano, 
 Christiano," and making the sign of the cross on my fore 
 head when I could. I also called to Alvaro by his name ; 
 but so hot and excited was he that he kept on thrusting 
 and riding at me for some time. When, at last, he came 
 to understand who I was, he took me by the arm and 
 helped me to mount to the croup, and rode off to the 
 captain of the party (who proved to be Baltazar de Gallegos), 
 comporting himself as if he had done something brave and 
 meritorious. 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 49 
 
 It appeared that this party of cavaliers had set out that 
 very morning in quest of me, intelligence having been 
 obtained of my being with Mucozo. Gallegos at once 
 gave orders for the recall of the troops, who were in the 
 woods hunting down the poor Indians like so many wild 
 beasts. I went with the messenger and called out to the 
 Indians to come out, as they had nothing more to fear. 
 Some were panic-stricken and fled homewards ; but the 
 rest I pacified by explaining that a mistake had been made. 
 One Indian had been killed, and some others wounded, 
 but not fatally. Choquo recovered from his state of in 
 sensibility, and was not much hurt. Three of the sound 
 Indians I at once sent back to Mucozo with instructions to 
 explain the unfortunate mistake to him, so that he might 
 not, from the reports of the fugitive Indians, form erroneous 
 opinions of the Spaniards or myself. 
 
 The night was far advanced when we reached the town 
 where the Spaniards were quartered, and, in the darkness, 
 another unfortunate mistake was likely to have occurred. 
 This early return of Gallegos was not expected, and the 
 noise of our approach in the dark caused the sentinels to 
 give the alarm, taking us for enemies. The whole garrison 
 turned out to attack us ; but fortunately they came to under 
 stand who we were before any mischief was done. The 
 rest of the night was spent in revelling, and in listening to 
 the account of my adventures. My Indian friends I took 
 care should be treated with all possible kindness ; and in 
 the morning they were sent back laden with presents, and 
 with a message to Mucozo to come himself and visit the 
 camp, for the Spanish commanders attached importance 
 to his friendship. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 The main army gone inland Anasco s perilous ride back to the coast 
 The town to be evacuated The news from the army De Soto s 
 difficulties Treacherous designs of Vitachuco The tables turned 
 His force attacked and dispersed Magnanimity of De Soto Fresh 
 treachery Murderous attack on the Spaniards Danger of De Soto 
 Death of Vitachuco, and execution of prisoners. 
 
 FOUND that De Soto had long since marched into the 
 -*- interior, and that a few days before my return, Juan de 
 Anasco, after a most perilous ride, had come back from 
 him, with orders for the evacuation of the town of Ucita. 
 The caravel was to sail for Havanah with news of the 
 expedition ; and the two brigantines were to repair, with 
 the more necessary stores, to the Bay of Aute, a com 
 modious harbour to the west, which had recently been 
 discovered. Anasco was to go with the brigantines, and 
 some troops for the protection of the new depot, and the 
 rest of the force was to march inland after the Governor. 
 
 As to the news brought by Anasco, it was of a very 
 exciting character. And first, as to himself, he had set out 
 from headquarters with thirty lancers, picked men, and well 
 mounted. They had ridden night and day as fast as they 
 could, crossing rivers and swamps, and through forests, 
 occasionally fighting natives, who, however, had not time 
 to rally in large numbers. It took them nearly a fortnight 
 to make the journey, and two of their number died from 
 exposure and exhaustion on the way. 
 
 As to the Governor and the army, Anasco said they were 
 in winter quarters at a town called Anhayca, in the country 
 of the Apalachees the most daring and warlike people yet 
 encountered. In the course of their march to Anhayca 
 they met with many difficulties from the moist and swampy 
 nature of the country, and had had to overcome the fierce 
 and protracted resistance of large bodies of the natives. 
 
 So 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 5! 
 
 The whole country was raised against the Spaniards, and 
 the Governor had completely failed in all his efforts to 
 make friends with the caciques and their subjects. His 
 worst experience was with a cacique named Vitachuco, whose 
 territories were said to be fifty leagues across. This chief 
 had for a time held aloof from the army ; but partly by 
 threats of wasting his country, and partly by presents and 
 promises, he had been induced to visit the camp. Anasco 
 described him as a tall and very powerful man, of high and 
 proud spirit, and about thirty-five years of age. For several 
 clays he handsomely entertained the army in his chief 
 village ; then the Governor received sure information from 
 a friendly Indian that Vitachuco meditated an act of deep 
 treachery. He had selected several of his best warriors, 
 and had ordered them to conceal their weapons in a thicket 
 near the village, and appear at all times unarmed, so as to 
 throw the Spaniards off their guard. On an appointed day 
 it was arranged that the cacique should invite De Soto to a 
 general muster of his subjects, drawn up in battle array, 
 though without weapons, in order that he might see what a 
 numerous force of Indian allies he had at his command for 
 future conquests. 
 
 Trusting, from the good understanding existing between 
 them, that the Governor would go forth carelessly and 
 alone, a dozen of the most powerful Indians had received 
 orders suddenly to seize and bear him into the midst of 
 their warriors, who, assuming their arms, were to attack the 
 Spaniards in their camp. Thus, between the surprise of 
 the sudden assault and their dismay at the capture of their 
 General, the cacique calculated upon an easy conquest. 
 
 The Governor consulted with his captains, and it was 
 determined to seize Vitachuco in the manner he had 
 planned to seize the Governor. For this purpose twelve 
 of the stoutest warriors were selected to keep near the 
 Governor when he should go forth to view the Indian army. 
 At a certain signal they were to rush forward and make 
 the cacique prisoner. 
 
 On the appointed day Vitachuco came to the Gover 
 nor early in the morning, and with much humility and 
 seeming veneration begged him to come and see the 
 muster of his faithful allies. De Soto replied, with an un 
 suspicious air, that he should rejoice greatly to see their 
 
52 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 numbers and witness their manoeuvres; but in order to make 
 the display more striking, and furnish the Indians likewise 
 with a spectacle worth beholding, he would command a 
 mock fight among his horse and foot soldiers for Vitachuco s 
 entertainment. The cacique did not much relish this 
 proposal; but, blinded by his passions, he agreed to the 
 arrangement, trusting to the number and valour of his 
 vassals to overthrow the Spaniards, however well prepared. 
 
 All things being arranged, the Spaniards marched out, 
 horse and foot, in battle array, with glittering arms and 
 fluttering banner. The Governor remained behind, to 
 accompany the cacique on foot, in order the better to 
 disguise his knowledge of the latent treason. He went, 
 however, secretly armed, and ordered two of his finest 
 horses to be led forth ready for service. Near the village 
 was an extensive plain, bounded on one side by a forest and 
 on the other by two lakes. Here the cacique formed his 
 squadrons, with the lakes on their right ; their bows and 
 arrows concealed in the grass. They numbered several 
 hundreds, and with their lofty plumes and military order 
 made a magnificent display. The cacique and Governor 
 appeared on foot, each accompanied by twelve men. The 
 Spanish troops were to the right of the Governor, the 
 infantry being drawn up near the forest, and the cavalry on 
 the plain. 
 
 Between nine and ten o clock in the morning, De Soto 
 and Vitachuco arrived at the spot which the latter had 
 fixed upon for the seizing of the Governor. Before the 
 former, however, could make his preconcerted signal, a 
 Spanish trumpet gave a warning blast. In an instant twelve 
 Spaniards rushed upon the cacique. His attendants threw 
 themselves before him, and endeavoured to repel the 
 assailants, but in vain. He was borne off amid the shouts 
 of his captors. 
 
 De Soto leaped, at the same moment, upon his favourite 
 steed, and spurred among the thickest of the enemy, with 
 that headlong valour which always distinguished him in 
 battle. The Indians had already seized their weapons. 
 Their front ranks were thrown into confusion by the im 
 petuous charge of De Soto ; but as he pressed forward, a 
 shower of arrows came whistling round him. They were 
 principally aimed at his horse, the Indians always seeking 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 53 
 
 to kill those animals in the first place, knowing their great 
 importance in battle to the Spaniards. Four arrows 
 wounded the animal in the legs, four pierced it in the 
 chest, and it fell down dead. The Spanish troops, who, at 
 the trumpet signal, had assailed the native squadrons, came 
 at this critical moment to the aid of the General. He, 
 springing upon his reserve horse, put himself at the head 
 of the cavalry and dashed amongst the enemy. The latter 
 having no proper weapons to resist the charge, broke, and 
 fled in every direction. Those in the rear sought refuge in 
 the forest ; others threw themselves into one of the lakes, 
 which was too large to be surrounded by our forces, and so 
 escaped ; others scattered themselves over the plain, where 
 many of them were overtaken and slain by our horsemen, 
 and some few made prisoners. But the best and bravest 
 warriors, composing the enemy s vanguard, were unable 
 either to reach the forest or the large lake, and had to seek 
 refuge in the smaller one. Here they were in sore strait, 
 for the Spaniards quickly surrounded this piece of water, 
 and so had them, as it were, in a trap. The Spaniards shot 
 at them at their leisure as they swam about, giving them no 
 repose. Efforts were made to induce them to surrender; 
 but neither promises nor threats, nor the prospect of death 
 by drowning, or by arrows and shots from crossbows and 
 arquebuses, had any effect. So obstinate were they that it 
 was midnight before any surrendered, although they had 
 been not less than fourteen hours in the water. 
 
 With great magnanimity the Governor refrained from 
 punishing Vitachuco for such base treachery ; but the 
 prisoners, of whom there were many, were condemned to 
 serve in chains as menials to the Spaniards as long as the 
 army remained in that province. In this way every man in 
 the army had one or more servants to wait on him. Vita 
 chuco himself remained in some sort a prisoner in his own 
 house, but was still treated with kindness and respect, and 
 dined every day at the Governor s table. But rage and 
 hatred rankled in his heart, and soon impelled him to the 
 formation of another scheme for the destruction of the 
 Spaniards, and the gratification of his revenge. His best 
 and bravest warriors were in chains, dispersed amongst the 
 Spaniards, and about equalling them in number. It was a 
 part of their menial duty to attend upon their new masters 
 
54 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 at their meals, and the cacique conceived that at such a 
 moment it would be easy, by a preconcerted movement, for 
 his subjects to strike a signal blow that should rid them at 
 once of their oppressors. 
 
 Scarcely had Vitachuco conceived this desperate scheme, 
 than he hastened to put it into operation. He had four 
 young Indians who attended him as pages. These he 
 sent to the principal prisoners, revealing his plan, with 
 orders that they should pass it secretly from one to another, 
 and hold themselves in readiness, at the appointed time, to 
 carry it into effect. The dinner-hour of the third day was 
 the time fixed upon for striking the blow. As Vitachuco 
 would be dining with the Governor, and the Indians in 
 general attending upon their respective masters, the cacique 
 was to watch his opportunity, spring upon De Soto, and 
 kill him ; giving, at the moment of assault, a war-whoop 
 that should resound throughout the village. This was to 
 be the signal for every Indian in the place to grapple with 
 his master, or any other Spaniard, and despatch him on 
 the spot. 
 
 On the day fixed, Vitachuco dined as usual at the table 
 of the Governor, who sought to win his friendship by the 
 kindest attentions. When the repast was concluded, the 
 chief stretched himself upon the bench on which he had 
 been seated, and twisting his body from side to side, pro 
 jected first one arm, then the other, to its full extent, 
 clenching his fists, and drawing them up so that they rested 
 on his shoulders ; he then jerked out his arms two or three 
 times, until every joint cracked like a snapped reed. In 
 this way the Indians of Florida used to rally their strength 
 when about to perform any extraordinary feat. 
 
 After this preparation, the cacique sprung upon his feet, 
 closed instantly with the Governor, at whose side he had 
 been sitting, seized him with his left hand by the collar, 
 and with his right gave him such a furious blow in the face 
 as to level him to the ground, the blood gushing out of his 
 eyes, nose, and mouth, as if he had been struck with a 
 club. The cacique threw himself upon his victim, to finish 
 his work, at the same time giving the signal war-whoop so 
 loudly, that it might have been heard for a quarter of a 
 league. 
 
 All this was the work of an instant, and before the 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 55 
 
 officers present had time to recover from their astonish 
 ment, the Governor lay senseless beneath the tiger grasp of 
 Vitachuco. One more blow from the savage would have 
 been fatal ; but ere he could deliver it, a dozen swords and 
 lances were thrust through his body, and he fell dead. 
 
 The war-whoop of the cacique had been heard and 
 obeyed by his subjects throughout the village. On hearing 
 the signal, the Indians, who were attending upon their 
 masters, assailed them with whatever weapon or missile 
 they could command. Some seized upon pikes and 
 swords, which they wielded with great skill ; others 
 snatched up the pots in which meat was stewing at the 
 fire, and beating the Spaniards about their heads, bruised 
 and scalded them at the same time ; some caught up plates, 
 pitchers, jars, and the pestles with which they pounded the 
 maize ; others, bones remaining from the repast ; others 
 seized upon stools, benches, and tables, striking with im 
 potent fury when their weapons had not the power to harm. 
 The greater number, however, armed themselves with 
 burning firebrands, which seemed to have been provided 
 for the purpose, and rushed like devils into the affray. 
 
 In this chance-medley fight many of the Spaniards were 
 terribly burnt, bruised, and scalded ; some had their arms 
 broken ; others were maimed by sticks and stones. My 
 cousin Henry was violently assaulted by his slave, had 
 some of his teeth knocked out, and would have been 
 killed, but for the timely aid of a Spaniard, who sent a 
 shaft from a crossbow, which pierced the Indian through 
 the breast and killed him upon the spot. 
 
 It was fortunate for the Spaniards that most of the 
 Indians were in chains, and none of them regularly armed, 
 otherwise their assault would have been attended with great 
 carnage. As it was, many of the Spaniards were more or 
 less severely wounded, and four slain, before the savages 
 could be overpowered. 
 
 Signal vengeance was then taken upon the prisoners. 
 Some of the Spaniards were so exasperated at the wounds 
 they had received, and at hearing of their Governor s mal 
 treatment, that they wreaked their fury upon every Indian 
 in their power. Others, who were cavaliers, thought it 
 beneath their dignity to take away the lives of slaves. 
 They brought their prisoners, therefore, to the grand square 
 
56 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 of the village, and delivered them into the hands of the 
 General s guard, who despatched them with their halberds. 
 
 In these conflicts, and subsequent executions, some 
 hundreds of Indians were slain. The blow which the 
 Governor had received from Vitachuco had been so 
 violent, that it was half-an-hour before he recovered his 
 senses. His face was bruised and disfigured, and several 
 of his teeth were broken, so that for three weeks he could 
 eat no solid food. He and his wounded soldiers were 
 obliged to remain four days in the village before they were 
 sufficiently recovered to travel. 
 
 Such was the account given to us by Anasco of one of 
 the adventures of the army ; and though the conflicts with 
 Vitachuco were by far the most severe of any so far ex 
 perienced, they were by no means the only occasions of 
 serious hostile encounters with the natives. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Departure Surplus stores Mucozo s reward On the march Night 
 attack A strong shot The great swamp and lake Forced 
 marches Attacked by the Apalachees Our ranks broken Hand- 
 to-hand fight Fall of the Indian leader A dear-bought victory 
 No rest for us Our continued losses False statement of Indians 
 De Soto comes to our aid Reach headquarters. 
 
 FOR several days all was bustle and excitement with us 
 at the town of Ucita, carrying out the orders for 
 evacuation. The caravel was first made ready and sent 
 off to Havafiah. The two brigantines were next refitted, 
 laden with necessary stores and materials, and, under the 
 command of Juan de Anasco, sailed away along the 
 western coast for the Bay of Aute. The rest of us 
 seventy horse and fifty foot were to march inland on the 
 track of the army, under the command of Pedro Calderon, 
 to join the Governor in his winter quarters at Anhayca. 
 
 After everything had been arranged, there remained 
 quantities of stores which we could not take with us 
 such as cassara bread, cloth and clothing, cuirasses, helmets, 
 bucklers, lances and pikes, besides sea stores in great 
 variety, and much unwrought steel and iron ; the Governor 
 having provided a profusion of everything for the expedition. 
 What was to be done with these superfluous commodities 
 became a question. There were no means of preserving 
 them for our possible use in the future. To destroy them 
 by fire, or by casting them into the sea, seemed a pity; 
 but to leave them to be seized upon by Ucita after our 
 departure was wholly out of the question. In this difficulty 
 I suggested that they should be given to Mucozo, repre 
 senting that his friendship towards the Spaniards was 
 unquestionable, and that any advantages this accession of 
 wealth would confer upon him would be advantages over 
 our enemies. Before this, Mucozo had visited the camp, 
 
 57 
 
58 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 and had remained the guest of the army for eight days, 
 making an excellent impression. I was rejoiced to be able 
 to receive him with proper hospitality, and to repay, to 
 some extent, the services he had rendered me. I made 
 him what presents I could out of my own effects, and gave 
 into his charge a rosary and cross of ivory, which I begged 
 him to have carefully conveyed to Aymay, with assurances 
 of my unalterable love, and hopes for our meeting again at 
 some future time. 
 
 It was decided with little hesitation that Mucozo should 
 have the superfluous stores ; and the friendly and humane 
 cacique was astonished at hearing that he was at once to 
 be made the sole owner of what to him was incalculable 
 riches. By my advice he brought most of his people down 
 to the harbour : and to me it was a pleasant sight, during 
 the four remaining days of our stay, to see his Indians 
 incessantly going to and fro, like armies of ants, bearing 
 off the presents to his capital. 
 
 Everything being provided for, we set out on our march 
 to join De Soto, leaving behind us the gardens and fields 
 in full vegetation. At the earnest request of Mucozo, 
 we first directed our march through his country, though 
 it was not the direct route. On the evening of the second 
 day s march we reached his village capital, so familiar to 
 me, and were welcomed by him and his people with the 
 most profuse hospitality. The next day, as our leader 
 would not delay longer, Mucozo accompanied us on our 
 march as far as his own frontier, and then took leave of us 
 with many expressions of regret and renewed assurances of 
 friendship. That evening we encamped near a forest. In 
 the dead of the night the camp was suddenly attacked by 
 a body of Indians. The Spaniards sprang to their arms, 
 and the Indians were quickly put to flight and driven into 
 the wood. No sooner, however, had we returned to the 
 camp than the Indians were once more on our track, and 
 in this manner they annoyed us all night long. 
 
 In one of those skirmishes an Indian, bolder than the 
 rest, advanced far into the open, and gave me an oppor 
 tunity (I being mounted) of cutting him off from the forest. 
 Seeing that I must soon overtake him, he turned suddenly 
 round, and fixing an arrow in his bow, discharged it at me 
 with a good aim. The arrow struck the horse I was riding 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 59 
 
 in the chest, and almost at the same moment I ran the 
 Indian through with my lance, so that all three the 
 Indian, myself, and the horse rolled together on the 
 ground. Both the Indian and the horse were mortally 
 wounded, and died within a few minutes. It was thought 
 at the time that this Indian must have been the leader of 
 the attacking party, for after his death we were no more 
 troubled that night. After daybreak I went to the place 
 where the Indian lay dead, and, on closely examining his 
 features, I recognised him as one of the chief warriors 
 of Ucita ; thus clearly proving that this relentless man was 
 still pursuing his revenge against the Spaniards. The horse 
 was the property of Gonzalo Silvester, who, being ill, had 
 lent it to me for the occasion. It was a large and powerful 
 animal, and much surprise was occasioned by its sudden 
 death merely by an arrow; but on opening the body it 
 was found that the shaft had passed through the breast, 
 pierced the heart, and penetrated to the intestines, so great 
 was the force by which it had been discharged. 
 
 Next morning we found the trail of the army, and pur 
 sued it to the margin of a great swamp with a great lake in 
 the centre. There we remained for the night. It was at 
 this place that De Soto had experienced most strenuous 
 opposition from the Indians, and had sufTered severe losses. 
 Here also it was that the Indians had defeated Navarez ten 
 years before, and driven him back towards the coast. We, 
 however, escaped molestation, although from what Juan de 
 Anasco had told us we fully expected to have to fight our 
 way across the swamps and lake. 
 
 Having passed this dangerous place we made forced 
 marches for several days, the mounted men changing places 
 with the foot soldiers from time to time. We found 
 abundant food in the abandoned villages, but saw no 
 Indians, the whole country being as silent as if it were 
 uninhabited. At length we reached the country of the 
 formidable Apalachees, and came to a narrow pass in the 
 forest. Hardly had we entered this when the Indians 
 rushed upon us from all sides, with terrific yells and a 
 shower of arrows. At the first discharge one of our horses 
 was killed and five wounded, and ten of our men were also 
 wounded. The suddenness of the attack, the restiveness of 
 the horses, and the yells of the hordes of natives, produced 
 
60 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 a scene of wild confusion which broke up our ranks. A 
 formidable band of the enemy, led by a warrior with a large 
 plume of feathers upon his head, but in other respects 
 perfectly naked, bore down upon us with a great shout. I 
 happened to be near Gonzalo Silvester, in this part of the 
 field, and he shouted to me to shoot at the leading Indian, 
 who was evidently the chief. For the better accomplish 
 ment of this purpose we both ran to the shelter of a large 
 tree, but were perceived by the Indian, who divined our 
 purpose. He discharged three arrows at us in rapid 
 succession, and with unerring aim ; but Silvester had picked 
 up a thick quilted Indian garment which had become 
 saturated with water. This he used as a defence, and it 
 proved quite effectual in arresting the flight of the arrows. 
 It was now my turn ; and with a good aim and a strong pull 
 I sent an arrow well home into the chest of the Indian. 
 He staggered a few paces, and, shouting out something to 
 his followers, was caught in their arms and borne from 
 the field. 
 
 The combat was not less furious in other parts, and we 
 began to lose ground. Only about fifty of our number 
 could be brought into the fight, and our cavalry could 
 render no service in the narrow spaces between the trees. 
 The struggle with us was becoming one for life, and we 
 fought desperately ; but all of a sudden the ardour of the 
 Indians appeared checked, and they began slowly to retreat, 
 keeping up, however, a constant discharge of arrows. The 
 news of their chief having been mortally wounded had spread 
 amongst them, and discouraged them. Seeing these signs 
 of faltering, we rallied, charged, and drove them off the 
 field. But it was a dear-bought victory. There were few 
 of us who were not wounded, though none mortally. We 
 passed a restless and wakeful night, the wounded bemoan 
 ing their injuries, and anxiously listening to the dismal 
 howlings of the Indians, who hovered around our encamp 
 ment until dawn. The one lucky shot which laid low the 
 Indian chief had probably saved us from entire destruction. 
 
 In the morning, having done all that was possible for 
 the wounded, we resumed our march with a bold front, the 
 Indians falling back before us and annoying us all the time 
 by discharges of arrows, inflicting upon us several more 
 wounds. In this way we marched for five leagues, and 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 6 1 
 
 came to an open country where we could use our cavalry. 
 Here it was absolutely necessary to take some rest, for the 
 sake of the wounded, and we accordingly entrenched our 
 selves as best we could. But as soon as night set in, the 
 Indians were again upon us with dreadful yells. Our 
 horsemen quickly turned out and chased them off; but all 
 night long they repeated the same tactics, to our great 
 annoyance. 
 
 Next morning we resumed our march, exposed to con 
 stant assaults wherever there were any woods. The Indians 
 shouted to us repeatedly that they had already killed our 
 chief and all his warriors, and would soon make an end of 
 us, calling us murderers, robbers and vagabonds. During 
 this day another horse was killed, and further wounds 
 inflicted on men and animals. We had to go slowly, as well 
 on account of the attack of the enemy as because of the 
 number and state of our wounded, several of whom did not 
 outlive their injuries. The statement of the Indians, that 
 they had killed our chief and all his army, gave us some 
 uneasiness, which was increased towards evening as we 
 approached De Soto s headquarters and saw no signs of 
 men or horses. We began to fear that the Indians had 
 spoken truly; but on drawing nearer to Anhayca our anxiety 
 was relieved by the pleasant sight of the Governor himself, 
 riding towards us at the head of a strong force of horsemen. 
 It appeared that he had come out to ascertain our fate, for 
 the Indians had also alarmed him by shouting out that they 
 had killed us all. He, like us, feared that this might be 
 true, and with better reason than we, for he knew how des 
 perately he had to fight his way, at the head of the main 
 body of horse and foot, over the same ground which our 
 little band of 120 men had to traverse. At Anhayca I was 
 pleased to find my cousin Henry alive and well, being little 
 the worse for all he had gone through. He was equally 
 delighted to see me, having long since given me up for 
 lost, supposing that I had been killed in the fight in the 
 woods when we sought to capture Ucita. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Safe at headquarters Anasco s voyage round the coast, and ride from 
 the Bay of Aute Discovery of a fine harbour at Achusi Message 
 to Havanah for supplies, etc. Rendezvous at Achusi for next year 
 (1540) Continued Indian attacks Our heavy losses A brave and 
 cool Indian We waste the country, and kill or enslave all natives 
 The gold question General discontent Grand conference 
 March to the north-east A long and toilsome journey Ap 
 proaching the land of Cofachique Wholesale slaughter of natives 
 by our Indian allies We get rid of them. 
 
 \\ 7E were now, to our great joy, safe at headquarters, 
 * V comfortably lodged, and hospitably entertained by 
 our comrades, who regarded us as heroes. Here we were 
 made aware of the situation of affairs. We found that Juan 
 de Anasco had arrived in camp before us, having safely 
 made the voyage along the coast to Aute, and then ridden 
 with a few troopers to Anhayca, to report to the Governor ; 
 who thereupon ordered Diego Maldonado to proceed to 
 Aute, and, by means of the brigantines, explore the coast 
 further to the west. This he had done, and had found a 
 fine land-locked harbour, called Achusi, capable of accom 
 modating a large fleet. This discovery greatly pleased the 
 Governor, as it was the kind of seaport he most desired in 
 view of his schemes of conquest and colonization, being 
 conveniently situated for receiving reinforcements and 
 supplies from Havanah. He accordingly despatched Mal 
 donado once more to the harbour he had discovered, 
 giving him directions to sail with the brigantine to 
 Havanah, and to return with reinforcements and supplies 
 of all kinds, by the month of October in the following year 
 (1540) ; he himself proposing, in the meantime, to make a 
 wide circuit through the interior of the country to explore 
 the surrounding provinces. 
 
 In our winter quarters at Anhayca we had been inces 
 santly harassed by the Indians, who lurked about day and 
 
 62 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 63 
 
 night in ambush, watching all our movements, and cutting 
 off anyone who ventured to stray beyond a bowshot from 
 the defences. They had learnt enough of our prowess to 
 make them refrain from attacking squadrons of our men ; 
 but small foraging parties were repeatedly attacked, and 
 individual stragglers were almost certain to be cut off. In 
 this way they killed more than twenty soldiers, and several 
 horses. 
 
 One day a foraging party of twenty horse and fifty foot 
 soldiers surprised a solitary Indian, whom they desired to 
 capture and enslave. The Indian fled with such fleetness 
 of foot as to make it useless for the unmounted soldiers to 
 attempt his pursuit, but he, seeing that some of the horse 
 men were gaining on him, turned at bay under a tree with 
 low and wide-spreading branches. Diego de Soto, nephew 
 of the Governor, galloped as close to the tree as he could, 
 and thrust at the Indian with his lance. The Indian 
 parried the thrust, and, in response, shot the horse dead 
 with an arrow. Another cavalier dashed up to the rescue, 
 and again the horse was tumbled over dead by a well-aimed 
 shaft. The two cavaliers then rushed upon the Indian, 
 who made off just at sufficient speed to keep a little ahead 
 of them, all the time taunting them with words and signs. 
 Having amused himself in this way, he disappeared in a 
 thicket, leaving the cavaliers furious at the loss of their 
 horses, and the ridiculous position in which they had been 
 placed. 
 
 There was no possibility of making peace with those 
 people, and accordingly the Spaniards showed them no 
 mercy, but treated them with all the rigours of war. Their 
 deserted villages were destroyed, and the country wasted 
 far and wide. Nearly all the natives who fell into the 
 hands of the Spaniards were put to death ; but some were 
 put in chains and kept as servants, being treated with great 
 severity. The country around was very fertile and populous ; 
 great fields of maize, pumpkins, cucumbers, and other pro 
 duce, extended as far as the eye could reach. A species 
 of wild plum grew in great abundance, and the rivers 
 abounded in fish, which the natives were in the habit of 
 drying for winter use. 
 
 The Governor was highly pleased at my return with a 
 knowledge of the Indian tongue, which he judged would be 
 
64 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 of the greatest service to him. He at once put it to the 
 test by causing me to question the captive Indians on the 
 subject of gold and silver. I found, however, that the 
 dialect in this part of Florida was different from that of 
 the parts nearer the sea; but I was, nevertheless, able to 
 make myself understood by the Indians here, and under 
 stand them in my turn. I soon discovered that they did 
 not fully realise the nature of our desire for information 
 respecting mines or deposits of the precious metals, though 
 gold and silver pieces, and stones set in rings of those 
 metals, were shown them. However, it seemed to be the 
 meaning of the natives who were interrogated, that there 
 was abundance of those metals, and also pearls, in a 
 country far to the north, which they called Cofachique. 
 
 So far, De Soto s ambition of rivalling the conquerors of 
 Mexico and Peru, by finding wealthy native empires and 
 rich mines of gold and silver, had been bitterly disappointed. 
 He had met, instead, enemies far more difficult to cope 
 with than Cortes or Pizarro had ever encountered, though 
 our forces were superior to any commanded by those con 
 querors in the earlier portions of their careers. Nine 
 months of terrible toil and hard fighting had brought him 
 no nearer to the realization of his hopes, and some of the 
 army began to think that what they had seen of this country 
 represented its true state throughout, and that it contained 
 no kingdoms like Mexico or Peru. Others were unwilling 
 to share in this gloomy belief, and chiefly because they had 
 engaged their whole fortunes in the enterprise, and could 
 only hope to repay themselves by important conquest and 
 rich plunder, failing which they would have to return home 
 broken, penniless men. In this respect De Soto was as 
 deeply compromised as anyone, for he had spent, and was 
 spending, enormous sums of money on the expedition. To 
 discover abundance of treasures was a main and common 
 object; but De Soto, up to this time, was careful to have it 
 understood that also an important object with him was to 
 subdue and colonize a fertile country, and derive therefrom 
 a revenue which would in time justify the great sacrifices he 
 had made, even if no mineral treasures were discovered. 
 The commission of the Emperor, as well as appointing him 
 for life Adelantado of Florida, also authorised him to select 
 for himself an estate thirty leagues in length and fifteen in 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 65 
 
 breadth, in any part of the country he pleased. Now that 
 the nature of the country had been disclosed, it was plain 
 enough that the more moderate object of De Soto was quite 
 attainable, and that with little difficulty he could establish a 
 great and prosperous dominion as viceroy of the Emperor, 
 map out for himself a rich private estate, and bestow fine 
 inheritances upon such of his followers as chose to settle 
 down in Florida. Many of these, however, being young 
 and ambitious men, had no inclination to fix themselves as 
 colonial landowners, but rather desired to find a shorter 
 way to riches and power. 
 
 All these questions were discussed at a grand conference 
 of the army in the spring of 1540, and it was finally resolved 
 that further efforts should be made to discover rich terri 
 tories before the colonization plan should be acted upon. 
 Accordingly in the month of March, 1540, De Soto broke 
 up his winter cantonment at Anhayca, and the army set out 
 to the north-east in quest of the land of Cofachique. During 
 the severe winter most of the Indians that had been en 
 slaved and put to menial work had perished through being 
 exposed, naked and in chains, to the inclemency of the 
 season, and through harsh usage, so that now, with few 
 exceptions, the soldiers had to carry their own requisites 
 and do the menial work. To the last, as from the first, the 
 dauntless Apalachees pursued us with relentless animosity, 
 and before we crossed their frontiers killed six more of our 
 men and wounded a number of others. In all, the army 
 lost nigh upon thirty men, and several horses, during the 
 five months of its stay in Anhayca. 
 
 Beyond the Apalachee country we came upon tribes who, 
 on the whole, were more civilized, and certainly better 
 disposed towards friendship and peace. The houses were 
 larger, and thatched with reeds instead of straw. They 
 were all very clean and bright, within and without, the 
 walls being smoothly plastered inside and out with a kind 
 of whitish clay. They had special cooking places or 
 kitchens, for preparing food and baking bread or cakes; 
 also spacious and airy lofts in the roofs, with floors of cane 
 or reeds, which they called "barbacos." Those barbacos 
 they used for storing corn, dried fruits, and other things. 
 The houses of the chiefs and lords had covered galleries in 
 front, furnished with benches of cane upon which to sit or 
 
66 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 lie ; also numerous barbacos for the storing of tribute goods, 
 such as maize, skins, and mantles. The Indians are very 
 skilful in dressing and dyeing the various kinds of skins 
 which the men use for clothing the lower parts of the body. 
 Their mantles are also dyed in a great variety of bright 
 colours. They are mostly made of the fine inner bark of 
 certain trees, and the fibres of a kind of strong grass, 
 beaten and prepared like our flax. Some coats are made of 
 cotton, and mostly quilted. The women wear one mantle 
 from the waist downwards, and another they carry over the 
 shoulders, leaving uncovered the right arm. 
 
 In those parts we had no stint of maize and other vege 
 table foods, nor was there any lack of flesh meats 
 chiefly deer and a kind of rabbit for which we were 
 thankful. Next to the want of salt, from which we had 
 long suffered, flesh food was our great need. The inhabi 
 tants of Florida have no domestic cattle, and though game 
 is generally abundant, the natives only kill what they 
 immediately want, having no means of curing the flesh. 
 We heard that to the north and west much use was made 
 of the flesh of a species of wild buffalo, great herds of which 
 wander over the plains in those regions. This explained 
 why we frequently came across mantles or cloaks made of 
 very thick and hairy ox-hides a thing we could not at first 
 understand, in the absence of all cattle, wild or domestic. 
 
 As we continued to march northward, we came to the 
 territories of a powerful cacique, who showed us great 
 friendship, and willingly promised to supply us with guides 
 to Cofachique, and also provisions. He sent us a need 
 lessly strong force of Indians as an escort, headed by a 
 chief called Patofa. The Governor suspected treachery, 
 and kept the army well on its guard ; but though, as it 
 turned out, the Indians had private designs of their own in 
 sending such a large force with us, they meant no treachery 
 so far as we were concerned. Their cacique was in a state 
 of perpetual hostility, if not warfare, with the natives of 
 regions through which we should have to pass on our way 
 to Cofachique, and his real object was not so much to assist 
 us, as to make use of our presence to avenge himself on 
 those hereditary enemies of his. However, Patofa and his 
 warriors behaved very well to us, and when we had wan 
 dered into wildernesses where food ran so short that several 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 67 
 
 of the swine had to be killed and eaten, our Indian allies 
 freely stinted themselves, and gave us all the food they 
 could spare. 
 
 After many weeks of toilsome wandering, and much 
 suffering, we came at last to the borders of a rich country, 
 studded with villages and hamlets, surrounded with far- 
 stretching cornfields. We encamped for the night in view 
 of this welcome land, Patofa and his Indians encamping (as 
 was usual) a little distance from us. But in the middle of 
 the night those allies of ours came stealthily from their 
 camp, entered into the fertile country, and sacked and 
 pillaged all the villages they could reach, slaughtering the 
 natives of every age, and taking their scalps to show their 
 cacique. Those ravages they continued during seven days, 
 to the great disgust and embarrassment of the Governor, 
 who found it impossible to restrain them. He at last 
 decided to get rid of those inconvenient friends ; so sending 
 for Patofa, he thanked him for his services to the army, and 
 dismissed him and his followers with many presents of 
 knives, trinkets, and clothing. Two days after this we 
 recommenced our march along the banks of a great river. 
 During that time we met with no living thing, but witnessed 
 many dismal and dreadful proofs of the ravages of Patofa. 
 For many miles the ground was strewn with the scalpless 
 corpses of men, women, and children, and with the burnt 
 remains of houses. Such of the natives as had escaped the 
 slaughter had fled far away, and we could find none of them 
 to trust us, as they doubtless thought we were in league 
 with their Indian enemies. But we were fortunately suc 
 cessful in coming upon some of their stores of corn, from 
 which we abundantly supplied our necessities, then very 
 great both with men and horses. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Arrival in Cofachique State reception of the Princess Aymay in her 
 train ! Display of pearls The army quartered A message from 
 Aymay Interview Ucita s designs frustrated Tuscaluza s plans 
 I communicate with the Governor Aymay to go with the army 
 Her religious instruction. 
 
 ON the afternoon of the third day the army halted in a 
 verdant region, covered with mulberry, walnut, and 
 other trees laden with fruit. On the fourth day we came 
 within sight of a town on the other side of a river. In a 
 little time six Indians of fine appearance were paddled 
 across to us in a large canoe. The Governor received 
 them with much courtesy, and assured them that his inten 
 tions were friendly, and he only desired a free passage and 
 food supplies. He learned from them that their country 
 was governed by a princess, who would probably be willing 
 to grant them a free passage ; but as for supplies, they were 
 at present small, owing to a pestilence the year before, 
 which had carried off a great number of people, and caused 
 the cultivation of the land to be neglected. At the close of 
 the interview they returned to the other bank of the river, 
 and shortly we saw a litter brought down to the waterside. 
 From this the female cacique alighted, and embarked in a 
 highly decorated canoe. A kind of aquatic procession was 
 then formed. First came a grand canoe of many paddles, 
 containing the six ambassadors, and drawing after it the 
 state barge of the princess, who reclined on skins and 
 cushions in the stern, under a canopy supported by a 
 lance. She was accompanied by eight female attendants. 
 A number of canoes, filled with warriors, closed the 
 procession. 
 
 As the young princess stepped ashore, and approached 
 the place where De Soto stood ready to receive her, all 
 were loud in their praises of her beauty, grace, and dignity. 
 
 68 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 69 
 
 I stood close to the Governor, prepared to act as inter 
 preter, but had little opportunity to share in the general 
 admiration, for as the princess and her train came nearer, 
 what was my astonishment at seeing amongst her attendant 
 damsels my own beloved Aymay, the daughter of the 
 cacique Ucita, who I supposed to be hundreds of miles 
 away ! A cry of surprise and pleasure burst from me, and 
 I was about to rush forward, but a private sign from Aymay 
 checked the impulse. I judged that, for some reason, she 
 did not wish me to recognise her openly on that occasion ; 
 and fortunately my exclamation was not noticed amid the 
 expressions of admiration which greeted the arrival of the 
 princess. For a moment or two I was confused and be 
 wildered; for it came into my mind that I ought not to 
 leave the Governor uninformed of the fact which had been 
 so unexpectedly disclosed, and which might be of impor 
 tance for him to know. On the other hand, the wish 
 which Aymay had intimated was entitled to my fullest 
 respect, and I could not tell of what importance it might 
 be to her. I determined, therefore, to do nothing for the 
 moment; for I judged the fact of Aymay s presence could 
 not be a matter of immediate importance to the army, nor 
 the necessity of disclosing it very urgent. My decision to 
 say nothing about it for the time being was also, in a 
 measure, enforced upon me by the necessity I was under 
 of at once attending to my duties as an interpreter between 
 the Governor and the princess. 
 
 The latter, having made her obeisance, seated herself on 
 a kind of stool of state, placed for her by her attendants, 
 and entered into conversation with the Governor. All she 
 said was in conformity with the previous assurances of her 
 ambassadors. Her country had been swept by a pestilence 
 during the previous year, and supplies were scarce; but 
 she offered to share with us a quantity of maize which had 
 been collected in the village for the maintenance of the 
 people. She proposed also to furnish us with guides to 
 enable us to procure further supplies of food from other 
 villages and districts. Meanwhile she very willingly made 
 offer of her own house for the Governor s accommodation, 
 and half of the village for that of his officers and principal 
 soldiers, undertaking that wigwams of bark and branches 
 should be put up for the rest. She added, that rafts and 
 
70 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 canoes should be provided for the army to cross the river 
 on the following day. De Soto, being extremely gratified 
 by her generosity, endeavoured, in the best manner he 
 could, to express his sense of her kind and hospitable 
 offers ; assuring her, through me, of the constant friendship 
 of his sovereign and himself. The cavaliers, too, listening 
 with admiring attention to her discourse, and the answers 
 she gave to various inquiries concerning her province, were 
 as much charmed with her intelligence and judgment as 
 they had been with her beauty. They were surprised to 
 find such natural dignity, grace, and true politeness in a 
 person brought up in a wilderness. 
 
 While the Princess of Cofachique was conversing with 
 the Governor, she was slowly disengaging a string of large 
 pearls, which passed three times round her neck, and 
 descended to her waist. The conference ended, she 
 requested the Governor to accept the string of pearls, 
 which she placed upon his neck. De Soto, having ex 
 pressed his acknowledgments, took from his finger a 
 valuable ring of gold, set with a fine ruby, and begged 
 her acceptance of it. She received it very respectfully, 
 and, placing it on one of her fingers, returned as she had 
 come. 
 
 On the following day the army crossed the river by 
 means of rafts and canoes, and found excellent quarters 
 in the village, there being plenty of vacant houses, owing 
 to the pestilence of the previous year. I was assigned 
 quarters in the Governor s house, so as to be near him 
 whenever he required my assistance in conversing with the 
 natives. I had seen Aymay in the suite of the princess 
 two or three times during the two days, but, as yet, had 
 been afforded no opportunity of speaking with her. I 
 resolved to wait as patiently as I could, and in no way 
 compromise her by any indiscretion on my part. I felt 
 sure, from her manner and looks, that she was only waiting 
 for the first fair opportunity of an interview. In this 
 I was right ; for on the evening of the day of our instalment 
 in our new quarters, an old Indian woman came to me 
 when I was alone, and showing me one of the ivory rosary 
 beads I had sent to Aymay, announced herself as her 
 messenger. The token was sufficient proof and credential ; 
 and I readily accepted Aymay s appointment to meet her 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 71 
 
 that night, two hours after sunset, at a point on the bank 
 of the river where a small stream fell into it. 
 
 As the hour drew near, I armed myself with bow and 
 arrow and a hunting-knife, as if my intentions were to go in 
 quest of game; but in reality I deemed it unadvisable to 
 go to the lonely place of meeting without having some 
 means of defence, in case of anything happening of an 
 unexpected nature. I passed carelessly and unnoticed 
 through the village and along the river s bank, but exercised 
 caution and circumspection in approaching the meeting- 
 place. I found my beloved one waiting for me beneath 
 a spreading oak. I pass over the raptures of our first 
 embrace, after so long a separation. She told me all that 
 had taken place since then how she had heard indirectly 
 from her uncle, Mucozo, of my safe arrival in his territory, 
 of my residence there, of my rejoining the white men, of 
 her joy at receiving the presents I had sent her, and her 
 sorrow at the news of my departure, fearing we should 
 never meet again. I was glad to learn she and her mother 
 and sister were not troubled on account of my escape ; 
 Ucita and the Indian lords thinking that I had got away 
 without assistance. On my part, I told Aymay of all that 
 had happened to me since I rejoined the army; and in 
 return she gave me an account of the causes of her being 
 in this part of the country, so far away from home. 
 She told me that her marriage with Tuscaluza had been 
 fully arranged and settled before he took his departure for 
 his own country, whither he had gone for the better 
 furtherance of the native schemes for resisting and de 
 stroying the Spaniards. Meanwhile her father, Ucita, was 
 to hang on the rear of the army in order to watch and 
 report upon its movements, and to take opportunities of 
 inciting native hostilities against the Spaniards. After 
 being away for many weeks on this duty, and just at the 
 beginning of winter, messengers came from him with the 
 news that he was staying in the country of the Princess 
 Cofachique, who was a near relation of Ay may s mother. 
 From hence it was his purpose to proceed to the south 
 west to join Tuscaluza in his own country, and arrange for 
 further operations against the Spaniards at the beginning of 
 spring. He sent orders for Aymay to join him in Cofa 
 chique in order to accompany him to Tuscaluza and 
 
72 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 become his wife, as had been previously arranged. She 
 had accordingly set out with an escort, and had reached 
 Cofachique by an easier and shorter route than that taken 
 by the army. By the princess, her cousin, she had been 
 most kindly received, and to her she confided her great 
 dislike for the marriage with Tuscaluza, and told her the 
 whole story of her acquaintance with me, imploring pro 
 tection against her father. She succeeded in winning the 
 sympathy of the strong-minded princess, who took occasion 
 to inform Ucita that his daughter should, not be taken by 
 force from her protection. Great was the anger of Ucita ; 
 but he could do nothing contrary to the will of the 
 princess in her own dominions. In the end he had to 
 proceed on his journey to Tuscaluza without his daughter. 
 Such was the account given me by Aymay. 
 
 During our interview and her narrative I was troubled in 
 my mind as to the course I had to pursue towards the 
 Governor. I felt that I ought to let him know what I had 
 heard about Ucita and Tuscaluza, and I did not see that 
 either the princess or Aymay would be in any way com 
 promised by the disclosure. This view I communicated to 
 her, and asked her concurrence in it. She was willing to 
 give it, providing I got the princess to consent also. This 
 condition being reasonable, it was arranged that Aymay 
 should speak to the princess on the subject without delay. 
 
 Next day the same old Indian who had brought me 
 Aymay s message came to me and gave me to understand 
 that I was free to make the state of the case known to the 
 Governor. I at once waited upon him, and told him the 
 whole story without reserve, excusing myself, as best I 
 could, for not having disclosed it earlier. He was much 
 interested in my narrative, and very willing to pardon me 
 for my reticence, which he admitted to be natural under 
 the circumstances. The same day he had a private con 
 ference with the princess and Aymay, at which I was of 
 course present. The whole matter was fully discussed. 
 The hostile designs of Tuscaluza and the Indians were no 
 news to the Governor, and the information in no way 
 affected his plans. His experience had taught him what to 
 expect ; and in the future, as in the past, he knew he must 
 be prepared to encounter the strongest opposition from the 
 natives. But in regard to Aymay and myself he specially 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 73 
 
 interested himself. His generous nature prompted him to 
 favour our love affair, but his judgment suggested many 
 difficulties. As a good Christian he could not countenance 
 the union of one of his followers with a pagan woman, nor 
 could he permit her to accompany the army in any equivocal 
 character. On the other hand, he agreed with me that to 
 leave her behind would be to abandon her wholly, and to 
 place her, sooner or later, at the mercy of her father and 
 the fierce Tuscaluza. 
 
 After a great deal of time had been given to the con 
 sideration of those difficulties, a decision was arrived at 
 agreeable to all interested. It was settled with the princess 
 that, when the army resumed its march, she, with Aymay 
 in her train, should accompany it to the confines of her 
 territory, and that in the meantime advantage should be 
 taken of the interval to instruct Aymay in religious matters, 
 so as to qualify her for Christian baptism. To this course 
 the Governor was inclined, as well from feelings of personal 
 kindness towards us, as because of the great service Aymay 
 would be able to render the army, conjointly with myself, 
 in intercourses with the natives. So the matter was settled, 
 to the great contentment of all concerned. 
 
 From that very day the religious instruction of Aymay 
 began. For the purpose she was placed in the hands of 
 Father Juan de Gallegos, brother of one of our most 
 distinguished captains, I rendering assistance as interpreter. 
 Aymay was very willing to be converted ; and not only in 
 doctrinal matters, but in the Spanish language as well, 
 she became very advanced before the army resumed its 
 march. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 The province of Cofachique and its people Inquiries about gold 
 Disappointment Vast stores of pearls Astonishing discovery 
 of European reliques Establishment of a Colony mooted Broils 
 with the natives Departure The Princess and Aymay accompany 
 us To the north-west A miserable land and people Strange 
 disappearance of the Princess and Aymay An expedition for gold 
 Another disappointment Large pearls How obtained March 
 to Cosa Friendly reception A prosperous country A soldier 
 deserts Want of salt Longing to reach the sea. 
 
 THE country or province of Cofachique is populous and 
 very fertile, and the land well cultivated. In all 
 respects the people are more civilized than any other 
 Indians of Florida, and appear to be of a somewhat 
 different race, as they themselves pretend. In complexion 
 they are lighter than other Indians, and are tall and well 
 formed in body and limbs. In character they are gentle, 
 frank and sincere, and more inclined to peace than any 
 natives we had theretofore met with. But they are not 
 wanting in courage, and at the time of our coming they 
 were carrying on a vigorous and successful war against some 
 neighbouring states. They had amongst them many cap 
 tives taken in the course of their wars, and these they put 
 to tilling the ground, or employed them in domestic labour. 
 To prevent their escape they had crippled them by cutting 
 through the sinews of one leg above the heel, or at the 
 instep. This is a cruel thing to do, but not worse than the 
 like barbarities practised by the ancient Greeks on their 
 captives, and by other nations, to be read of in histories. 
 In truth, the Spaniards themselves of this day have an evil 
 reputation enough for cruelty to slaves. 
 
 As we had come to Cofachique on report of gold to be 
 found there, the Governor lost no time in seeking to find 
 out what was known by the princess or her subjects about 
 
 74 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 75 
 
 the matter. I took up the inquiry by his direction ; but 
 I had some trouble in explaining what was desired, not 
 knowing the exact Indian names for the precious metals; 
 nor could Aymay help much. However, by showing 
 pieces of gold and silver money, rings, and jewels, the 
 princess came at last to have some understanding of what 
 was wanted. To the great contentment of the Governor, 
 she said she could find him plenty of the yellow and the 
 white metals. And, truly, in a little while thereafter she 
 sent to him several Indians laden with supposed treasures ; 
 but what was his mortification to find that the yellow metal 
 produced to him was nothing else but a kind of bright- 
 coloured natural copper, not unlike gold; while the 
 supposed silver was a light and scaly substance, which 
 crumbled into flakes in the hand, and did not seem to be 
 metal at all, or of any kind ! Thus quickly vanished the 
 golden treasures of Cofachique, of which we had heard so 
 much, and upon which we had so greatly relied, and come 
 so far to seek with infinite labour and sufferings. 
 
 To console our manifest disappointment, the princess 
 pointed out a kind of temple-sepulchre at one end of the 
 village, telling us it was a place where the dead princes and 
 great people of that nation were entombed, and that 
 within were great quantities of pearls, to which we could 
 help ourselves. She further spoke of another village 
 called Talomeco, the former capital of the country, about 
 a league distant, where there was a similar temple, only 
 larger and richer, which contained the bodies of her 
 forefathers, together with vast quantities of pearls and 
 stores of other valuable things. 
 
 Thither the Governor repaired with the officers of the 
 royal revenue, and several captains and soldiers, I amongst 
 others. The temple was about a hundred paces long and 
 forty wide, with a high roof of reeds. By the door were 
 giant figures of wood, carved with some skill, the largest 
 twelve feet high. They were in the likeness of Indian 
 warriors, grim of visage, and of threatening aspect, and 
 armed with various weapons. Inside there were similar 
 figures of different sizes, and all around the walls many 
 quaint carvings and curious sea and river shells. In this 
 place also were a number of wooden couches and benches, 
 on which stood boxes or chests, not unskilfully wrought, 
 
76 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 and in these were the bodies of the dead princes, left to 
 natural decay as in a charnel-house. Beside the chests 
 were baskets of cane, some filled with furs, and skin robes, 
 and mantles of the kind I have already described, that is, 
 made of the inner rind and bark of trees, and of a kind of 
 grass like flax ; also garments made mostly of coloured 
 feathers, like some still worn by the natives of those parts. 
 But above all there were many baskets full of pearls of 
 every size and in incredible quantities, together with pearl 
 images of children, and birds, and other creatures. The 
 contador, or intendant of the royal revenue, would have 
 made general spoil of those articles but for the interference 
 of De Soto, who represented that they were at present 
 exploring the country, not dividing it and sharing its spoils, 
 and that it would not be advisable to burthen themselves 
 with treasures at present. They should, therefore, only 
 take specimens of those riches to send to Havanah, and 
 leave the rest in their present state until they commenced 
 to colonize the country, when a fair division should be 
 made, after one-fifth had been set apart for the crown. He 
 distributed handfuls of large pearls among his officers, 
 exhorting them to make rosaries of them ; and he per 
 mitted the representatives of the crown to retain what they 
 had already weighed out. 
 
 Close by the principal sepulchre were several buildings 
 which served as armouries, and contained stores of weapons 
 of all kinds, arranged in the best order. While ransacking 
 those places we found a dagger and several coats of mail 
 of European make, and were naturally astonished at 
 meeting with such reliques in the heart of this unexplored 
 country. Questioned on the subject, the Indians informed 
 us that those things came from a seaside place, about 
 two days journey from thence, where many years before a 
 number of white men had perished. Their commander had 
 died soon after their landing at the place, and they quarrelled 
 and fought amongst each other as to who should take his 
 place. In this way many of them were killed ; others died 
 of sickness, and the few that remained re-embarked in their 
 ship and went away. Pondering over those statements, the 
 Spaniards concluded that those white men could be none 
 other than those of the unfortunate expedition of De 
 Ayllon. The account of the Indians agreed in all 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 77 
 
 particulars with what was known of the fate of the expe 
 dition. But certainly the sea could not be so near as the 
 Indians seemed to say; and, on closer inquiry and strict 
 computation, the Governor considered that the distance of 
 Cofachique from the sea must be five or six days journey, 
 not two, due east, and that the sea must be the Atlantic. 
 
 Pleased with the riches and fertility of this province, and 
 the amiability of the natives, many of the officers besought 
 the Governor to fix a colony there, urging that a lucrative 
 pearl fishery could be carried on, and a prosperous trade 
 established with Spain, either by sea or by the river. De 
 Soto, however, persisted in his design of first completing 
 his exploration of the country, and then meeting Maldonado 
 at Achusi. He pointed out that the country in its present 
 state would not afford provisions for another month ; that 
 they could always return if they found no richer country; 
 and that, meanwhile, the Indians would sow their lands 
 with maize in greater plenty. 
 
 During our long stay in this place our men became 
 somewhat demoralized, and broils began to break out 
 between them and the natives. These were mainly due to 
 the ill-conduct the rapacity and licentiousness of the 
 baser minded amongst us. It was manifest that our further 
 delay in the place would end in open hostilities and 
 bloodshed. The army was now restored to full health, 
 having been all the time well fed on corn and meat, and 
 well clad with dressed skins and mantles. There was, 
 therefore, no need for further delay, and the rapid growth 
 of ill-feeling made it advisable to move. To prevent 
 matters from growing worse, De Soto hastened his departure, 
 and signified to the princess to be ready to accompany him 
 with her attendants and guides, who could lead the army 
 in the direction he intended to take. He assigned her 
 a guard of honour, the command of which he conferred 
 upon me, and gave directions that she should be treated 
 with all the respect due to her rank. He also issued 
 stringent orders against any further misconduct by the 
 Spaniards, and showed himself so severe and stern in 
 punishing some who ventured to disregard them, that 
 all brawls between our people and the natives soon ceased 
 completely. 
 
 It was on the $rd of May, 1540, that we set forth on 
 
78 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 our march in a north-westerly direction. At the end of 
 a fortnight we halted for a few days rest in a very barren 
 country, the inhabitants of which were a feeble and peace 
 able people, who went nearly naked, and lived in a miserable 
 way on herbs, and roots, and wild hens, which they shot 
 with arrows. This, and a much more fertile province ad 
 joining, were under the dominion of the princess. 
 
 During our few days rest in this place a strange event, 
 and one peculiarly afflicting for me, happened. This was 
 nothing less than the disappearance of the princess and all 
 her attendants in the middle of the night. They were 
 lodged in a number of huts, a little way from our encamp 
 ment, one of which was occupied by the princess and 
 Aymay. No great precautions were taken, but at night a 
 guard was commonly set of two or three of our men, more 
 as a matter of ceremony than from any idea of the necessity 
 for protection, as there was no reason to suppose that 
 hostile Indians were in our vicinity. One night this duty 
 was assigned to two negroes and a Barbary Moor, who 
 were servants or slaves in the army, but also efficient as 
 soldiers. In the morning the whole party had disappeared 
 the guard and the guarded leaving no trace behind. 
 The princess had brought with her a small reed box filled 
 with large unpierced pearls, of great beauty and value, 
 which she had intended as a present for Aymay when she 
 parted with her. This also was gone. There were no 
 traces of a struggle at the spot, though there were some 
 doubtful indications of a number of Indians having been 
 about the place during the night. The nature of the 
 ground, which was barren and stony in the locality, did 
 not, however, permit of any certainty on this point. When 
 the matter was reported to the General, he caused every 
 inquiry and search to be made. The guides and male 
 attendants of the princess were questioned, but they ap 
 peared honestly unable to account for what had happened. 
 Horsemen were sent out to scour the country around, but 
 they brought back no intelligence. Opinions differed as to 
 the explanation of this mysterious disappearance. Some 
 thought that the flight of the princess was voluntary, and 
 gave as reasons for that view that she had reluctantly ac 
 companied the Spaniards to the confines of her dominions, 
 and feared that they might insist upon her going still 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 79 
 
 further with them, and to escape this had fled back to her 
 home. She might have persuaded the negroes and the 
 Moor to favour and aid her flight, by promises of liberty 
 and reward. This would be consistent with the absence of 
 any signs of a struggle, which must inevitably have taken 
 place if the case had been one of forcible abduction. 
 Others thought that the hostile Indians had, in their stealthy 
 way, succeeded in sweeping off the whole party, guards and 
 all, without causing an alarm, and without leaving traces of 
 violence. The princess had been treated with every kind 
 ness and consideration ; no open constraint had been put 
 upon her, and she could not reasonably suppose that the 
 Spaniards would see any advantage in forcing her to accom 
 pany them beyond the confines of her own dominions, where 
 alone she had influence. Nevertheless, the former view 
 was finally adopted by the Governor, though the conviction 
 clung to me that the elopement was forcible, and was in 
 some way the work of Tuscaluza and Ucita. But no efforts 
 had been spared to trace the fugitives, and with a heavy 
 heart I acknowledged to myself that Aymay was again lost 
 to me, and perhaps for ever. Still, I cherished a wild hope 
 that I might meet with her once more. I felt confident 
 and assured that she would never voluntarily abandon me, 
 and that whatever might have been the circumstances of 
 her disappearance I should surely hear from her again, if 
 communication were possible. I felt that the further ad 
 vance of the army into the wilderness would lessen the 
 chances of hearing from her ; but I did not despair in the 
 providence of God, and in my prayers I besought the 
 blessed saints to protect her and assist her in her desire to 
 become one of the faithful. This was all that could be 
 done for the time being. So we resumed our march, and 
 for five days struggled through a rugged mountainous 
 wilderness, with much toil and suffering. Gold, gold ! was 
 still our real quest, and constant thought. In one village 
 where we made a short stay, the cacique informed the 
 Governor that some thirty miles to the north, in a wild 
 mountainous country, there were mines of copper, and of 
 another metal which, from his description, might be gold. 
 De Soto at once sent off an expedition, which returned in 
 ten days with no better news than that the supposed gold 
 was only the same sort of fine yellow copper we had met 
 
80 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 with in Cofachique. While waiting for the return of the 
 expedition we collected from the natives a number of large 
 pearls, which, but for being spoilt in boring, would have 
 been of immense value. The natives get the pearls by 
 collecting oysters from the river and spreading them out on 
 hot embers, which likewise tended to injure them by fire 
 and smoke. 
 
 On the return of the expedition from the copper mines, 
 the army once more started, this time directing its march 
 towards a great province called Cosa, the borders of which 
 were reached in a few days, though a march of a hundred 
 leagues lay before us ere we reached the chief town in 
 which the cacique resided. Arrived there at length, he 
 received us kindly, and supplied us liberally with all we 
 required. He was a young man of about twenty-six years 
 of age, of a fine person and noble countenance, and 
 attended by a train of a thousand warriors, tall and well 
 formed, as were generally the people of this country. His 
 followers were in their finest array, adorned with long 
 plumes of different colours, and wearing mantles composed 
 of various furs and skins, many of them martens, scented 
 with musk. Being marshalled in squadrons, with their 
 gay plumes waving in the breeze, they made a brilliant 
 spectacle. 
 
 The village was situated on the banks of a river, amidst 
 green and beautiful meadows, irrigated by numerous small 
 streams. The country round was populous and fruitful; 
 the houses were well stored with maize and a small kind of 
 bean, and fields of Indian corn extended from village to 
 village. There were plums of various kinds; some like 
 those of Spain, others peculiar to the country. Vines 
 clambered to the very tops of the trees which overhung 
 the river. There were others in the fields, with low stocks, 
 which produced large sweet grapes. 
 
 The village contained five hundred dwellings, and as 
 they were very spacious, the captains and soldiers were 
 all well accommodated. De Soto was quartered in the 
 residence of the cacique. 
 
 During our stay in this village, a soldier of dissolute 
 character having deserted, concealed himself among the 
 natives, and was nowhere to be found. A negro, also, being 
 too infirm to travel, was left in charge of the cacique. 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 8 1 
 
 On August 24th we departed from Cosa, though the 
 cacique strongly urged us to settle permanently in his 
 country, or, at least, stay over the winter. But the 
 Governor declined for the present, at any rate, to do either, 
 as he was anxious to keep his appointment to meet Maldo- 
 nado, at the Bay of Achusi, in October. 
 
 Our hopes of finding rich mines and treasures of gold, 
 or wealthy native states, were by this time almost aban 
 doned, except by the more sanguine and least reasonable 
 of the army. This, together with the fatigues and sufferings 
 we had endured, and were daily enduring, made us long for 
 the time when we should safely reach Achusi and enjoy 
 rest and plenty, whatever might afterwards happen. In 
 particular did we suffer, and that very terribly, from want 
 of salt with our food, for in this part of the country there 
 is none to be had. This constant want engendered with 
 us a kind of putrid fever, which in one year had carried off 
 sixty of our people. The Indians made a sort of lye from 
 the ashes of certain herbs, and by using this with our food 
 the fever was prevented, though it did not cure the disease 
 when once taken. 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Departure from Cosa Reception by Tuscaluza His haughty bearing 
 Two soldiers missing March to Movill Advance to Movill of 
 part of the army The fortifications Treachery suspected Attack 
 upon, and retreat of the Spaniards Battle outside the town 
 Storming the town Fighting in the streets Firing the houses. 
 
 r "P HOUGH Cosa was a good country to colonize, it gave 
 J- no satisfaction to our quest for gold. The Governor 
 still hoping to find a land rich in gold, as the easiest road 
 to fortune remained firm in his resolve to search diligently 
 for such a country before settling down as a colonizer. He 
 therefore determined to sweep round towards the south-west 
 in a great circuit, terminating at Achusi. The course of 
 our march, he was well aware, would take us through the 
 country of the powerful and hostile Tuscaluza, but to this 
 the Governor did not object. On the contrary, he rather 
 desired to come to some sort of an issue with this redoubt 
 able chief, who appeared to be the very heart and soul of 
 most of the opposition the army had encountered from the 
 natives. " For," said he, in talking upon this subject with 
 me, " I do not despair of making him our friend by kind 
 and generous treatment, and by letting him see how much 
 he has to gain or lose, according to his relations with us. 
 And if he should resist all my friendly advances, and 
 remain implacable, I shall be free to treat him as an enemy, 
 and I shall certainly destroy him completely, and with him 
 the power and the influence he would use against us. As a 
 friend, he would be of immense advantage to us in our 
 settlement in this country; as an enemy, he must be over 
 thrown as soon and completely as possible." 
 
 In this frame of mind the Governor advanced with the 
 army into the territories of Tuscaluza, first sending certain 
 Indian messengers in advance to announce his coming and 
 assure the chief of his pacific disposition. Thus forewarned 
 
 82 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 83 
 
 of our approach, Tuscaluza made some preparations to 
 receive us in state. We found him posted on the crest of a 
 hill, which commanded a wide view over a rich and beauti 
 ful valley. He was seated on a kind of stool concave, but 
 without back or arms -similar to the stools used on state 
 occasions by all the caciques of the country. Around him 
 stood a hundred of his principal warriors, dressed in rich 
 mantles and decorated with plumes. Beside him was his 
 standard bearer, who bore aloft, on the end of a lance, a 
 dressed deer skin, stretched out to the size of a buckler, 
 yellow of colour and crossed by three blue stripes. This 
 was the great banner of this warrior chieftain, and was the 
 only military standard we met with throughout the whole of 
 our march. 
 
 Tuscaluza received the Governor with dignified but some 
 what haughty courtesy. Of myself, who attended the 
 Governor as interpreter, he deigned to take no personal 
 notice whatever, nor did he condescend to make the 
 slightest reference to having seen me before, when a 
 prisoner in the hands of Ucita. I confess that I felt some 
 what abashed and humiliated in the presence of this 
 haughty prince, my rival for the hand of Aymay, knowing 
 or feeling certain that he was quite aware of my pretensions 
 and must regard me with feelings of hatred, and probably 
 contempt. However, I discharged my duties as interpreter 
 with as much boldness as I could muster, under the fierce 
 looks of this formidable chief. 
 
 For two days the army rested at this place, being well 
 entertained during that time in accordance with the directions 
 of Tuscaluza. The march was then resumed in the direction 
 of a town bearing the same name as that of the chief. It 
 was the design of the Governor to detain Tuscaluza in our 
 company until some definite settlement was come to with 
 him ; but so far he seemed very willing to be with us, he 
 and his warriors taking very curious notice of all our 
 military movements and methods, of our arms and equip 
 ment, and particularly our horses. The Governor had 
 steadfastly endeavoured to impress him with our superiority 
 in military strength and resources, and had, at the same 
 time, sought to conciliate him by kind and courteous 
 treatment. On setting forth, the chief expressed a desire 
 to ride on horseback, and the Governor was very willing to 
 
84 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 gratify his desire. But it was difficult to find a horse 
 sufficiently large and strong to accommodate him; and when 
 at length a great pack-horse was chosen, his feet nearly 
 touched the ground as he bestrode it. In his dress and 
 flowing mantle of scarlet cloth (presents to him from the 
 Governor), and with his head-dress of tall plumes, he rode 
 amongst the steel-clad cavaliers of Spain, the grandest and 
 most conspicuous figure of them all. 
 
 A march of thirty-six leagues brought us to the town of 
 Tuscaluza, which was situated on a peninsula formed by 
 the winding of a river. The army encamped for the night 
 in a lovely valley close to the town. Next morning two of 
 our soldiers were missing, and no one could tell how they 
 had disappeared. It was not probable they had deserted 
 for they were both well-conducted men, and not given 
 to wandering ; and now that we were tending towards the 
 coast and the supplies awaiting us there, all the common 
 men of the army were pleased and contented. The dis 
 appearance was quite as mysterious and more unaccountable 
 than that of the Princess Cofachique and Aymay, and the 
 negro and Moorish servants. The Governor complained to 
 Tuscaluza, who replied in a very haughty and independent 
 tone; but as nothing could be proved against him for 
 certain, the Governor thought it wise to let the matter 
 drop. 
 
 The next day the march was resumed southwards, in the 
 direction of the fortified town called Movill, which was 
 the stronghold and place of arms of Tuscaluza, and stood 
 in the midst of a populous and fertile country. Owing to 
 the strength of this place, and the mistrust entertained by 
 the Governor of Tuscaluza, it was determined to approach 
 it with caution. The Governor himself accordingly took 
 the command of an advance guard of a hundred horse 
 and a hundred foot, and, in company with the cacique, set 
 out for Movill, leaving instructions with the camp-master 
 general to follow with the main force as soon as possible. 
 I accompanied the Governor. 
 
 Arrived before the town, a splendid train of Indian 
 warriors, clad in skin robes, and wearing brilliant plumes 
 of feathers, came out to meet us. With this escort, and a 
 troop of dancing girls, the Governor entered the town side 
 by side with Tuscaluza, in his flaming red dress and mantle, 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 85 
 
 followed by the train of horsemen in glittering armour. The 
 town stood on a fine plain, and was surrounded by a high 
 wall formed of huge trunks of trees driven into the ground, 
 side by side, and wedged together. These were crossed 
 within and without by others, smaller and longer, bound to 
 them by bands made of split canes and wild vines. The 
 whole was thickly plastered over with a kind of mortar, 
 made of clay and straw trampled together, which filled up 
 every chink and crevice of the woodwork, appearing as if 
 smoothed with a trowel. Throughout its whole circuit the 
 wall was pierced with loopholes, from whence arrows might 
 be discharged at an enemy, and at every fifty paces it was 
 surmounted by a tower capable of holding seven or eight 
 fighting men. Many of the trees which had been driven 
 into the ground had taken root and thrown out branches, 
 overshading the ramparts and forming a crown of foliage 
 around the village. There were but two gates to the place, 
 one east and one west. In the centre was a large open 
 square with the principal dwellings at the sides. The whole 
 number of houses in the place, apart from the mere huts, 
 did not exceed eighty, but they were of large size, and 
 capable of lodging from five hundred to fifteen hundred 
 persons. Many were built after the Indian fashion, with 
 one great hall in the centre for general use, and several 
 rooms around for private use. Those great houses belonged 
 to the cacique and the chief lords of the Indians, and were 
 constructed with more than common skill. 
 
 The square being reached, the party dismounted, and the 
 horses were taken outside the village. One of the large houses 
 was assigned to the Governor, and a smaller one near it to 
 his servants. The rest of the men were lodged in huts and 
 cabins about a bowshot beyond the walls. The Governor 
 was not well pleased with this arrangement, as it divided 
 his small force, and rather isolated himself, but he thought 
 it would do for the short time until the arrival of the camp- 
 master with the main body of the army. It was not long, 
 however, before suspicions were aroused. Tuscaluza, in a 
 haughty and defiant manner, left the Governor, who desired 
 to keep him near him, and went to one of the houses where 
 armed Indians were seen going in and out. It was also 
 observed by the Spaniards, soon after, that all the great 
 houses in the vicinity seemed full of armed warriors, and 
 
86 ADVENTURES OF ROGER I/ESTRANGE 
 
 that no women nor children were visible. Upon this, the 
 Governor caused the word to be passed quietly amongst 
 the troops to be on their guard and ready for action at the 
 first alarm. We had not long to wait, for scarcely had we 
 been put on the alert when the war-whoop of the Indians 
 rang through the town, and from every house they sallied 
 out and fell upon the Spaniards. Though vastly out 
 numbered, our men presented a stout front to the enemy, 
 only giving way inch by inch until they reached the 
 gate of the town and passed through into the country 
 beyond, leaving five of their number behind them slain. 
 The dismounted horsemen then ran to where they had left 
 their steeds tied up ; but so close were they pressed, that 
 some had only time to cut the halters and get away, whilst 
 the more tardy not only failed to free their horses, but were 
 shot down by innumerable arrows, amidst the exultant 
 yells of the Indians. It was now quite plain that we 
 were the victims of a deliberate and well-laid plot to 
 massacre us. 
 
 The enemy, being in great force, divided into two bands, 
 one to press upon the Spaniards, the other to destroy the 
 loose horses and secure the effects of the army, which lay 
 in heaps under the wall and about the fields. Everything 
 fell into the hands of the enemy, except the baggage of 
 Andres de Vaseoncellos, which had not arrived. The 
 Indians conveyed the spoils into their town with great 
 manifestations of triumph. They knocked off the chains 
 of the slaves who had carried the baggage, and gave them 
 weapons to fight with. 
 
 Meanwhile the few cavaliers who had been able to mount 
 their horses, together with some troops just arrived in 
 advance of the main body, united their forces and en 
 deavoured to protect their comrades who were fighting on 
 foot. The approach of the cavalry checked the impetuosity 
 of the Indians, and afforded time for the footmen to rally 
 and form. Horse and foot, in two bodies, then charged 
 the enemy with fury, and drove them back into the village, 
 whither our men sought to follow them, but were assailed 
 with such showers of stones and arrows from the walls and 
 loopholes as compelled them to retreat. Thereupon the 
 Indians again rushed forth, some by the gate, others over 
 the wall, and, closing with the Spaniards, fought them with 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER I/ESTRANGE 87 
 
 reckless courage. They seized hold of the lances of the 
 horsemen, and some of them were in this way dragged 
 more than two hundred paces from the wall before they 
 would let go their hold. 
 
 So the battle swayed backward and forward for more 
 than three hours without cease, the Spaniards always 
 standing by each other, being few in number, and keeping 
 a front to the enemy, upon which alone their safety 
 depended. They found that they suffered more severely 
 when near the village, from the missiles launched from the 
 wall, and that their best chance was in the open field, 
 where they had room to manoeuvre their horses and wield 
 their lances. They accordingly kept away from the village, 
 arid the Indians, following them up, sustained great losses, 
 for, having no defensive armour, every blow was effective. 
 The Indians, perceiving the disadvantage to them of 
 righting in this way, finally fell back to the village, closed 
 the gate, and manned the ramparts. 
 
 Upon this the Governor ordered the cavalry, as being 
 best armed for the purpose, to dismount, and, taking 
 bucklers for their defence and battle-axes in their hands, 
 to attack the gate and endeavour to force a way into the 
 village. This force, two hundred strong, put itself in order 
 and dashed forward to the assault. It was received with 
 showers of arrows, stones, and missiles of various kinds, 
 and was so severely handled that it had to fall back. Again 
 it was re-formed and again advanced to attack the gate, but 
 only to be again repulsed with heavy loss. This happened 
 several times, but on each occasion the Spaniards were 
 able to inflict some damage on the gate before being driven 
 back. At length, in one final charge, our men forced the 
 partly-demolished gate, and entered the village in the midst 
 of showers of darts and stones. The gateway being very 
 narrow, those of them who could not readily pass through 
 attacked the wall with their axes. The face of the wall, 
 being composed of clay mixed with straw, was soon de 
 molished, leaving bare the crossbeams and their fastenings, 
 which formed the inner part of the wall. Over these the 
 Spaniards swarmed in numbers, and thus got into the 
 village to aid their comrades who had passed through the 
 gate and were being sorely pressed by the enemy. The 
 Indians fought desperately in the streets, and from the tops 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 of the houses hurled upon the Spaniards darts, stones, and 
 logs of wood, annoying them very much. Some of the 
 houses were stormed and captured ; but as the Spaniards 
 could not afford to retain possession of them, having no 
 men to spare for such a purpose, they decided to set fire to 
 them in order to prevent their being re-occupied by the 
 enemy. The houses, being largely composed of reeds and 
 other combustible materials, were soon in a blaze, and the 
 fire spreading rapidly from house to house, the whole 
 village quickly became wrapped in flames and smoke. The 
 fighting went on as desperately as ever in the midst of the 
 general conflagration, for the Indians would neither yield 
 nor retreat, although their final defeat was now evident, for 
 the whole of the available Spanish force was now in the 
 village. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 I am cut off in a house Preparations for defence Attack and 
 repulse of the Indians The fighting in the streets continued 
 De Soto leads a charge of horse "Our Lady and Santiago!" 
 The whole town in flames Great slaughter of Indians No 
 surrender The women fight like demons Tardy arrival of our 
 main body Clearing the streets End of a nine hours battle 
 Our terrible losses and deplorable state Good news from Achusi 
 Ships there Discontent of the army De Soto fears its dis- 
 bandment at Achusi Resolves to avoid the coast and again march 
 inland. 
 
 SO far I have merely narrated what was told to me of the 
 earlier part of the day s conflict, in which I had no 
 personal share. What follows is of my own experience 
 and knowledge. 
 
 I have said that a large house in the square of the 
 village had been assigned for the use of the Governor and 
 his attendants, and thither all the camp equipage had been 
 carried and stored. At the beginning of the disturbance 
 the Governor, before sallying out at the head of his force, 
 had ordered me to remain behind with a few men to hold 
 the house, and protect the baggage at all hazards. At 
 once I set about barricading the place and making prepara 
 tions to defend it to the last. We were thirteen men in all, 
 but only nine of us were combatants three cross-bowmen, 
 five halberdiers, and my trusty Indian servant, Choquo, 
 of Muscozo s tribe, who had accompanied and remained 
 with me ever since we left the coast. He was expert in 
 the use of the bow and arrow, and thoroughly faithful 
 to us. There were two other Indians, slaves of the 
 Governor, but sullen and unreliable. The remaining two 
 were a monk and a friar, who rendered us good help in 
 barricading the place, and afterwards by earnest prayers for 
 our delivery. Having closed every opening and strengthened 
 weak places, I made such a disposition as I considered 
 
90 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 best of my small force of eight men, and then anxiously 
 awaited events. We were left long unmolested, though we 
 could hear the shouts and yells of combatants and the 
 noises of battle sometimes far off, and sometimes near at 
 hand. The enemy had not troubled to assail the Governor s 
 house during the heat of their conflict with the Spaniards 
 beyond the walls of the village, thinking, no doubt, that it 
 was in their power, whenever they had leisure, to take it and 
 plunder its contents. When, however, they had retired from 
 the open and closed the town gate against the Spaniards, 
 they turned their attention to the house, not supposing that 
 it contained any Spaniards. 
 
 Their surprise was great when they found it strongly 
 defended, but they soon attacked us with great vigour and 
 persistency. Again and again they sought to break down 
 the great door, and to force an entrance by the now well- 
 secured window openings, but were each time driven back 
 with loss from our arrows, discharged through loopholes 
 and apertures left for the purpose by us in our defences. 
 At length they abandoned this line of attack, and turned 
 their attention to forcing an entrance by the roof, to which 
 hundreds of them mounted. Very soon they had made 
 three or four openings ; but so well did we ply our cross 
 bows and our faithful Indian shoot his arrows, that every 
 enemy who showed himself at an opening was at once 
 transfixed. Nevertheless our position was most precarious, 
 for should but a few Indians succeed in entering and in 
 engaging our attention, others could take advantage of the 
 circumstance, and we should be quickly overwhelmed by 
 numbers. There was also some danger that the Indians, 
 despairing of destroying us by other means, might throw 
 burning brands into the house and set it on fire. How 
 ever, there was nothing to be done then but to keep on as 
 we had begun ; and soon indeed the saints had pity upon 
 us, and, hearkening to the prayers of the reverend fathers, 
 who did not cease to invoke their aid, sent us timely relief. 
 The Spaniards having, as before mentioned, fought their 
 way into the town, soon arrived at the door of the house 
 and dispersed our assailants. Then we pulled down the 
 obstructions we had placed against the door, and rushed 
 out to join our comrades in this hand-to-hand contest with 
 the Indians. 
 
9 1 
 
 The tide of conflict had now turned decisively in our 
 favour. The battle had lasted four hours, and although 
 the Indians were now at a hopeless disadvantage, nothing 
 could quell their fury, and not one of them sought to fly or 
 beg for mercy. De Soto himself was in command, fighting 
 in the square on foot with the rest of the troops. But 
 waxing hot, and weary with his exertions, he hastened out 
 of the village, secured a horse, sprang into the saddle, and, 
 followed by Nuno Tobar, galloped back into the square, 
 lance in hand, shouting the battle cry of " Our Lady and 
 Santiago ! " Calling out to the Spaniards to clear a way 
 for him, he dashed into the thickest of the enemy, followed 
 by Tobar. They spurred their chargers up and down 
 through the masses of Indians in the square and principal 
 street, riding down some, lancing others, now right now 
 left, and leaving a track of carnage wherever they passed. 
 Those manosuvres greatly aided the Spaniards who were on 
 foot in attacking and dispersing the Indians. Meanwhile 
 the fire was raging through the village, and making horrible 
 ravages amongst the enemy. Many were cut off in the 
 houses (including women and children), and those who 
 threw themselves from the roofs were either killed by the 
 fall or slain by the Spaniards. At one time a strong wind 
 swept both flames and smoke along the street upon the 
 Indians, who, while thus blinded and bewildered, were 
 charged by their enemies and driven back ; but the wind 
 veering, favoured them in turn, and they soon regained all 
 the ground they had lost. 
 
 Maddened at seeing their ranks thinned, and their 
 warriors lying slaughtered in heap?, the savages called upon 
 their women to seize the weapons of the slain and avenge 
 their death. Many had already been fighting by the side 
 of their husbands, but on this appeal every one rushed to 
 the conflict. Some armed themselves with the swords, 
 lances, and partisans of the Spanish soldiery who had been 
 either killed or disarmed, and thus wounded them with 
 their own weapons ; others seized bows and arrows, which 
 they plied with strength and skill almost equal with that 
 of their husbands. In their fury they threw themselves 
 upon our weapons ; for the courage of women, when once 
 aroused, is more ardent and reckless, and her spirit more 
 vehement, than that of man. But the Spaniards, out 
 
92 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 of consideration for their sex, and in pity of their 
 despair, abstained as much as possible from harming 
 them. 
 
 While the battle was thus furiously raging at Movill, the 
 master of the camp was loitering by the way with his forces. 
 Instead of speedily following De Soto, as ordered, he was 
 tardy in leaving the camp, and on the march allowed his 
 men to scatter in the fields, hunting and amusing them 
 selves. And as for some time there had been little or no 
 trouble with the Indians, a feeling of security had been 
 engendered, and precautions were neglected. So they 
 came along unsuspicious of danger, till some who were 
 more in advance heard the distant clangour of drum and 
 trumpet and the noise and shouts of combatants, and 
 saw a great column of smoke rising in the air. Suspecting 
 the cause, they passed the alarm to those behind, and all 
 now pressed forward with the utmost speed to the scene 
 of action. There they found Spaniards and Indians still 
 hotly engaged on the ground without the town. The new 
 comers brought timely help to the Spaniards, but it was yet 
 a long time before the Indians were driven back to the 
 town, pursued by our horsemen. 
 
 It was now within an hour of sunset, but within the town 
 the battle raged as furiously as ever, the cries of the com 
 batants mingling with the roar of flames and the noise of 
 falling roofs and walls. As yet no horsemen had fought 
 within the town except De Soto and Nuno Tobar, but now 
 a great number of cavalry dashed in at the gate, dispersing 
 themselves through the streets, routing and killing all the 
 natives they encountered. 
 
 Ten or twelve cavaliers spurred up the main street, where 
 the battle was hottest, and coming upon the rear of a body 
 of Indians, male and female, who were fighting with the 
 fury of demons, broke through them with such impetuosity 
 as not merely to overturn them, but also several of the 
 Spaniards with whom they were contending. The 
 carnage was horrible, for the savages refused to sur 
 render or lay down their arms, but fought until all were 
 slain. 
 
 Thus ended this sanguinary struggle, which had con 
 tinued during nine hours. The village was a smoking ruin, 
 covered with slain, and victory declared for the Spaniards 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 93 
 
 just as the sun went down. Forty-two Spaniards fell in the 
 conflict, eighteen of them receiving their fatal wounds either 
 in the eyes or mouth ; for the Indians, finding their bodies 
 cased in armour, aimed at their faces. There scarcely 
 remained a Spaniard that was not more or less wounded, 
 some in many places. Thirteen died before their wounds 
 could be dressed, and twenty-two after. To this loss must 
 be added that of forty-two horses killed by the enemy, and 
 mourned by the Spaniards as if they had been so many 
 fellow-soldiers. 
 
 Our condition after the battle was truly deplorable. Our 
 loss in men and horses had been terrible; most of the 
 survivors were wounded, and all suffering from exhaustion 
 by fatigue and hunger. But the worst calamity of all was 
 the loss of our supplies, which had been destroyed in the 
 burning of the town. These included our ammunition and 
 spare weapons, cloth and clothing of every description, 
 medicine and surgical appliances, some wine and wheaten 
 flour (reserved for the office of the mass), and a vast 
 quantity of miscellaneous stores. Before this unfortunate 
 battle, the army, though reduced in numbers by previous 
 losses, was comparatively richer than ever in military and 
 other supplies ; after the battle, little was left beyond that 
 which happened to be in the possession of each individual. 
 There was but one surgeon to attend to the multitude 
 of wounded, and the greater part had to shift for them 
 selves. 
 
 It was now towards the end of August, and the nights 
 were cold and dewy; but no shelter could be had, for not a 
 house in the village remained standing. Booths made of 
 branches were constructed against such of the walls as still 
 stood, and in these the wounded were deposited on straw. 
 The fat of the dead horses and some of the slain Indians 
 was converted into ointment; and the shirts of the dead 
 Spaniards, and of some of the living ones, were cut up for 
 bandages. The night passed amidst bitter lamentations 
 and dying groans, many Spaniards perishing miserably 
 before morning. The army was unable to move for nearly 
 three weeks. Had any considerable force of Indians 
 resolutely attacked it during that time, it would probably 
 have been utterly destroyed. 
 
 In our desperate situation the cheering news reached us 
 
94 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L*ESTRANGE 
 
 that ships with white men had arrived at the sea coast, 
 whither De Soto had of late been directing his course. 
 There could be no doubt that this was the supply fleet of 
 Maldonado from Havafiah, which was to have arrived about 
 this time in the Bay of Achusi, from which, we understood, 
 we were only seven days march. Thus the end of our 
 sufferings appeared to be close at hand; and whatever 
 might be our varying views as to the remote future, we 
 all rejoiced at the prospect of almost immediate relief from 
 our present miseries. 
 
 As for the Governor, he had accomplished, so far, his 
 general design, though his highest hopes had not been 
 realized, and he had met with some bitter misfortunes. He 
 had made the wide sweep he had planned out originally, 
 from the sea to the north-east, thence northward and north 
 west, and then southward to his present position. He had 
 surveyed the interior of the country over a wide range, and 
 fully informed himself as to its nature, resources, and 
 capabilities, and of the character and disposition of its 
 inhabitants. The conditions he had discovered were 
 altogether favourable to his primary scheme of founding 
 a great Spanish colony, which would assure the possession 
 of all the provinces he had explored, and perhaps of all 
 the undiscovered and unknown parts of the country to 
 its utmost limits. Afterwards the search for gold could be 
 resumed with greater ease and advantage. His ships were 
 in the Bay of Achusi, laden with every requisite for 
 purposes of conquest and colonization, and it only remained 
 for him to take the final steps, and say the final words, to 
 launch the great undertaking. 
 
 But while De Soto welcomed the ships as supplying him 
 with the means of founding his colony, many of the soldiers 
 and gentlemen of his army welcomed them as a means of 
 escaping from an accursed land, where there were no rich 
 countries to plunder, and where they had experienced 
 nothing but hardships, losses, and disasters. 
 
 Some of them had been engaged in the conquest of 
 Peru, and contrasted the wealth of that golden empire 
 with the poverty of the land through which they had 
 recently struggled, where neither gold nor silver was to be 
 found; and they did not fail to dwell upon this contrast 
 when conversing with their companions. The Spaniards 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 95 
 
 generally were disheartened by the disasters of the recent 
 battle, and the implacable fierceness displayed by the 
 natives. They saw that such a people were not to be 
 easily subjugated. Instead, therefore, of wearing them 
 selves out in this unpromising land, it seemed better to 
 seek other countries already conquered and abounding 
 with wealth, as Mexico and Peru, where they might enrich 
 themselves with less risk and less toil. For these reasons 
 they determined, on reaching the sea-shore, to abandon 
 Florida and seek their fortunes in New Spain. 
 
 Secret information of these murmurings was brought to 
 De Soto by some of his most devoted followers. He 
 could scarcely credit it, and went through the camp at 
 night, alone and in disguise, to ascertain the truth. In 
 this way he overheard a conversation in the hut of Juan 
 Gaytan, the treasurer, in which that cavalier, and several of 
 his comrades, expressed their determination to abandon 
 the enterprise, and either sail for Mexico or Peru, or return 
 to Spain by the ships at Achusi. 
 
 De Soto stood aghast at hearing these resolves. He 
 saw that his present force would disband the moment his 
 followers could shift for themselves ; and he was aware 
 that it would be impossible for him to raise a new army. 
 He had no booty of gold or silver to display, with which to 
 tempt new adventurers ; and the specimens of pearls which 
 he had intended to send to Cuba were all lost in the 
 conflagration of Movill. Should his present forces 
 desert him, therefore, he would be stripped of his dignity 
 and command, blasted in his reputation, his fortune would 
 have been expended in vain, and his enterprise, which had 
 cost so much toil and trouble, would be a subject of 
 scoffing rather than of renown. De Soto was a man 
 extremely jealous of his honour; and as he reflected upon 
 these gloomy prospects, they produced sudden and 
 desperate resolves. He disguised his anger and his 
 knowledge of what he had overheard, but determined 
 to frustrate them by the desperate expedient of turning 
 his back upon the coast and striking again inland, not 
 going nearer to Achusi. In our lack of all supplies, this 
 was a mad thing to think of; but De Soto was no longer 
 as he had been. He had become moody, irritable, and 
 tyrannical, and his one thought was to keep the army 
 
96 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 together at any risk. There were murmurings and 
 threatenings when it was known what he purposed, but 
 the spirit of mutiny was overawed by his sternness. In 
 his best state of mind he was a strict disciplinarian, and 
 it was soon seen that now he would stick at nothing 
 in compelling obedience to the absolute authority given 
 to him by the royal charter. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 March northward from Movill De Soto changed Harassed by the 
 Indians Tuscaluza and Ucita Wintering at Chicaza Night 
 surprise Town fired Fierce battle Dear victory The camp- 
 master dismissed The hand of Tuscaluza Fresh quarters 
 Wretched plight of the army Break up of camp Another battle 
 Massacre of Indians An Indian challenge Our heavy losses 
 Ucita dying I baptize him Where is Aymay ? 
 
 ON Sunday the iSth of November, 1540, the army 
 broke up its encampment at Movill, and marched 
 northward into unexplored regions. About this time I 
 was taken more than ever into the confidence of the 
 Governor. He had shown me much favour from the 
 time he became interested in my relations with Aymay ; 
 and since he began to mistrust his own countrymen his 
 confidences in me became more frequent and intimate. 
 I was thus able to discover, to my sorrow and alarm, 
 that all his former energy of mind and precision of purpose 
 had gone from him, and that he was no longer capable 
 of attempting any great enterprise or forming any com 
 prehensive plan. He seemed like a man tired of life and 
 only desirous of having done with existence. 
 
 In our northward march we were again harassed by the 
 Indians, especially at the passage of two large rivers which 
 lay on our line of march. Up to this time we had 
 supposed that we had for ever disposed of Tuscaluza and 
 his followers at the battle of Movill, and indeed we had 
 been assured that he and all his principal warriors had 
 perished in that contest. But we gathered from some 
 prisoners taken in the late skirmishes that this was not so, 
 and that certainly Tuscaluza himself, having recovered 
 from wounds received in the battle, was once more in the 
 field against us, as relentless as ever, and resolute to drive 
 us from the country or exterminate us. This was bad 
 G 97 
 
98 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 news, nor was it ameliorated by what I ascertained in a 
 little time namely, that the vengeful chief Ucita had, since 
 the battle, joined Tuscaluza with certain reinforcements. 
 But of Aymay I could get no news. Of her the Indian 
 captives could tell me nothing, and I plainly saw their 
 ignorance was real. From this I judged she could be 
 nowhere in those regions, and had probably been taken 
 by her father to some place beyond the reach of the 
 army. 
 
 Always marching northward to increase the distance 
 between us and Achusi as quickly as might be we came 
 in time to a fertile province called Chicaza, and town of the 
 same name, the inhabitants flying before us. The winter 
 having now set in, and snow falling, the Governor resolved 
 to stay at this place till spring. The natives annoyed us 
 night and day, but did not attack us in force until one dark 
 and cloudy night, when they assaulted the town at once at 
 three different places. Having crept as near as they could 
 without alarming our sentries, they came on with blasts of 
 conch-shells, the rumbling of wooden drums, yells and war- 
 whoops, and rushed like demons to the assault. Many had 
 lighted matches resembling cords, made of a vegetable 
 substance, which, when whirled in the air, burst into a 
 flame ; others had arrows tipped with the same inflam 
 mable matter. These they directed against the houses, 
 which, being of reed and straw, instantly took fire, and, the 
 wind blowing strongly, were soon wrapped in flames. 
 
 The Spaniards, although surprised by this sudden and 
 furious assault, rushed out to defend themselves. De Soto, 
 who always slept in his doublet and hose, that he might be 
 prepared against such emergencies, clasped on his casque, 
 drew on a surcoat of quilted cotton an inch and a half 
 thick the best defence against the enemy s arrows seized 
 buckler and lance, mounted his horse, and dashed fearlessly 
 into the midst of his foes. Ten or twelve horsemen fol 
 lowed him, though not immediately. 
 
 With their wonted spirit, the soldiers started up in every 
 direction to repel the Indians, but they fought under great 
 disadvantages. The strong wind blowing the flames and 
 smoke directly in their faces, extremely disconcerted them. 
 Some were obliged to crawl out of their quarters on all 
 fours to escape the fire ; some, bewildered, fled from house 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L*ESTRANGE 99 
 
 to house ; others rushed out into the plain ; whilst some 
 flew to rescue the sick and wounded, who were in a dwel 
 ling apart. Before succour arrived, however, many of these 
 latter had perished in the fierce conflagration. 
 
 The cavalry had not time to arm themselves or saddle 
 their steeds. Some succeeded in rescuing theirs from the 
 flames ; others, who had fastened up their horses with iron 
 chains, because they were restive from high mettle, not 
 having time to release them, were obliged to leave them to 
 their fate and fly for their own lives. A few who were 
 enabled to mount galloped to the assistance of the 
 Governor, who, with a scanty band of followers, had been 
 engaged some time with the Indians. The other two 
 bodies of the enemy entering the village, simultaneously 
 attacked the Spaniards on each flank, and, aided by the 
 fire and smoke, made dreadful havoc. 
 
 Forty or fifty soldiers stationed at the eastern end of the 
 village, where the fire and the battle raged most fiercely, 
 fled into the fields. These were rallied with some difficulty, 
 and, with a company of twenty-four Portuguese cavalry, 
 joined in the attack upon the Indians, who were at last 
 beaten off and chased from the field. But our loss was 
 very severe. Forty men and fifty horses had been slain, 
 and a further number of each more or less severely wounded. 
 In addition, the herd of swine which De Soto had so far 
 brought with the army, was more than half destroyed by the 
 fire. This disastrous battle, following so close upon that of 
 Movill, made the Governor more gloomy than ever. The 
 camp-master, who had again been at fault this time in the 
 posting of sentinels was dismissed from his post, and 
 another put in his stead. 
 
 No one doubted but this surprise was the work of Tusca- 
 luza, though in the darkness and confusion he had not been 
 certainly seen. The manner of the plan and all the general 
 ship were his, and like unto those which had well-nigh 
 ruined us at Movill. 
 
 We shifted our quarters to a neighbouring village, called 
 in the Indian tongue Little Chicaza. Here we set up forges 
 to retemper the weapons injured by the fire, and to make 
 lances, shields, saddles, etc., to replace those which had 
 been consumed. We were all in a wretched plight for want 
 of sufficient clothing and covering for night use. Such 
 
100 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 skins as could be found were made use of, and the soldiers 
 contrived to make thick bed coverings or mats of long soft 
 grass and dried ivy. The Indians, exulting in the havoc 
 they had wrought, kept our men on the alert, particularly at 
 night, for it was feared that they might bum us out of our 
 new quarters as they had done out of the old. 
 
 At length, on the ist of April, 1541, the camp was 
 broken up, and after a march of four or five leagues we 
 came in sight of an Indian fortress, strongly constructed 
 and garrisoned by a large force of natives, who looked 
 like devils rather than men. Their bodies were painted 
 in stripes white, black, and red appearing as if clothed 
 with fantastic garments. Their faces were blackened, and 
 they had red circles round their eyes, which gave them a 
 ferocious aspect. Some wore feathers upon their heads, 
 and others horns. The fortress, which was called Alibamo, 
 was built in the form of a quadrangle, fenced with strong 
 palisades. The sides were each four hundred paces in 
 length. Within, the area was traversed from side to side 
 by two other palisades, dividing it into three separate parts. 
 In the outer wall were three portals, so low and narrow 
 that a man could not enter on horseback. Beyond these 
 there was a second wall, with three entrances, and behind 
 this a third ; so that if the outer wall were gained, the 
 garrison could retreat to the second, and so on. In the 
 last wall were likewise three portals, opening upon a 
 narrow and deep river that flowed in the rear of the fort. 
 So high were the banks of this stream, that it was ex 
 ceedingly difficult to clamber up on foot; they were 
 consequently inaccessible to horses. A few rude dilapidated 
 bridges were thrown across the river, affording a difficult 
 passage. 
 
 The Indians had constructed their fortress in this manner 
 that the Spaniards might not avail themselves of their 
 horses, but be obliged to contend with them on foot; 
 in which mode of encounter they fancied they were not 
 only equal, but superior to their enemies. 
 
 De Soto, having carefully reconnoitred the fortress, 
 ordered a hundred of the best armed horsemen to 
 dismount, and forming three squadrons, advanced three 
 abreast, and commenced the attack; whilst the foot, who 
 were less completely cased in defensive armour, supported 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROCSR L ESTRANCE lOI 
 
 their rear. The squadrons were ordered to attack the 
 three entrances simultaneously. 
 
 The Indians, who had until this moment remained shut 
 up in their fortress, perceiving the preparations which the 
 Spaniards were making for the assault, sallied out to battle, 
 a hundred men from each portal. At the first discharge 
 of their arrows, Diego de Castro, Louis Bravo, and Fran 
 cisco de Figueroa, were brought to the ground mortally 
 wounded. All three were pierced in the thigh with shafts 
 barbed with flint; for the savages, having gained some 
 experience during their warfare with the Spaniards, always 
 aimed at the thigh, which was never guarded. The 
 Spaniards, seeing their companions fall, shouted to one 
 another to rush in, and leave the Indians no time to gall 
 them with their arrows ; then, charging furiously, they drove 
 the enemy before them, to the very portals of the fortress. 
 The Spaniards rushed in with them pell-mell. 
 
 The carnage within the fortress was dreadful. The 
 savages were crowded together, and the Spaniards, re 
 membering the injuries they had received from them 
 during the past winter, gave vent to their rage, and 
 massacred them without mercy. As they wore no defensive 
 armour, they were easily despatched. Many, trusting to 
 their agility, leaped from the wall into the plains, and, 
 falling into the hands of their enemies, were instantly slain. 
 Many escaped to the bridges by the portals in the rear ; 
 but, in their haste to cross, several were jostled into the 
 river which flowed beneath. Others, pressed by their foes, 
 threw themselves from the banks and swam across. 
 In a short time the fortress was abandoned and in 
 the power of the Spaniards; but those Indians who 
 reached the opposite bank formed themselves in battle 
 array. 
 
 One of the savages who had escaped, desirous of showing 
 his skill with the bow and arrow, separated himself from 
 his companions and shouted to the Spaniards, giving them 
 to understand by signs and words that he challenged any 
 archer to come out and have a shot with him, in order 
 to prove which was the better marksman. Upon this, 
 several of our men proposed to accept the challenge, and, 
 out of the number, I was selected to do so, as a good 
 bowman. I accordingly stepped out from a clump of 
 
S OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 trees, where we had sheltered ourselves, and walked down 
 to the river bank opposite the Indian. Watching each 
 other s movements, we both drew at the same moment, 
 and, as I saw my arrow strike the Indian full in the breast, 
 I felt myself wounded in the neck. The arrow had, 
 however, only entered under the skin for about an inch, 
 and lay crossed in the wound, from whence it was readily 
 extracted by being cut in two. The Indian had fallen, 
 and was carried away by his friends, but whether dead 
 or alive it was impossible to say. His comrades made 
 no attempt to revenge themselves on me, and I went 
 quickly away, well pleased with my success. 
 
 In this battle we lost in all fifteen men killed on the field 
 or mortally wounded, in addition to several horses. At 
 muster on the morning after the fight three of our men 
 remained unaccounted for, and the Governor issued orders 
 to me to take a company of ten halberdiers and explore the 
 village in search of them. Choquo accompanied us. On 
 entering the village I found the chief streets encumbered 
 with smouldering ruins, and strewn with the dead bodies of 
 naked Indians, some horribly contorted, some ghastly with 
 hideous wounds, some partially consumed by fire. In 
 searching carefully about we at length came upon the dead 
 bodies of our three men, lying just within the doorway of a 
 half-destroyed house. They were close together, and near 
 them were four dead Indians, evidently slain by the 
 weapons of the Spaniards, before they themselves had suc 
 cumbed to overwhelming numbers. The floor of the place 
 was like that of a slaughter-house. 
 
 As we were engaged in preparing for the removal of the 
 remains of our comrades, in order to give them decent 
 burial, our attention was attracted by a kind of moan 
 proceeding from another part of the dusky room. Looking 
 about we saw a wounded Indian, propped in a sitting 
 position in an angle of the walls. My men were for des 
 patching the creature at once, pursuant to their merciless 
 practice \ but this I would by no means permit, holding it 
 to be unchristian to slay a wounded and helpless man in 
 cold blood, even though he be a savage and a pagan. 
 As I approached to have a nearer look at the Indian, I was 
 amazed at recognizing the only too familiar face of Ucita, 
 the father of Aymay, and my former master when I was a 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 103 
 
 slave amongst the Indians ! I went close to him to see if I 
 might assist him, and saw that he had a terrible wound in 
 his right breast, as if from a sword or spear thrust. He 
 was covered with congealed blood, and all the place around 
 him was in the same state, showing that he must have lost 
 a great deal of blood. The blood still slowly trickled from 
 the wound every time he breathed, and it was plain enough 
 that he was at his last gasp. 
 
 My heart was moved with great pity at this sad spectacle, 
 for though Ucita had treated me cruelly, and left upon my 
 body the permanent marks of his violence, he had done so 
 after the nature of the Indians. I remembered, too, the great 
 wrongs he had suffered at the hands of the Spaniards, and I 
 did not forget that he was the father of Aymay. I think lie 
 knew me from the time he saw me struggling to keep back 
 my men from killing him. When I came near to him he 
 pronounced the Indian word for " water," and I at once 
 despatched one of the men to procure some, meanwhile 
 doing my best to staunch the bleeding from the wound in 
 his chest, and place him in an easier position. For these 
 good intentions he expressed himself grateful, though it was 
 plain enough that his case was beyond all help. The hal 
 berdier soon returned with his steel cap full of water. Of 
 this Ucita drank deeply, and with the rest I sprinkled his 
 face and washed the wound, which I saw passed right 
 through his body from chest to back. The wonder was 
 that he should still be alive. As well as he was able he 
 expressed his gratitude to me for my attentions, and finding 
 him in this softened mood I made haste to ascertain what 
 he knew of Aymay. After a little hesitation he made 
 answer, but in tones so low and indistinct that both 
 Choquo and myself had great difficulty in understanding 
 him. However, we made out between us that the abduc 
 tion of Aymay and the Princess Cofachique had been 
 accomplished by him and a party of Indians. The princess, 
 he told us, had been sent back to her own country, well 
 content to be quit of the Spaniards. The two negroes and 
 the Barbary Moor had gone with her of their own accord. 
 As for his daughter Aymay, he had sent her away under an 
 escort to a place in the north-east, which he called Quil- 
 agha, the cacique of which was a friend and relation of his. 
 Something also he said in my favour, and of my difference 
 
v, 
 
 104 ADVElStTUlffe^OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 from other white Trien, alid - abou4i|the Spaniards overrunning 
 the country and destroying the^ndiiins, and of his present 
 willingness that I should protect Aymay if I again found 
 her. I took his hand in mine as a pledge of this, and he 
 seemed so to understand it, though hand-clasping is not a 
 custom amongst the Indians. 
 
 Ucita was now fast sinking, and incapable of further speech. 
 Then the thought occurred to me that, as a Christian, I 
 could do a last and inestimable service to this man whose 
 nature was so noble, and who had suffered so much at the 
 hands of Christians. Taking the steel cap of the halberdier, 
 which still had some water left in it, I told Ucita that it was 
 my intention to commend his soul to the God of the Chris 
 tians, by sprinkling him with the water. He did not seem 
 to understand me which indeed was not surprising but he 
 thanked me for what he perceived was some good intention 
 on my part. I asked him if there were not many things he 
 had done in his lifetime for which he was sorry, to which 
 he readily answered " yes." Taking this avowal as a suffi 
 cient act of contrition, and the only one possible under the 
 circumstances, I at once administered baptism to him and 
 barely in time for he fainted and died in a few minutes 
 afterwards. I had thus the consolation of knowing that I 
 had done my best to ensure the salvation of the father of 
 Aymay, and of believing that, however imperfect the rite, 
 the merciful Redeemer would accept it as sufficient, and 
 have pity in the next world upon the poor benighted pagan, 
 who had been so cruelly and undeservedly punished in this. 
 In the afternoon of the same day I returned to the house 
 with Henry Stanley and some of the soldiers, and, having 
 dug a grave with the tools we had brought with us, we 
 buried Ucita at the edge of the forest, and placed a rough 
 cross of wood above his remains. In the same locality we 
 buried the three Spaniards, placing similar emblems over 
 their graves. 
 
 De Soto commended me for what I had done for Ucita, 
 though he confessed he was not sorry to be rid of an 
 enemy so formidable and so implacable. As to Aymay 
 (suspecting my thoughts), he pointed out that he could 
 render me no assistance in any attempt to recover her. 
 She appeared to be in safe hands; and, at any rate, he 
 could not, in the present circumstances of the army, take 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE IO5 
 
 t- ~ 
 
 any action for her recovery. I could not but acknowledge 
 that all this was very reasonable. Aymay was beyond 
 our reach ; and even the position of her abiding place 
 was uncertain. Nevertheless it seemed to me that even 
 this vague indication of her abiding-place brought her 
 nearer to me, and I felt somewhat more confident of 
 meeting her again, though when, and by what means, I 
 could not then imagine. 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Again on the march Avoiding the sea A mighty river The Father- 
 water Misconduct of soldiers Boat-building Crossing the great 
 river (Rio Grande) Our most northerly point A salt lake and 
 river Getting salt A hideous and fierce race Our losses In 
 good winter quarters Despair of finding gold Wretched state 
 of the army De Soto s mistakes He decides to turn back Plans 
 for the future. 
 
 AFTER the fight in this place, we rested four days for 
 the comfort of the wounded men and horses. Then 
 we marched slowly, and, it must be owned, sorrowfully 
 towards the north, with a westerly inclination. This 
 course De Soto took for no other reason than that of 
 avoiding approach to the sea, which lay in the opposite 
 direction. It was at this time that he raised me to be 
 a captain in the army, which was a great honour for me, 
 and an unusual one to confer upon one who was not a 
 Spaniard and of noble family. But several vacancies 
 had occurred, and there was a difficulty in finding fit 
 and reliable men to fill them. Henry Stanley was 
 similarly promoted a few days afterwards. I had long 
 enjoyed some favour with De Soto, and shared somewhat 
 in his confidence, and he well knew that both Henry 
 and myself were free from the spirit of mutiny which 
 his own countrymen had displayed of late. 
 
 For seven days we traversed an uninhabited country, 
 full of forests and swamps, and at last came to the banks 
 of the largest river in all Florida, and, perhaps, in all 
 the world. The Indians in its vicinity call it the " Mische- 
 sepe," words which signify Father-water, and the Spaniards, 
 by common consent, gave it the name of Rio Grande, or 
 great river. 
 
 Coming to a village called Chica, the misconduct of the 
 common soldiers provoked the people, and we soon found 
 we had to reckon with a force of no less than four thousand 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE IO/ 
 
 well-armed warriors, headed by their chief. This caused 
 us great uneasiness, and made our position precarious, and 
 even dangerous. Not only had our numbers been greatly 
 reduced by losses in battle, but many of our men, owing 
 to wounds and sickness, were not in an efficient condition. 
 Then the country around us was full of trees, and cut 
 up in all directions by innumerable streams and channels, 
 so that, in the event of hostilities breaking out with the 
 natives, our cavalry would be of no use, and the Indians 
 would have every advantage on their side. 
 
 Considerations such as these made the Governor 
 anxious to maintain peace, almost on any terms. Ex 
 perience had over and over again shown that nothing 
 good ever came of these incessant conflicts with the 
 natives. Day after day men and horses were being lost in 
 purposeless encounters, and our numbers were diminishing 
 without any hope of obtaining reinforcements. Under 
 former circumstances, De Soto would have been in a 
 position to conciliate the angry cacique and his warriors 
 by liberal presents and apologies, but now he had only 
 the latter to offer and he did not spare them. The Indians 
 who had been made prisoners were given up, and all the 
 plunder restored ; and those acts, with a friendly visit from 
 De Soto, mollified the cacique, and induced him to make 
 peace. 
 
 After a rest of six days we resumed our march along the 
 windings of the great river, going very slowly on account of 
 the sick and wounded. On the fourth day we came to a 
 wide opening or plain, where we encamped, and commenced 
 building four large boats for the conveyance of the army 
 across the river, here half a league wide. The delay 
 thereby caused afforded time for the natives to gather on 
 the other bank, and in fleets of canoes on the river. At 
 the end of twenty days four large boats were ready, and 
 three hours before dawn they were filled with soldiers, 
 including four picked troopers for each boat. The rowers 
 pulled strongly across the river, and a safe and unmolested 
 landing was effected on the opposite side. The rest of the 
 force was carried over before sunset. The boats were then 
 broken up for the sake of the nails, as we were now very 
 short of iron ; and after a couple of days rest we resumed 
 our march. 
 
108 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 Our way for four days lay through a wilderness of swamps 
 and morasses, but on the morning of the fifth we saw from 
 the summit of a lofty ridge a pleasant country, covered 
 with maize and fruit trees as far as the eye could reach, 
 and at a short distance a large village of some four hundred 
 dwellings, situated on the bank of a river. In this village, 
 and others we came to in the same region, we were 
 hospitably entertained in some cases for days in succes 
 sion without any disagreement with the natives, strict 
 orders having been issued against molesting them in any 
 way. In this part of the country we obtained from the 
 natives a great quantity of the skins of deers, bears, 
 panthers, and wild cats, which we converted into much- 
 needed clothing. We here also obtained some Indian 
 bucklers made of buffalo hide, to replace those which had 
 been lost. A village named Casquin, where we stayed five 
 days, was the most northern point reached by the expedi 
 tion. The inhabitants told us that still further north the 
 country was not fit for cultivation, and but thinly inhabited, 
 on account of the extreme cold. Buffaloes roamed over it 
 in vast herds. Such tribes as were there were wild people, 
 who had no settled dwellings, and lived by the chase and 
 by fishing, and were very different from the natives of the 
 other parts of Florida. Nothing was known of the exist 
 ence of gold in that direction. 
 
 From Casquin our march took a westerly direction, and 
 then a southwardly one. At one place we came upon a 
 salt river and lake a most welcome chance, as the army 
 suffered constantly from want of salt. Eight days were 
 spent in making and storing a large quantity. The blue 
 sand along the borders of the lake was collected, in the 
 Indian fashion, and put into baskets wide above and 
 narrow at bottom. Water was then run through the baskets 
 to extract the salt, which was finally obtained by boiling the 
 water. 
 
 Tula was the next province through which we passed in 
 our almost purposeless march. Hitherto we had ifound the 
 natives of Florida handsome, tall and well-made, but the 
 people of Tula seemed to be of quite a different and inferior 
 race large mis-shapen heads, artificially narrowed at the 
 top ; frightfully tatooed about the face and inside and out 
 side the lips : altogether hideously ugly. Their disposition 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 1 09 
 
 proved as malevolent as their aspect. In a night attack 
 upon our camp they fought like fiends for more than an 
 hour, killing four of our men and wounding so many more 
 that our march was delayed twenty days. Their courage 
 on occasions was almost incredible. The morning after 
 their attack upon our camp some of the soldiers were scat 
 tered about examining the dead. Three foot-soldiers and 
 two horsemen were thus employed, when one of the former 
 saw an Indian watching from behind some bushes, and 
 immediately raised the familiar and alarming cry of 
 " Indians ! Indians ! " and rushed forward to the man. 
 The Indian, seeing he was discovered, stepped manfully out 
 to meet the Spaniard, armed with a battle-axe, which he 
 had by some means got possession of. Wielding it with 
 both hands, he caught the soldier such a blow as to split 
 his shield in two and inflict a bad wound upon his arm, 
 rendering him unfit for further combat. One of the horse 
 men then charged the Indian, who sought shelter beneath 
 an oak tree. The cavalier not being able to ride under the 
 tree because of its low extending branches, made several 
 thrusts at the enemy with his long lance, but could not 
 reach him. The Indian, watching his opportunity, rushed 
 out brandishing his axe, and smote the horse across the 
 shoulder, laying it open from the withers to the knee, 
 and depriving it of power of motion. At this moment 
 came up Gonzalo Silvestre on foot. He had not hurried, 
 for he thought two horsemen and three foot were sufficient 
 to manage one Indian; but seeing how matters stood as he 
 approached nearer, he hurried up with drawn sword to 
 attack the Indian. The latter, nothing daunted, advanced 
 to meet him, and again grasping the battle-axe struck at 
 Silvestre. The Spaniard was more guarded than his com 
 panion and managed his shield better, so that the blow was 
 turned aside, and the axe buried itself in the ground. At 
 once Silvestre struck with his sword, and that so effectively 
 as almost to sever the wrist of his adversary. The Indian, 
 seizing the axe with his other hand, leaped forward and 
 struck at Silvestre s face ; but again the blow was warded, 
 and Silvestre, with a sweeping blow of his sword, struck 
 the naked body of the Indian with such force as to cut him 
 in two at the waist, the sharp blade passing clean through 
 his body. 
 
HO ADVENTURES OF ROGER ^ESTRANGE 
 
 We were glad to have done with those ferocious savages, 
 whose friendship we could not gain, either by presents and 
 fair words, or by menaces and punishment. As soon, 
 therefore, as our wounded were in a condition to be moved, 
 the army resumed its march. In ten days we reached 
 Utiangue, about eighty leagues from Tula. The chief 
 village, of that name, was situated in a fertile but thinly- 
 peopled country. It was well stored with maize, beans, nuts, 
 and plums. The inhabitants fled at our approach, except 
 a few who were made prisoners and detained as servants. 
 The cold weather again coming on, the Governor decided 
 to winter in this place, and caused a strong camp to be 
 constructed in the centre of the village, fearing to occupy 
 the houses lest the Indians should set fire to them. The 
 village was also strengthened by strong palisades and cross 
 railings. The country around supplied abundance of deer, 
 and two kinds of rabbits one as large as a hare as well 
 as a variety of other game, both fowl and beast. We had 
 no stint of meat and provisions of all kinds in this place, 
 and the good food and long rest helped greatly to restore 
 the health of the army. 
 
 It now began to be acknowledged, even by the most 
 sanguine, that our hopes of finding a golden region were 
 delusive, and in this desponding view the Governor himself 
 shared. The desperate alternative of turning his back 
 upon the sea, lest his men should abandon him, had led to 
 nothing. Our force was diminished by nearly one half, 
 and the greater part of our horses were dead, and most 
 of the remainder lame, from being without shoes for more 
 than a year. The men were ragged and skin-clad, more 
 like a band of savages than Christian soldiers ; and suffer 
 ings and exasperations of all kinds had made them savage 
 alike in mind and conduct. De Soto had staked all on the 
 finding of gold, and had lost; and he now too late repented 
 of having abandoned his original design of joining his 
 ships at Achusi, and endeavouring to form a colony. It 
 was impossible, in the present plight of the army, to 
 remedy that mistake, or to make a direct march to Achusi ; 
 and the idea of wandering further into this unknown and 
 limitless land, and amongst its warlike inhabitants, in the 
 vague hope that gold might somewhere be found, seemed 
 little short of madness. 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L*ESTRANGE III 
 
 These considerations oppressed and overwhelmed the 
 Governor, and finally drove him to a resolution which, 
 under the circumstances, seemed the best that could be 
 formed. He determined to advance no further, but to 
 make the best of his way back to the Rio Grande, and 
 establish himself in some strong position on its banks. 
 Then he would have two brigantines built, in which some 
 of the more reliable of his followers could proceed down 
 the river to the sea and carry tidings of his doings to 
 Cuba, and thence procure reinforcements of men and 
 horses, together with supplies of agricultural implements, 
 flocks, herds, seeds, roots, and everything requisite for the 
 colonization and cultivation of a vast fertile countrv. 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Back towards the Rio Grande Another great river A weary march 
 A haven of rest Good town and pleasant country Two brigan- 
 tines to be built Explorations Site for a colony selected The 
 natives provoked to hostility A refractory cacique I am sent to 
 him My journey The cacique has the best of the argument He 
 detains me as hostage Choquo sent to the Governor I await his 
 return. 
 
 AS soon as the spring was sufficiently advanced, De Soto 
 broke up his winter cantonment and set out in the 
 direction of the Rio Grande. After several weeks of 
 weary marching, through a marshy and inhospitable country, 
 we entered the province of Anilco, remarkable as being the 
 most fertile and populous country we had found west of the 
 Rio Grande, and nearly equal in those respects to Cosa or 
 Apalachee. On reaching the town of Anilco itself, we 
 found it to be situated on a large river, which, we were 
 informed, emptied itself into the Rio Grande. It contained 
 about one hundred spacious houses, grouped about a central 
 open space or public square, one side of which was 
 occupied by the house of the cacique, built, as usual, on 
 rising ground. The country around was full of villages, 
 and well cultivated, the produce being maize, plums, and 
 various sorts of pulse and vegetables. The town was 
 abandoned at our approach, though protected by a strong 
 circular wall of timber and clay several feet thick at the 
 base, but thinner above. 
 
 De Soto resolved to establish himself in this part of the 
 country whilst the brigantines were being built. He pur 
 posed also, in the meantime, to explore the surrounding 
 regions, in order to select a favourable situation for the 
 colony he intended to establish. Orders were accordingly 
 issued for felling timber, collecting resins and gums (to 
 serve instead of tar and pitch), and for the manufacture 
 of spikes, nails, cordage, and other things. Whilst this 
 
 112 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 113 
 
 work was going on, an expedition was despatched across 
 the river to discover the nature of the country beyond. 
 It returned with a most favourable report. The name of 
 the province was Quigualtanqui ; it was of great extent, 
 very fertile, and with many villages, one of which, near 
 the river, contained five hundred large houses. The natives 
 had fled at the approach of the Spanish troops, who, 
 as usual, appeared to have misconducted themselves, and 
 aroused amongst the Indians a feeling of hostility. De 
 Soto decided that this province would be very suitable for 
 his colonization scheme, being both fertile and populous, 
 as well as contiguous to a fine navigable river. He 
 resolved, therefore, to take possession of it as soon as 
 the brigantines were built and despatched. He could 
 not expect fresh supplies and reinforcements to reach him 
 from Cuba before the end of the year, and the intervening 
 time could be devoted to the subjugation of Quigualtanqui, 
 which he hoped to accomplish by pacific means. 
 
 His present desire, however, was to conciliate and 
 secure the confidence of the people in his immediate 
 vicinity, and he accordingly sought by every means to 
 induce the cacique of Anilco to return and be friendly. 
 But the cacique remained obdurate, and at first treated 
 the native messengers, sent to him by De Soto, with great 
 scorn. Later on, he sent word to say that if De Soto 
 would send him a white ambassador as an assurance of 
 good faith, he would open negotiations for returning to 
 Anilco and befriending the Spaniards. This proposal did 
 not please the Governor, for he was very unwilling to place 
 one of his people in the power of the cacique, knowing, 
 as he did, that his means of rescuing or avenging him, in 
 case of treachery, were very deficient. Seeing the em 
 barrassment of the Governor, and knowing the matter to 
 be one of great importance, I thought it proper to volunteer 
 my services for the mission, representing to him that I was 
 the only man of the army who could at all pretend to 
 communicate with the cacique in his own tongue. I also 
 represented that the Governor had substantial guarantees 
 for my good treatment by the cacique in the possession of 
 his chief village and surrounding country. With much 
 reluctance the Governor yielded to my request, and 
 despatched me with friendly assurances to the cacique, 
 
114 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 and such few presents as our diminished stores could 
 afford. 
 
 I set out on horseback, accompanied by my servant 
 Choquo, and half-a-dozen other Indians to act as guides 
 and carriers. We started in the morning, taking a north 
 westerly direction. For some distance our way lay through 
 a swampy country, much cut up by ditches and streams, 
 diversified by occasional ridges of dryer ground, but all 
 more or less covered with a dense mass of growing or 
 decaying vegetation, consisting of shrubs and bushes, 
 forest trees, reeds, coarse grasses, and creeping and trailing 
 plants, all very wild, straggling, and tangled. After a time 
 we followed beaten tracks in comparatively open forests, 
 and made more rapid progress, the Indians being at all 
 times able to keep pace with my horse. At night we 
 encamped on an elevated piece of ground, clear of trees, 
 in the centre of which there was a bark hut or shed. This 
 I occupied with Choquo, the other Indians accommodating 
 themselves outside as best they could. The night passed 
 peaceably, and next morning we resumed our march with 
 greatly increased celerity, owing to the more open nature 
 of the country. Before sunset we reached the village 
 where the cacique had taken up his residence after his 
 flight from Anilco. 
 
 It was a place of not more than twenty large houses, but 
 we found it occupied by a disproportionate number of 
 Indians, doubtless fugitives from Anilco and vicinity. I 
 was introduced to the chief, and found him a fine man of 
 noble appearance, and about forty years of age. I gave 
 him the presents I had brought with me, which he received 
 with an air of indifference. I then explained to him, in 
 pursuance of my instructions, that the Governor desired to 
 have his friendship and alliance during his stay in that part 
 of the country. I represented that his only object was to 
 build boats as quickly as possible and then betake himself 
 to the other side of the river; that he wished to take 
 nothing by force, but would pay fairly for all he required 
 while he remained in the territory of the cacique. 
 
 The cacique, without making any reply to my proposals, 
 closely questioned me as to the motives of the Spaniards in 
 coming into a country so remote from their own. I told 
 him that all white people were curious to know about 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER I/ESTRANGE 115 
 
 strange and foreign countries, and their inhabitants. This 
 did not satisfy him, and he proceeded to further question 
 me in respect to the reports he had heard of white men 
 taking possession of countries belonging to the Indians, en 
 slaving the people and cruelly using them. I was obliged 
 to confess that such things had been done by white men, 
 but I endeavoured to make him understand that De Soto 
 was not a white man cf that kind. It was true that he 
 intended to make a settlement in the country, but he hoped 
 to do so with the consent of the Indians, for some caciques 
 had already pressed him to do so in their territory, believing 
 that the Indians would be greatly benefited thereby. It 
 was also true that he had fought with Indians and killed or 
 made slaves of many of them, but this had been in fair 
 fight, and according to the natural usages of warfare, and in 
 every instance the quarrel had not been of his seeking, but 
 was forced upon him by the unreasonable conduct of such 
 Indians. 
 
 After much more conversation to the like effect, in which 
 I fear I made but a poor apologist for much of the mis 
 conduct of our troops, the cacique became impatient, and 
 launched into vehement abuse of the Spaniards, denouncing 
 them as murderers, thieves, and vagabonds, who were not 
 content to live in their own country, but must needs come 
 abroad to plunder and enslave people who had done them 
 no harm. In reply I begged him to remember that at any 
 rate the Spaniards were now only desirous of leaving his 
 territory as soon as possible, and that if he objected to 
 their presence he could do nothing better than hasten their 
 departure in a peaceable and amicable way. He only 
 answered to this that he should consult his chief men 
 on the subject, and that in the meantime I must remain 
 with him. 
 
 I did not at all like the turn affairs had taken, for it 
 seemed to me that I was being detained as a prisoner or 
 hostage. I talked the matter over with Choquo, who had 
 heard all that passed, and he shared in my opinion as to what 
 it signified. However, to put the thing to the test, I directed 
 Choquo to bring me my horse as if I intended to take my 
 departure at once. He did so ; but on my attempting to 
 mount I was promptly surrounded by a number of Indians 
 and prevented from doing so. Upon this I again sought 
 
Il6 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 out the cacique and complained of what had taken place, 
 but he haughtily answered that what had been done was by 
 his orders, and that I must not presume to leave without 
 his permission, nor make further attempt to do so under 
 pain of being treated as a prisoner. All this he made very 
 clear, and there was now no mistaking my real position. I 
 was assigned lodgings in one of the smaller houses of the 
 village, which I occupied in company with Choquo, and 
 everything necessary was provided for us. My first duty 
 was to communicate with the Governor and let him know 
 what had come of my embassy, and what was my actual 
 situation. I resolved that if possible Choquo should be my 
 messenger, for he could supply the Governor with the 
 fullest particulars. In addition I scratched with the point 
 of my dagger a brief letter on the smooth side of a piece of 
 bark my servant had procured me. This I intended to 
 give Choquo, should I be able to make use of him as 
 messenger. 
 
 Next morning I procured another interview with the 
 cacique, and represented to him that the horse was a 
 creature requiring special food and treatment at the hands 
 of white men, without which it would become furious and 
 dangerous, and requesting him, therefore, to let it go back 
 to Anilco. To this he did not seem to see any objection, 
 but rather (as I suspected) saw in the proposal a means 
 of lessening my chances of escape, and accordingly (after 
 a brief conference with his friends) he gave the necessary 
 permission. Choquo had by this time become well 
 accustomed to horses, and not a little expert as a rider, 
 and I lost no time in sending him away with the horse and 
 my letter to the Governor. What I wrote was that I 
 regarded myself as a prisoner, and that Choquo would give 
 him all particulars, upon which he could form his own 
 opinion as to what was best to be done ; that for myself 
 I did not fear any immediate danger, and no hostile action 
 was advisable for the present, even if possible ; finally, that 
 I awaited his instructions, which he could safely entrust 
 to Choquo. 
 
CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Making the best of it I entertain the Indians They think highly of 
 me Return of Choquo De Soto s advice Conciliation a failure 
 I am still detained Plan of escape Humiliating failure Before 
 the cacique Ordered to be sent to a remoter province. 
 
 AFTER the departure of Choquo I made the best of my 
 position, as has always been my wont, and found now, 
 as on every other occasion, that the Indians, rightly taken, 
 are very compatible people, and easy to make friends with. 
 I laid myself out to gain their good will, and especially 
 that of the cacique, and did not find the task a difficult 
 one. He had admired my broadsword in the first few 
 days of my stay with him, and took particular interest 
 in the illustrations I gave him of its use. So I thought 
 it would be a graceful and politic act on my part to make 
 him a present of the weapon. I did so, and the gift 
 pleased him beyond measure, and established between 
 us a cordiality of feeling which had not previously existed. 
 To me the loss of the weapon was of no moment, for 
 I thought that if the Indians became hostile it could 
 serve me but slightly against a great multitude, and if 
 I got safely back to the camp I could easily supply myself 
 with as good a weapon. Besides, I had my dagger, a 
 serviceable two-edged weapon, which I carried inside the 
 breast of my leather jerkin. I had also in my possession 
 a cross-bow, a weapon the Indians had never before seen, 
 and the use of which they did not understand. I surprised 
 and delighted them very much by displaying its power 
 of sending a bolt or a shaft a great distance with much 
 accuracy, and made them acknowledge its superiority, in 
 both respects, over the ordinary bow, by actual competition 
 between them and myself. In such competitions the 
 Indians are always very good-humoured, never manifesting 
 the slightest ill -temper at being defeated, but, on the 
 
 117 
 
Il8 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 contrary, showing a genuine admiration for the victor. 
 But I think, perhaps, I gained more personal respect by 
 the good use I was able to make of their own bows 
 and arrows. 
 
 Their bows they make out of dark, coarsely -grained 
 wood, rather hard, and not easy to bend. It is good 
 enough in its way, but inferior to our English yew, or that 
 excellent variety of yew which grows in Ireland. The 
 yew, English or Irish, is lighter and more elastic, and equal 
 in toughness to the Indian wood. Their bows are long, 
 which is a good quality, but too thick and heavy. They 
 are purposely made so, for the Indians use their bows 
 as striking weapons, and very terrible blows I have known 
 to be delivered with them. They challenged me to a 
 competition in the use of their bows and arrows, and were 
 mightily astonished at my ability in their use. Only two 
 or three of their most powerful men were able to send 
 an arrow further than I, and none could beat me in 
 accuracy of aim. They took me for a wonderful man to 
 be able to use their weapons so dexterously, for they did 
 not know of my experience of their use at the time 
 I was the prisoner of Ucita and the guest of Mucozo. 
 
 Several days elapsed before I heard from De Soto, and 
 in the interval the cacique had said nothing to me on the 
 subject of the proposals I had submitted to him. At 
 length Choquo returned in company with an Indian from 
 Anilco, who brought a message to the cacique asking him 
 again to visit the camp, and assuring him that he would 
 there be free to go or remain as he pleased. De Soto 
 desired that I might be sent back with the reply, and 
 assured the cacique that, whatever the nature of that reply, 
 there should be no wasting of his territories, nor molestation 
 of his subjects, so long as the cacique remained peaceable. 
 To myself the General had sent by Choquo a letter written 
 with a charcoal point on a piece of skin. He said he in 
 tended to exhaust all means of making friends with the 
 cacique, and in no event could he provoke hostilities 
 with him. Fresh complications with the Indians on both 
 sides of the river had arisen, and it was absolutely im 
 possible for him to adopt any high-hand proceedings towards 
 the cacique of Anilco. For my personal liberty he was 
 much concerned, but he had no apprehensions for my 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE IIQ 
 
 safety. Should the cacique persist in detaining me I was 
 to arrange a plan of escape, and communicate it to him by 
 my Indian servant, and he would send a body of horse to 
 assist me at time and place fixed upon. This was the sub 
 stance of De Soto s communication. 
 
 I lost no time in waiting upon the cacique to again urge 
 upon him the advisability of accepting the proffered friend 
 ship of the Spaniards, and in any case to send me back 
 with a reply. He made answer that he could not yet send 
 a definite message, as some of his principal warriors were at 
 a distance, and it would be contrary to custom to decide 
 upon a matter of so much importance in their absence. I 
 judged this to be mere procrastination, for though there 
 appears to be some such custom amongst the Indians, it is 
 not of such stringent nature as the cacique pretended. 
 However, I said nothing of this, but contented myself by 
 observing that such being the case there was no reason for 
 my remaining longer, for he could send his answer later on, 
 or (if he so decided) come himself to receive the Governor s 
 hospitality. But to this the cacique would not agree, and 
 bluntly told me I could not go yet, for the Spaniards were 
 a faithless and cruel people, and I must remain with him to 
 answer for their conduct. This reply put a new aspect on 
 the state of affairs, and put things in their true light. The 
 cacique had no intention of coming to an understanding 
 with De Soto, and probably from the outset his only design 
 was to secure a hostage for the good behaviour of the 
 Spaniards at Anilco. On reflection I could not find it in 
 my heart very blamable on the part of the Indian to resort 
 to a trick of this kind, for it was exactly similar to what 
 De Soto had himself many times done in the course of our 
 march. 
 
 There was now nothing left for me but to devise some 
 means of escape, unless I wished to remain an indefinite 
 time in this place. I had the advantage of uninterrupted 
 communication with Choquo, who went to and fro without 
 hindrance, and with him I concocted a plan of evasion. 
 Having arranged all the details, I despatched him to the 
 Governor with a letter of explanation, requesting that, on a 
 day indicated, Choquo should be allowed to guide a body 
 of cavalry to a certain place, midway between the camp and 
 the place of my detention, there to await my appearance. 
 
120 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 Having left the cavalry in the proper situation, Choquo was 
 to come on to me, assist me in getting off, and conduct me 
 to the horsemen. Everything was to be done as much as 
 possible under cover of the night, and with every precaution 
 against premature discovery. Choquo returned in a few 
 days time with the information that everything had been 
 arranged, and that a force of horse was stationed at a safe 
 distance awaiting my arrival. It now only remained for me 
 to evade my watchful hosts arid get away as soon and as 
 swiftly as I could. 
 
 The house in which I was lodged was of comparatively 
 small size, but ample for my accommodation. It had 
 an upper story, which was usable as a store-room for native 
 produce. The lower floor, like that of most Indian houses, 
 was chiefly occupied by a common hall, from which some 
 smaller apartments branched off. One of these I occupied 
 as my private room. The walls of the house were of 
 trunks and branches of trees covered over with clay. 
 Though I had not been openly treated as a prisoner, there 
 were always some Indians in the central hall of my house, 
 ostensibly as a guard of honour. The doorway of my 
 room was hung with a reed mat, which effectually screened 
 me from the Indians when I retired. There was no other 
 opening in my chamber. My plan was to cut a hole 
 through the outer wall of my room, and through it escape 
 into the open. I made no doubt that once free of the 
 house, without having alarmed my Indian guard, I should 
 have no difficulty in getting clear of the village. Choquo 
 was to meet me at a place beyond the village, and we were 
 then to make our way with all possible speed to where the 
 horsemen awaited us. 
 
 Towards midnight, when all was still, I commenced 
 upon the wall with my dagger, a strong weapon of excellent 
 make and material. By its aid I made short work of the 
 clayey part of the wall, and soon pierced it through to the 
 outside. The hole was small at first, but I gradually 
 enlarged it, pushing through it the pieces of clay I removed, 
 so that they should not make a noise by falling inside the 
 room. At last I came to a thick piece of wood placed 
 diagonally in the wall, to avoid which I sought to enlarge 
 the hole in other directions. I found, to my consternation, 
 that a similar beam impeded my progress on the other side. 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 121 
 
 Those obstructions could not possibly be removed without 
 demolishing the whole side of the house; neither could I 
 cut them sufficiently away without an expenditure of time 
 on the work which would certainly frustrate my escape. 
 The hole was, however, of a good size already, and 
 sufficient, I thought, to enable me to squeeze through with 
 a little effort. I found, on trial, that I could get my head 
 through the opening, and this encouraged me to think that 
 I could pass the rest of my body through. But as I 
 exerted myself for this purpose, I became conscious of a 
 difficulty which I had not anticipated nor provided for. 
 I saw, by the feeble light of the waning moon, that the 
 ground outside was much lower than the floor of the room. 
 Now I was half way through, and tightly jammed in the 
 hole, but could I have touched the ground without, with 
 my hands, there would have been no very great difficulty in 
 accomplishing my exit. As it was, this was impossible, 
 and thus my hands and arms were almost useless in helping 
 me further through the hole, and my feet and legs wholly 
 so. I was only capable of a feeble vermicular motion, 
 which helped me but little in my awkward predicament. 
 Had I but foreseen this difficulty, I could have arranged 
 with Choquo to be outside the house to help me through 
 the hole. But it was too late now. I struggled desperately 
 to extricate myself, but the cross-beams seemed to tighten 
 more and more upon me. I could neither get forward nor 
 backward, in spite of the most desperate efforts. I was 
 bathed in perspiration, and well-nigh exhausted, when I 
 felt myself seized by the feet, and knew that I had been 
 detected by my Indian guards. I had made some noise, 
 sufficient to attract their attention and arouse their sus 
 picions. I was taken like a mole in -a ring trap, and that 
 so securely that the Indians were not able to extricate me 
 until some of them went round to the outside of the house 
 and dragged me by the arms through the hole. The 
 Indians hardly ever laugh, but on this occasion they went 
 very near doing so. They took me back to my room 
 without saying a word. Chagrined and exhausted I threw 
 myself on my bed of skins, and soon fell into a sound 
 sleep. 
 
 In the morning I was brought before the cacique, 
 who had been informed of my attempted evasion, I 
 
122 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 apprehended some rough treatment at his hands, but when 
 brought before him I was surprised and relieved to find 
 him treat the matter with a sort of sarcastic good humour. 
 He pretended to reproach me with ingratitude for the 
 hospitality bestowed upon me, but nevertheless declared he 
 had such a strong affection for me that he could not bear 
 to part with me, at any rate for the present. Having 
 addressed me for some time in this bantering fashion, to the 
 great amusement of himself and his followers, he went on to 
 inform me that he was going to send me to another and 
 remote province, where I should be safely kept and well 
 treated. For me, I said not a word all the time the inter 
 view lasted ; I felt that the occasion was not one for serious 
 words or argument, and I did not feel equal to joining in the 
 prevailing jocularity. I had not much fear for myself at 
 any time, for it is a rule with the Indians not to punish a 
 prisoner merely for attempting to get away, regarding the 
 desire for freedom as natural in every man and under all 
 circumstances. But I was anxious about Choquo, wonder 
 ing what he had done when he found I did not join him as 
 arranged. As I was being taken back to my house after my 
 interview, I was relieved to see him standing quiet and un 
 concerned amongst a group of Indians, for then I knew he 
 was safe and unsuspected. Later on he took an opportunity 
 of telling me of his night s adventures, which simply con 
 sisted in waiting for me at the appointed place until long 
 after the time fixed, and then, suspecting that something 
 had gone wrong, returning in the early morning to the 
 village to find that I had been detected in trying to escape. 
 
CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Sent as prisoner to Okanagan New friends Native copper Geo 
 graphical knowledge of the Indians Choquo brings news of the 
 army De Soto dead Disposal of the body The troubles of his 
 last days My anxiety and flight with Choquo How we lived 
 in the woods Approach to the great rivers The army gone 
 westward again. 
 
 EFFECT was given to my sentence of banishment that 
 very day. I was sent away from the village in the 
 charge of a band of twenty warriors, all fully armed after 
 their fashion, I being unarmed (except for the dagger which 
 I carried in my vest), but not in any way bound or harshly 
 treated. No objection was taken to Choquo accompanying 
 me. Our march, as well as I could make out, was generally 
 to the north-east. I observed the course as well as I could, 
 thinking that a knowledge of the direction might thereafter 
 be useful to me. We pursued our way for several days 
 through a varied country, mostly uncultivated, crossing one 
 considerable river by means of a raft, and fording several 
 streams. At night we slept in forest clearings, or in sheltered 
 situations on elevated ground. On such occasions the 
 Indians made a good fire, as well for the purpose of cooking 
 the food they had brought with them as for the sake of 
 comfort. One or more Indians always kept watch through 
 the night, and I was at no time permitted to be out of 
 sight. Towards the latter part of the journey we entered 
 upon a vast extent of cultivated land intersected by well- 
 beaten paths, and finally came to our destination, an 
 Indian village called Okanagan. The place contained 
 about forty large houses, some of which were two and even 
 three stories high, the upper floors being reached by stair 
 ways or ladders from the outside. Those upper floors were 
 of smaller dimensions than the floors beneath, so that each 
 had a kind of terrace all round it. At a distance those 
 large houses looked like pyramids with flat tops, 
 
 123 
 
124 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 The day after our arrival in this village I was introduced 
 to the cacique and his chief men, and courteously received. 
 No doubt my guards had explained to them why I was 
 sent thither, and brought some message from their cacique. 
 I was lodged with the family of a chief in a large house, 
 and well entertained. I was under no restraint, so far as I 
 could observe. I took the earliest opportunity of sending 
 Choquo away to communicate my changed situation to the 
 Governor, telling him to remain at the camp for instructions. 
 Meanwhile, I again resorted to the policy of making myself 
 as agreeable and useful to the natives as I could, and 
 cultivating their good will. I was completely successful in 
 attaining those objects. 
 
 The cacique was a man of about fifty-five years of age, 
 robust and powerful, but not tall like most Indians. I soon 
 became great friends with him, and in his company and 
 that of his leading men I greatly improved my knowledge 
 of the dialect of this part of the country. On his part he 
 was greedy for knowledge of the country of the white men, 
 and wanted to know all about their customs, manners, and 
 mode of existence, and also of my own personal adventures. 
 Of all I told him, nothing seemed to entertain him more 
 than the frank description I gave him of my adventures 
 when I was a prisoner in the country of Ucita, and the 
 guest of Mucozo. I gave him an account of the battle in 
 which I had been wounded and made prisoner ; told him 
 of my adventure with the panther ; of my escape to Mucozo; 
 of the manner in which I had been mistaken for an Indian 
 by my fellow white men, and nearly slain in consequence ; 
 of the enrichment of my friend Mucozo on our departure from 
 the town of Ucita ; of the various encounters we had with 
 the Indians, and particularly the great battle with Tuscaluza 
 at Movill; and of the tragic death of Ucita. In all my 
 narratives I sought to do full justice to the Indians, both 
 as related to their bravery, and to their moral qualities. 
 This pleased the chief mightily. Of Tuscaluza he had 
 some knowledge, and held him in high esteem, and my 
 account of the battle of Movill most deeply interested 
 him. 
 
 In a little time I became quite renowned as a narrator, 
 and, on occasions fixed by the cacique, the people assembled 
 from far and near to hear me tell of my adventures, and 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 125 
 
 of the great ocean, and the lands of the white men lying on 
 the other side of it. In return for such information I 
 endeavoured to extract as much knowledge as I could 
 about the surrounding regions, their produce and their 
 people. In this way I learnt much ; but as to the existence 
 of gold and silver in any quantities I could hear nothing 
 definite or reliable. The people had no ornaments or 
 objects of those metals, and did not seem to know what 
 they were. They possessed some pieces of pure copper in 
 a native state, and at first they thought this was what I 
 meant, until I explained to them that it was another sort of 
 metal I desired. They make little or no use of this copper, 
 and had no idea nor means of fusing it. They possessed 
 some pearls which they used for personal adornment ; but 
 here, as elsewhere, they were mostly spoiled by being 
 drilled with red hot copper spikes. As for great cities, they 
 declared there were none in that part of Florida, and they 
 had never heard of such places existing elsewhere. All 
 that I told them about Mexico and Peru, and the cities 
 discovered by the Spaniards in those vast empires, was 
 quite new to them, and not the least entertaining part of 
 my narrations. What they knew they told me without 
 reserve, and from them I learnt that the country to the 
 south-east, from the Rio Grande, was esteemed to be the 
 most fertile and prosperous part of Florida, and that the 
 great Tuscaluza was the most powerful cacique in those 
 regions, and indeed of all Florida. They told me that the 
 land far away to the north-west was inhabited by a people 
 different from all other Indians. Their language was 
 different, and their habits and manner were repulsive. 
 They scornfully spoke of them as being mere wild and 
 homeless savages, who wandered about in search of game 
 and lived very miserably. 
 
 I lived many weeks, agreeably enough, among those 
 people without being able to obtain the slightest informa 
 tion of De Soto and the army. I was becoming very 
 restless and uneasy in consequence, and began to fear 
 that I was quite lost and abandoned. I felt sure that 
 by this time De Soto must have moved away from Anilco, 
 and I wondered if he had quite given me up, or was 
 making any effort to recover me. From this state of 
 
126 ADVENTURES OF ROGER ^ESTRANGE 
 
 harassing perplexity I was one day relieved by the sudden 
 appearance of my trusty Choquo. He had come from the 
 army, and brought most startling news. This was nothing 
 less than the astounding information that De Soto was dead. 
 It appeared that, as I supposed, he had moved away 
 from Anilco, and taken up a more convenient position in a 
 town at the junction of the Rio Grande and another large 
 river coming from the north-west, the upper waters of which 
 we had crossed more than once before the army turned 
 back to re-find the Rio Grande. The name of this town or 
 village was Guachaga, and it was here that De Soto com 
 menced preparations for shipbuilding. Meanwhile he was 
 constantly embroiled with the Indians, in spite of all his 
 endeavours to establish friendly relations with them. In 
 particular, the Indians to the east of the Rio Grande haras 
 sed him incessantly, and gave the army no peace day or 
 night. This was the work of Tuscaluza, whose striped 
 skin banner was constantly displayed, and who himself was 
 frequently seen organizing and directing the Indian forces. 
 The Governor became a prey to vexation and despondency 
 on becoming assured that Tuscaluza had formed a larger 
 army than ever, and was busy in uniting all the Indian 
 caciques in a great confederacy against the Spaniards. His 
 dejection induced a fever which became rapidly worse, and 
 carried him off in a few days. 
 
 Such, in substance, was the news Choquo imparted to 
 me. He told me further that the Spaniards had tried hard 
 to keep De Soto s death a secret, fearing that the knowledge 
 of it would render the Indians more troublesome than ever. 
 They buried the body secretly at midnight, but they soon 
 perceived that the captive Indians they had amongst them 
 had found out the place of interment. Fearing that, after 
 wards, the body would be disinterred and dishonoured, the 
 Spaniards determined to dispose of it in a way which should 
 prevent this. They accordingly hollowed out the trunk of 
 an evergreen oak, which is a kind of timber so close and 
 heavy that it sinks in water, and into this cavity they put 
 the body, likewise placing therein some heavy stones, 
 nailing planks over all. Then, in the night, they carried 
 this rough coffin into the middle of the river and sunk it in 
 deep water. Choquo could tell me nothing as to the 
 intentions of the Spaniards as regarded future movements. 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER I/ESTRANGE 127 
 
 He knew that there was a new leader appointed, but nothing 
 else. He had long waited for instructions from De Soto in 
 respect to myself, and as soon as he was assured of his 
 death he had thought it best to make his way to me and 
 let me know everything that had taken place. 
 
 I was now in a position of much difficulty. I thought it 
 very probable that the army would abandon the country, 
 now that De Soto was no more, for he had long been the 
 only obstacle to this being done. If so, I should be left 
 alone in this pagan land, with no means of reaching a 
 Christian country. I must, therefore, promptly rejoin the 
 army, or I should be lost for ever. 
 
 I resolved to run every risk involved in another attempt 
 to escape. The first steps would be easy enough, for now 
 I was free from every form of restraint, and was in the habit 
 of going about as I pleased, by day or night. It had long 
 been obvious to me that the interest of my custodians in 
 my detention was not very intense. It was probably 
 thought, that at such a distance from the Spanish camp 
 I was safe enough if, indeed, any thought was given to 
 the subject. I discussed matters with Choquo, and we 
 decided upon immediate flight. He made some simple 
 arrangements for the journey, and retired into the forest. 
 A little before sunset I joined him there, and we at once 
 set out in a rapid march, Choquo leading the way. We 
 carried for our sustenance a quantity of roast maize, and a 
 large piece of dried deer s flesh. For arms we had our 
 bows and arrows, in addition to which I had my two-edged 
 dagger, and Choquo a good steel axe which he had got 
 with the army. During the night we marched with all 
 possible expedition through the forest; and after a short 
 rest and a hasty meal at sunrise, resumed our journey at 
 the same rate until noon. By that time we considered 
 ourselves pretty safe from recapture, even if pursued, which 
 I did not think likely. Having rested for some hours, and 
 partaken of our food, we went on our way, but at a more 
 leisurely pace. 
 
 So far, and indeed for all the rest of the way, I had 
 to trust entirely to Choquo for guidance. In spite of 
 the observations I had formerly made, I could not have 
 found my way back owing to the frequent obscurity of 
 the forest, and the devious courses which had to be taken 
 
128 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 to avoid impediments and obstructions of one kind or 
 another. Sometimes we made detours to avoid swampy 
 or other difficult places, or to find fordable places in streams 
 which we wished to avoid swimming. Often we had to hew 
 our way through tangled undergrowths of the forests and 
 swamps ; for we thought it more prudent not to show 
 ourselves too much in the open country for fear of hostile 
 Indians. But, whatever our windings, Choquo was never 
 at fault, but always able to return to the right course by 
 examining the bark of trees, and making other observations, 
 so that it almost seemed that he possessed a distinct sense 
 of direction. At nights we camped in such dry and 
 sheltered places as we could find, preferring spots clear 
 of trees, because trees are the favourite lurking-places 
 of panthers and other ferocious creatures. We commonly 
 lit a fire as a further protection, as well as for the purposes 
 of warmth and cooking. Choquo was very expert in 
 producing fire in the Indian way. This is done by rapidly 
 twirling between the hands a sharp-pointed stick pressed 
 against a piece of wood or bark, upon which some fine dry 
 moss had been placed. The friction thus created soon 
 heats the wood or bark sufficiently to set the moss aglow, 
 and thus a fire is quickly lighted. 
 
 We eked out the food we brought with us by such 
 supplies of game as we could procure by means of our 
 bows and arrows. We shot one young deer, which amply 
 replenished our stock of meat, and lasted us for several 
 days ; and we were always able to obtain birds of various 
 kinds, including quail, woodcock, snipe, widgeon, and a 
 bird something like a wild hen. In fact, large and small 
 game were in great abundance, and to be had with very 
 little trouble or exertion. Some of the creatures we killed 
 or saw were familiar enough ; others bore a resemblance, 
 more or less, to European animals ; others were altogether 
 novel and strange. Amongst the latter was a curious sort 
 of tree-climbing animal, something like a badger, but not 
 so large, having the extraordinary power of grasping 
 branches with its tail, and even hanging head downwards 
 by means of that appendage. A still more wonderful thing 
 about this creature is that it has a natural pocket in the 
 skin of its belly in which it carries its offspring when they 
 are young and helpless. I myself saw this done on more 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L*ESTRANGE 1 29 
 
 than one occasion, though the thing may appear incredible. 
 The animal is very prolific, and I have seen ten or a dozen 
 young ones, not as big as a mouse, scramble into the 
 mother s pocket, and there shelter themselves very con 
 tentedly, looking out the while. I have also felt and 
 examined the pocket in the dead animal, so that I could 
 not in any way be mistaken about it. This beast is very 
 cunning, and has an intelligent look, like a monkey, but 
 the muzzle is long like that of a fox. When in danger 
 of being captured it pretends death in the most natural 
 way, and will suffer almost any rough treatment rather than 
 show signs of life. I did not care for the flesh, though 
 Choquo praised it. The Indian name for this animal is 
 arrougkoon. 
 
 In this way we lived in the woods for some fifteen days, 
 always diligently journeying towards the junction of the 
 two rivers and the Spanish camp, though taking care to 
 run as little risk as possible of being intercepted. 
 
 At length, one afternoon, we ascended a high mound 
 which stood in a clearing of the forest, and from its top 
 we saw a large river some twelve or fourteen miles away, 
 which Choquo declared to be the Rio Grande. We were 
 now near the end of our journey, and had to consider 
 what was best to be done. Choquo proposed going 
 forward to reconnoitre, and as this seemed the best thing 
 to be done, I agreed to it, though I was in a state of 
 feverish anxiety to ascertain if the army still remained. 
 Choquo accordingly set out, leaving me at the mound to 
 await his return. It was noon the next day before he 
 reappeared, and then he brought me the sorrowful in 
 telligence that the Spaniards had broken up their camp 
 at Guachaga, and had marched away with all their belong 
 ings. He had learnt from the Indians with whom he 
 had conversed, that shortly after the burial of De Soto 
 the Spaniards had held a great conference, after which they 
 hastened their preparations and set out as soon as they 
 could make ready to march in a westerly direction. To 
 learn that the army had gone clean away was terrible 
 news for me, and not the less overwhelming because I 
 had apprehended it. I had feared that the Spaniards 
 would not remain to carry out De Soto s colonization 
 scheme, but would hasten to leave the country after 
 
I3O ADVENTURES OF ROGER ^ESTRANGE 
 
 his death. As to how they would take their departure, 
 I surmised that they would either go south down the Rio 
 Grande, or retrace their march and endeavour to reach 
 the Bay of Achusi, where they might confidently count 
 upon finding preparations for their reception. But it 
 had never entered into my mind that they would resume 
 a westerly march, the miseries of which they had already 
 experienced, and which, when originally proposed by De 
 Soto, many of them resisted to the verge of mutiny. 
 So utterly incomprehensible did such a movement appear 
 to me to be, that I doubted the accuracy of the information. 
 But Choquo was positive about it, for he had spoken with 
 Indians who had followed the army for many days. I 
 calculated that the army must have set out some three 
 weeks before my arrival at the spot I was then at. It 
 was therefore hopeless to think of following it with a view 
 to overtaking it; and, moreover, Choquo had learnt that 
 the terrible Tuscaluza was hanging on its rear with a large 
 force, and doing all in his power to incite the western 
 Indians against it. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 My bewilderment and despair Courage at last Thoughts of Aymay 
 Resolution to search for her Again in the woods Reconnoitring 
 a town A strange discovery A Spanish cacique Our hospitable 
 reception. 
 
 ^PHOUGH I could not (at that time) imagine what pos- 
 J~ sible motive had induced the Spaniards to venture once 
 more into the boundless western wilderness, the fact that they 
 had gone thither was certain enough, and it overwhelmed 
 me with a sense of desolation, and a feeling of profound 
 despair. I could not but recognize that now, indeed, I 
 was lost for ever in this vast and strange land. All that 
 day and all the night following it. I lay prostrate on the 
 ground, unable to rouse myself from the lethargy of melan 
 choly which had fallen on me. I was conscious of, but 
 indifferent to, the presence of Choquo, who, for most of the 
 time, sat a little way off silently regarding me. At last I 
 fell into a stupor, and had a kind of troubled sleep filled 
 with wild and irrational dreams. But later on I became 
 more composed and easy, and in my dreams conjured up the 
 pleasant image of Aymay, my sweetheart. I saw her, as it 
 were, smiling at me from a distance and beckoning me to 
 her, and in my efforts to join her I awoke to consciousness. 
 It was full day, and the sun was shining brightly. My mind 
 was somehow easier, and I felt more reconciled to my 
 position. The first thing I did was to fall on my knees and 
 utter a fervent prayer to God and the holy saints for pro 
 tection and succour. My prayer was surely answered, for 
 I rose from my knees feeling more of a man, and full of 
 resolution to bear myself like a Christian gentleman under 
 all afflictions. Choquo had prepared some food, to which 
 we both sat down and made a good meal. This added 
 still more to my rising courage and to the clearing of my 
 mind. 
 
132 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 It was now plain to me that some course must be de 
 cided upon, and the sooner the better. We could not stop 
 for ever where we were, nor could we live in the forest like 
 wild men. I pondered long upon what was best to be 
 done, and discussed the question with Choquo. We might 
 go back to Okanagan, from whence we had come, with the 
 assurance of a friendly reception from the cacique. But 
 thoughts of Aymay had remained present in my mind ever 
 since my dream, and no plan seemed to me satisfactory 
 with which she was disconnected. Why should I not go in 
 search of her ? What preferable course was open to me ? 
 As I was condemned for the present to be a wanderer, why 
 should I not endeavour to wander in her direction? I 
 could do nothing better, for nothing better remained to be 
 done. I consulted Choquo, and spoke my mind fully and 
 frankly. Here we were alone and friendless, in the midst 
 of a strange country, and surrounded by tribes, some of 
 whom at least might prove hostile to us, and upon none of 
 whom had we any claims. We must go somewhere away 
 from this region, and might as well direct our footsteps to 
 the country where Aymay was supposed to be as anywhere 
 else. To all this Choquo agreed. Of Quilagha, the place 
 to which Ucita had sent Aymay, he knew but little. He 
 had never been there, nor near it, but he knew its general 
 direction, and made no doubt of being able to guide me to 
 it. We accordingly decided upon making at least an 
 attempt to find it without further hesitation. 
 
 I found that the feeling of having a plan to carry out, 
 and an object to attain, were healthy alike for mind and 
 body ; and with new hopes and good spirits we set out in 
 search of Quilagha, which Choquo considered was to be 
 reached by following a line of march a little more to the 
 east than the line we should take if we were retracing our 
 way to Okanagan. As before we kept as much as possible to 
 the woods for greater security, as also because of the better 
 chance of securing game. We feared that the evil repute 
 of the Spaniards might be fatal to us if we fell into the 
 company of Indians. I could not very well pass as an 
 Indian on any close inspection ; for though being of dark 
 complexion naturally, much burnt by the sun, and dressed 
 after the Indian fashion, I had not the features of an Indian, 
 nor was my skin of the same reddish-brown tinge. I could 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 133 
 
 not therefore hope to escape detection if we fell in with 
 Indians ; and if they proved hostile, Choquo, as my friend 
 and companion, would be equally exposed to their resent 
 ment. So we kept in cover as much as we could, and 
 when, in the course of our wanderings, we found ourselves 
 in the neighbourhood of Indian settlements, we lay close 
 until night set in, or made a wide course in another direc 
 tion. 
 
 With such precautions we journeyed on day after day 
 in an easy fashion, living as before, and enjoying a pleasant 
 enough life. We found no stint of food, animal and 
 vegetable, though we wanted both salt and bread. The 
 place of the latter was not badly supplied by a kind of 
 thick spherical root as large, or larger, than the egg of 
 a goose which Choquo was able to find from time to time. 
 This substance when roasted was not unlike soft white 
 bread, and had an agreeable flavour. It grew in clusters 
 and patches, and sometimes we found much more of it 
 than we could consume or carry with us. For animal food 
 we could always rely upon our bows and arrows for a 
 sufficiency, and, in addition, Choquo knew various devices 
 for capturing birds and the smaller kinds of beasts. One 
 day I succeeded in shooting an extraordinary bird of great 
 size and peculiar appearance. Its head and neck were 
 bare and warty, like a vulture, but its beak was small 
 and not like that of a bird of prey. The bird I shot 
 must have been nearly twenty pounds in weight, and the 
 flesh, which Choquo assured me I should find good, was, 
 after roasting, very white and tender, and most excellent 
 to the taste. This curious creature is not a bird of strong 
 wing, but its legs are long and strong, and it runs with 
 great swiftness, and is very shy and wary. Choquo thought 
 it wonderful that I should have been able to shoot one in 
 the way I did. The Indians, he said, were in the habit of 
 getting it in two ways : one was to shoot it by moonlight 
 as it roosted on the lower branches of a tree ; the other to 
 imitate the call of the female bird, which would be sure to 
 attract any male within hearing, and bring it within bow 
 shot. By the former method a number of birds might be 
 secured at the same time, for as they roost in flocks, and 
 appear to have their faculties benumbed at night, one 
 might kill them one after another until the whole flock was 
 
134 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 destroyed. I was curious to see both those methods put 
 into practice, and was soon satisfied. 
 
 One moonlight night Choquo took me to a tree where 
 over a dozen of these birds were roosting at no great 
 height over our heads. We each shot one without causing 
 the others to fly off, and I make no doubt but we might 
 have killed them all if we had cared to indulge in such 
 wanton slaughter. On another occasion (the birds being 
 very plentiful in all parts of Florida) Choquo and myself 
 concealed ourselves behind a fallen tree, from which 
 position he made a peculiar sound, exactly resembling the 
 call of the female bird. This he did with the assistance 
 of a bone which he had taken from the wing of one of the 
 birds we had previously killed, and which he had fashioned 
 to suit his purpose. Almost immediately we heard the 
 reply of a male bird, but a long way off. Again and 
 again the reply was repeated, each time sounding nearer, 
 showing that the male bird was coming towards us at a 
 rapid rate. It surprised me that Choquo did not repeat 
 the call he had made ; but I said nothing to him then, 
 believing that he knew his business better than I. He 
 afterwards explained to me that there was always great 
 danger of losing the game by frequent repetitions of the 
 call, for these birds have a very keen hearing, and are 
 quick at discerning the slightest difference between a real 
 and an imitation call. So it was good policy to avoid re 
 peating the call, especially when it had been answered, and 
 there was less necessity to do so. It was fully a quarter of 
 an hour before Choquo gave the call for the second time, 
 and only when it appeared by the responses of the male 
 that it was straying from the proper direction. The call 
 was answered immediately, and very shortly afterwards we 
 saw coming our way a very fine bird with his tail extended 
 upwards and outwards, like a great fan, and his wings 
 trailing along the ground. Choquo made a sign to me 
 to make ready an arrow. I did so, and, bending my bow, 
 let fly at the bird when not more than twenty yards away, 
 striking it full in the chest, near where a large tuft of 
 feathers grew, and killing it instantly. It was a great 
 creature, and could not have weighed much less than 
 thirty English pounds, and the largest we ever killed 
 during our wanderings in the wilderness. 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 135 
 
 After this manner we passed our time, not lacking 
 abundance of food, and meeting with no mishaps, but 
 always making our way in what we supposed to be the 
 direction of the province of Quilagha. At last we had 
 advanced so far that it became time to consider where we 
 were, lest we might be deviating from the true course. 
 Choquo thought we must now be in a country where some 
 certain intelligence could be obtained of the province we 
 were in search of, and that it was necessary at all risks to 
 make inquiries in order to avoid going wide of our object. 
 We had been about five-and-twenty days in the woods, and 
 though we had not marched in a direct line, nor moved 
 rapidly, we had still covered a good stretch of ground, 
 measured in a straight line. 
 
 Thinking and talking in this way, we one morning 
 climbed a rocky and wooded hill, of good height, to 
 secure a favourable look-out. From the top we overlooked 
 an extensive and well-cultivated valley, and we saw in the 
 distance, some seven or eight miles off, one large village, or 
 town, and others of smaller size. This was evidently an 
 important Indian settlement. The town was encompassed 
 by a stout wall, and no doubt was the residence of a 
 cacique of consequence ; but whether he might prove 
 hostile or otherwise it was of course impossible for us 
 to tell. After a long and anxious conference, we made 
 up our minds that here inquiries must be risked before 
 we ventured to proceed further. Choquo, it was settled, 
 should go on alone to gather the necessary information, 
 whilst I remained concealed on the hill to wait his return. 
 This was thought to be the best arrangement under the 
 circumstances, for it was natural to suppose that the Indians 
 of this settlement would be less likely to deal harshly with 
 a wandering individual of their own race, than if a white 
 man were found in his company. 
 
 Choquo went away on his errand, whilst I took up a 
 position on the hill which enabled me to look down the 
 valley, without unduly exposing myself to observation. I 
 knew I had long to wait, at best, before Choquo could 
 return, if he were able to do so at all, and so I employed 
 the time in observing the country from the position I occu 
 pied. The far end of the valley I could not see, because of 
 its extent ; but as far as I could see the sides sloped very 
 
136 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 gradually up to the highlands on either side, presenting no 
 appearance of rocks or ruggedness of any kind, but quite 
 smooth, and covered with cultivated fields, and natural ver 
 dure and trees, to the very top. The shape of the portion of 
 the valley under my observation was that of part of a perfectly 
 regular oval, exactly divided in the middle by a river run 
 ning through it from end to end. The chief town was on 
 the right or north side of the river, some distance from the 
 water, and on a swelling ground. The smaller villages, of 
 which about half-a-dozen were in sight, were for the most 
 part on the same side of the river. At the place where the 
 town stood the valley might be some five miles wide, 
 but of greater width further on. The whole scene was very 
 pleasant and bespoke a fine country, a good climate, and a 
 peaceful and prosperous people. 
 
 Having formed these opinions, and fully satisfied myself as 
 to the features of the remoter country, I next turned my at 
 tention to my immediate surroundings. The hill on which I 
 stood seemed to be connected by barren and broken ridges 
 with the heights which curved round the northern side of the 
 valley. It was rocky and bushy for the most part, but in the 
 hollows, where soil had accumulated and moisture had col 
 lected, there were groups of good-sized trees, similar to 
 those in the forest. In rambling idly about I found some 
 pieces of stone containing small lumps of a yellow-looking 
 metal. At the first glance I thought this might be gold, 
 but on closer examination, and a little reflection, I saw that 
 the substance resembled the ore which the expedition from 
 the army, when on its way from Cofachique to Cosa, had 
 brought back from the hills whither it had been sent by 
 De Soto on a report of the existence of gold in that quarter. 
 The metal contained in that ore had been proved to be but 
 a fine kind of copper or brass, like gold in colour, but 
 resembling it in nothing else. What I had found was, from 
 its general appearance, the same sort of metal; but whatever 
 it was, it certainly was not heavy enough to be gold. So I 
 threw it away, and continued wandering about the hill in 
 various directions, finding little to interest me, and filled 
 with uncertainty as to the reception Choquo might have 
 met with. Early in the afternoon I gave myself occupation 
 by making a fire in the angle of a couple of rocks in a 
 secluded part of the hill, and prepared some of the food we 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 137 
 
 had carried with us, enough for myself and Choquo, should 
 he come back dinnerless. 
 
 Having made a hearty meal, I went back to my post of 
 observation to wait as patiently as I could for my friend. 
 As the hours went by and the sun commenced to get low I 
 became more and more anxious, fearing that some harm 
 had surely come to him. I pictured to myself how desolate 
 and dreadful my position would be if he did not rejoin me, 
 and I wondered at my fate when at last I should fall into 
 the hands of the Indians, as I must certainly do if I did not 
 die alone and miserably in the wilderness. Then I made 
 up my mind to remain on the hill until noon the next day, 
 so as to miss no possible chance of Choquo s return, for I 
 felt assured he would return to me if he could, and as soon 
 as he could. If he did not appear by that time I might 
 safely conclude he was slain or a captive, and it would then 
 be for me to decide upon what was best to be done. 
 
 Shortly after forming this resolution I was thrown into a 
 state of great excitement by observing a party of Indians, a 
 good way off, coming in the direction of the hill. At first 
 I thought of flight, but soon decided to remain still and 
 watch their movements. They came rapidly nearer, and it 
 was plain they were coming to the hill. Watching their 
 every movement, and particularly observing the one who 
 was in advance of the rest, I thought that he bore a 
 resemblance to Choquo. A little time longer I could see it 
 was he and no other. Again I thought of flight or conceal 
 ment but only for a moment, for I reflected that if the 
 Indians were hostile they would certainly find me, and 
 again that they could not be hostile because Choquo 
 was evidently leading them to me. I knew very well 
 that no threats or torture would ever compel him to betray 
 me to enemies, and I at once came to the joyful conclu 
 sion that Choquo had fallen amongst friends, and was 
 coming to fetch me. So I no longer stood my ground 
 as one uncertain and alarmed, but came freely from my 
 hiding place, and went down the hill to meet the party. 
 At this Choquo commenced waving his arms and shouting 
 in Spanish, " Amigos ! Amigos ! " to let me know that we 
 were in the hands of friends. 
 
 When I had joined the party he had a strange and 
 wonderful story to tell me. He said that long before 
 
138 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 he had got to the town he had been told by Indians 
 he met on the way that the name of the place was 
 Cargutah, and that a white warrior was living there, and 
 was a person of great consequence, having married the 
 daughter of the old cacique, and had himself become a 
 cacique next in authority to his father-in-law. In order 
 to confirm this news, Choquo had thought it best to go 
 on to the town. There he found it to be quite true. He 
 had seen and conversed with the Spaniard, who was a 
 gentleman of the army whom Choquo had often seen, 
 though he did not know his name. Finding this to be 
 the case, Choquo did not hesitate to tell him of my being 
 in the neighbourhood, and how it came about. The 
 Spaniard recollected me at once, knew of my being 
 detained by the Indians as a hostage, and of my being 
 carried away to unknown parts. He gave instant orders 
 that I should be brought in and honourably treated, and 
 forthwith despatched Choquo and some Indians in search 
 of me. Great was my surprise at this unexpected news, 
 for the presence of a Spaniard in these parts, living on 
 friendly terms with the Indians, was something I could not 
 have dreamt of. Who he was I could not imagine, and 
 Choquo s attempts to describe him gave me no assistance. 
 However, I lost no time in such idle speculations, but went 
 off with the Indians to the town. 
 
 It was long after sunset when we arrived there. I was 
 taken straight to the house of the Spaniard, where prepara 
 tions had been made for giving me a warm and hospitable 
 reception. The Spaniard I at once recognised as a brave 
 cavalier of the army named Diego de Guzman. After 
 mutual embraces he introduced me to several of the 
 leading Indians, whom he had invited to be present; but 
 the cacique, being an old man, had retired for the night, 
 and my interview with him was postponed to the next day. 
 That night we had a great feast, and after it was concluded 
 De Guzman and myself engaged for hours in a long 
 conversation, in which each related his adventures. 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 The Spanish cacique His account of the army and why it went west 
 His Indian bride History of De Guzman Gambling propen 
 sities Loss of his clothes, arms, horses, and wife Desertion and 
 flight to his Indian father-in-law Refusal to rejoin the army His 
 position with the Indians I make compact with him Aymay to 
 be sought out Designs of civilizing the Indians and founding an 
 Indian state. 
 
 MY own adventures after I left the army are herein 
 sufficiently set forth; those of De Guzman I will 
 now narrate as best I can, not in the order he told them 
 to me, but in what I conceive to be a more concise and 
 convenient form. The circumstances of his desertion from 
 the army (for it was nothing else), and of his residence 
 amongst the Indians, were naturally first entered upon 
 by him ; but these I will postpone in order to deal with 
 the news he had to tell me about the army after De Soto s 
 death, up to the time he left it. Immediately on the death 
 of De Soto, the new general, Luis de Moscoso, called a 
 council of the army to consider what was best to be done. 
 All were in favour of quitting the country as soon as 
 possible, and of abandoning as impracticable the coloniza 
 tion scheme of the late leader. The best means of 
 carrying out this decision had next to be considered. 
 Some were in favour of going on with the building of the 
 brigantines and sailing down to the sea by the Rio Grande, 
 by which means Mexico or Cuba might be reached. 
 Others insisted that a safer and speedier course would 
 be to march westward, whereby the frontiers of Mexico 
 could be reached ; for it was believed that Mexico inclined 
 northwards a great distance, and that a part of it lay 
 directly west of the place where the army then was. 
 Moreover, reports from various quarters had recently reached 
 the camp of the presence of white men away to the west, 
 and these, it was justly argued, could only be Spaniards 
 
140 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 of Mexico. This news was so positive and so confirmed 
 by different Indians, that it was finally resolved to march 
 to the west. 
 
 [Here I may interrupt the narrative to say that in after 
 times it came to my knowledge that this news of there being 
 Spaniards far away to the west was true in itself, though 
 misleading in its import. For it was about this time that 
 Cortes, having completed the conquest of Mexico, sent an 
 expedition to the north-west of the country to discover 
 fresh empires to conquer. This expedition, after marching 
 many hundreds of miles without satisfaction, at last turned 
 back, when it had come to a region of such excessive heat 
 that the name of Cali-Fornia, or hot furnace, was given to 
 it. It was of the Spaniards of this expedition that Luis de 
 Moscoso had heard from the Indians, and this it was that 
 made him and others suppose that Mexico and their fellow- 
 countrymen would be found by marching towards the west.] 
 
 Before this time, and while De Soto was yet alive, and 
 lay encamped by the Rio Grande, preparing to build the 
 brigantines that were to go down to the sea, there came to 
 visit him the cacique of a place up the river called Cargutah. 
 This chief showed a most friendly disposition towards the 
 Spaniards, and De Soto set great store by the information 
 and advice he gave him. The cacique was accompanied 
 by his daughter, and several of his lords or chief 
 men. De Soto entertained the party handsomely, and 
 ordered every consideration to be shown them. This was 
 during the time I was away, a hostage in the hands of the 
 cacique of Anilco. During the visit, which was a long one, 
 De Guzman fell desperately in love with the cacique s 
 daughter, who was young and lovely, and whose name was 
 Winona. When the Indians returned home De Guzman 
 got leave to go with them on a visit to Cargutah, and he 
 there married Winona, after the manner of the Indians. 
 He brought her back with him to the camp, where they 
 lived together as man and wife. When, after the death of 
 De Soto, the army again set out westward, De Guzman and 
 his wife went with the rest, but on the second day of the 
 march both were missing. Thereupon Moscoso ordered a 
 halt, and directed strict inquiries to be made, for it was 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 141 
 
 thought possible that De Guzman had been carried off by 
 his wife s people, some of whom had remained with the 
 army to act as guides and interpreters for a short time. 
 
 For the better understanding of what follows it is neces 
 sary to explain something of the prior history of De 
 Guzman. He was one of those high-spirited and impetuous 
 young Spanish noblemen who had joined the expedition 
 with romantic notions of conquest, glory, and gain. His 
 family had intended him for the church, and he had even 
 been admitted to minor orders ; but he had no bent for the 
 ecclesiastical profession, and would at best have made but 
 a bad priest. But when all Spain was excited with De 
 Soto s preparations he abandoned the church, and, through 
 family influence, procured an appointment to the expedi 
 tionary army. When he joined he was well supplied with 
 costly raiment, splendid armour and weapons, and three 
 excellent horses. Like most of the young Spanish nobles 
 of the army, he was an inveterate gambler and passionately 
 fond of playing cards. They played incessantly, in and out 
 of season ; but in the conflagration of Movill all the playing 
 cards were burnt. However, some parchment was saved 
 from the fire, and out of this they made other packs of 
 cards, which they painted with admirable skill. As they 
 could not obtain a sufficient supply of parchment for the 
 number of gamesters, the packs were lent from one to the 
 other for limited periods. Thus they gambled at every 
 halt, under the trees, in the wigwams, and on the river 
 banks. De Guzman was one of the keenest players ; but a 
 run of ill luck had gradually stripped him of all he had 
 brought to the army, or acquired during the expedition. 
 A few days before the army set out on its march under 
 Luis de Moscoso, he having already lost his clothes, his 
 arms, and his third horse offered his Indian wife as a last 
 stake, and again lost. He had honourably paid all his 
 other losses, but to his wife he was deeply attached and 
 could not bear the thought of parting with her, even at the 
 price of his honour. The girl was, indeed, extremely beau 
 tiful, and only eighteen years of age. During the struggle 
 between honour and affection he put off the winner with 
 excuses, promising that he would give her up in a few days ; 
 but this he never did. 
 
 On hearing all this, Moscoso thought it possible that De 
 
142 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 Guzman had fled away to the Indians of his own accord ; 
 but to make quite sure, and also to recover, if possible, so 
 good a soldier, he caused four of the Indian lords, who 
 were with the escort, to be brought before him. These he 
 commanded to take measures for finding the missing 
 Spaniard and bringing him to the camp; otherwise, he 
 said, he should conclude that he had been treacherously 
 carried off, or murdered, and would avenge himself upon 
 them. The chiefs, anxious for their own safety, sent mes 
 sengers with all speed to their cacique. On their return, 
 they reported that the Spaniard was dwelling with his 
 father-in-law, free from all restraint, but would not return. 
 Moscoso, still professing to be in doubt, was thus addressed 
 by one of the four lords : " We are not men who would be 
 party to a falsehood and deception, and if you doubt the 
 truth of our messengers, let one of us four go to Cargutah, 
 and if he does not return with some satisfactory proof of the 
 safety and freedom of the Spaniard, then the three remain 
 ing in your hands can be made to answer for it with their 
 lives. 5 ; 
 
 This proposition pleased the Governor and his officers, 
 and, after a consultation, Baltazar de Gallegos, who was 
 a friend and townsman of De Guzman, was instructed 
 to write to him, condemning the step he had taken, and 
 exhorting him to return and perform his duties as became a 
 Spanish soldier, assuring him that his wife should be re 
 spected, his horse and arms restored, and others given to 
 him in case of need. A message was also sent to the cacique 
 threatening him with fire and sword unless he gave up the 
 fugitive. 
 
 When the messenger returned he brought back the letter 
 of Gallegos with the signature of De Guzman written across 
 the face of it in charcoal, as a proof that he was alive 
 and had seen the letter ; but he sent not a word in reply 
 to its contents, and the messenger declared that he had 
 expressed no intention or wish to rejoin the army. The 
 cacique, however, sent word that he had used no force 
 to detain the Spaniard, but neither should he use any to 
 compel his return, but would rather treat him with all 
 possible honour and kindness as a son-in-law, and the 
 husband of his beloved daughter. He further declared 
 he would do the same to any white strangers who might 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER ^ESTRANGE 143 
 
 claim his hospitality. If, for doing what he thought was 
 his duty, the Governor saw fit to attack him, he would 
 make the best defence he could, and endure whatever 
 might be the consequences of opposing a power greatly 
 superior to his own. The Governor, thus seeing that 
 De Guzman would not return, and feeling that the cacique 
 was justified in not giving him up, abandoned all further 
 attempts to recover him, set the four lords at liberty, and 
 resumed his march to the west. 
 
 Such were the circumstances under which De Guzman 
 had come to live amongst the Indians. He expressed 
 himself as being very well content with the change from 
 civilized to barbarous life, and assured me he had fully 
 made up his mind never to rejoin the army, but to remain 
 for ever with his new friends, by whom he was held in high 
 esteem. He extolled the happiness of life amongst the 
 Indians, free from the cares, restraints, vices, and worthless 
 ambitions of white civilization. On my part I told him 
 of my adventures since I had left the army, and of my 
 search for Aymay. He encouraged me to hope that my 
 quest would not be in vain, and promised that I should 
 have every assistance from his Indian friends and relatives 
 in the endeavour to find her. For myself, he pointed out 
 that I could not, for the present at least, find my way back 
 to white civilization, and he desired that I should marry 
 Aymay, as he had done Winona, and become like him, 
 a great man in the tribe. He said that with the assistance 
 of his father-in-law, who was a powerful chief and much 
 respected for his candour, he had no doubt Aymay could 
 be found, and with her for wife, and himself for my friend, 
 I could be happy and prosperous. Those proposals had 
 attractions for me, but I was not ready to accept them 
 altogether. I was willing enough to recover Aymay and 
 make her my wife, and the simple life of the Indians had 
 wherewithal to commend it to my tastes ; but I could not 
 say that I would not avail myself of any chance that might 
 offer to return to civilization, nor could I reconcile my 
 conscience to willingly spending the rest of my days 
 amongst a pagan people, living as one of themselves. All 
 this I frankly explained to De Guzman. He was pleased 
 with my openness, though he made light of my con 
 scientious scruples, being himself one of those graceless 
 
144 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L*ESTRANGE 
 
 men who have little real respect for divine things, though 
 outwardly conforming to the requirements of religion. As 
 my chances of getting away from the country were very 
 remote and uncertain, I did not hesitate about accepting 
 De Guzman s proposals, reserving my right to go away 
 should opportunity ever offer favouring my return to civi 
 lized life. 
 
 The Spaniard was very well content to accept me on 
 those terms, which being agreed to, he entertained me with 
 a disclosure of his designs for civilizing the Indians. Most 
 of these appeared to be practical and excellent, but some 
 I considered altogether visionary. De Guzman was, in 
 truth, a man of a sanguine and ambitious disposition. He 
 had conceived the idea of forming a powerful and civilized 
 Indian state, or even great empire, of which he should be 
 the head, and the first of a glorious dynasty of monarchs. 
 It appeared that already he had imparted most of those views 
 to his father-in-law and the leading Indians, all of whom 
 had warmly entered into them. I was willing enough, too, 
 to forward them so far as might be practicable, and to the 
 best of my abilities, for I perceived that if all of them could 
 not be realized, the attempt to do so would be productive 
 of good. 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 Interview with the cacique His appearance His policy and good 
 sense My response I am admitted to the tribe, and made a chief 
 Indian capacity for civilization My village and dwelling-place 
 Aymay to be sought Embassy to Quilagha My examination of 
 the valley Its extent and resources Native manufacture of salt, 
 pottery, etc. Ancient civilization Return of the embassy with 
 Aymay Our meeting Her baptism and marriage Indian 
 hospitality. 
 
 J T was not until some days after my arrival that I was 
 1 able to have an audience with the old chief, because of 
 the state of his health. When I was brought to him I 
 found him sitting in a kind of stool, or chair, with curved 
 sides and a raised back, the whole covered by soft black 
 bear skins. His hair was quite white, but long and thick, 
 and he seemed to be of great age, though in full possession 
 of all his faculties of the mind as well as of the body 
 except that his sight was deficient. His face was curiously 
 lined and wrinkled all over, but strikingly intelligent and 
 noble. He was a large-boned man, and save where the 
 muscles stood out in hard lumps was almost skeleton- 
 like in his meagreness. When on foot he bore himself 
 fairly upright, and in height was not less than six feet four 
 or five inches. When in his prime he must have been a 
 singularly powerful man, but now he was altogether patri 
 archal and venerable. In looks he was mild, benevolent, 
 and patient, and these attributes were not belied on closer 
 acquaintance. He explained to me that he and his people 
 belonged to a numerous and widespread tribe or race of 
 Indians who called themselves Cherokees, and he promised 
 that if I joined them I should be highly honoured, and 
 made a chief. He had a high opinion of the wonderful 
 knowledge of the white men, which made them so powerful ; 
 and he wished to secure my assistance in imparting that 
 knowledge to his people, so that they, too, might become 
 K 145 
 
146 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 powerful and rich like the Spaniards. From all he had 
 seen during his visit to the Spanish camp he was convinced, 
 now that the white men had found their way into Florida, 
 that the Indian tribes could only save themselves from 
 destruction by acquiring the knowledge and imitating the 
 arts of the invaders. 
 
 I was greatly impressed with the wisdom and foresight of 
 this venerable Indian, nor did I think to find in a mere 
 barbarian so much largeness of soul, and freedom from 
 prejudices. I now began to understand how it was that he 
 was held in so much reverence by his people, and why even 
 the opinionated De Guzman respected him. On my part I 
 told him, as well as I could express myself, how grateful I 
 was for his timely hospitality, and how glad I should be to 
 repay it by assisting to realize his views. I should willingly 
 accept the generous offers he had made me, as the best way 
 of carrying out his wise intentions, but could not promise 
 voluntarily to remain a member of the tribe, and not avail 
 myself of any opportunity which might be offered of re 
 joining my own people, though I acknowledged that to all 
 present appearances such opportunity was not likely to occur. 
 The old cacique was satisfied with my speech, and charged 
 De Guzman and the other chiefs to see that I was properly 
 installed as one of themselves. In this way ended the 
 interview, which was curiously solemn and formal, and not 
 without impressiveness. 
 
 Thereafter I was treated as a member and chief of the 
 tribe, with entire good faith. At no time did the Indians, 
 high or low, show any jealousy, dislike, or mistrust of me 
 or of De Guzman. On the contrary, they seemed pleased 
 and honoured to have amongst them two friendly white 
 men, who knew so much more than they did, and could 
 teach them many things. In this they showed much good 
 sense; for though the Indians, as a rule, are a fine and 
 brave race, they are ignorant in nearly all the arts, and very 
 backward in civil, political, and military organization. The 
 Cherokees were no great exception, though more intelligent 
 and advanced than most Indians. In themselves, and in 
 their country, they had all the materials of civilization and 
 power, yet they remained in a condition of barbarism for 
 want of knowledge and guidance. Surrounded with rich 
 and abundant natural resources, they knew not how to take 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 147 
 
 advantage of them. Some progress they had indeed made 
 beyond a state of mere barbarism ; but their best weapons, 
 implements, and utensils, were of stone, horn, bone, and 
 wood. Fortunately they possessed the great virtue of 
 recognizing their own ignorance, and I did not at all doubt 
 but that De Guzman and myself could do much to improve 
 a people at once so intelligent, so backward, and so willing 
 to be taught. 
 
 In accordance with the order of the cacique, there was 
 given to me a small village, not very far from the chief 
 town, containing five good-sized houses, and a number of 
 huts for the common people. This village, with the lands 
 all round, was bestowed upon me as a kind of lordship, 
 the inhabitants being subject to my authority. I took 
 possession of the largest of the houses, as sufficient 
 for all my requirements, and there established myself, 
 in the Indian way, as best I could, and with far more 
 comfort than I had had the opportunity of enjoying since 
 the sailing of the expedition from Cuba. I did this 
 partly from my own inclinations, and partly because 
 of my hope of recovering Aymay, and having her to live 
 with me as my wife. To endeavour to find her was the 
 next task to which I devoted myself. 
 
 It appeared that Quilagha was well known to my new 
 friends, and not very remote. The people were of the 
 same Cherokee race, and their cacique and ours were on 
 friendly terms. It was soon arranged that messengers 
 should be sent to Quilagha to bring back Aymay if she 
 should be found there, and there was no opposition to her 
 coming away. I was myself very desirous of going with the 
 party, but De Guzman and the chiefs would not hear of it, 
 for the reason that I, as a white man, might run some risks, 
 and that in no case could I exercise any special influence 
 with the cacique of Quilagha. So the embassy went 
 without me. However, I got permission for Choquo to 
 accompany it, so that if Aymay was found he might 
 acquaint her with all that had happened since I last saw 
 her ; more especially informing her of her father s death, my 
 reconciliation with him at the last moment, and how I had 
 baptized him. The embassy went on its way, and there 
 was nothing further left for me to do in this matter but to 
 wait the event as patiently as I could. 
 
148 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 I passed the intervening time in regulating my little 
 lordship, surveying the valley, improving my house and 
 its surroundings, and forming plans for the future. The 
 valley was of great extent six or seven days journey, I 
 was told, beyond Cargutah and nearly of the same uniform 
 shape throughout. Beyond the town it widened out for 
 some distance, and again became gradually narrower. The 
 part furthest away became less and less fertile, and finally 
 merged into a barren region, diversified by woods and 
 swamps, the latter thickly overgrown with reeds, canes, and 
 trailing plants of many kinds. Here, too, the hills on each 
 side drew nearer, and became rugged and precipitous ; and 
 it was the common opinion of the Indians that the general 
 condition of that end of the valley afforded a safe protec 
 tion from hostile invasion. Between that and the other 
 end of the valley there were several Indian towns and 
 villages, and much cultivated land; but the caciques of 
 those places were subordinate to Cargutah, and paid an 
 annual tribute of small amount. The river opposite the 
 chief town was a crossbow- shot wide. It contained 
 abundance of fish, which the Indians caught in baskets, 
 bark nets, and by other devices, in any quantities they 
 wished. In one place there was an extensive bed of fine 
 blue clay, from which the Indians made a few bricks for 
 fireplaces, and a good number of rude pans and other vessels. 
 These they first dried in the air, and then burnt, glazing 
 them over whilst burning with a crystalline substance, the 
 nature of which I did not know. The clay they also used 
 for plastering their timber walls. In another part, not far 
 from the town, I found some of the Indians making salt at 
 a briny spring. This they did by collecting the saline 
 water in large earthern pans, and leaving it to evaporate 
 in the sun, or causing it to do so by slow fires. As the 
 salt crystals collected on the surface of the evaporating 
 water they skimmed them off, spread them out on bark 
 or skins to dry, and then pounded them fine for use. 
 I deemed it a great and most beneficial thing to have 
 always at hand an abundant supply of this useful substance, 
 the want of which had often been so severely felt by us of 
 the army, and been the cause of much suffering, sickness, 
 and death. 
 
 My inspection, so far as it extended, of this beautiful 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 149 
 
 and fertile valley, convinced me that it had at one time, 
 and for a long period, been inhabited by an intelligent and 
 industrious race of natives, who had originally rescued it 
 from the wilderness, and afterwards maintained it in its 
 improved condition. Whether the present inhabitants of 
 the valley were descendants of those former occupants 
 I could not find out, but if so the race must have gone 
 back in civilization. At some parts the river had been 
 embanked in a substantial way, and there were signs of its 
 having been straightened at various places, so as to prevent 
 it from forming swamps and marshes. I wondered much 
 how some of those works could have been done by people 
 who must have been little acquainted with mechanical arts, 
 and only supplied with indifferent tools and appliances. On 
 the whole I was very well satisfied with my survey of the 
 valley. It greatly increased my hopes of being able to 
 do something for those interesting people, and put into 
 my mind many projects for the future. 
 
 Though constantly occupied with one thing or another, 
 the time, nevertheless, seemed interminable before any 
 news came of the embassy to the cacique of Quilagha. 
 In reality it was not quite two weeks until the party 
 returned and returned bringing with them, to my great 
 contentment and joy, the dear one from whom I had 
 been so long separated. The messengers had completely 
 succeeded on all points. They had found Aymay, who, 
 after hearing all that Choquo had to tell her, was willing 
 to return with them ; and the cacique, on being assured 
 of the death of Ucita, was willing to let her go, and 
 sent her off with many presents. She had come in a 
 sort of palanquin carried by Indians, and another similar 
 conveyance contained her wardrobe and a number of 
 other things, including the box of pearls which had once 
 belonged to the Princess of Cofachique, who had given 
 it to Aymay at the time she was sent by her father to 
 Quilagha. 
 
 It is needless to speak of the joy of our meeting. I 
 found Aymay as lovable and loving as ever, and I thought 
 her more beautiful, if that were possible. She had become 
 more womanly, certainly. On her head she wore a coronet 
 of short red feathers, from which her long black hair 
 descended as low as her waist, being encircled at the 
 
150 ADVENTURES OF ROGER [/ESTRANGE 
 
 neck with coils of pearls. Her dress was of native 
 cloth of yellow colour, but brightly painted all over in 
 red patterns of somewhat barbaric design. A short kirtle 
 or skirt of soft thickly-pleated deerskin was fastened round 
 her waist by a broad belt of black bearskin. Her legs 
 were encased in loose-fitting trousers, also of fine and soft 
 deerskin, and her small feet were inserted in beautifully- 
 wrought moccasins, curiously embroidered with many 
 coloured grasses. I thought as I held her in my arms 
 and embraced her tenderly, that no woman was ever 
 more beautiful than this Indian girl. 
 
 A great feast had been prepared by order of the cacique 
 in honour of Aymay and myself. De Guzman and all 
 the Indian notables attended it. After the feast, and with 
 much ceremony and speech-making, our marriage took 
 place in the Indian fashion. The proceedings were of 
 an elaborate nature, and for the most part incomprehensible 
 to me. So far as I could make out (or afterwards learn), 
 they chiefly had reference to a supposed sale of Aymay 
 to me. The cacique assumed the office of father, or 
 salesman, and I went through the form of buying Aymay 
 from him, whereupon she was handed over to me as my 
 property. I was not quite easy in my mind at taking this 
 innocent young pagan to wife in this unchristian fashion, 
 and had to acknowledge to myself that I was guilty of 
 the sin of yielding to the temptation of carnality. I 
 mentioned my scruples to De Guzman, but he, as usual, 
 made light of them, and for a time was very merry at 
 my expense. Becoming more serious, he ended by re 
 minding me that he was himself in holy orders, and said 
 that if I wished he would marry me to Aymay in proper 
 form. With some hesitation I consented; but first of 
 all I resolved that Aymay should be baptized, so that 
 I might marry her as a Christian woman. Through her 
 early intercourse with me in her father s country, as well 
 as from the instructions she had received whilst staying 
 in the camp of De Soto, she was not altogether un 
 acquainted with the doctrines of Christianity; and the 
 matter being now explained to her, she declared herself 
 very willing to be baptized. Guzman accordingly baptized 
 her first, and then went through the ceremony of marrying 
 us in such Christian form as the circumstances of the 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 151 
 
 place would permit. I had my misgivings as to the 
 efficacy of the ministration of this ungodly man; but I 
 knew that my own intentions were sincere, and I made 
 a private vow that I would be rightly married to Aymay 
 if the opportunity ever presented itself, and ecclesiastical 
 authority so advised. 
 
 Thus it was that Aymay became my wife, to my great 
 actual contentment, and my perpetual satisfaction thence 
 forth. For never afterwards had I occasion to repent me 
 of having married so good and true a woman as she proved 
 herself. The patriarchal chief adopted her as a daughter, 
 and regarded me as a son, and all the Indians vied with 
 each other in giving us attention and assistance. From 
 them I had already gained much knowledge as to the best 
 mode of life in a country and climate in which I was not 
 born, nor much habituated, and they explained to me many 
 things important for me to know. From them I learned 
 the peculiar cultivation and preparation of the native grain, 
 or corn, which they call "poketaws," but which in Cuba is 
 called maize. They showed me their way of making 
 clothing, various methods of capturing game and fish, etc., 
 etc. Already they had laid up a good store of corn for my 
 winter use, in one of the large houses which had been 
 given to me ; also abundance of other kinds of food as 
 dried meat, and dried fruits, beans, and similar sorts of 
 seeds. All this was necessary at first ; but I resolved that 
 afterwards I would do the best I could to provide for 
 myself, and not be a burthen in the future to those good 
 people. 
 
CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 Division of labour Goodwill of the Indians Possibilities of civiliza 
 tion Initial difficulties Cultivation of the soil Plough and spades 
 Want of metal tools Copper abundant Building a furnace 
 Making charcoal The casting A lucky mistake Sheet copper 
 Copper vessels, hammers, rods, nails, and spikes. 
 
 IN the course of the many conferences between De 
 Guzman and myself and the leading Indians, it had 
 been settled that he should give his attention to warlike 
 matters, whilst I sought to develop the mechanical and 
 industrial capabilities of the people. There was great 
 scope for each of us in his own department. Of discipline 
 and tactics the Indians practically knew nothing, and 
 therein De Guzman s knowledge and strong military in 
 stincts could not but be of great service. In mechanical 
 contrivances and industrial appliances the Indians were 
 in an almost equally primitive state; and though I was 
 no great master myself in any of the mechanical arts, I knew 
 a vast deal more than the Indians, and could teach them 
 many things to their advantage. In addition to what I 
 had learned in Sheffield, we had at Hooton been regularly 
 taught how to make horseshoes and shoe horses, and how 
 to repair accoutrements of all kinds; and what with one 
 thing and another I had a fair knowledge of the work done 
 by forgers, casters, smiths, saddlers, carpenters, brickmakers, 
 and others. Since I had joined the army I had had plenty 
 of opportunities of improving my knowledge of the mechani 
 cal arts, and exercising myself in them, as was necessarily 
 the case with almost every member of a force which had to 
 depend entirely upon itself in such matters. So that with 
 out being at all a good workman, there were many things I 
 knew, or could do, of which the Indians were totally 
 ignorant. But they were very teachable and anxious to 
 
 152 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 153 
 
 learn the arts of the white men, and not wanting in intelli 
 gence or manual skill. 
 
 Under those conditions it was quite possible for a couple 
 of white men, honestly desirous of doing good to the 
 Indians, to bring about great improvements. So we set 
 to work with courage and good will. 
 
 To me, the great difficulty was how to begin ; but at last 
 I resolved to try to improve the mode of cultivating the 
 soil, holding tillage to be the foremost and most important 
 of all the arts. The soil here, as in most parts of Florida 
 known to us, was naturally rich and generous ; but it was 
 the habit of the Indians to exhaust the fertility of one part 
 by a succession of crops and then resort to another, leaving 
 the former place to lie fallow for two, three, or more years. 
 They made little or no pretences of preparing the ground, 
 but just put in the grains of maize in holes made with a 
 pointed stick, or covered over three or four grains with a 
 little heap of earth scratched up around them. I deter 
 mined to improve upon such methods by introducing the use 
 of the spade, and by means of a plough, if I could make one. 
 I set to work, and with much labour (using my dagger and 
 the poor flint tools of the Indians) succeeded in making 
 some clumsy implements, resembling spades, out of hard 
 wood. I showed the Indians how to use them in turning 
 up the soil and exposing it to the air, explaining to them 
 the advantages of this. They soon learnt how to use the 
 spades, and how to make such implements for themselves ; 
 though they seemed to have but a vague idea of the ulti 
 mate good which was to come of so much present labour 
 and care. Their belief in the wisdom of the white man 
 was, however, boundless, and they patiently carried out my 
 instructions, and dug over a large piece of ground. 
 
 When I came to confront the task of making a plough, 
 I soon saw that I should have much more serious 
 difficulties to contend with. But at last I made one, after 
 many vain trials. Yet the finished implement was but 
 a poor contrivance after all. Being wholly of wood it 
 was both light and weak, having but one handle, with a 
 crossbar at the end, for its guidance. The share was made 
 of the same wood as the spades, further hardened by fire. 
 In actual use four of my Indian servants drew it along, 
 I holding it by the crossbar and directing it as best I 
 
154 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 could. My little experience as a ploughman, and the 
 total ignorance of the Indians of such an appliance, made 
 it long before we could do anything effective with it. 
 Nevertheless I persisted, and in the end, with the help 
 of my labourers, succeeded in ploughing a large piece 
 of ground which had borne a crop of maize the year 
 before. I carefully explained to the Indians the great 
 advantages of sowing in the soil so prepared, at the proper 
 season ; and they readily accepted my assurance, but still 
 seemed to think that a great deal of trouble was being 
 taken for securing inadequate results. I avow that I was 
 partly of this opinion myself. The country was not 
 populous, and there was abundance of good land capable 
 of yielding sufficient food under the Indian system of 
 culture. My spades and plough involved, in their fabrica 
 tion and use, a great deal of labour, and I myself did 
 not think that in their defective state such labour would 
 be repaid. But when later on (as will presently appear) 
 we were able to use metal in the making of those imple 
 ments, the labour connected with them became so 
 enormously reduced, and their usefulness so increased, 
 that no one doubted longer of the advantages of their 
 employment in the tillage of the soil. 
 
 In these and every other effort of mine, indoors or 
 without, to civilize and better the condition of the Indians 
 in mechanical ways, I was always impeded and sometimes 
 frustrated by the want of tools, especially hammers and 
 nails. I mean metal tools ; for the flint knives, hatchets, 
 and hammers in use were of little service in doing the 
 work I required. The Indians were wonderfully skilful in 
 their use, but such use was exceedingly limited, and could 
 not be extended. Unless I could find something better 
 to work with, little progress could be made, and I could 
 teach the Indians hardly anything they did not know 
 already, and could not do much better than I, with the 
 tools and by the methods to which they were accustomed. 
 Clearly seeing this, I now gave my whole attention to 
 the procuring of metal. The presence of copper in this 
 country has already been mentioned, and in this particular 
 province I found no lack of it. Pieces of it, in a pure 
 state, were very common ; but the Indians made little or 
 no use of it, and had no idea of melting it. They would 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 155 
 
 beat a bit of it into a kind of sharp nail, and, heating 
 the point in the fire, bore holes in pearls and other objects, 
 after many repetitions. This was all the use they made of 
 it. Here, as in Cofachique and Cosa, the natives said that 
 this virgin copper came from some far country to the north. 
 This copper was of the usual red colour, and in that 
 respect different from the kind of fine yellow copper which 
 on some occasions the natives thought we meant when we 
 had inquired about gold. I resolved to try what could 
 be done with the copper. I knew it would not serve for 
 cutting purposes, but I had no doubt of its suitability for 
 hammer-heads, the want of which I felt more than anything 
 else. A serviceable hammer, of good weight, reliable for 
 striking a succession of accurate blows, was what I desired 
 above all things. There was no such reliability in the Indian 
 stone hammers, they being rough in form, insufficient in 
 weight, and very liable to splinter and break in use. 
 
 I gave directions for the collection of all the pieces of 
 copper which could be found, and was soon the owner 
 of a large pile of that metal. Meanwhile, I had been busy 
 planning and building a small furnace or oven on the 
 model of those I had seen in use in Sheffield. I built 
 it of the native sun-dried bricks, made of the bluish clay 
 of which I have already spoken, and which was to be 
 obtained in inexhaustible quantities in a valley not far 
 off. I found those bricks when burnt were excellent for 
 standing heat. For mortar I used some of the same blue 
 clay softened by water. 
 
 My oven being finished, I left it to dry slowly, and, 
 meanwhile, set about making charcoal. I knew something 
 of the process, having often watched charcoal-burners at 
 work in my own country. In imitation of their methods 
 I directed my Indians to scoop out a hollow place in a 
 clear space in the woods nearest to us. Over this kind 
 of shallow but wide pit I built a semi-circular covering, 
 composed of branches of trees, the whole being made 
 nearly air-tight by means of earth and skins. A trench 
 was cut from the floor of the pit to the outside, sloping 
 upwards to the natural level of the ground, so as to serve 
 as a way into the pit. All being complete, the wood for 
 the charcoal was brought into the pit and piled up in the 
 middle, It was then set well alight, and the entrance 
 
156 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 to the pit closed up. In due time the wood within was 
 converted into very good charcoal. Afterwards I was 
 obliged to make another charcoal pit, and again a third, 
 for as my founding operations succeeded and developed, 
 it was necessary to have at least one pit going whilst the 
 others were being emptied of charcoal, or recharged with 
 fresh fuel. 
 
 Having now a sufficient quantity of charcoal for the first 
 trial of my furnace (which by this time had become 
 thoroughly dry), I next gave my attention to the making 
 of moulds, to catch and give shape to the metal I might 
 succeed in melting. In this matter I exercised all possible 
 care and forethought. Already I had chosen for the site of 
 my furnace the top of a mound (which I think was arti 
 ficial), where I had noticed that the ground was composed 
 of a kind of fine stiff sand ; for I judged that when it came 
 to the point of casting the melted copper, this would be the 
 best material for moulds, though it was likewise for the better 
 draught of air that I selected the top of the mound. In 
 this ground, close to the furnace, I made my moulds, taking 
 great care in preparing and connecting them, so that there 
 should be no disappointment after so much preparation. 
 One set of moulds I made for hammer heads of different 
 sizes, and others for bars and rods of copper. As to the 
 former, my chief desire was that they should be cast with 
 holes for the handles, for it would not be possible to make 
 them afterwards with our imperfect appliances. 
 
 Everything being at length ready I carefully filled my 
 furnace with layers of copper and charcoal, and set light to 
 it. Close to the bottom I had made a hole through which 
 the molten metal should pass into the channels and moulds 
 made to receive it. Meanwhile I kept the hole carefully 
 plugged with a lump of clay, which could be broken away 
 when all was ready. So far I had been guided by such 
 knowledge and observation as I had had in my own country 
 of smelting operations, but I was ignorant of what was the 
 proper time for melting copper. However, I thought I 
 would allow for it in all about four hours at a venture. 
 
 Before that time had passed De Guzman, with several of 
 the Indian lords, came to see what was going to happen 
 after so much preparation. The Spaniard hoped that the 
 experiment should prove a success, for he judged it to be of 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 157 
 
 great importance to all concerned. He had assisted and 
 advised me in all the preparations as far as he could, though 
 he had very little practical knowledge of the work which 
 was being attempted. However, our joint knowledge and 
 combined intelligence amounted to something, and we saw 
 no reason to fear a complete failure in our design. In the 
 event we succeeded very well, and indeed better than we 
 had expected. When the time came for letting the metal 
 run out I knocked away the plug, and out it came in a 
 glowing and beautiful stream, sparkling most brilliantly, 
 and coursing freely along the channels prepared for it, and 
 into the moulds. The Indians, as a rule, are very stolid 
 and unemotional; but now, at the sight of the flowing 
 and sparkling metal, they burst into shouts and cries of 
 admiration, and showed the greatest excitement. 
 
 I have already said that the result was satisfactory, and 
 that beyond our hopes. But in one respect the process 
 went wrong, from a cause which I had not foreseen nor pro 
 vided against. When all the moulds had been filled with 
 the melted copper, I had no means of stopping the further 
 flow of the metal from the furnace. I had never thought of 
 this, though I took care not to forget it on subsequent 
 occasions. The result was that the superfluous metal flowed 
 all over the adjacent ground, in a large sheet of irregular 
 thickness. This gave us a great deal of trouble when we 
 came to detach the castings from the sheet ; but we after 
 wards found that the mistake made was a fortunate one, for 
 out of the sheet we were able to make, by beating the metal 
 on rounded wooden blocks, a number of vessels which 
 served very well for bowls, basins, cups, and cooking pots, 
 greatly superior to the wooden and earthen pots hitherto 
 employed by the Indians for boiling meat, maize, and other 
 food. Within a short time copper vessels were in pretty 
 general use, and much sought after, not only by our people 
 but by neighbouring tribes. 
 
 This was an unexpected result of my founding operations, 
 but my chief object had been to fabricate hammer heads, 
 and next, rods and bars of copper to make nails and spikes. 
 In these objects I had fully succeeded, and I now found 
 myself the happy possessor of a number of good hammer 
 heads, rather roughly cast, it is true, but capable of being 
 reduced to shape and smoothness by grinding. I was 
 
158 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 particularly gratified with my success in securing good, 
 clear holes for the handles, which were soon fitted to them. 
 Then at last the Indians realized the advantages I conferred 
 upon them by placing in their hands a tool the like of 
 which they never before possessed. Their gratification was 
 enhanced when I showed them how nails and spikes could 
 readily be made from the copper rods, and the numerous 
 uses to which they could be put. The moulds for these 
 rods, I may observe, I had made by the simple process of 
 pushing into prepared ground smooth reeds and canes 
 of different thickness, and then carefully withdrawing them 
 so as to leave a perfect hole. Afterwards I greatly im 
 proved the form of hammer heads by using as models for 
 the moulds those heads already cast, which we had reduced 
 by grinding to proper shape. But in every successive 
 founding I was able to make some new improvement of 
 one kind or another. 
 
CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 Progress with the Indians Their intelligence and docility More 
 copper foundings Traffic with neighbouring tribes More mineral 
 discoveries Bronze and iron Metallurgic difficulties Old armour 
 brought in Saw making Sledges and carts Making pottery. 
 
 OUR fame was now great in the land. The Indians had 
 practical proofs of the knowledge and cleverness of 
 their white friends. They were sensible of the good we 
 had already done them, and believed that still greater 
 advantages would come from our presence among them. 
 I confess that, on their part, they surprised me with their 
 quickness and intelligence in learning the lessons I had 
 taught them, and by the manner in which they improved 
 upon them. For I soon found that they could work in 
 copper, and make better use of the implements produced 
 therefrom, than I could ; and I was very well content that 
 this should be so, for my only ambition was to be their 
 teacher, as far as I could, in useful arts, and I had no desire 
 to be a mere workman. 
 
 Other foundings of copper followed the first, and some of 
 these were mainly carried out by the Indians themselves. 
 Soon we began to run short of metal wherewith to pursue 
 our work. A sort of trade had sprung up between us and 
 neighbouring tribes, whereby we profited greatly. Our 
 manufactures being highly prized and in great demand, 
 we got in exchange for them great quantities of skins and 
 furs, dried meat, and produce of various kinds, as well as 
 many pearls, some rare stones of various colours (which 
 appeared to be of value), and small quantities of what was 
 certainly gold. In short, the friendly Indians brought us 
 whatever we showed a desire to take in exchange for our 
 implements and utensils of copper. By my advice, there 
 fore, it was made known to our customers that we desired 
 to procure copper in its native state, and in a little time 
 
 "59 
 
160 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L>ESTRANGE 
 
 a large quantity of that metal found its way to us, and for a 
 period supplied our wants. But I knew very well, from 
 what I had ? always been told, that those pieces of copper 
 came from a distance, in a casual sort of way, and not in 
 the manner of regular trade. So I judged that very soon 
 we should again be short of copper for our furnace. I then 
 bethought me of the metal resembling gold, but which 
 proved to be only a kind of copper, which I had seen in the 
 hill when Choquo and I first came to the valley ; and I 
 resolved to explore the country in that direction, which was 
 north-east of the town. I accordingly organized an expedi 
 tion for that purpose. I took with me Choquo and five 
 other Indians, a stock of provisions, our usual weapons, 
 and several bags made of skin to carry home anything of 
 value we might find. 
 
 When we got to the hilly country I very soon picked up 
 some of the ore with the yellow metal embedded in it, and 
 showing it to the Indians, commanded them to disperse 
 themselves as much as they could, and collect all they 
 might find of similar pieces. Before the end of the day 
 they had collected much more than we could carry away 
 that time, and there was no doubt that this mineral 
 abounded in those regions in large quantities. My men 
 also brought me some heavy pieces of stone to show me. 
 I considered those substances attentively, and made out 
 that they were ores of more than one kind of metal. One 
 sort showed bits of silvery-looking metal, which I could 
 easily scrape with my knife, and which I thought must be of 
 the nature of tin or lead. Another sort was very dark and 
 hard, and this I supposed might be an ore of iron, though I 
 could not then say for certain. 
 
 For three days we worked in the hills, collecting a great 
 quantity of what I believed was copper ore, and a little of 
 the other and more doubtful substances. We then filled 
 our bags and baskets with as much as we could carry away 
 at once, and, leaving the rest for another time, returned 
 home with our booty. I lost no time in trying to find out 
 the nature of the minerals we had gotten. I put the yellow 
 ore, with a little of the white, into the furnace, and let the 
 whole burn for four or five hours. At the end of that 
 time the metal in the stuff had melted out, and the earthy 
 dross floated on the top of it. Carefully drawing off the 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L*ESTRANGE l6l 
 
 metal and running it into moulds as before, I found, on 
 testing the castings, that this new metal was much harder 
 than the copper we had been making, though more brittle. 
 It was, indeed, a kind of brass, or bronze. The tools made 
 from it could take an excellent cutting edge, and were 
 therefore useful for many purposes which copper did not 
 well serve. In fact, the Indians were able to give some 
 blades made of it an edge keen enough to shave their heads 
 with, and thenceforth they used razors of this metal for that 
 purpose, in lieu of the sharp flint flakes they had formerly 
 employed, but which did their work very badly. So I was 
 now convinced that, whatever might be the exact nature of 
 the metals I had found, one was some kind of copper 
 and another some kind of tin, which, fused together, 
 made a sort of bronze, having many useful qualities. I 
 thought this a most important discovery, and so it proved 
 to be, for we were able to make from the mixed metal 
 greatly improved tools and weapons, and many kinds of 
 things. 
 
 I next set to work to find out the nature of the substance 
 I supposed to be iron ore. I put it in the furnace, but 
 though I left it there as long as the heat lasted to the full, 
 I could not get it to liquefy. But I got some of it in 
 a red hot state, and, hammering it vigorously on my rock 
 anvil, beat out of it a great deal of earthy matter. By 
 doing this several times, I was able in the end to reduce 
 the substance to a kind of impure iron, though I had not 
 been able to liquefy it by such simple methods and in 
 sufficient heat as I was able to apply to it. Here, then, 
 was another discovery, not less important than the last 
 one. In a little time we were able to forge it into hammer 
 and axe heads, and a variety of other things, harder and 
 much more enduring than anything of the kind we had 
 made before ; but I found that for small and slender things 
 it was not so useful as the bronze, being coarser in grain 
 and more liable to break, which I supposed to be owing 
 to its want of purity. Having now abundance of metal 
 of one kind or another, and useful tools to work with, and 
 having moreover a number of willing workmen every day 
 improving in knowledge and skill, I set about turning some 
 of the large empty houses in my village into workshops. 
 I also set up a smithy in the village, where the metal was 
 
162 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 wrought into more tools (at first our chief want), as well 
 as implements and weapons of all sorts. 
 
 The Indians, high and low, were pleased beyond measure 
 with the great things we had done for them, and we were 
 now able to show them how to do many things which before 
 they had not dreamt of attempting. In the woods round 
 about them were fine trees, the timber of which was fit for 
 many purposes ; but of these they had heretofore made but 
 small use, owing to the great labour of felling, and of 
 afterwards dividing and shaping the wood into beams, 
 planks, and sticks. Now, by means of the axes of iron 
 and bronze which we gave them, they were able in a 
 few hours to cut down trees which before could only be 
 brought to the ground by many days of labouring with 
 flint hatchets, assisted by fire. Nay, they could now 
 courageously attack great trees which, on account of their 
 largeness, they durst not before as much as think of felling. 
 They could now also, by the use of wedges and hammers, 
 divide the fallen trunks with comparative ease and expedi 
 tion, and trim the pieces into suitable shapes with their 
 bronze or iron axes, 
 
 Those facilities wrought a great change in their habits, 
 especially in their mode of building their houses, and in 
 the arrangement and furnishing of their interiors. Hereto 
 fore their houses (as in all other parts of Florida) may be 
 said to have been destitute of furniture or fittings of any 
 kind. Now tables, chairs, couches, bed-frames, shelves, 
 bins, boxes, and so forth, began to be common, and were 
 much sought after by the Indians. The house belonging 
 to the cacique, that occupied by De Guzman, and the 
 one belonging to me, were the first to be supplied with such 
 conveniences, and also with doors and partitions dividing 
 the different rooms one from the other; and in this way 
 an example was set to the Indians, which they were not 
 slow in following. My own house was little, if at all, 
 inferior, without and within, to the house of an English 
 yeoman or well-to-do farmer. Without, it was substantial 
 and weather-tight, being partly built of sun-dried bricks 
 and partly of timber, thickly plastered with tempered clay, 
 with a well-secured roof of bark. The upper story was 
 used for its original purpose of a storeroom; but I had 
 replaced the somewhat treacherous floor of reeds by one 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L*ESTRANGE 163 
 
 of split timbers. With like materials I had divided parts 
 of the great lower hall below into a number of rooms, and 
 at one end of the hall I had built a good fireplace, with 
 a chimney to carry off the smoke a contrivance which 
 excited the wonder and admiration of the Indians, and 
 mightily pleased my wife. The fireplace and chimney 
 I made chiefly of dried bricks, and these soon became 
 hardened by the fire, and served their purpose very well. 
 In the matter of soft furs for couches and seats, and in 
 skins to hang round the walls and lay on the floors, we 
 enjoyed advantages which no English yeoman possesses. 
 And in all minute particulars of domestic comfort I was at 
 pains to adapt European ideas to local facilities, so as to 
 make Aymay as happy as possible in her home surround 
 ings. In this I am sure I succeeded; which was to me 
 but another proof that human nature is the same all over 
 the world, and that even Indians who have been totally 
 unused to comfort, cleanliness, and decency in domestic 
 life, value them just as highly as Europeans, when they 
 come to know them. 
 
 What was rough and inconvenient in the fittings and 
 furniture I had been instrumental in introducing into the 
 Indian dwellings was in the main due to one want, 
 namely, a saw to cut wood evenly and smoothly. This 
 deficiency I saw no possible means of supplying. The 
 Indians used a large fragment of jagged flint for roughly 
 sawing in two small pieces of wood, with immense labour. 
 I had improved upon this by introducing blades of bronze, 
 notched on one side; but this was still very remote from 
 a saw capable of cutting planks. Bronze was unsuitable 
 for making a thin blade, sufficiently long and broad for 
 such a purpose, and our iron was equally unsuitable, 
 because of its inferior quality and the difficulty of working 
 it. I had quite abandoned hope of being able to make 
 a proper saw, until chance put into my hands the very 
 requisites I needed for the purpose. I have said that the 
 Indians had been encouraged in the habit of bringing in 
 anything which might in any way be useful to us. One 
 day a party of them brought to us an old battered cuirass 
 of steel, which had evidently once belonged to a trooper 
 of the army of De Soto. It had probably been abandoned 
 as unserviceable, or it might have been part of the booty 
 
1 64 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 taken by the Indians in some encounter with the Spaniards. 
 The Indians who brought it to us stated that they had 
 obtained it from Indians of a distant tribe in the course 
 of traffic, and had brought it to us, thinking that it might 
 be of some value to the white men who thought so much 
 of metals of all kinds. In this they were not mistaken, 
 and I at once took possession of the prize, handsomely 
 rewarding the Indians who brought it, and encouraging 
 them to look for things of a similar sort. 
 
 I took the old cuirass to our smithy and there flattened 
 it out, and cut from it several strips of sufficient length for 
 saw-blades. These, with much trouble and long labour, I 
 succeeded in notching, so as to form teeth, and so con 
 verting them into very passable saws. The blade we then 
 fixed firmly in a kind of frame-handle, in such a manner as 
 to secure a strong tension on the steel strip, so as to prevent 
 it from bending or breaking. The complete contrivance 
 gave us a most serviceable saw, the utility of which I was 
 able to demonstrate, to the admiration of the cacique and 
 all the Indians. The spare pieces of the cuirass I converted 
 according to their size into short sword-blades, daggers, 
 knives, and spear and arrow heads. 
 
 Knowing that the Spaniards, from one cause or another, 
 must have left behind them many pieces of armour, broken 
 weapons, and other objects of steel or iron, I constantly 
 urged the Indians to inquire for such things and bring them 
 to us. This had the result of procuring us, from time to 
 time, many such articles, which we found very useful for a 
 great many purposes, civil as well as military, there being 
 scarcely the smallest portion of them of which we could not 
 make some use. 
 
 We had now frequent recourse to the hills for the purpose 
 of procuring materials of various kinds. The mere work of 
 transporting these became very laborious, and required a 
 great number of labourers. At first we carried away what 
 we required in skin bags and in baskets, but soon I began 
 to feel that a better means of transport was absolutely 
 necessary. I observed that on some occasions the Indians 
 would get a large branch of a tree, and covering the bushy 
 part with a skin, would deposit thereon their full bags, and 
 drag the whole along with comparative ease. With a view 
 to improving upon this idea I had a kind of sledge made, 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 165 
 
 running on two long pieces of hard wood secured to the bot 
 tom. The sides and ends being properly railed, the whole 
 resembled a long and narrow cart without wheels. This 
 kind of carriage we found a great convenience, as, while it 
 lightened the work of conveyance, it enabled us to bring 
 home larger quantities of materials. When empty, the sledges 
 could readily be taken up the steep slopes of the hills, and 
 when full the descent was easy enough. On the level 
 ground, however, the task of dragging the sledges along 
 was more difficult, and again I set my wits to work to find 
 a remedy for this. I found one in the expedient of putting 
 wheels to our sledges, or similarly constructed vehicles. 
 The wheels we made solid, and without spokes, each being 
 composed of two or more pieces of thick hard wood, firmly 
 joined together by bronze pins and clasps. To the broad 
 edges of the wheels so made we fastened plates of copper, 
 to make them less liable to wear and injury. These 
 waggons acted very well on the level ground, but we could 
 not take them up the hills. So we continued to use sledges 
 on the rocky and precipitous ground, reserving the wheeled 
 waggons for the more level country. In accordance with 
 this plan, we formed a sort of depot for our minerals at the 
 foot of the hills. Here the sledges discharged their loads, 
 and the waggons were laden up in their turn to complete 
 the transportation. After this there was no further use for 
 the bags and baskets, except for the collection of the 
 minerals we were able to procure in the hills. 
 
 In the midst of the many undertakings constantly calling 
 for my attention, there had long been in my mind the 
 thought of making a potter s wheel. This, in our improved 
 state, I now considered a practicable thing, which, if suc 
 cessful, would be of great benefit to the community. The 
 native pottery was of the rudest and most clumsy sort, 
 being simply fashioned by hand out of lumps of wet clay. 
 The clay itself was of excellent quality, and stood fire well, 
 but the vessels made from it were unshapely and in many 
 ways defective. Having well reflected upon the task and 
 how it was to be carried out, I resolved to attempt it. 
 I remembered the general structure of potters wheels from 
 what little I had seen of them in my own country formerly, 
 and I resolved upon trying to make something similar. In 
 the course of my attempts I found there were many little 
 
166 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 details which I did not remember, or had never observed, 
 and these I could only discover and deal with as I went 
 along. After many mistakes and some partial failures of 
 a discouraging nature, I did at length succeed in carrying 
 out my intention of establishing a potter s wheel and its 
 necessary appliances. In one of the disused houses of 
 the village I had an upright post firmly fixed in the ground. 
 Upon this I placed a small horizontal table, revolving on 
 its centre by means of a bronze pivot and socket. Some 
 distance off I set up a large upright hand-wheel, supported 
 by and revolving between two posts. Round the broad 
 rim of this wheel there passed a band of stout hide, which 
 also went round the under part of the table, so that when 
 the wheel was put in motion by one of my Indian workmen 
 the table commenced to revolve. The whole worked 
 perfectly at last, and gave me much satisfaction. The 
 making of the wheel was the most troublesome part, for 
 having to be light as well as of good size, what I had 
 before done in making wheels for the sledges and carts was 
 of little help to me when I came to make the large, light 
 wheel, for this was not of solid wood, but a spoked wheel 
 of altogether another kind. Nevertheless, it turned out in 
 the end a good piece of workmanship, and, in common 
 with the rest of my pottery machinery, served excellently 
 well for the purpose for which it was intended. For in the 
 course of two or three days work at the table, and experi 
 menting with lumps of wet clay, and smooth sticks and 
 bronze blades for shaping the clay, I was able to make 
 pots, and bowls, and cups, and several kinds of circular 
 vessels of good form and finish. These I first had dried 
 in the air, and afterwards baked by fire, and glazed in the 
 native way. Some of the best of my productions I gave 
 to the cacique, or distributed amongst the chief Indians, 
 who received them with many expressions of admiration 
 and pleasure. I taught some of the Indians this (to them) 
 new method of making earthenware vessels, which indeed 
 was simple enough and very apparent. I was soon able to 
 leave the manufacture entirely in their hands, confident 
 that in this, as in other things I had shown them, they 
 would soon excel me in manual skill and dexterity, and in 
 ingenuity also. 
 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 Corn grinding Native method Construction of a mill setting up a 
 grindstone Its great usefulness Native weaving Cotton cloth 
 Quilted armour De Guzman disciplines the Indians Their arms 
 and armour Fortifying the town Brick making Building a town 
 wall. 
 
 success I had in making a potter s wheel, and in 
 J- other inventions, emboldend me to try and improve 
 the Indian mode of grinding their corn, which they call 
 maize. This corn makes very excellent food in all forms of 
 preparation, which are chiefly three in number boiling the 
 grain, baking or roasting it, and making it into cakes 
 by first crushing it between two stones. It is best in the 
 latter form ; but the grinding being a slow and laborious 
 operation, the Indians chiefly boil or roast it. In grinding 
 it they place successive handfuls of grains (sometimes boiled 
 first) on a long flat stone, which by use becomes concave, 
 and this is an advantage in the process. Those grains they 
 then roll over and crush with a long rounded stone, which 
 they work backwards and forwards with both hands. In 
 this way they produce a coarse flour ; or, if water be added 
 during the process (as is often done), a kind of thick paste 
 or dough is formed. This dough or dough made by 
 moistening and kneading the flour is made into round 
 cakes, thick or thin, which are baked on a hot stone, 
 or in hot ashes, and when done make very good and 
 palatable bread, especially when eaten fresh. 
 
 I saw very clearly that it would be no difficult task, 
 under our improved circumstances, to find a means of 
 grinding the corn more quickly, more thoroughly, and 
 with less labour. Having well reflected on the European 
 modes of grinding corn, I resolved to fashion and set up 
 two circular grinding stones, one working upon the other. I 
 accordingly procured in the hills a couple of the most 
 
 167 
 
l68 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 suitable stones I could find, of tolerable hardness, and flat 
 and thick. 
 
 Upon these I set my Indians to work, instructing and 
 assisting them in bringing the stones to a circular form, 
 and in piercing each with a central hole. The work was 
 long and laborious, but it was accomplished at last as I 
 desired. One of the stones I fixed immovably on a thick 
 tree stump. From the centre of this there projected a 
 strong bar of iron, secured in its place by means of molten 
 metal. This served as a pivot for the top stone to revolve 
 upon. The opening in the top stone was so enlarged and 
 arranged as to permit of corn falling through it without 
 interfering with the steady revolution of the stone round the 
 iron axle. This omitting needless description of minor 
 details was my corn mill, and very well it served its pur 
 pose. I had established it in the pottery shed, with the 
 idea of causing the top stone to be set in motion by means 
 of a band passing from the pottery wheel round the rim of 
 the stone. But this I found would not answer, because at 
 the first trial the pottery wheel, being of light construction, 
 was broken in consequence of the weight of the stone. 
 However, I got over this difficulty by arranging a long hori 
 zontal bar of wood upon the top stone, in such a way that 
 an Indian pushing at each projecting end of the bar could 
 set the stone in motion. It was altogether a rough con 
 trivance, but immeasurably better than anything the Indians 
 had previously employed for the purpose. When at work 
 the corn was poured into the opening in the top stone, and 
 quickly came out as well-ground flour at the circumference 
 between the two stones, and fell in a continuous shower 
 upon mats spread out to receive it. Thenceforth there was 
 no lack of maize-flour, and no stint of cakes made from it. 
 
 Many other improvements and new inventions were 
 introduced by me for a great number and variety of 
 purposes. I constantly found that one improvement 
 suggested another not before thought of, and that each 
 additional improvement supplied new means and facilities 
 for effecting further inventions. An early felt want was 
 that of a grindstone to give shape, finish, and sharpness 
 to our metal manufactures after casting, or when they had 
 lost their edges or points by use. In the earlier stages 
 of our industrial development it was idle to think of setting 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 169 
 
 up such a stone, and we had to do such grinding work as 
 was absolutely necessary by rubbing our articles on such 
 flat stones as we could find. Now the setting-up of a 
 grindstone had become quite practicable, and the necessity 
 for it had become greater than ever. Profiting by our 
 millstone experiences, we lost no time in cutting and 
 properly adapting a block of hard coarse stone to serve 
 as a grindstone, and this we soon had in position and good 
 working order. No one who has not felt the want of a 
 grindstone can have any just idea of the great utility of 
 this humble mechanical contrivance. In circumstances 
 such as ours it is second to none in importance. It was 
 useful to us in a thousand ways, and it enabled us to do 
 things we had not been able to do before, or only im 
 perfectly. For instance, in our saw-making we had great 
 difficulty in cutting the teeth ; but by a skilful use of the 
 grindstone the work was much lessened, and we could 
 make better saws with greater ease. 
 
 I had tried many things and succeeded, well or ill, in 
 most, but there was one I had never the confidence to 
 attempt. This was weaving cloth. The Indians make 
 cloth from the fibres of a kind of cotton, which they 
 get from the pods of a shrub growing mostly in moist 
 places. I had heard of this cloth in England, and 
 had seen it in Spain. In Europe they get it from 
 Egypt, or some parts of the East. It is spun into threads 
 and woven like linen or woollen stuff. The Indians 
 of Florida, having twisted the fibres into threads, convert 
 them into cloth by a slow process of weaving. The 
 spinning and the weaving are done in very clumsy ways, 
 and by means of very rude contrivances. Improvements 
 could, no doubt, be readily introduced by anyone possess 
 ing some knowledge of the manufactures. But this was 
 not my case, and, to speak truly, I shrunk from the task 
 through not having a taste for it, and having a great many 
 other things to do which had more attraction for me. I 
 saw, moreover, that to do any practical good I should have 
 to invent and construct machinery of a more delicate and 
 complicated character than any I had hitherto essayed, and 
 I did not believe that it was possible to do this in our 
 circumstances. So I left those branches of native industry 
 untouched, and the more readily because the matter was 
 
170 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 not one of great or urgent importance. The Indians had 
 all the clothes they required, whether for summer or winter 
 use, including abundance and great variety of skins, which 
 they dressed and prepared admirably, with or without 
 the fur or hair, and fashioned into such articles of clothing 
 and covering as they thought fit. There was, therefore, 
 no necessity to spend time and labour in trying to improve 
 their methods of weaving the cotton. 
 
 But there was one use they made of it which attracted 
 the interest of De Guzman and myself. They were in the 
 habit of making quilts of the raw material by stitching 
 layers of it between two pieces of their native cloth. This 
 made a very warm covering for night use, and already 
 we were acquainted with its occasional employment for 
 defensive purposes. A thick well-made quilt of this kind 
 cannot be penetrated by an arrow under ordinary circum 
 stances, and even affords some protection against a spear 
 thrust, or a blow from any kind of weapon, sharp edged or 
 otherwise. In the course of the campaign with the army 
 both De Guzman and myself had often witnessed this, and 
 we now determined to provide some, at least, of our troops 
 with this kind of body armour. We had coats made of it 
 in two pieces, one for the front and the other for the back, 
 reaching from the throat half-way down the thighs. The 
 coats so made were without sleeves, and could readily be 
 thrown over the head and put on. At the sides they were 
 laced together by means of thongs of skin. On the whole 
 they resembled strongly a herald s coat, and were not at 
 all unbecoming in appearance, or disfiguring to the wearer. 
 All the more vital parts of the body were protected by 
 them, without the warrior being the least encumbered or 
 inconvenienced by their use or their weight. Having 
 satisfied ourselves as to the advantages of this kind of 
 armour, we had a great number of coats made for the use 
 of our soldiers when required. 
 
 I have hitherto spoken mostly of my own contributions 
 to the advancement of our Indian friends ; and it is now 
 time I should do justice to De Guzman, and speak a little 
 more fully of what he had been doing in his department. 
 He had been far from idle. In addition to deeply in 
 teresting himself in my work, and being constantly ready 
 to advise and assist me in all my undertakings, he had 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE I/ 1 
 
 laboured most zealously in the military organization of our 
 little kingdom, and in the drilling and disciplining of the 
 Indians. By dint of hard work (in which I assisted him 
 on occasions) he had succeeded in forming a fairly efficient 
 military force of fifteen hundred men. This small army 
 could execute with precision many manoeuvres and exercises 
 by word of command, and its movements were directed by 
 captains and other officers carefully instructed and trained 
 by De Guzman, partly assisted by me. De Guzman was 
 incessant in the work of drill and movements, and not a 
 day passed without parties, large or small, of the Indians 
 being out on the plains exercising. The results of so much 
 care and labour were manifest, for no body of European 
 troops could do better in matters of drill and all kinds of 
 military evolution than this Indian force of De Guzman s 
 training. Nor were our forces at all badly armed. They 
 had been taught the use and the manufacture of the cross 
 bow, and one of the companies of one hundred men were 
 made as skilful in its employment as any Europeans. By 
 means of our metal-founding and smiths work, the army 
 was furnished with a good supply of spears, axes, and 
 swords, and more were being fabricated every day. These 
 weapons were, however, mostly of bronze, for the reasons 
 already stated ; copper was employed for spear and arrow 
 heads, and also for the heads of the crossbow bolts. Out 
 of the pieces of old armour we had been able to procure, 
 we had made a few swords, some daggers and knives, and 
 some spear and arrow heads ; but all such weapons of 
 steel were reserved for a picked body of two hundred 
 and fifty men, instituted by De Guzman as the king s, or 
 cacique s, bodyguard. Some of these we had been able to 
 furnish with helmets, or casques, made out of pieces of 
 copper beaten into shape and riveted where necessary. 
 Accoutred in this way, with bright copper helmets, quilted 
 armour, and good weapons, the guards presented a very 
 martial appearance, and being all Indians of rank and high 
 spirits, the guards alone would constitute a formidable force 
 in case of war. Indeed, the entire army was an incom 
 parably superior force to any that existed or could be 
 mustered in Florida, though, of course, still inferior to the 
 better supplied troops of European countries. 
 
 Nor did De Guzman confine his work as military 
 
172 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 organizer to the raising of an efficient army. He had from 
 an early date busied himself with the fortification of the 
 capital. The town, like all of any consequence in Florida, 
 had been surrounded by a wall built in the usual Indian 
 way. The skeleton, as it may be called, of all such walls 
 consists of a triple line of rough palisades. The middle 
 row stands upright, the others incline towards it at the top. 
 The three rows are connected together by cross-pieces of 
 wood bound by hide thongs, bark ropes, vine stalks, and 
 such other substitutes for cordage as the country produces. 
 The skeleton wall so formed is next filled up, and plastered 
 thickly over, with tempered clay mixed with straw, reeds, or 
 other binding material. Thus the whole structure may be 
 correctly called a clay wall with a timber interior, broad at 
 the bottom and gradually tapering towards the top. The 
 height is rarely more than twenty feet. This is a good wall 
 enough in Indian warfare, but more than once in the 
 course of our fighting in Florida, it was shown that the best 
 of such walls were of no avail against an attacking party 
 armed with steel axes. At Movill our men soon demolished 
 the clay facing of the town wall, and then made short work 
 of the interior parts, despite the desperate courage of the 
 defenders. 
 
 De Guzman resolved to have a wall of harder and more 
 solid materials. As it was impossible for us to square 
 enough stones for the purpose, he decided, on my advice, 
 to try bricks. The Indians were not altogether strangers 
 to brickmaking. They were in the habit of making a few 
 from the blue clay already mentioned. They did so by 
 cutting out square or oblong blocks and letting them 
 become sun-dried. To introduce the ordinary brick- 
 moulds I had seen used in England was no great difficulty. 
 These were merely boxes without bottom or top, into 
 which the tempered and moist clay was pressed until it 
 filled up the interior. Then being carefully shaken out, the 
 soft brick was gently laid on a level place to dry, after 
 which it was baked or burnt. I had a number of those 
 boxes made, and with a very little practice the Indians soon 
 became expert in their use, and produced large quantities 
 of brick. These, when thoroughly air-dried, I placed in 
 stacks, intermingled with charcoal, and burnt or baked 
 them slowly. The bricks so made of the peculiar blue clay 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 173 
 
 I have already mentioned were exceedingly heavy, and of a 
 hardness so extraordinary as to be almost like iron. No 
 material could be better suited for building a defensive wall. 
 
 A want had still to be supplied before we could com 
 mence building operations. We must have mortar for such 
 a purpose, and of this the most important ingredient is 
 lime. I accordingly made an excursion into the hills in 
 search of limestone. In one place, where the hills spread 
 out into a sort of lofty down or heath, I found several 
 weather-rounded blocks of a greyish stone, which I recog 
 nized as a species of limestone. On burning some pieces of 
 it I found it was true lime, and of good quality. I at once 
 had a pit dug to form a lime-kiln, and this being completed 
 I set a body of Indians at work to burn lime pursuant 
 to my instructions. The lime when made was taken home 
 by our sledges and carts, and stored in a large shed until 
 required for use. 
 
 Having now all we wanted for the purpose we had in 
 contemplation, the work of building the town wall was 
 commenced. We retained the existing wall as a sort of 
 backing for our bricks, and because its demolition and 
 replacement would have involved too much labour, great 
 delay, leave the town exposed for some time, and too 
 severely tax our resources in brickmaking. We considered 
 that a good outer facing of bricks would avoid all those 
 inconveniences, and serve every practical purpose. Large 
 quantities of materials having been got ready, we set some 
 two hundred Indians to work upon and in connection with 
 the wall. These were for the most part experienced 
 workmen, who had been under our training for a long 
 time. The building of the wall progressed apace under 
 the daily superintendence of De Guzman and myself, and 
 long before it was finished it was the opinion of all that it 
 would make the town perfectly impregnable to any attack 
 whatsoever by native forces. The brickwork was carried 
 right up to the top of the old wall and a little beyond, 
 where it formed a castellated parapet. The top of the old 
 wall remained as a platform from which the defenders 
 could project their arrows or other missiles. At a little 
 distance from the outside of the wall De Guzman had a 
 fosse excavated, the inner edge of which he caused to be 
 guarded with a fence of sharp-pointed stakes having an 
 
174 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 outward inclination. He had intended to fill this fosse 
 with water, but this he found he could not do, as the 
 ground was not favourable for a flow of water. 
 
 Very great was the pleasure of the old cacique and all 
 the Indians at those changes, which added so enormously 
 to the security of the town. And truly there could not be 
 at that time in all Florida any native place so strong as 
 this had become, or even to be compared with it for 
 strength and security. On the completion of the work, 
 De Guzman established a regular service for the defence 
 of the wall and for sentinel duty. There seemed little 
 necessity for this, but he had the idea that it conduced 
 to the better training and discipline of the army to employ 
 it in this way. So the wall, at various points, was never 
 without guardians by day or night, and the Indians were 
 well practised in manning it as if for defence. 
 
 Heretofore the town had but one gate, but De Guzman 
 had another made at the opposite side. Both were well 
 protected by flanking buttresses of brick, and by solid 
 doors of planks of the evergreen oak. The approach to 
 each was over the fosse, by means of a light drawbridge, 
 which was, with uniform regularity, drawn in each night 
 and replaced each morning. This, too, was in accord 
 ance with De Guzman s plans for establishing everything 
 on a strict military basis, and not doing things by 
 halves. Certainly his methods made it well-nigh im 
 possible for an enemy to take the town by surprise, if 
 anything of the kind should be contemplated. At night 
 it was not only cut off from access from without, but 
 in addition well watched from the ramparts. In the 
 daytime the drawbridges were down, but each gate had 
 its guard, and sentinels went their rounds on the wall. 
 I thought within myself that this was very fine playing 
 at soldiers, but wholly unnecessary, though I acknowledged 
 that all those routine military duties helped to make the 
 Indians better soldiers. They themselves seemed pleased 
 with them, and not a little proud of their newly-acquired 
 military knowledge and proficiency. Indeed, I do not 
 think that the people of any country would make better 
 soldiers, under proper training, than the Indians of Florida, 
 who are naturally brave and warlike. 
 
CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 Capturing escaped horses Their equipment and uses Familiarising 
 the Indians with them. 
 
 ONE day during the progress of the town fortifications 
 Choquo and myself accompanied a party of Indians 
 in one of the excursions we were in the habit of making 
 to the hills to procure further supplies of metals and lime 
 stone. Having collected as much as we desired, we 
 commenced our homeward journey towards the close of the 
 day. Arriving at the foot of the hills we transhipped our 
 loads, as was our wont, from the sledges to the carts, and 
 then encamped for the night. In the morning one of our 
 party, who had gone out early to shoot game, came running 
 back breathless, with a strange account of some monstrous 
 beasts of a ferocious aspect he had discovered in the plain, 
 the like of which he had never before seen. As I could 
 not conceive what manner of creatures these could be, I 
 determined to go in search of them and ascertain for myself. 
 I accordingly mustered the Indians, and bidding them take 
 their weapons, set out in quest of the animals under the 
 guidance of the Indian who had seen them. After walking 
 about a mile, observing proper precautions, during the latter 
 part of the journey we saw, some distance off, the monstrous 
 beasts which had so alarmed our guide. To my great 
 surprise and pleasure I perceived that they were horses, 
 four in number, that had evidently belonged to the army, 
 and had strayed from it or been left behind for some 
 reason. Three were full-grown, and one was a good-sized 
 foal. The largest, a fine stallion, had still some remnants 
 of straps or thongs about the head and neck. I was much 
 excited at the spectacle, and anxious to secure the animals, 
 which would be of immense value to us. 
 
 With the exception of Choquo, none of the Indians with 
 
176 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L*ESTRANGE 
 
 me had ever before seen a horse, and all seemed uneasy at 
 the novel sight. The first thing I thought best to do was to 
 withdraw my men into a little wood which lay under a small 
 hill close by, so that I might have time to arrange some plan 
 for capturing the horses. My great fear was that we might 
 prematurely frighten them, for I judged they must have 
 become half wild, and if alarmed might gallop off and 
 escape us altogether. In the wood I conferred earnestly 
 with Choquo as to the best course to adopt ; but first of all 
 we explained to the Indians that those creatures were not 
 ferocious beasts of prey, but escaped domestic animals of a 
 quiet and inoffensive nature, exceedingly useful and highly 
 prized by white men. Having in this way inspired them 
 with some degree of confidence, we went on to arrange a 
 plan of action. We decided that the best course was to 
 endeavour to get the animals into the wood, where they 
 would be at a disadvantage, and we should have a better 
 chance of securing them. The wood was of small size 
 probably not exceeding five acres in extent and one side 
 of it was bounded by the hill, which at that part formed a 
 low cliff, like a wall, so curved as to make a kind of bay in 
 the middle. I saw at once that if we could succeed in 
 driving the horses into this bay their capture would be 
 almost certain. This decided our plan, and I gave my 
 orders accordingly. I was to remain in the wood with 
 some of the Indians, concealing ourselves in such fashion 
 and in such positions as to enable us, at the proper time, to 
 close in behind the horses when they entered the wood, and 
 drive them towards the recess in the cliff. Having made 
 the Indians thoroughly understand what it was they had to 
 do, I instructed Choquo to take with him the rest of the 
 party and make his way, by a detour through some broken 
 ground, beyond the horses, so as to turn them from the 
 more open country towards the wood. On all the Indians 
 I impressed the necessity for avoiding violent action or 
 loud cries, so as not to excite the animals more than what 
 was unavoidable. In all things requiring silence and 
 stealthiness the Indians are very clever and well-practised, 
 so that they not only fully understood my instructions, but 
 carried them out to perfection. 
 
 Choquo and those with him cautiously made their way 
 in the desired direction, without in the least exciting the 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L^ESTRANGE 177 
 
 suspicion of the horses ; I very anxious watching their 
 progress from my hiding-place in the margin of the wood. 
 Having at length got beyond the horses, and spread them 
 selves out, they appeared in the open and commenced slowly 
 advancing upon them. Soon they were perceived by the 
 stallion, who gave a loud snort of surprise and alarm, which 
 at once aroused the attention of the others. Choquo 
 advanced slowly, calling to the animals in the manner of 
 the Spanish grooms. For a moment they appeared in 
 doubt; but as he gradually drew nearer their love of 
 liberty prevailed, and they trotted away from him in our 
 direction. Every now and again they would stop and 
 gaze with suspicion on their slowly advancing pursuers, 
 and then start off afresh with much stamping of feet and 
 snorting. This went on for some time, the horses getting 
 nearer and nearer to the wood, which they seemed reluctant 
 to enter. Finding, however, no other way of avoiding 
 those who were encompassing them, they dashed into the 
 wood, the stallion leading the way and the others following 
 close behind. I whistled to my men (the signal agreed 
 upon), and they at once emerged from their hiding-places, 
 and, reinforced by Choquo and his men, who now joined 
 us, the whole party commenced heading the horses towards 
 the cliff, and towards that part of it where the bay or recess 
 was. By slow degrees, and with much careful manoeuvring, 
 we at length got them into the opening in the rocks without 
 having over-excited them. I at once gave orders to the 
 Indians to use all possible celerity in twining tough tendrils 
 and creeps from tree to tree, so as to enclose the horses in 
 the bay of the cliff, in a kind of half-moon fence, through 
 which they should not be able to force their way. This 
 was soon done, for there was no lack on the spot of 
 materials for the work, and the vine tendrils and some of 
 the creepers are as strong as any cordage of equal thick 
 ness. Having carefully inspected the fence at every part, 
 and making sure that it could not possibly be broken 
 through, even by a charge of cavalry, I experienced a joyful 
 sense of relief from my great and protracted anxiety, for I 
 now knew that our prizes were perfectly secure, and it only 
 remained for us to take leisurely possession of them. 
 
 Having rested for a time and considered what was best 
 to be done next, I made some strong halters out of the 
 
 M 
 
178 
 
 hide straps the Indians had with them, which they were 
 in the habit of using for dragging about the sledges and 
 carts. Choquo and myself then entered the enclosure and 
 approached the horses very deliberately. They would not 
 let us get very close to them at first, but we followed them 
 up and down for some time, calling and coaxing them, but 
 they were by no means willing to return to captivity. They 
 made three or four vigorous charges at the fence, but 
 finding they could not break through, and were confronted 
 there by the Indians, they seemed to despair of success, 
 and became more subdued, allowing us to get closer to 
 them. At length, by a quick movement, Choquo managed 
 to seize the foal by the neck, and, passing a halter over its 
 head, he led it to the fence and there secured it. Very 
 soon the dam came trotting and whinnying to its side, and 
 was easily captured and made fast. The other mare did 
 not give us much concern, for I counted upon readily 
 capturing her when we had made sure of the stallion, to 
 whom our united efforts were now directed. 
 
 Being a powerful and high-spirited animal, this was no 
 easy task. But at length we got him into a corner of the bay 
 of the cliff, whence he could only escape by passing close to 
 Choquo on one side, or myself on the other. I called 
 quietly to Choquo to turn him in my direction, which being 
 done, the animal made an attempt to rush past me, but 
 I, dashing forward, seized him first by the forelock with 
 my right hand, and then with my left by the remnant of 
 straps hanging from his head and neck. He plunged and 
 struggled for a little time, but I held to him stoutly, and 
 at last, with the assistance of Choquo, succeeded in passing 
 a halter over his head. This concluded the struggle, and 
 he allowed himself to be taken quietly away and made 
 fast to a tree. Then we went in search of the remaining 
 mare, and, as I expected, she gave us little trouble in 
 capturing and securing her. The Indians had witnessed 
 all our proceedings so far with wonder and awe. Now 
 they gave expression to their satisfaction at the completeness 
 of our success. They recognized it as a triumph in what 
 appeared to them a desperate and dangerous struggle, but 
 none of them (excepting Choquo) could form any proper 
 estimate of the inestimable value of the capture we had 
 made. 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 1/9 
 
 Being now fully in possession of the horses, our next 
 task was to get them home. For this purpose we fashioned 
 head-stalls out of the hide thongs, securely knotting them 
 where necessary, and carefully fitting them to the heads 
 of the three horses, so that they could not slip off. Seeing 
 how completely the animals were now brought under control 
 and guidance, I could not resist the temptation of mounting 
 and riding the stallion. I knew it must have been a well- 
 trained horse, but could not tell how far its spell of liberty 
 had made it forget its education. Saddle and stirrups there 
 were, of course, none, and hide thongs had to do duty for 
 reins, without a bit. Still, with a tight-fitting head-stall, 
 I might be able to control him, and at any rate I resolved 
 to try. I got on his back and ordered him to be cast loose 
 in the enclosure. At first he plunged and tore about rather 
 wildly, but presently he calmed down, and I was able to 
 ride him up and down the enclosed space, with a perfectly 
 secure seat, until he fully acknowledged my mastery. Cho- 
 quo, not to miss the chance of distinguishing himself 
 before the Indians, dealt similarly with the mare we had 
 last caught, and was equally successful, with far less diffi 
 culty. 
 
 All being now ready for our departure, I entrusted the mare 
 and foal to a couple of our most courageous and reliable 
 Indians, giving them directions to lead it by the head-stall 
 and allow the foal to follow in a halter held by another man. 
 By this means I thought that if the mare by any chance 
 broke away from her keepers she would not be lost, as she 
 would not desert her foal, which was not likely to be able to 
 escape. A way being cut through the fence, the cavalcade, 
 headed by myself and Choquo, made its way through the 
 wood and into the level country beyond, followed by the 
 admiring and astonished Indians. We had very little trouble 
 with the horses on the way home to Cargutah, and no 
 serious mishap, and long before we reached the town 
 fatigue and hunger had made them tame enough. 
 
 It was evening when we entered Cargutah in a sort of 
 triumphal procession, followed by a great crowd of awe- 
 stricken Indians, very few of whom had ever before seen a 
 horse or a mounted man. The cacique, De Guzman, and 
 all the chiefs were delighted beyond measure with this new 
 acquisition, and congratulations and compliments were 
 
l8o ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 showered upon me from all sides. Curiously enough, De 
 Guzman recognized in the stallion one of his own horses 
 one of the three he had lost at cards and the one he had 
 been most accustomed to ride before it left his possession. 
 The recognition was not wholly on his side, for it was plain 
 that the noble animal knew its old master and was pleased 
 at meeting with him again. 
 
 The possession of these animals suggested to the active 
 mind of De Guzman future possibilities of an Indian 
 cavalry force, which would complete the superiority of the 
 Cherokees over all other Indian tribes, and help to realize 
 his ambitious designs. And certainly a stallion and three 
 mares (for the foal was a female) might very well become in 
 time the progenitors of a number of horses, which might be 
 made useful for military purposes. How far the Indians 
 were capable of becoming horse-keepers and horsemen 
 remained, however, a problem which time alone could solve. 
 Meanwhile it was arranged that De Guzman should have 
 back his horse, that the care of the mare and foal should be 
 specially entrusted to Choquo, and that the other animal 
 should be considered as belonging to me. 
 
 Thereafter the horses were found very useful for draught 
 and carrying purposes, as occasion required. When not so 
 employed De Guzman made full use of them for training 
 the Indians in horsemanship, and though his lessons were 
 necessarily confined to but a few of the chief men, all 
 became more or less familiar with the appearance, habits, 
 character, and movements of creatures whom they at first 
 regarded with terror, and took to be ferocious and unnatural 
 monsters. In a little time many of them became good 
 riders, and none remained who did not understand the true 
 nature of those harmless and useful beasts. It was no 
 longer possible that our Indians should fly in terror at the 
 mere appearance of cavalry, as so many Indians had done 
 during the march of the army. 
 
 Touching the equipment of our animals, De Guzman 
 and myself were much concerned. Bits of bronze and 
 bridles, etc., of hide, were easy to provide, but the making 
 of saddles and horseshoes greatly exercised us. The latter, 
 indeed, we had to abandon, after many fruitless attempts, 
 and we determined to leave the horses unshod. No harm 
 resulted from this, for as they were, for the most part, used 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE l8l 
 
 on soft and level ground, and as, even when drawing 
 minerals from the hills, their work was light, and not 
 constant, we found that, by a little attention to the 
 trimming of their hoofs, they did very well without shoes. 
 In saddle-making I had some experience, and, with proper 
 materials and tools, I could make a passably good saddle. 
 Here such materials and tools were not to be had, and 
 their places could only be supplied by very indifferent 
 substitutes. However, I at length succeeded in making a 
 few saddles which answered pretty well ; though the 
 Indians, as a rule, seemed to think them a needless en 
 cumbrance, and preferred riding barebacked, or merely 
 with a skin thrown over the horse. Many of them became 
 expert riders in this way, showing a remarkable aptitude 
 for horsemanship; but of course, for military purposes, 
 such a mode of riding would be of little use, for without 
 saddle and stirrups the horseman s seat would be insecure, 
 and he could not sustain any great shock. For the better 
 protection of the horses, should it ever become necessary 
 to employ them in hostile encounters, De Guzman in 
 vented a simple sort of armour out of the quilted cotton 
 material already mentioned. This armour was used for the 
 necks, shoulders, and chests of the animals, as being the 
 parts most liable to injury, but a sheet or quilt of it was 
 also secured over the back, behind the saddle or seat, so as 
 to give some protection to the flanks and haunches. This 
 kind of defence for the horses was very meritorious, for, in 
 addition to affording fair protection against injuries in 
 battle, it did not encumber the horse, either by its weight 
 or stiffness. In after times the Spaniards recognized its 
 value, and employed it largely. De Guzman very 
 frequently exercised the men and horses in military 
 movements, and enforced upon the Indians a thorough 
 understanding of the use of all weapons and accoutrements, 
 and the necessity of keeping them in good condition. 
 
 I need not enumerate all the ways in which the horses 
 were made useful to us, but must say that their services 
 were particularly valuable in two things, namely, grinding 
 corn and ploughing. One of them, harnessed to our corn 
 mill, could do the work of many men, and we had thus 
 such an abundance of flour as to enable us to give large 
 quantities of it to neighbouring tribes in exchange for corn, 
 
1 82 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 dried and fresh meat, game, skins and furs, and a variety of 
 other things, including some copper, and occasionally a 
 little gold, pearls, and rare stones. The gold, pearls, and 
 precious stones commonly came into my possession, as the 
 Indians set no great store by them, and De Guzman was 
 willing that I should have them. 
 
 I had a good deal of difficulty in making use of our 
 horses for ploughing purposes. For one thing, the ploughs 
 I had hitherto made were very light, being made for hand 
 use, and, to say the truth, not by any means the best of 
 my inventions, being made at a time when our mechanical 
 resources were little developed. But now I had metals 
 and tools in abundance, and numerous workmen skilled in 
 their use, and so I had courage enough to confront the 
 task of making a plough fit to be drawn by a horse. That 
 task I ultimately accomplished, with less labour and fewer 
 mistakes than were involved in the making of my first 
 imperfect hand-plough. The new implement was two- 
 handled, and strongly built, with a heavy and well shaped 
 share of bronze, and all necessary arrangements for har 
 nessing a horse to it. In actual trial it turned out quite 
 satisfactory, and we could now make a good deep furrow 
 with ease and precision, and turn over a great piece of 
 ground in the course of a day, without imposing laborious 
 and irksome work on our Indians. 
 
CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 Strange news Message from two Spanish prisoners The Creeque 
 Indians and their sun-dance Human sacrifices We organize an 
 expedition of rescue I lead the advance guard Rapid marching 
 Crossing a river Quartering in a cavern An Indian cemetery 
 Reconnoitring The sun-dance ceremonies The victims ready. 
 
 "PHERE came to me one day, whilst I was busy in the 
 J- workshops, a message from De Guzman requiring my 
 presence in the town at once. On going thither I found him 
 and some of the Indian lords engaged in interrogating an 
 old man of our tribe, who had just returned from a journey 
 with a strange story. He had brought back with him a 
 piece of skin on the smooth side of which some Spanish 
 words had been traced in charcoal, though nearly all of 
 them were obliterated by careless handling. But the word 
 " Christianos " could be made out, and some others which 
 appeared to be part of an earnest entreaty for succour. 
 Fortunately the Indian was himself able to explain the 
 mystery. He was one of those who went about the country 
 to pick up any useful relics of the Spanish army which he 
 might come upon. In those wanderings he had recently 
 come to a country occupied by a tribe of Indians called 
 Creeques, and amongst those people he had found two 
 white men, like De Guzman and myself (as he said), and 
 one man who was entirely black, all three being detained 
 as prisoners, and harshly used by the Creeques. Having 
 pity for them, and being desirous of doing what he thought 
 would be agreeable to us, he had found means to make the 
 prisoners understand that he was friendly to them, and 
 knew of other white men at a distance to whom he would 
 be willing to communicate their state. When they had 
 realized his meaning they made the black marks on the 
 skin with a bit of burnt stick, and bade him convey it to the 
 white men of whom he had spoken. He had learned from 
 
 183 
 
1 84 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 the Creeques themselves that the three prisoners, with 
 others, were shortly to be put to death with torture, at a 
 great religious festival which was about to be held, called 
 the sun-dance. This, our Indian friends told us, was a 
 ceremony of great antiquity, but not now much practised, 
 nor was its object or its meaning well understood. They 
 thought that long ago it might have been part of some 
 prevalent religion which had been forgotten. Occasionally 
 even now the Indians of several tribes would agree to 
 assemble at some appointed place, to dance and perform 
 other ceremonies around a tall pole set up for the pur 
 pose. Those ceremonies would last several days, during 
 which the Indians, even of tribes the most hostile to each 
 other, were bound to maintain peace. The dancing, which 
 was kept up continuously until those engaged in it fell down 
 exhausted, was varied by self-tortures and mutilations of a 
 singular kind. From branches left at the top of the pole 
 long thongs of hide hung down. Indians who desired to dis 
 tinguish themselves would come forward and permit two long 
 slits to be cut through the skin and flesh of their chests with 
 a sharp flint knife. The flesh between the slits being raised 
 up, the end of the hanging thongs would be passed beneath 
 and made fast. The devotees would then throw themselves 
 backwards with a full strain on the cord, and dance wildly 
 about the pole. If they succeeded in causing the cord to 
 cut through the strip of flesh, their sacrifice was complete ; 
 if not, they danced on as long as they could hold out, and 
 were released by their friends at sunset. Such men were 
 ever after held in great esteem and honour, as having 
 given high proof of their courage and endurance. But 
 slaves and prisoners were also liable to be subjected forcibly 
 to this torture, and in a more fatal manner. They were more 
 securely attached to the cords, and for them there was no 
 release, and no escape, but death. While so fastened they 
 were made to leap and gyrate by being tortured with fire, 
 and in other horrible ways, and this went on while life 
 endured in them, which was sometimes for two or three 
 days. 
 
 All these things being fully explained to us, then or 
 afterwards, we well understood in what unhappy case the 
 poor Spanish prisoners and the negro were placed, and 
 both De Guzman and myself were resolved that an effort 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE l8$ 
 
 should be made to save them. Our Indian friends, and 
 the old cacique in particular, were easily persuaded to the 
 same conclusion. It then only remained to be considered 
 what was best to be done, and the manner of doing it. 
 De Guzman, taking things in order, as was his wont, first 
 secured an agreement of the assembled chiefs that an 
 expedition should be despatched at once. Then he invited 
 a discussion as to the number, composition, and equipment 
 of the force. The position, as he clearly explained it, was 
 this : whatever was to be done must be done quickly, for 
 in three days (our old Indian said) the pagan ceremony was 
 to commence, and at any time thereafter the prisoners 
 might be sacrificed. Then the distance was such that the 
 utmost expedition would have to be used to traverse it in 
 good time. The Creeques were known to be a brave and 
 numerous people, and would have the support of many 
 other Indians attending the ceremony. So we had on the 
 one hand shortness of time as telling against elaborate pre 
 parations, and, on the other, the necessity of being 
 sufficiently prepared to cope with formidable opponents. 
 Our resolve, therefore, had to be so shaped as to reconcile 
 those conflicting conditions in the best manner possible. 
 The decision ultimately come to, under the influence of 
 De Guzman, was to send off at once a force of fifty of our 
 best and fleetest men, and, as soon as possible, to send 
 after them a more numerous body by way of reinforcement. 
 The advance guard could hurry forward, and taking such 
 opportunities as might present themselves do whatever 
 was possible, and either carry off the prisoners, or engage 
 the attention of their captors until the arrival of the main 
 body. 
 
 Those points being settled, I was nominated to take 
 charge of the forward force, while De Guzman remained 
 behind to organize the main body. Not a moment was 
 lost in making ready. Within four hours from the time our 
 plans were settled upon, my command was ready to march. 
 Twenty-five of my fifty men were well-trained crossbow- 
 men ; the remainder carried their native arms, as well as 
 pikes of our own manufacture, the height of a man, with 
 the use of which they were familiar. Every man of the 
 force had a waist-belt, holding on one side a battle-axe, and 
 on the other a long knife, or short sword (for it might be 
 
1 86 
 
 called either), of our make. The crossbow-men had each a 
 bandoleer, charged with thirty bolts, cross-belted over his 
 left shoulder. For other equipment, each man of the party 
 carried a skin sack at his back, containing a supply of bread, 
 and a small extra supply of bolts in case of need. For on 
 the crossbow I depended a good deal, because of its great 
 range and precision, and the possibility of using it in 
 positions in which the longbow could not very well be 
 employed as in lying and crouching attitudes. The want 
 of ordinary arrows we might be able to supply away from 
 home, but not so the crossbow bolts. That was why I 
 thought it advisable to carry an extra supply of those 
 missiles, and as things turned out, it was fortunate I had 
 such an idea. The sergeants, as we called them, or leaders 
 of ten men, were furnished with copper helmets, and coats 
 of quilted cotton ; the others wore the native skin-coats, 
 leggings, and moccasins. For myself, I rode the mare 
 belonging to me, the better to keep up with and direct my 
 men in their rapid march. For arms 1 had a long lance, a 
 remounted Spanish sword-blade, and a strong, double- 
 headed battle-axe. My head was protected by an excellent 
 and strong helmet, and both myself and my horse were 
 clad in the quilted cotton already mentioned. Thanks to 
 the great prevision and persistency of De Guzman in 
 forming an ample store of all things necessary for military 
 use, my fifty men and myself were quickly supplied with 
 everything that was required for either armament or equip 
 ment. When our little troop was finally mustered for 
 review, it looked as serviceable and efficient a force as any 
 which could have been found in Europe, albeit a little 
 outlandish and grotesque. 
 
 It was some five hours after noon when we set out under 
 the guidance of the old Indian. At first we took a course 
 down the river of Cargutah, which we crossed by means of 
 a stout raft, which I had caused to be built some time 
 before to enable us to bring minerals from beyond the 
 river. We then diverged from the river and passed through 
 a broken and hilly country towards the north-west. After 
 wards we came to a region of forests, in which we continued 
 for the rest of the journey. For six hours we kept up a 
 quick and steady march without stopping. We then halted 
 for the night near a small stream, in the neighbourhood of 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 1 87 
 
 which there was plenty of game. Here I caused a camp to 
 be formed, protected by a circular abatis a very good 
 defence for a temporary purpose, in a place where trees 
 are plentiful, and one which can be put up with 
 little trouble to tired men. Having posted sentries, and 
 seen that all had had a hearty meal, we laid down for the 
 night, which passed over quietly enough. Next morning, by 
 daybreak, another good meal was prepared and consumed, 
 after which our march was resumed at the same rapid 
 speed. About midday we came to a river which caused us 
 some delay, by necessitating the construction of a raft, and 
 its navigation to the other side. We made it of such fallen 
 and floating timber as most readily came to hand, tying the 
 various pieces together with strips of bark and tendrils. 
 The whole, when complete, we covered with brushwood. 
 The raft was not very secure, but it served to keep our 
 things dry and to carry across such of our party as did not 
 care to swim the river. When ready, about a score of our 
 men stripped themselves, and plunging into the water, partly 
 towed and partly pushed the raft to the other side. Cho- 
 quo swam my horse across. There I commanded a halt to 
 let the men rest and refresh. Meanwhile I revolved in my 
 own mind whether it might not be well to do something to 
 facilitate the passage of the river by De Guzman and the 
 main body when they came that way in our tracks, for it 
 might be that time would be of great importance to them 
 and us, and it would cause dangerous delay if they had to 
 stop to build suitable rafts. After consulting with Choquo 
 and some of the sergeants, I determined to leave five of the 
 most handy and reliable of our men behind, with instruc 
 tions to recross the river and set about making proper rafts. 
 This being settled we resumed our march as before, not 
 halting until sunset, and doing the same things as on the 
 last night. 
 
 It was late in the afternoon of the third day of our 
 departure from Cargutah when certain scouts we had 
 sent in advance brought back word that we were within 
 an hour s march of the place where the Creeques and 
 their allies were assembled. It was still to be found out 
 whether we had arrived in time to save the prisoners ; but I 
 thought that in any case it was first of all advisable to select 
 some place where we could lie hid without much danger of 
 
1 88 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 discovery. After a little searching we found a place the 
 most suitable. This was a sort of shallow cavern in the 
 face of a precipitous hill in a dense part of the forest. A 
 wide space of ground in front of the cavern was, however, 
 bare and rocky, and I decided that we could not do better 
 than quarter ourselves in this place for a time. Having so 
 resolved, I sent off the old Indian to find out for certain 
 whether the prisoners were dead or alive. While awaiting 
 his return, I employed my men in constructing an abatis in 
 front of the cavern as a precaution against possible attack. 
 It was made in the form of a half-moon, and was composed 
 of large and small branches of trees laid one upon the other 
 with the thick ends inwards. The cavern was of great 
 height and good width, but no great depth backwards. It 
 was, in fact, a sort of a hollow overshadowed by projecting 
 rocks sixty or seventy feet above our heads. On each side 
 of this recess a spur of rocks ran out a little way like a wall, 
 so that on the whole the place was very defensible in case 
 of attack. At the back of the cavern there was a small 
 shallow pool of water, not more than an inch deep in any 
 part. I had this deepened and enlarged, by getting my 
 men to scoop out the wet sand and earth from the bottom 
 and sides ; and when this was done the water, fed by some 
 spring beneath, rose to its former level and rilled the new 
 basin. We found it pure and sweet, and it was most ac 
 ceptable to us, as well as to the horse, for during the last 
 few hours we had been without water. 
 
 Meanwhile, a party of our men who had been sent to 
 forage in the forest returned with the carcasses of a couple 
 of deer and a quantity of smaller game, so that now we 
 had an abundant supply of food and drink. While making 
 ourselves secure and comfortable in the cavern, I posted 
 sentries in the margin of the forest, as a matter of military 
 routine and discipline, for there was no reason to suppose 
 that we should be disturbed in such a solitude. The 
 Creeques could have no suspicion that an enemy was in 
 their neighbourhood. 
 
 The old Indian seemed to be a long time absent, and I 
 began to be seriously apprehensive about him before he 
 came back, which he did at an advanced hour of the night. 
 His news, however, was ample, and in its way satisfactory. 
 He had had many difficulties to overcome, and had been 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 189 
 
 obliged to exercise great caution, but had succeeded in 
 obtaining all the information necessary. The prisoners 
 were alive and unharmed, and he had been able to com 
 municate with them and inform them of our being close at 
 hand. He had also made certain that the ceremonies of 
 the sun-dance would commence in the morning, and that 
 after the volunteer devotees had performed their parts, the 
 prisoners were to be tied up and subjected to the cruel 
 treatment already described. He found, moreover, that 
 there was a great assemblage of Indians; so much so, 
 that there was no room for them all in the little Indian 
 town, and many of them had to encamp without the walls. 
 All this helped to make our course clear. Our work was 
 now plainly before us, and we had to do it, or at any rate 
 attempt it, without delay, and without waiting for De 
 Guzman. So I got my men ready and enjoined them to 
 observe every precaution in approaching the enemy, and 
 above all to wait for orders before action, and strictly obey 
 them when given. I appointed the cavern as a rendezvous 
 for all who might find themselves separated from their 
 comrades, intending in any event, fortunate or otherwise, 
 to come back that way as being the one best known to us. 
 I was mindful, too, of the lesson Captain Roland used 
 always to impress upon us that a good commander would 
 always make arrangements for covering his retreat in the 
 event of a reverse. So I appointed a sergeant and five 
 men to remain behind and take charge of the cavern 
 during our absence, directing them in particular to 
 strengthen the abatis from within by piling stones and 
 earth upon the ends of the branches projecting into 
 the cavern, so as to make the whole work more solid and 
 immovable, and so as also to form a kind of raised plat 
 form, or foot-hold, giving command of the ground in front 
 of the abatis. Most of the materials for this purpose 
 they could procure by further deepening and enlarging the 
 pool of water at the back of the cavern, thus serving a 
 double purpose. It was not without reluctance that I 
 diminished my fighting force by these six men, but I con 
 sidered it would be most imprudent to do otherwise. I 
 was, moreover, compelled to spare another man a quick 
 runner for the purpose of sending him back over our 
 track to communicate our position and movements to 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 De Guzman, and hurry him to the front. The old Indian 
 I again sent forward, in company with three others, to 
 select a place from whence we might make our final rush 
 upon the Creeques. 
 
 All these arrangements made, we cautiously set out from 
 the cavern as soon as it was light. We were now less than 
 forty strong, and had before us a dangerous and even 
 desperate enterprise; but my men were all fairly good 
 soldiers, very well armed, and brave and active. 
 
 Prudence, as well as necessity, obliged us to march in 
 single file, as in this way we could most quietly and 
 swiftly glide through the dense forest. Also, as a matter 
 of prudence, I gave my horse, ready for mounting at a 
 moment s notice, in charge of an Indian, to follow in our 
 rear, where any noises it might make would be less com 
 promising for us. Having advanced for some time in this 
 way, we were met by the old Indian and his companions, 
 who proceeded to conduct us to a place they had selected 
 for our ambush. This, when we had attained to it, we 
 found to be a desolate and abandoned spot, which had in 
 former times been used as a cemetery for the dead of the 
 Indians. It was all overgrown with rank weeds and bushes, 
 with here and there fragments of bleached bones. It was 
 an old custom with some of the Indian tribes to place the 
 bodies of their dead on rude platforms, built on high poles ; 
 and this was a place of the kind, though evidently long 
 disused. There were many remains of poles and platforms 
 still standing, but nearly all in a ruinous and crumbling 
 state. Not above a dozen were left sufficiently stable to 
 bear still some portions of the bodies they had formerly 
 supported. All the rest had fallen to the ground, where the 
 bones of the dead had been gnawed and broken by wild 
 animals. I found on inspection that the position would 
 serve our purpose very well. It was not above a couple of 
 hundred yards from the verge of the forest and the open 
 space where the sun-dance was to take place. All our 
 Indians said there was no fear of anyone coming that way, 
 because such melancholy places were always avoided by 
 the natives. Here, then, we concealed ourselves, awaiting 
 events. 
 
 In company with three or four others, I (laying aside my 
 bright helmet) stole quietly through the trees to see what 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE IQl 
 
 was passing beyond the forest. We saw a wide plain and 
 some groups of Indians a good way off, near the town, 
 which was a walled place standing on elevated ground, the 
 gate being towards us. About midway across the plain we 
 saw the tall pole exactly as it had been described to us. It 
 was a straight slim tree, which must have been seventy or 
 eighty feet high as it grew in the forest. The trunk had 
 been made smooth all the way up, with the exception of 
 certain projecting branches at the top. These had been 
 trimmed, and now stood out from the trunk like strong 
 arms. From their ends about a dozen long cords were 
 hanging nearly down to the ground, ready for the victims, 
 voluntary or otherwise. We waited and watched in our 
 hiding-place for what appeared to be a long time, without 
 any great change taking place. At last a movement was 
 visible in the direction of the town, from the gates of which 
 crowds of people began to troop, mixing with those outside. 
 Presently there came a loud booming sound, and this my 
 companions informed me was the sound of the great drum 
 which is beaten on solemn and ceremonious occasions only. 
 This was the signal for the commencement of the cere 
 monies. The crowds of men, women, and children formed 
 themselves into a sort of loose procession, and, headed by 
 the drummers, marched towards the pole. Round this they 
 marched two or three times in a wide circle, singing or 
 chanting in a monotonous way to the incessant beating of 
 the drum. Then the drumming ceased, and all stood still, 
 facing towards the pole. Those in the front ranks next sat 
 down upon the ground, while those at the back gazed over 
 their heads. As the mass of people arranged themselves in 
 this way, we, who were secretly watching, became aware of 
 a cluster of people near the pole. They were ten or a 
 dozen in number, and from the way they were trussed up 
 we judged they were the prisoners doomed to be sacrificed. 
 Even at the distance we were off, we thought we were able 
 to make out amongst them the two white men and the 
 black man. 
 
 The Indians being all arranged in the manner aforesaid, 
 and all being silent and attentive, one man stood up and 
 made them a speech and after him another, and then 
 another, until several had spoken, and some of them for a 
 good time. We could not hear what they said ; but I 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 observed as each orator came forward to speak, he first 
 went to the great drum and gave three loud taps upon it, 
 by way, I suppose, of bespeaking attention. The speech- 
 making being done, the multitude rose to their feet and 
 broke into a wild kind of circular dance, some moving in 
 one direction, and others in the opposite, all yelling and 
 whooping, and the great drum going all the time. The 
 noise and confusion were so great, and the whole scene so 
 extraordinary, that one might think all the demons of hell 
 were let out for a holiday. 
 
CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 The plan of attack A rush on the worshippers Their flight and 
 slaughter A single-handed encounter And another Indian 
 resolution The rescued men Retreat and pursuit At bay 
 Defence of the cavern Surrounded by Indians An unessy night. 
 
 FOR my part I had soon enough of those heathenish 
 antics, and I thought we could find no better time 
 than the present to do what we had to do. So I crept 
 quietly back to my men to make the last arrangements for 
 the attack we meditated. We had now all the knowledge 
 and information we required. We knew the position and 
 surroundings of the men we wished to rescue ; we saw how 
 the Indians were occupied; and we had, moreover, ob 
 served with great contentment that very few of them 
 appeared to be armed. We had, therefore, only to think 
 how best we should fall upon them. The surprise must be 
 sudden and complete, as otherwise the prisoners might be 
 carried off before we could get to them. We could soon 
 disperse this unarmed multitude, but in that there would be 
 small profit if we gave them time enough to take the 
 prisoners with them. 
 
 Having considered every point which seemed to require 
 attention, I quickly formed my plan of action. I directed 
 Choquo to lead the troops along the edge of the forest, for 
 a good distance to the right, and there to await my signal to 
 charge upon the crowd, and to do so in two close lines. 
 For myself, I mounted my horse, and making my helmet 
 and everything about me secure and ready for use, I took 
 with me a single Indian, and went off to the left, so as to 
 gain a position such that Choquo and myself should be 
 nearly on opposite sides o the circle of dancers. The 
 signal for Choquo to charge was to be my appearance on 
 horseback in the open. Having gained the position I 
 desired, I told my Indian to have his knife ready to cut the 
 
 N 193 
 
194 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 bonds of the prisoners, and to hold tightly by my saddle, 
 and be prepared to run with the horse. After that I rode 
 quietly and slowly into the open, and had scarcely emerged 
 from the forest when, with a great cry, Choquo and his 
 band dashed from their concealment and came charging on 
 the mob of Indians in two close and well-kept lines. I 
 scarcely think that any of the enemy had time to notice me 
 riding out of the wood, but if any did, their sight and 
 attention were at once turned to Choquo and his men. At 
 any rate, I at once put my horse to the gallop and made 
 straight for the pole, to which I was much nearer than the 
 force under Choquo. The dancing had stopped, and the 
 crowd of Indians were thrown into a state of consternation, 
 not knowing what to do on an attack so suddenly made by 
 such strange-looking people. Some ran hither and thither 
 with loud cries ; some made for the town ; others fled in 
 various directions; many remained stationary with amaze 
 ment. This was the state of things when I galloped 
 amongst those who lay in my way riding down some, and 
 using my lance freely on others. I soon made a clear 
 space about the pole, and turning to my man, I bade him 
 use his knife as I had directed. Whilst he was engaged 
 about this, I followed up the retreating Indians to prevent 
 any rally on their part and to drive them further away. In 
 the distance I caught a glimpse of Choquo s party furiously 
 plying sword and pike upon the flying Indians, though I 
 could not perceive that there was occasion for so much 
 severity, for they seemed to be meeting with no resistance. 
 As I was meditating upon the best way of calling them off, 
 I suddenly found that I had to look to myself. For, out of 
 the crowd of fugitive Indians before me, one of the few who 
 happened to be armed turned back and faced me with an 
 arrow fitted to his bow. I could not deny the challenge, 
 but went at him with increased speed and couched lance. 
 He waited until I came quite near and then, taking de 
 liberate aim, let fly at me with all the spring of his bow. 
 At the moment I ducked my head, and the arrow loudly 
 rattled off my helmet and passed harmlessly away. The 
 next moment I had run him fairly through the chest and 
 he fell to the ground, holding my lance-shaft tightly with 
 both hands. And such was the persistency of the man 
 that he kept his hold on the lance with a foot of it buried 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 195 
 
 in his body, in spite of being dragged to and fro over the 
 ground by the movements of my horse. I suppose it was 
 the sight of my difficulty with this Indian which caused 
 another to run back to attack me. This man carried a 
 small flint hatchet which, when near enough, he threw at 
 me with great force and good aim. The head of the 
 v/eapon struck rny horse, a little in front of my right leg, and 
 partly cut through the quilted covering which protected the 
 animal at that part, but doing no other harm. His blow 
 delivered, the Indian turned to fly ; but, abandoning my 
 lance for the moment, and drawing my sword, I dashed after 
 him, and quickly coming up with him, cut him down with a 
 stroke between the neck and shoulder, whereupon he dropped 
 to the ground, bleeding profusely, and as good as dead. Just 
 then, up came my Indian running to my help, and seeing 
 my lance still in the grasp of the first Indian, he went to 
 him, and incontinently cleft his head in two with a blow 
 from his bronze axe, and then dragged the lance from his 
 grasp and out of his body and handed it to me. 
 
 I sent this man at once to Choquo with orders to desist 
 from further pursuit, and join me by the pole. Thither I 
 went myself, to find all the prisoners released, and some of 
 them already departed, being in haste to make the best use 
 of a liberation which they could not understand, and prob 
 ably mistrusted. The two white men and the negro, as well 
 as a couple of Indians, remained. The two white men were 
 Spaniards, common soldiers, who said they had wandered 
 from the army and lost it ; but I suspected later on, from all 
 they said, that they had deserted, rather than go on enduring 
 the hardships and miseries to which they found themselves 
 more than ever exposed when the army again set out for the 
 west, after the death of De Soto. Deserters or not, they were 
 later on made very welcome at Cargutah, where they proved 
 themselves grateful and useful men. The negro had been a 
 slave to a gentleman of the army, but being badly treated 
 (he said) he had run away, in company with a Barbary 
 Moor (also a slave), when De Soto was last encamped by 
 the Rio Grande. He and the Moor had lived very 
 comfortably on an island in a river, where they had built 
 themselves a hut. But the Moor had died of a fever, and 
 the negro, a few days before our coming, had been captured 
 on the shore of the river by a band of Indians and brought 
 
196 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 to this place to be sacrificed. The Spaniards were in bad 
 case owing to long ill-treatment and the tightness of their 
 bonds ; but the negro, a man of gigantic size and strength, 
 was little the worse for his captivity. He, too, proved to be 
 a most excellent acquisition at Cargutah; and, in a way which 
 can be more properly stated further on in this account, he 
 was the means of conferring an extraordinary benefit upon 
 our community. 
 
 When Choquo and his party had joined us, I caused the 
 two Spaniards to be mounted on my horse, which I gave in 
 charge of the negro. Then, putting my men in order, I 
 gave the word to march, our course being in the same 
 direction as that over which we had come. I was much 
 pleased with the entire success of our plans, both as regards 
 action and expedition, for everything had been done to time 
 and order, without the least miscarriage. I do not think 
 that, from the time we first burst from the woods until we 
 again returned to them, as much as half-an-hour had passed. 
 Truly there had been more slaughter than I cared for, or 
 was necessary, for on looking back we could see five-and- 
 twenty or thirty prostrate forms on the plain, and there was 
 no such resistance as justified this. Moreover, I knew this 
 would needlessly exasperate the Creeques and their allies, 
 and we must lay our account with their seeking to avenge 
 themselves upon us. Probably they would have sought to 
 do so in any event, for the insult we had put upon them by 
 breaking up their religious festival, and carrying off their 
 prisoners, was too gross to escape resentment. Indeed, we 
 had yet hardly reached the cover of the forest when we 
 saw several armed Indians running from the town in our 
 direction, and I made no doubt we had raised a nest of 
 hornets who would deal us some severe stings. We were 
 but a very few men against a host of enemies, and unless 
 we succeeded in making good our escape to a place of 
 safety before they had time to encompass us on all sides, 
 our chances of saving our lives were but small. 
 
 Accordingly I urged our men to the utmost expedition. 
 The horse, with the two Spaniards, the negro, and the two 
 released Indians (who had chosen to come with us), I sent 
 on first under the guidance of the old Indian. The spear 
 men I distributed right and left of our route, with instruc 
 tions to watch for any attack on our flanks ; myself, with 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 the crossbow-men, formed the rear guard. Whether it was in 
 this march, or during the attack on the dancers, that we 
 lost one of our men, I cannot say; but later on, when a 
 muster was taken, one was missing, and never reappeared. 
 
 In this order we hurried along for about half-an-hour, 
 hearing from time to time the yells and war-whoops of the 
 Indians behind us. Then we could see the dusky 
 forms of the more advanced of them gliding through the 
 trees. Now and again I directed a shot to be taken at the 
 more presumptuous of them, to check their impetuosity; but 
 I would not permit our march to be arrested, for fear that 
 such delay on our part would give time for more of them to 
 come up. Nevertheless, the number of those closing in 
 upon us increased, and as they drew nearer they called on 
 us to stand and fight, abusing us as cowards and women. 
 To all this I paid no heed, being resolved to keep on as 
 long as I could, as the only safe thing to do under the 
 circumstances. But at the end of the half-hour it became 
 plain that we should not be able to reach the cavern with 
 out a fight for it ; and making up my mind to this, I waited 
 until we came to a place which looked like the dry bed of a 
 torrent, with bushes and tall grass growing on each side. 
 Having crossed this, I ordered my men of the rear guard 
 to hide themselves in the herbage, and make ready to use 
 their crossbows when I gave the word. No sooner were 
 we thus in ambush than some forty or fifty of our pursuers 
 came leaping and bounding into the gulley in a pretty com 
 pact body. I waited until they were well out of cover and 
 within easy range, and then shouted to my men to let fly. 
 In an instant a score of bolts were discharged at the 
 Indians, stretching four or five of them on the ground, and 
 wounding many more who did not fall. The enemy paused 
 for a moment at this strange and unexpected reception, but, 
 quickly rallying, again dashed forward with a wild whoop. 
 My men now hailed upon them a continuous shower of 
 bolts, so well sent that in a little time there were not twenty 
 of the enemy able to continue the charge. These, seeing 
 how few they were against an unseen and formidably-armed 
 foe, drew up when more than half way across the gulley, 
 paused for a moment, and then turned and fled to the other 
 side amidst a parting shower of missiles from us. It would 
 have been an easy matter for us to have pursued and dispersed 
 
198 ADVENTURES OF ROGER I/ESTRANGE 
 
 this party, but we had done enough for our purpose; 
 and, having effectually checked the advance of the enemy, 
 I drew my men quickly and quietly away, and hastened after 
 our comrades, leaving our pursuers to imagine if they liked 
 that we were still in ambush waiting for them. 
 
 After this, our march to the cavern was untroubled. On 
 arriving there, I lost not a moment in seeing to the defences 
 of the place. I found the men I had left behind had done 
 very good work in my absence, and had intelligently carried 
 out the instructions I had given them. They had thrown 
 up a bank of earth behind the abatis, which, with a little 
 additional labour under my superintendence, served as 
 a sort of walk or platform, from whence arrows could be 
 shot over the top of the abatis. In a little time I had 
 everything in as good order as possible within the enclosure. 
 Every man had a place and duty assigned to him. In the 
 woods without I had caused sentinels to be placed to give 
 us warning of any hostile approach. The horse, now a 
 mere encumbrance, and awkward to accommodate within 
 the cavern, I gave in charge of one of our Indians to take 
 back to De Guzman, while yet the way was open. By this 
 means, too, I was able to send quickly to him the latest 
 news of our condition, and an urgent entreaty for expe 
 dition on his part. 
 
 Having attended as best I could to all matters, I calmly 
 and carefully surveyed the situation, and felt confident that 
 we could make a good defence in our present position. We 
 could not be surrounded and attacked from rear or flanks, 
 nor was it at all probable that our front could be forced, so 
 well defended as it was. Neither could we be starved out 
 in any reasonable time, for we had food to last us for 
 several days, and a constant and plentiful supply of water, 
 of which we could not be deprived. Long before our food 
 gave out, De Guzman and the main body would have 
 arrived to our assistance, and dispersed any force which 
 might be beleaguering us. 
 
 For some hours we were left in the full enjoyment of a 
 welcome repose. But shortly after midday, we had word 
 from our scouts that parties of Indians were coming through 
 the forest from the direction of the Creeque village. Then 
 we were warned of their nearer approach in larger bodies. 
 Later on, our last scouts came running in with the intelligence 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER I/ESTRANGE IQQ 
 
 that the woods around were alive with Indians, all stripped 
 and painted for battle. By this time the afternoon 
 was well advanced, and as we were as ready as we should 
 ever be to receive the enemy, I was as willing as not that 
 the attack upon us should be made in daylight. A night 
 assault would put us at a disadvantage, for in the darkness 
 the enemy could approach us more safely, and crowd upon 
 us at close quarters with more immunity from our arrows 
 and bolts. We were, however, not in a position to force 
 the fighting, and must abide the pleasure of the enemy. 
 
 As the day wore on in this state of watchfulness and 
 suspense on our part, it became more and more evident 
 that it would pass away without an attack. The Indians in 
 the forest in front of us were constantly increasing in 
 numbers, until it was quite certain that many hundreds 
 of them had assembled. From time to time some of them 
 stepped out into the open, hurling at us challenges and 
 abuse, and threatening us with horrible punishments. 
 Some of the more daring of those boasters we could easily 
 have reached with our crossbows a danger of which they 
 were not aware but I was not minded to impress them too 
 early with the power of our weapons ; and to all their 
 taunts and threats we made no reply by action, sign, or 
 word. 
 
 At the approach of night I divided my men into five 
 watches of two hours each, so as to cover the whole period 
 of darkness. I arranged that, during the last two hours, 
 there should be a double guard, for I knew that a little 
 before dawn was the favourite time of the Indians for a 
 night attack I directed that the men not on guard should 
 repose themselves, but be in a state of readiness to en 
 counter the enemy at the first alarm. When night set in, 
 all was quiet on our side. The Indians in the forest also 
 relapsed into a state of quietude, though we could see 
 through the trees that they had lighted several large fires, 
 feeling, no doubt, perfectly safe from any attack by us. I 
 remained on duty during the earlier part of the night, to 
 make sure that everything was in good order and ready for 
 any emergency. I then left Choquo in charge, and threw 
 myself down to get some sleep, giving directions to be 
 aroused on the first sign of a movement on the part of the 
 enemy. 
 
CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 Early morning assault A determined attack Our crossbows at work 
 Daylight at last The enemy frustrated The killed and wounded 
 A lesson in humanity Condition of our defences Our supplies 
 and prospects A quiet day and wakeful night Mysterious light 
 A shower of fire The abatis in flames Our rampart gone De 
 fenceless Preparing for the worst A corner of the cavern The 
 last formation. 
 
 I HAD slept for some hours when Choquo awoke me, 
 saying he thought the Indians in the forest were stirring. 
 I jumped to my feet, and mounting our clay rampart, 
 looked towards the forest. It was too dark to see any 
 thing ; but, listening attentively, I could hear some faint 
 sounds, which grew more distinct, and I concluded that the 
 Indians in front were gathering for an attack upon us. I 
 had all my men aroused, and quietly placed at their several 
 posts. The movements in our front were now plainly 
 audible to us all, but they continued so long that I almost 
 began to think they could not be the prelude to an assault, 
 when all at once a single piercing war-whoop rang through 
 the night air, and was instantly followed by a chorus of 
 similar cries, and a sound as of the rushing of a multitude 
 in our direction. In a few moments, a mass of yelling 
 Indians had thrown themselves against the abatis. Some 
 pulled furiously at the branches, to get them out of their 
 way, while others hacked at them with flint hatchets to cut 
 a way through. Those more behind sent showers of 
 arrows flying into the cavern. I called to my crossbow- 
 men to throw themselves down on the bank of earth, and 
 shoot immediately into the mass of men below them busy 
 destroying the abatis, and not to mind those further away. 
 The Indians, having surveyed our defences from a distance, 
 had, no doubt, thought that they could readily tear a way 
 through a mere wall of branches, and so get at us. But 
 they had not reckoned on the further end of those branches 
 
 200 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 2OI 
 
 being weighted down by a mass of earth and stones, and 
 rendered immovable. Not understanding this, they per 
 severed in what was really a hopeless task, all the time 
 being exposed to a continuous discharge of bolts from 
 above, every one of which told, being shot at pretty close 
 quarters into a mass of men. Still they worked on, doing 
 some damage, certainly, but making little progress. Some 
 of them who, by desperate efforts, had managed to drag 
 themselves a little way up the face of the abatis, were 
 hurled back by the spears, swords, or axes of the men I had 
 kept in reserve. In a little time, the ground in front of our 
 position was strewn with prostrate Indians. Yet, notwith 
 standing their heavy losses, they kept up their assault with 
 great fury and heroism, without being able to make a prac 
 ticable breach, and without a single one of them being able 
 to force a way into the enclosure. Fresh bodies of them 
 rushed forward from time to time to replace those who had 
 fallen, but those, in their turn, had to pay dearly for 
 learning the lesson that the defence they threw themselves 
 upon so valiantly, and which appeared so slight, was not to 
 be swept away or demolished by all their efforts. 
 
 In this way the assault went on until the early dawn gave 
 us the advantage of light on our side, and enabled our men 
 to pick off the braver and more daring of the enemy. This 
 was the turning point of the combat, for the Indians seeing 
 the little progress they had made, and the greater danger to 
 which they were now being exposed, in the better light, 
 from our commanding position, became disheartened and 
 gradually fell away from the abatis. After that, the fight 
 became merely one of arrows and bolts at long range, for 
 the enemy, though fairly repulsed, was loth to give up the 
 contest. As this style of fighting was wholly unprofitable 
 to us, I soon put a stop to it on our side, ordering my men 
 to cease shooting and keep under cover. A few only of 
 the crossbow-men I directed to keep their places on the 
 bank, and to content themselves with an occasional shot, 
 deliberately aimed, at conspicuous individuals amongst our 
 assailants. I set them an example of what I meant by 
 taking careful aim at one of the most advanced, and bring 
 ing him to the ground with a bolt full in his chest. The 
 men observed my instructions and followed my example, and 
 when several Indians had fallen in this way, the rest drew 
 
2O2 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 back out of range, and at last wholly gave up the contest 
 and returned silently and slowly into the forest, and we 
 were quit of them for that occasion. 
 
 So ended this affair, with great honour and satisfaction to 
 us, but not without loss, for with all our advantage of 
 sheltered position, ten of our men were smitten, one being 
 killed outright, and one afterwards dying of his wounds. 
 Most of the others were but slightly injured, and none were 
 rendered ineffective. In every instance the injuries were 
 from arrows, for with a single exception there was no hand- 
 to-hand fighting. That was an encounter between the 
 negro and a powerful Creeque. I had placed the negro, 
 with one of the Spaniards and five other men, to guard the 
 rocky ridge on our left flank ; Choquo, with the other 
 Spaniard and a like number of men, I had stationed on 
 the other flank. Both positions were strong and easily 
 defended, but the Indians had attempted to carry them by 
 climbing the rocks. They were repulsed with loss ; but 
 during the fighting on the left flank, a Creeque chief 
 managed to secure a footing on the top of the rocks, and 
 came nearer than any other to getting into the enclosure. 
 The negro, however, threw himself upon him, and after 
 a short struggle, flung him by main strength from the top 
 of the rocks to the bottom, where he lay motionless and 
 no doubt dead. 
 
 Of the enemy, we counted about a score lying dead or 
 badly wounded, about the place in front of the abatis. 
 Others had crawled away, or been carried off by their 
 comrades. Some of our people wanted to go out to take 
 scalps and kill the wounded, after the manner of the 
 Indians ; but this I would by no means permit, which 
 seemed to surprise them. They were still more astonished 
 when I took steps for communicating with the Creeques 
 for the purpose of giving them permission to remove their 
 fallen friends. I had not reproached my men with the 
 needless slaughter of the morning at the sun-dance, but I 
 had not forgotten it, and I now wanted to make them 
 understand that I did not approve of wanton barbarity in 
 warfare, which is of necessity barbarous enough in itself. 
 Our old Indian guide was best acquainted with the Creeque 
 dialect, and him I sent out in front to speak with the 
 enemy. Seeing him unarmed, and signalling to them with a 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 203 
 
 green branch, they sent out one of their party to parley with 
 him. It was some time before the Creeques appeared able 
 to make up their minds to trust us. The proposal I had 
 made was doubtless extraordinary, and beyond their 
 comprehension. At last two or three of them ventured 
 to come forward, and commenced carrying off their fallen 
 comrades. Seeing that no harm befell them, more came to 
 their assistance, and at last about a dozen of them were 
 busy in the work of removing their dead and wounded 
 from our front. All this, I suspected, was as incompre 
 hensible to my Indians as to the enemy, and I doubt if 
 I gained credit from either party for an act which they 
 probably considered one of amazing and inexplicable folly. 
 
 When the ground in our front had been cleared of the 
 enemy, I went round with Choquo and the Spaniards and 
 some of the sergeants, to ascertain what injuries our 
 defences had sustained in the late attack. The Creeques 
 made no attempt to molest us, for our crossbow-men on 
 the rampart were well able to cover us and keep them at a 
 safe distance, as they well knew by this time. I found that 
 the abatis was not damaged to any serious extent. Slight 
 breaches had been made in it here and there, and most of 
 the thinner branches had been broken off or hewed away, 
 but the remaining stumps were none the less repellent for 
 this, nor because of having their ends splintered and jagged. 
 The height, which had been originally twelve feet, had 
 somewhat diminished, but this I attributed to the weight of 
 the bank of earth behind, and that of the men who had 
 mounted it. I had all the rubbish cleared away, and set 
 my men to work with their knives and hatchets to make the 
 face of the abatis more upright and wall-like. When this 
 had been done, it was, if anything, even better than at first, 
 presenting, in its finished state, an array of bristling forks 
 and stakes at least ten feet high. Being well satisfied with 
 the state of things without, I next gave my mind to things 
 within. 
 
 I first of all ascertained what amount of ammunition my 
 crossbow-men had left. On our departure from Cargutah 
 each man had thirty copper-tipped bolts in his bandoleer. 
 I now found that some of the men had run out of bolts, and 
 had been borrowing from their comrades. None had more 
 than a few left. So it was fortunate that I had arranged for 
 
2O4 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 every man of the party carrying a small supply of bolts in 
 his wallet, for with these we were now able to replenish the 
 bandoleers. In the late combat it might have gone hard 
 with us had we been obliged to depend solely on our bows 
 and arrows, for not only would our shooting have been less 
 effective, but we should have been obliged to take up a 
 more exposed position. There was no saying how much 
 more fighting lay before us, and I was therefore glad that 
 we could still rely on our crossbows for a good while longer. 
 Of ordinary arrows we had abundance. No great number 
 had been shot away, and these were more than made good 
 by the quantity of Creeque arrows discharged into the cavern 
 during the fight of the early morning. It is true that the 
 best of these were only tipped with flint, bone, or horn 
 (many were merely hardened at the point by fire), and that 
 a large proportion of them had been made useless by 
 striking against the back or roof of the cavern, but enough 
 serviceable ones remained to more than supply all we had 
 lost. Of food we had enough to last us yet three or four 
 days on full diet, and certainly before then De Guzman 
 would come to our relief, if the Indians should still continue 
 to beleaguer us. On the latter point I had very little doubt, 
 nor did it give me much concern, for I was now more 
 confident than ever in our defences, and felt sure of beating 
 our foes a second time should they again presume to attack 
 us. On the other hand, if they tried to starve us out they 
 would only be staying to endure the onslaught of De Guz 
 man s force, of the existence of which they could have no 
 suspicion. My belief was that they would certainly not go 
 away without seeking to avenge themselves upon us in some 
 way, and so I relaxed no precaution, but kept regular watch 
 and ward, to guard against any surprise. 
 
 All that day the enemy lay quiet in the forest without 
 pretence of concealment, but making no hostile movement, 
 nor any sign of going away. As night came on I set 
 watches as before, and saw that everything was in good 
 order before I myself ventured to lie down. I slept soundly 
 until nearly daybreak, and was then aroused by Choquo, who 
 wished to call my attention to a curious appearance in the 
 forest facing us. Looking in that direction, I saw to my 
 surprise that the tops of the trees were lighted up with a 
 strange glow. There was no moon, and the sun was not 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 2O5 
 
 yet risen, and I could not account for such a mysterious 
 appearance. While wondering what it could possibly 
 signify, there came tumbling down right in front of us, and 
 as if from the sky, a great bundle of blazing stuff which was 
 quickly followed by others. The mystery of the light in 
 the tree tops was at once made plain. The Creeques had 
 mounted the hill behind and above us, and were showering 
 lighted bundles of dried grass and other inflammable 
 materials down upon the abatis. We had, unfortunately, 
 so constructed this defence that the front edge of it pro 
 jected a little beyond the line of the overhanging rocks, we 
 never for a moment thinking that this could in any way 
 imperil the safety of our position. The Creeques had dis 
 covered this fault, and had known how to take advantage 
 of it. 
 
 Before we could think of what to do, the abatis was on 
 fire along its whole length, and the Creeques were out in the 
 open yelling and insulting us, but not as yet venturing too 
 near. My first idea was to endeavour to put out the fire, 
 but this soon proved impossible. Our supply of water was 
 limited, and had it been ever so abundant we had no means 
 of carrying it to the fire in sufficient quantities to be of 
 service. We brought wet earth in bagfuls from the pool 
 and threw it on the flames, but this was of little avail, for 
 the quantity we could get was small, owing to all that had 
 been more readily obtainable having been before carried 
 away to make the bank. So the fire burnt on, and very soon 
 the heat became excessive. Fortunately there was no wind 
 in our direction, and the top of the cavern, having an out 
 ward incline, all the smoke and a good deal of the heat were 
 carried away from us, otherwise we should have been 
 quickly suffocated, or baked as in an oven. As it was, and 
 for a little time at least, the flames that were to have 
 destroyed us served for our defence, for while the fire lasted 
 in any strength the Creeques could not pass through it to 
 get at us. We could see them dancing and gesticulating 
 through the curtain of flame which stood between us and 
 them, but they kept at a safe distance whilst the fire did 
 their work in clearing a passage for them. 
 
 The fire made it impossible for us to man the rampart, 
 and we were obliged to throw ourselves on the ground at 
 the back of the cavern, and in the vicinity of the pool, with 
 
206 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L J ESTRANGE 
 
 the water of which we sprinkled ourselves from time to 
 time. It was whilst lying here that I endeavoured to form 
 some plan for coping with the new and unexpected danger 
 with which we were now threatened. The abatis was in 
 course of destruction, and the rampart would soon be gone, 
 for, being roughly made of stones and earth loosely thrown 
 on the back part of the abatis, it must sink and crumble 
 away when the fire got beneath it. Then we should be 
 defenceless, and, as soon as the Indians could enter the 
 cavern, they would fall upon us in numbers and overwhelm 
 us. It was clear that there was nothing for it but to 
 fight to the last as best we could. The only thing left us 
 to consider was in what form and position we should 
 fight. 
 
 I looked about for a place where we could best make 
 our last stand. I saw that, on one side of the cavern, 
 there was a sort of corner, or angular recess, wherein we 
 might post ourselves with more advantage than elsewhere. 
 Thither I took my men, when the heat had somewhat 
 abated, and arranged them in the order which I desired 
 they should take when the time came. To the front of the 
 position I put two ranks of spearmen, ten in each rank. 
 The remainder I stationed behind them. The ground 
 sloped slightly upwards towards the rock, and on the higher 
 part I set as many crossbow-men as there was room for. 
 These were to shoot over the heads of their comrades in 
 front, and, when they could shoot no longer, fling away their 
 bows and take to their axes and swords. The front rank 
 of spearmen were to be ready to fall on one knee, and to 
 present their spears to the approaching enemy in a sloping 
 position, with the butts firmly planted against the ground. 
 This mode of defence had recently been adopted by the 
 Spaniards, and De Guzman, who greatly admired it, had 
 fully instructed our Indians in it. The men in the second 
 rank were to use their spears at long-arm over the heads of 
 the kneeling front rank; those further behind were to be 
 ready to fill up any gaps which might be made in the two 
 front ranks. 
 
 This seemed to me the best disposition I could make of 
 my small force. We presented to the enemy a very narrow 
 front, but one which represented the full measure of our 
 strength, and the greatest solidity obtainable. If we had 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 2O? 
 
 to die we would take more killing in this formation than in 
 any other available to us at the moment. 
 
 Having made those arrangements, and given every man 
 to thoroughly understand his position and his duties, I left 
 each to pass the little remaining time as he pleased. My 
 self, with some of the crossbow-men, got as near to the 
 front of the cavern as we could, with a view to keeping the 
 enemy at bay as long as possible. The fire was now rapidly 
 dying out for want of fuel. It had, as I expected, eaten in 
 beneath the rampart, and brought it down in many places, 
 making great gaps. The Creeques continued their dancing 
 and rejoicing outside, and we sent them a shot from time 
 to time, to let them know that we were on the alert, and 
 make them think that we were ready for them when they 
 ventured to advance. I merely desired to gain as much 
 time as possible, being in no hurry to commence what I 
 could not but regard as our death struggle, and always 
 hoping that De Guzman might arrive to our assistance 
 earlier than I had expected. So we kept moving about the 
 front of the cavern to intimidate our foes. At the end of 
 a couple of hours the fire was almost everywhere burnt 
 out, and what had been the rampart was now a mere 
 ridge of stones and earth, offering no sort of impediment 
 to an advancing enemy. 
 
CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 The Indians in the cavern How we took their charge Spears and 
 bows At close quarters Many against few Numbers prevailing 
 Hand to hand, and man to man Choquo down I try to save 
 him My life in danger The negro to the rescue A mighty blow 
 "Castilla ! Castilla !" De Guzman and his men Flight of the 
 Creeques Congratulations Pursuit and slaughter State of the 
 cavern Rest and converse Results of the expedition The home 
 ward march. 
 
 * 1 HE morning was well advanced when at last the Indians 
 J- ceased their noise and dancing and drew themselves to 
 gether for a rush. I called to my men to betake themselves 
 to their station, detaining with me for a moment a few of our 
 crossbow- men. After an interval of silence, and the adjust 
 ment of their ranks, the Creeques, with a great shout and a 
 common movement, dashed forward in a solid mass. As 
 they came on we discharged our bolts at them as fast as we 
 could, knocking some of them over, and then made for our 
 places in the corner of the cavern. We had but got well 
 into it when the foremost of the enemy came yelling and 
 leaping over the embers of the fire into the cavern. For a 
 moment they paused as if to see what we were doing, and 
 then, spying us out, dashed upon us with full fury. 
 
 The fight now began in earnest. Our kneeling men 
 received the charging enemy on a firm line of long spears 
 a reception which seemed to puzzle the Creeques greatly, 
 and divided their attention between the men who were 
 kneeling inactive and those behind them, who, leaning over 
 the front rank, were vigorously thrusting at all who came 
 near. From behind these again were sped flights of bolts, 
 doing great execution in the mass of Indians. The foe 
 came at us with no better arms than stone hatchets and 
 knives, flat clubs of hard and heavy wood and bows simi 
 larly used. For they brought no arrows, thinking no doubt 
 (and not wrongly so) that the fighting would be mainly at 
 
 208 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 209 
 
 close quarters, and counting upon quickly overwhelming 
 so small a number of enemies. But we had a great advan 
 tage in the way we were posted and marshalled, and in the 
 narrowness of our front, for though there were hundreds of 
 them trying to get at us, only a few could reach us at a time. 
 Still, as we brought down those immediately in front of us, 
 fresh men stepped into their places, and kept up the con 
 test. In this way we had to deal with successive relays of 
 warriors without pause or respite for us. So the battle went 
 on with marked superiority on our side, so far as slaying 
 was concerned. Numbers of the enemy fell, without serious 
 loss on our part. Now and again one of our men of the 
 front rank would fall, but instantly his place was supplied 
 by another from behind. Our position could not be 
 turned, and the harder we were pressed upon the more 
 compact and solid we became. But the enemy could well 
 afford to lose half-a-dozen men to one of ours, and over 
 whelm us in the end, so that our destruction appeared to 
 be only a question of time, and that short, no matter how 
 well we fought. 
 
 For a full half-hour the fight went on in this desperate 
 fashion, with no sign of relenting on the part of our 
 assailants, but, alas ! with many growing signs of ex 
 haustion on our side. During that time we had stoutly 
 kept our ground and our formation, and inflicted very heavy 
 losses on the enemy, but now so many of our own men 
 were down that it began to be difficult to fill up the gaps 
 made in the front ranks. The crossbow-men had thrown 
 away their bows and taken to other weapons, for the fight 
 was become so close that bows were useless. Our spears, 
 too, were becoming unserviceable from the same cause. 
 In brief, the battle had now become one of a man-to-man 
 nature. The Creeques had, by mere weight of numbers, 
 pressed us back against the rocks, as far as it was possible 
 for us to go, and were simply exterminating us one after 
 another. 
 
 It was whilst things were in this extremity that I saw at 
 a little distance my trusty Choquo felled to the ground by a 
 blow on the side of the head. The man who gave it to 
 him at once seized him by the legs and commenced 
 dragging him out of the thick of the fray, the more readily 
 to slay him. I could not stand by and see this. My left 
 
2IO ADVENTURES OF ROGER L*ESf RANGE 
 
 arm had been disabled before then by a blow on the 
 shoulder, but I had the full use of my right arm, so, with 
 sword in hand, I dashed upon the Indian and ran him 
 through the body. Choquo lay insensible on the ground, 
 but I stood over him and kept the Indians for a moment 
 at bay. But this did not last long, for one of them came 
 swiftly behind me and taking me unawares, gave me such a 
 terrible blow on the head as to crush in my stout helmet 
 and stretch me powerless, and almost senseless, on the 
 ground. The same, or another Indian, at once threw him 
 self upon me, and, with one hand tearing open my quilted 
 mail, raised a broad flint knife in the other hand to plunge 
 it into my bared throat. Before he had time to give the 
 stroke, the great negro dashed in upon him, axe in hand, 
 and struck him such a quick and mighty blow upon his 
 extended neck as caused his head to fly off as if he had 
 been decapitated by a practised headsman. The headless 
 body fell upon me, and all the blood it contained gushed 
 over me as if from a fountain, almost choking me. 
 
 It was at this precise moment that there appeared to ring 
 in my ears the Spanish cry of " Castilla ! Castilla ! " but I 
 was so dazed and bewildered as not to marvel much 
 at the sound, or realise its meaning. But the cry being 
 repeated nearer and nearer, and with it coming a new kind 
 of uproar, I roused myself and sat up to look around. The 
 sight was a joyful and inspiring one. There were three 
 horsemen one De Guzman, on his powerful stallion, and 
 the others, two Cargutah lords charging amongst the 
 Indians, at whose mercy we so lately lay. Some way 
 behind them, a great body of our well-equipped Cherokees 
 were pressing forward to the support of the horsemen. 
 Before I could stagger to my feet our friends were 
 clearing all before them, bearing down every opposition 
 and driving the Creeques about like scattered sheep. 
 The surprise had been complete, and the Creeques were 
 in no heart to make a stand against those new and 
 numerous enemies ; and probably the sight of the horse 
 men added to their amazement and dismay. 
 
 Leaving his men to continue the pursuit of the enemy 
 De Guzman made haste to search me out, and having 
 found me was delighted to learn that I was not seriously 
 hurt, though I presented such a sanguinary appearance. 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 211 
 
 My left arm remained powerless for many days, and had to 
 be braced over my chest with strips of skin. There was an 
 ugly gash on my right cheek, inflicted probably by a flying 
 hatchet ; and my head was sore and swollen from the force 
 of the blow I had received upon it. But for the strength 
 of my helmet my skull would certainly have been smashed 
 in. In mind I was still dazed and dull when De Guzman 
 came to me, and I could scarcely understand his presence 
 or reciprocate his joy at the meeting between us. But 
 seeing that I was safe and in no danger, he mounted his 
 horse and rode away to join his men, but left behind some 
 fifty of them to take charge of the cavern in his absence, 
 and guard against a surprise from any concealed body of 
 enemies. 
 
 Having satisfied my thirst at the pool, and washed and 
 cleaned myself as well as I could, and made such changes 
 in my raiment as were possible, I felt myself in much better 
 case, and in a short time able to attend to such duties as 
 awaited me. I was gratified to find that Choquo was little 
 the worse for his injuries, and that my friend the negro, to 
 whom I certainly owed my life, was one of the few of our 
 party who had escaped unhurt. On examining the cavern, 
 I found that at the part where the fighting had taken place 
 the ground was a mere quagmire of blood, covered with 
 dead and wounded men. I set a party to work sorting out 
 the dead from the living, strictly prohibiting scalping or 
 ill-treatment of the wounded. The bodies of the slain 
 were dragged to one side, and all the wounded were taken 
 to the cleaner end of the cavern, where such attention as 
 was possible was given to them, friend and foe being treated 
 alike. Their great and more immediate want was water, 
 and this I caused to be freely supplied to them from the 
 pool. 
 
 On examining into our losses, I found that seven of 
 our men were slain outright, and over a score wounded 
 badly. The rest had escaped wholly or with but slight 
 injuries. This was a heavy loss proportionate to our num 
 bers, but I had thought it to be more, considering the 
 nature of the combat and the numbers we had opposed to 
 us. Ultimately all our wounded recovered with the 
 exception of two, so that our total loss in the battle 
 amounted to nine. On the side of the enemy over thirty 
 
212 
 
 were killed, and the wounded who had not been able to get 
 away numbered twice as many. Of the latter, a large pro 
 portion died before we left, for the wounds inflicted by our 
 weapons were nearly all of a serious character. In all, the 
 Creeques lost in this fight about fifty or sixty warriors, not 
 counting those who might have got away though wounded, 
 or been carried off by their friends, and afterwards dying of 
 their wounds. Neither did I attempt to make any estimate 
 of the losses of the Creeques after they had been put to the 
 rout by De Guzman s troops ; but from what I afterwards 
 heard, I thought the numbers so slain must have been far 
 in excess of the slaughter in the cavern. 
 
 In the afternoon De Guzman came back with his forces, 
 and told of what he had done. Having chased the 
 Creeques through the forest and killed every man they 
 could overtake, he had gone on to the plain and advanced 
 to the town. They found it had been hastily abandoned. 
 It was entered and plundered by our men, who took what 
 ever was worth carrying away, and then set it on fire and 
 destroyed it. Amongst the plunder, our Indians secured 
 two Spanish swords, which the Spaniards we had rescued 
 claimed as having belonged to them before they were made 
 prisoners. These were esteemed a valuable acquisition. 
 One of them De Guzman took for himself, and the other 
 he gave to me, the Spaniards being compensated by receiv 
 ing our weapons by way of exchange. I did not altogether 
 approve of the destruction of the Creeque town, though I 
 said nothing on the subject to De Guzman. After all, we 
 were clearly the aggressors in what had taken place ; and 
 though our motives were good, it was not unnatural on the 
 part of the Creeques to resent our proceedings and seek to 
 punish us for our attack upon them. What else took place 
 was more or less in the nature of fair fighting, and it did 
 not seem to me that for anything they had done, from first 
 to last, the Creeques merited exceptional punishment. 
 But the Spaniards had always been intolerant and merciless 
 towards the Indians, and were so in Florida, notwithstand 
 ing all the efforts of De Soto to restrain them. 
 
 We stayed three days by the cavern, to enable the troops 
 to rest and refresh themselves, and give our wounded time 
 to get better. During those days, De Guzman and myself 
 had plenty of opportunities for mutual narrative. He told 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 213 
 
 me how he had left Cargutah the second day after my 
 departure from there, with two hundred and fifty well- 
 armed and well-equipped men, and had followed in our 
 track as far as the river. There he was much pleased to 
 find rafts ready for him to cross with, which was a great 
 saving of time. It was after he had advanced some 
 distance from the river that my mounted messenger came 
 up to him and told him all that had taken place, and how 
 we had taken up our position in a cavern, expecting an 
 attack. This caused him to hasten his march more than 
 ever, for he judged we were in great danger, and must be 
 relieved promptly, if at all. He arrived just in time to 
 save us from destruction. The rest I have told. 
 
 He expressed his great contentment with the results of 
 the expedition as a whole. It is true that we had lost 
 about a dozen men in the successful rescue of five, but two 
 of the five were Spaniards and of more importance to us 
 than scores of Indians, and a third was a negro, accustomed 
 to civilized ways, and hardly less valuable than a white man. 
 These (not to consider the two Indians) De Guzman 
 regarded as vastly more than an equivalent for the men we 
 had lost, whose places could readily be supplied. He also 
 esteemed highly the experience our people had gained 
 of the advantages of making war under the system they 
 had recently adopted. They now saw how superior they 
 had become to other Indians, and how enormously greater 
 their fighting strength was to what it had been before. On 
 his part, as practically the king of the Cherokees, he had 
 found by actual experience that his people made good 
 soldiers on the European model, and were to be relied 
 upon for a military capacity which opened a field to great 
 possibilities. In all of which I agreed with him, though I 
 still doubted if he had all the materials to realise his dream 
 of founding a civilized and powerful Indian empire. 
 
 In the course of the next day or two I sent away some 
 of the Creeques, who had got better of their wounds, to 
 find their brethren where they could, and let them know 
 that, after our departure, they were free to come and take 
 charge themselves of their own wounded. I thought that 
 having helped those people so far it would be a shame to 
 abandon them at the last moment, and only consistent with 
 what we had already done to give them a chance of being 
 
214 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 taken charge of by their own friends. As for our own 
 wounded, they were doing very well, and none of them 
 were so badly hurt as to be incapable of returning with the 
 army at the appointed time. 
 
 The day before our departure from the cavern Choquo 
 was sent on in advance of us to convey to our friends in 
 Cargutah early news of our adventures, and of our speedy 
 return. With him we despatched a company of ten men, 
 under a sergeant, to see to the rafts, so that there might be 
 no unnecessary delay in our passage of the river. The 
 next morning we set out on our homeward march, pro 
 ceeding leisurely for the greater ease of our wounded. 
 
CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 The story of the negro His island home with the Barbary Moor 
 Startling disclosure A litter of pigs Death of the Moor, and 
 capture of the negro Importance of the story Decision to search 
 for the island and the pigs I take a detachment, and part with De 
 Guzman A rough journey A well-built raft The island reached 
 The pigs found and secured Food and rest Down the river 
 March to Cargutah. 
 
 ON our march back to Cargutah I kept the negro near 
 me to help me in difficult places, for, owing to my 
 disabled left arm, I could not well manage my horse in such 
 situations. This gave me opportunities of questioning and 
 conversing with him (though he spoke Spanish badly), and 
 I took an interest in doing so, because I felt grateful to him 
 for having saved my life in the late battle. He told me 
 about his having been a chief in his own land in Africa, and 
 how, having been made prisoner by his enemies, he was 
 brought down to the sea with many others, and put into a 
 ship and brought to Cuba, where he laboured as a slave for 
 three years, before his master joined the army of De Soto, 
 and took him with him to Florida. He told me of his 
 flight from the army with the Barbary Moor, and of their 
 many adventures thereafter in the swamps and woods. He 
 also told me how they had at last made themselves a home, 
 and found a refuge in the island in the river (as already 
 mentioned), being, they thought, a good place in which to 
 conceal themselves both from the Spaniards and the 
 Indians. There, being provided with hatchets and knives, 
 they had built themselves a good house of logs and bark, 
 and settled themselves very comfortably. Fish they could 
 catch in abundance ; but the island being flat and of no 
 great size, though covered with trees and bushes, there was 
 not much game there and none of a large size. So, for a 
 change of diet, they had to cross to one side or the other of 
 
 215 
 
2l6 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 the river, and going into the forest kill deer, and such 
 other game as they could, with their bows and arrows, and 
 by snares and traps such as they could devise. The better 
 to do this they had built for themselves a kind of boat, or 
 raft, with long oars and poles, the Moor having a know 
 ledge of this kind of work. By means of this vessel they 
 were able very easily to pass to and fro between the island 
 and the shores whenever they pleased, and to bring home 
 with them all the meat they desired to carry across. They 
 had found places of concealment for their vessel both on 
 the island and on the banks opposite to it, and they were 
 careful never to venture out upon the river except after 
 sunset or before dawn, preferring, when necessary, to pass 
 a whole day or a whole night in the forest rather than run 
 the risk of being discovered by the Indians navigating their 
 vessel by daylight on the open water. 
 
 The negro then went on to tell me a thing of much 
 interest and importance. During one of their excursions 
 on the mainland, and while they were waiting to return to 
 the island under cover of darkness, they were surprised at 
 hearing the grunting of swine close to the place where 
 they lay concealed. On going cautiously in the direction 
 of the sound, they saw a large sow wallowing in a muddy 
 place, and near her six little ones rooting about in search 
 of food. The sow, becoming aware of their presence, 
 started up and made through the forest, followed by her 
 young. Thereupon the negro drew his bow and sent an 
 arrow deep into her side, but this did not stop her course, 
 and she and the young ones disappeared through the trees. 
 The hunters followed in her track, which was all the way 
 spotted with blood, and at last came to a great tree, 
 amongst the roots of which the sow had made her lair. 
 Within this den there lay the mother in a dying state, with 
 the little ones clamouring around her. The negro 
 despatched the mother with his knife, and then made 
 haste to secure the young ones alive, thinking they would 
 be very useful for stocking the island, and supplying them 
 in the future with plenty of meat at their own door. One 
 by one he secured the young pigs, and, tying their feet 
 together, carried them to the raft, and there deposited 
 them. All this he had to do single-handed, for the Moor 
 refused to help him. No doubt this was because he was a 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 .Mahomedan or a Jew, who hold swine to be unclean 
 animals, and will not willingly touch them. The black 
 man had no such scruples, and, having made sure of the 
 little ones, he cut up and carried away piecemeal the 
 carcass of the mother, being unwilling, as he said, to see 
 so much good meat wasted. When they got back to the 
 island the young pigs were let loose, and, being old enough 
 to provide for themselves, they soon became at home there, 
 finding good food amongst the trees and bushes, and being 
 also fed by the negro with fish and other things. The sow 
 must, of course, have been one of the herd of swine which 
 De Soto had brought all the way from the coast. In spite 
 of all precautions some of them had strayed away during 
 the difficulties of the march and been lost. This sow, 
 being in young at the time she had wandered away, had 
 made for herself a home in the woods, and there brought 
 forth her progeny. 
 
 The negro further narrated how, after a time, the Moor 
 was taken with fever and ague, and died ; and how he had 
 buried him in the sand at an end of the island. It 
 happened soon after that he himself, being on the main 
 land, was surprised while asleep in the woods by a party 
 of Indians, who bound him and carried him away to the 
 place where we had found him ten days after his capture. 
 Of the boat and of his home in the island he supposed the 
 Indians knew nothing, for they seemed to have come upon 
 him as if by chance, and not as by previous knowledge and 
 plan. 
 
 Now it had, from the first, been an ardent desire of mine 
 that we might at some time or another come upon stray 
 animals horses, swine, dogs of De Soto s army. I 
 thought if we could establish breeds of such creatures at 
 Cargutah the advantage would be enormous to a people 
 absolutely without domestic animals of any sort, though 
 having abundance of food for their maintenance. We had 
 been fortunate in finding horses, and now it seemed likely 
 that we were about to become possessed of swine. At any 
 rate, the possible opportunity of doing so was not to be 
 missed, and I resolved to take the fullest advantage of it. 
 When I told De Guzman all that I had heard from the 
 negro about the pigs, he fully agreed with me that the 
 matter was one of the utmost importance to us, and that 
 
2l8 ADVENTURES OF ROGER I/ESTRANGE 
 
 every effort should be made to find the island of the negro, 
 and get possession of the young pigs. 
 
 On questioning our Indians, we learnt that there was no 
 river in that quarter at all corresponding in size and direc 
 tion to the one the negro had described, except that 
 towards which we were marching, and had before crossed 
 on our way to the country of the Creeques. When again 
 we came to it, the negro, after having carefully considered 
 it, declared his belief that it was the same river. From its 
 size and from its direction, and from what he could 
 remember of distances, he was convinced it was the same 
 river in which his island was situated. The island would 
 be higher up the stream, and, he thought, not very far away 
 from the place where our rafts were. It was accordingly 
 decided that an attempt should be made to find it. 
 
 We crossed to the other side of the river on our rafts, in 
 good order and without mishap, thus placing the river 
 between us and any foe which might possibly pursue us ; 
 though we feared none such, nor thought it likely that we 
 should be followed by an enemy whom we had so com 
 pletely beaten and dispersed. However, it is always best 
 in military matters to neglect no precaution. On the other 
 side of the river we formed a strong temporary camp, deter 
 mining to remain for some days for the benefit of our 
 wounded and the repose and refreshment of all the force. 
 Here De Guzman and myself considered how best to set 
 about seeking the island and securing the pigs. We did 
 not think it necessary to employ any large force in this task, 
 nor were we of the opinion that it was desirable to delay 
 the return home of the main part of our army on account 
 of the search for the island. It was arranged, then, that I 
 should undertake the expedition with three companies of 
 ten men each, and that De Guzman should go on to 
 Cargutah with the rest of the force. So, after three 
 full days in camp, De Guzman set out with his 
 men, taking with him my horse, which I did not think 
 would be serviceable to me in my present undertaking. As 
 our journey lay up stream, the rafts could be of no use to 
 us, as we had no proper means of navigating them against 
 the current, though it was not very strong. They were, 
 therefore, broken up and destroyed. Our way must be by 
 the side of the river, and we made our arrangements 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 2IQ 
 
 accordingly. We met with many difficulties on the journey, 
 owing to creeks and swamps and marshy places, thickly 
 overgrown with reeds and canes much higher than our 
 selves, and with all sorts of bushes, weeds, and wild 
 undergrowth ; also full of water-fowl and divers beasts. 
 Sometimes we had to make wide detours to gain higher 
 ground ; but all this is in the nature of travelling in Florida 
 when near a river, as I had before experienced. 
 
 After two days very rough and laborious travelling we 
 came at length to an open beach by the side of the river, 
 beyond which there was a bend of the stream and a wide 
 part. In the middle of the wide part we spied a good- 
 sized island, half-a-mile long or more, bushy, and well 
 wooded. This, the negro told us, was the island of which 
 he had spoken. In proof thereof he took us about a mile 
 further along the shore to a place facing the middle of the 
 island, and there, from under the overhanging bushes of the 
 bank, he drew forth the boat-raft which he and the Moor 
 had made, and which had lain there undiscovered since his 
 capture by the Indians. We lost no time in getting the 
 vessel ready for crossing to the island. I, with the negro 
 and one company, got into it, leaving Choquo and the 
 other two companies to keep guard by the bank of the 
 river. 
 
 The raft was very well put together, and so constructed 
 as to be easily manageable by a couple of men, though it 
 was of good size. I took particular notice of it, not only 
 because of certain peculiarities in its construction, but also 
 thinking it would serve as a model for some vessels I 
 desired to have in use on the river of Cargutah, where we 
 had at present only one raft, which was heavy and diffi 
 cult of management. This raft of the negro was pointed at 
 each end, and had raised sides of split wood. The bottom 
 was made of three tree-trunks, the middle one being thicker 
 and longer than the other two, which (with the help of the 
 hatchet) gave to the raft the pointed shape at each end. The 
 trunks were securely fastened together by many cross- 
 pieces of split wood, securely pegged to the trunks, and 
 also tied to them and to each other by cordage and thongs 
 of skin. The whole was very solid and compact, and 
 though no attempt had been made to caulk the bottom or 
 make it watertight, the inside of the raft was perfectly dry, 
 
22O ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 for the tree-trunks floated high out of the water, and the 
 cross-pieces of split wood made a dry and tolerably even 
 floor. The two long oars, or sweeps, employed to propel 
 it were made after the fashion of those used by the slaves 
 in galleys, and though somewhat roughly finished, answered 
 very well their purpose. The negro said that the design of 
 the vessel was that of the Moor, but he had assisted in 
 making it, though in doing so they were much embarrassed 
 for want of metal nails. This embarrassment we were able 
 to avoid when afterwards, at Cargutah, I had three such 
 boat-rafts constructed on the same plan (but with some 
 improvements), which turned out very useful. 
 
 Arrived at the island, the negro took us to his house, 
 which was a very substantial and good-sized building of 
 logs covered with bark and reeds, all the openings between 
 the logs being filled up with dried moss. Inside, the first 
 thing we saw, and heard, too, was the litter of pigs spoken 
 of by the negro. They had taken possession, in his 
 absence, of his bed of reeds and dry grass in one corner 
 of the hut, from which they were now hurrying in alarm at 
 our approach. But they soon became tame enough, and 
 showed their remembrance of their negro keeper and 
 feeder, and more especially so when he proceeded to feed 
 them with some thick, dark roots, which he took from a 
 shelf where he had a number of them. These were the 
 same kind of roots which Choquo had once before procured 
 in our wanderings, and which, being roasted, I found 
 excellent to eat. Before we left, the negro baked a 
 number of them in hot ashes, and, with them and some 
 freshly-caught fish from the river, we had quite a good feast. 
 I stopped that night at the negro s hut, sending word of 
 my intention to Choquo, so as not to alarm him by my 
 absence. 
 
 Next morning, having all breakfasted heartily, after the 
 manner of the night before, we set to considering the best 
 method of carrying away the young pigs. After a little dis 
 cussion, it was settled that small baskets should be made of 
 strong cane and willows, each to carry a pig. These were 
 soon finished, as the materials grew in great profusion 
 around the borders of the island, and both the Indians and 
 the negro were very expert in working them. I hesitated 
 much as to our mode of return to Cargutah whether we 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER l/ESTRANGE 221 
 
 should go down the river in the boat-raft to the place where 
 our forces had crossed, and then follow the track of 
 De Guzman to Cargutah, or whether we should strike a 
 more direct course from our present place on the river. On 
 consulting with Choquo and the Indians they all agreed 
 that the better plan would be to go down the river by 
 boat-raft, for, though the distance was greater, the way 
 was easier and better known to us. For myself, I dreaded 
 the swampy country, and as it was uncertain how far inland 
 it extended in this part, I decided to keep to the water for 
 the first part of the journey, as the Indians advised. This 
 being settled upon, we quickly made a second raft, as we 
 were too many for the one ; and taking the new one in tow 
 of the other, we all embarked, and went rapidly down 
 stream. In less than half a day we reached our old 
 crossing-place, and here we disembarked and cast the rafts 
 adrift, having no further use for them. The negro had come 
 with us of his own free choice, for I had given him full 
 liberty to decide for himself whether he should join us as a 
 free man, and no longer a slave, or remain independent and 
 alone in the wilderness. I was glad he decided to remain 
 with us, for I knew he would be useful in teaching the 
 Indians the proper management of the pigs and the horses, 
 and a hundred other things. The young pigs were not the 
 only things of use which we brought away with the negro. 
 We secured two good hatchets and a couple of large 
 Spanish steel knives, so that our expedition to the island 
 was altogether satisfactory and profitable. 
 
 From the crossing-place of the river we set out for Car 
 gutah, following the former track, and on the evening of 
 the second day we arrived home without mishap, where we 
 received a hearty welcome from our friends. The appear 
 ance of the negro caused much surprise, and not less 
 interest was manifested in the curious little creatures we 
 had brought back with us. Great satisfaction was ex 
 pressed by the cacique, and all the lords and leading 
 Indians, at the success of the expedition as a whole. The 
 results were considered (and I think reasonably so) to 
 have advanced and justified the wise and far-seeing policy 
 which the cacique had adopted for the improvement and 
 civilization of his people. 
 
 It is needless to say how pleased I was to see Aymay 
 
222 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 again, and she me, after all the adventures of the last few 
 days, in the course of which I had had good reason to fear 
 that I should never again behold her. Under her care and 
 that of some of the Indian medicine women, my recovery 
 from my wounds and bruises was rapidly completed, and in 
 a short time I was as busy as ever about my workshops and 
 my workmen. 
 
CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 A retrospect Changes at Cargutah An industrial hive Wisdom of 
 the cacique Position of De Guzman The Spanish soldiers 
 Their utility The negro and his duties The soldiers account of 
 the army The salt lake Attack by Indians Barbarity of Moscoso 
 A reconciliation Mysterious river flood Fire and sword and 
 chains Submission of the cacique of Naguatex Wandering west 
 ward to find white settlers Incompetent interpreters, and doubtful 
 intelligence Torturing for truth and getting lies A horrible deseit 
 Starvation and treachery Indian given to hungry dogs A land 
 of hunters Buffalo meat and hides Left the army After adven 
 tures of the two Spaniards End of their story They believe the 
 army destroyed. 
 
 WHEN I look back over the many pages I have writ 
 ten I can see there are several things I have not de 
 scribed at all, in addition to many others I have only lightly 
 dealt with. It could not well be otherwise, for if I were to 
 attempt to set everything down, and that with full or even 
 moderate measure, this narrative would be of intolerable 
 length either to write or to read. Still, I should like to 
 have found space for some more personal and domestic 
 details about myself and my wife, De Guzman and his wife, 
 the cacique, and many of our good Indian friends. I 
 should also like to have described some more of the multi 
 tude of mechanical and other improvements which followed 
 upon those already mentioned, and how one thing of the 
 kind led to another, and often to several others, in a won 
 derful way, and of the important result of all these to our 
 community. But I must content myself with saying gene 
 rally that great changes had been wrought throughout the 
 whole of the valley of Cargutah, and that the aspect of 
 native society there had been marvellously altered. By 
 means of improved ploughs, spades, and other implements, 
 much new land had been brought under cultivation, and 
 com and other kinds of food were almost in superfluous 
 
 223 
 
224 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L*ESTRANGE 
 
 abundance. My particular village had become like a little 
 Sheffield where work was going on all day long, and men 
 were ever busy in casting, forging and smithy work, in 
 grinding knives, weapons, and implements of one kind or 
 another, and in making pottery. All the large houses there, 
 which were vacant on my coming, were now used as work 
 shops or stores, and a number of other buildings had been 
 put up for similar uses. In the hills, and on the slopes on 
 both sides of the river, men were daily employed in burning 
 charcoal, lime, bricks and pottery ; others were getting 
 minerals, felling trees, carting materials, and so forth. By 
 the river there was plenty to be done such as loading and 
 unloading the rafts and boats which brought minerals from 
 the far side, getting the blue clay which was so useful to us 
 in many ways, making salt at the brine springs. There was 
 so much to be done, and so many things to learn, that no 
 one was permitted to be idle without good excuse; nor 
 indeed was there any indisposition shown on the part of all 
 who were capable, nor any marked inability to profit by 
 teaching, though the previous ignorance of the Indians in 
 almost every art was far below that of an ordinary European 
 child of ten. 
 
 As a natural consequence of all this the people of the 
 valley of Cargutah were now well fed, well lodged, and in 
 all respects well accommodated. In effect they were rich 
 and prosperous, if richness and prosperity consist in having 
 an abundance and to spare of all the necessaries and com 
 forts of life, and in possessing the means of maintaining and 
 increasing their supply to a practically limitless extent. 
 Heretofore the Indians had at best but a sufficiency of things 
 the more essential to their subsistence, and sometimes (as 
 the cacique told us) even these were deficient, and the 
 people suffered much. Now they had all they wanted for 
 the present, and could lay by great stores of corn and dried 
 and salted meats, and were happy in the possession of many 
 good things which before they knew nothing of because of 
 their ignorance and their half-barbarous state. In addition 
 to what they were able to make or grow or get for them 
 selves by the new arts they had learnt, they procured in 
 exchange with neighbouring tribes a great many other 
 things, and this kind of trade was one which was growing 
 in magnitude from day to day. 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 225 
 
 This state of things was what the wise old cacique had 
 been vaguely thinking of when he first resolved to try and 
 secure for his people a knowledge of the arts and methods 
 of the wonderful white men who had come into the country. 
 He had, he told me, succeeded beyond his expectations, 
 and now his hopes were higher than ever, because of the 
 two more white men and the negro (who was almost as good 
 as a third), and also because of having horses and pigs. 
 To me the old chief was always most gracious, for he 
 thought I had helped most to promote the civilization of 
 his people. Of his son-in-law, De Guzman, he was proud, 
 looking upon him as a worthy successor to himself, who 
 would make the Cherokee nation greater and more powerful 
 than he could ever have done. And when his daughter, 
 Winona, had a son born to her, the old chief wanted to 
 retire and have De Guzman proclaimed king in his stead ; 
 but of this De Guzman would not hear, swearing in his lofty 
 way that the old man should die as he had lived, king of 
 his people. In effect it made no difference, for De Guzman 
 was king already for every practical purpose, and was so 
 regarded by the lords and the people. De Guzman was 
 warlike and impetuous, but the cacique, at least now in his 
 old age, believed in peace as the true nurse of civilization ; 
 and seeing in me (though so much younger) a man of a 
 similar disposition, he valued me accordingly, without think 
 ing the less of De Guzman. 
 
 The Spanish soldiers we had rescued turned out good 
 citizens and useful men in our community. One had been 
 brought up to the trade of a carpenter and shipwright, and 
 the other came from Andalusia, where his family were culti 
 vators. Each in his way knew a great many things useful 
 for our people to learn, and I was very glad to have their 
 help as directors and overlookers in our various trades and 
 industries, as I had more on my hands than I could properly 
 see to. Very soon after they had come amongst us the 
 cacique assigned each of them a wife, daughters of Indian 
 lords, and their marriage was performed by De Guzman, in 
 his clerical capacity, and was celebrated with a great feast 
 in the cacique s own house. The negro, too, was allowed 
 and encouraged to take a wife from amongst the Indian 
 maidens. He, too, was useful to us in a multitude of ways, 
 but I put upon him the special duty of taking care of the 
 
226 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L*ESTRANGE 
 
 horses and pigs, a duty with which he was familiar, and 
 which he did very well. 
 
 I got from the two Spaniards, soon after they were settled 
 at Cargutah, an account of what they knew of the move 
 ments of the army from the time of our latest news of it, 
 that is, from the time when the new Governor Luis de 
 Moscoso, abandoning his efforts to bring De Guzman back, 
 marched away once more towards the west. The Spaniards 
 told us that the army first came to the borders of a very 
 salt lake, where the natives, by means of small earthen pans, 
 made cakes of salt, which they exchanged with neighbouring 
 tribes for food, skins, and other things. After that they 
 came, 2oth July, 1542, to a country or province called 
 Naguatex, where their camp was attacked by two strong- 
 bands of allied Indians. They were beaten back, but some 
 horsemen going in pursuit of them were caught in an 
 ambush of two other bands of Indians, and narrowly 
 escaped destruction. One Indian who was made prisoner 
 was barbarously treated by order of the enraged Moscoso, 
 his nose and right arm being cut off. In this pitiful con 
 dition he was sent away with a message to the cacique that 
 on the following day he would enter his country and des 
 troy it with fire and sword. But next morning, on his 
 march to carry out this threat, he came to a large river, and 
 beheld on the opposite bank the cacique and a large force 
 of natives ready to oppose his passage. The Spaniards did 
 not know the fords, and could not attempt to force a 
 passage without such knowledge. So they fell back and 
 encamped for a few days in a pleasant wood, whilst the 
 horsemen were employed in finding out where the river 
 could best be forded. During this delay the anger of 
 Moscoso abated, and he thought it as well to try negotia 
 tions with the enemy. These succeeded so well that the 
 cacique crossed the river, with a number of his people, and 
 had an interview with the Governor. The cacique excused 
 himself for the unprovoked attack upon the Spaniards, for 
 which he blamed one of his brothers, who had been killed 
 in the fight. He admitted the Spaniards were divine people 
 and invincible, and offered to help Moscoso with guides 
 and supplies of food. The Governor accepted those offers, 
 and exhorting the cacique to continue in his present mind, 
 dismissed him with a few presents. Four days afterwards 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 22/ 
 
 Moscoso prepared to cross the river, but the Spaniards 
 found, to their surprise, that the water had risen to a great 
 height, though no rain had fallen for a month. Some 
 thought that the river must come from a great distance 
 where heavy rain had fallen ; others, that the rise was due 
 to a flux of the sea, which could not be far off. But the 
 natives, on being questioned, knew nothing of a sea, and 
 had never even heard of such a body of water. However, 
 after the lapse of eight days the water abated sufficiently to 
 enable the army to pass over. They found a fertile country 
 on the other side, but on advancing to the chief town they 
 discovered it to be abandoned. In the interval which had 
 elapsed the cacique had changed his mind, and now refused 
 all assistance. Thereupon Moscoso caused several villages 
 to be burnt, wasted the country, and made slaves of all the 
 natives he could capture. Then the cacique, to save the 
 land from further destruction, made submission and gave 
 hostages for his good faith. He supplied guides who knew 
 the way and the languages of the countries through which 
 the army was to pass going westward. 
 
 The Spaniards wandered in that direction for weeks and 
 months, passing through province after province, mostly 
 populous and fertile, but sometimes barren, and almost un 
 inhabited; meeting with various adventures, enduring great 
 hardships, and always buoyed up with the hope that they 
 were getting nearer and nearer to Mexico and their 
 countrymen. They constantly inquired from the Indians 
 they met with about white men, and from time to time they 
 seemed to get favourable answers. In one district they saw 
 some of the houses surmounted with wooden crosses, and 
 these they took for a sure sign that Spanish influence had 
 penetrated that far. But some of the Spaniards (amongst 
 them the two who gave us this account) thought that such 
 indications, and the information they got from the Indians, 
 were unreliable and delusive. It was doubtful (they 
 thought) if the strange Indians understood the questions 
 put to them, and doubtful, too, if the Spaniards got the 
 correct version of the replies. To begin with, the Spaniards 
 had to rely upon an Indian boy, from a country far to the 
 east, v/ho had only a partial knowledge of Spanish, and, 
 probably, even less knowledge of the western Indian 
 dialects. Then questions and answers had to pass through 
 
228 
 
 several other interpreters, not well acquainted with each 
 others language. At times, too, there were grounds for 
 suspecting bad faith and intentional misrepresentation on 
 the part of informants or interpreters ; so that, on the 
 whole, our two Spanish friends, and those of the army who 
 agreed with them, had good reason for believing that there 
 was a total want of reliable information as to the presence 
 of white men in the west, and for fearing that the army was 
 marching to its destruction, under the influence of a 
 delusive and false belief. Still, Moscoso, and most of the 
 Spaniards, were loth to abandon the hope that they were 
 getting nearer and nearer to Mexico, or to regions colonized 
 from thence by their countrymen, where they would escape 
 from the danger of perishing in a trackless wilderness. 
 Thus the westward march was prolonged, the Spaniards 
 being sometimes cheered with news of the vicinity of white 
 men, sometimes depressed and bewildered by being assured 
 that no such people were known, or had ever been heard 
 of. On one of the latter occasions Moscoso was so enraged 
 at what he was pleased to consider the falsehoods of the 
 Indians, that he had several of them tortured by the rack, 
 which only had the effect of extorting replies more accept 
 able, yet more misleading than before. 
 
 At length the army was conducted into a vast and 
 horrible desert where it wandered about for many days 
 until all its provisions were exhausted and the men were 
 reduced to eating whatever they could find in the way of 
 herbs and roots. After much suffering and some losses, 
 they suddenly discovered, to their dismay, that they had, 
 under the leadership of an old Indian guide, been 
 journeying in a great circle. The guide confessed that he 
 had acted under the order of his cacique, and though he 
 promised, if his life was spared, to conduct the army in 
 three days to a fertile country, Moscoso was too furious to 
 spare him, and he was delivered over to the dogs, who, 
 ravenous with hunger, soon tore him to pieces. This (said 
 our informants) did not greatly mend matters, for the 
 Spaniards endured many more days of suffering before they 
 escaped from this desert. At last they reached a ridge of 
 high ground from which they could see in the distance 
 certain scattered habitations. On coming up to these, they 
 found them to be mere temporary huts of reeds and bark, 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 22Q 
 
 seemingly used by hunters. They saw no people about, 
 but the huts were plentifully stocked with fresh buffalo 
 meat, which the starving Spaniards soon fell upon and 
 devoured. There were also in the huts many shaggy hides 
 of buffaloes, and to this province the Spaniards gave the 
 name of Vaqueros, or Herdsmen. 
 
 It was whilst in this province, with the prospects of equal 
 or worse hardships for the troops, whether they went for 
 ward or turned back, that our two Spaniards lost sight of 
 the army. Their own account was that they strayed into a 
 forest in search of game, lost their way, and could not get 
 out of it for three days, when they emerged at a place 
 where they could find no sign or trace of the army. 
 Abandoning all hope of rejoining their comrades, they 
 determined to return towards the east and endeavour to 
 make their way towards the Rio Grande, hoping to meet 
 with some friendly Indians who would afford them an 
 asylum, and, perhaps, assist them to get out of the country. 
 They had heard of De Guzman s reception by the Indians, 
 for it was long the talk of the army, and they thought, if 
 they might have the good fortune to reach where he was, 
 they would find a refuge from further hardships and 
 dangers. With this design they had slowly proceeded 
 eastwards, exercising every precaution to avoid hostile 
 Indians. They had many adventures, sometimes staying 
 with friendly Indians for months at a time, and at others 
 meeting with bad receptions, and running great danger of 
 losing their lives. As they neared the parts by which the 
 Spaniards had passed, they found it harder and harder to 
 conciliate the natives, such was the bad impression left by 
 the Spaniards. At last they were made prisoners and 
 enslaved by an Indian tribe, and for a long time treated 
 with great brutality. However, by submission, and trying 
 to please their masters in every way, they secured better 
 treatment for themselves, and in time came to be re 
 garded as important members of the tribe. Whilst aiding 
 their adopted friends in a war against another tribe, they 
 were taken prisoners, and ultimately conveyed to the place 
 where we found them about to be sacrificed at the sun-dance 
 of the Creeques. 
 
 Such was the account given of the army by our two ! 
 friends. They were of opinion that Moscoso and his merj / 
 
230 ADVENTURES OF ROGER I/ESTRANGE 
 
 were by that time dead. Either they had perished in the un 
 known and boundless wildernesses of the Far West, or they 
 had made a desperate and too tardy effort to retrace their 
 steps, in a condition of weakness and impoverishment so 
 extreme as to make it impossible they could ever survive 
 the hardships of the tremendous journey and the hostilities 
 of the exasperated Indians. 
 
CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 Rumours of war Indian confederation against us Tuscaluza raising 
 an army We prepare for invasion All efficients called out Pre 
 parations for defending the town alone Sinking a well Plan for 
 flooding the country Review of our forces The enemy advancing 
 De Guzman takes the field I command the town in his absence 
 State of the old cacique. 
 
 FOR some months after the termination of our hostilities 
 against the Creeques our life of peace and industry 
 went on in the usual way, undisturbed by troubles within 
 or dangers from without. At last rumours began to reach 
 us which made us think that our quietude was about to be 
 disturbed, and that the chapter of our differences with the 
 Creeques was not closed, as we had hoped and supposed. 
 News of our doings in peace and war had spread abroad, 
 and attracted widespread attention to us. It was now 
 generally known that Spanish influence predominated in 
 our valley, and the nature and effects of that influence 
 (especially as illustrated in the case of the Creeques) were 
 such as to arouse the suspicions and jealousies of the 
 Indian nations, near and remote. The conduct of the 
 Spaniards of the army had, as a rule, been such as to 
 provoke resentment rather than encourage friendship and 
 confidence. It was to be expected that, in any event, 
 their armed appearance in Florida would alarm native 
 populations, to whom they were strange and outlandish, 
 and who might well believe that their coming boded no 
 good to the actual occupants of the country. But when to 
 those natural grounds of distrust were added the actual 
 high-handed proceedings of the Spaniards their slayings 
 and cruelties, their plunderings and destructions of houses 
 and fields, their outrages and enslavements the original 
 distrust gave place to bitter hatred and general hostility. 
 Some few communities of Indians endeavoured to keep on 
 
 231 
 
232 ADVENTURES OF ROGER I/ESTRANGE 
 
 friendly terms with the invader because of their helpless 
 ness ; others, whose passions had not been aroused by 
 unpardonable wrongs or bloody conflicts, were (like the 
 Cherokees) really edified by the superior civilization of the 
 Spaniards, and friendly enough disposed towards them. 
 But exceptions such as these were insignificant, and the 
 general feeling was one of hatred, partly based on prejudice 
 against the foreigners, partly owing to evil reports, but 
 mainly due to the misbehaviour of the Spaniards them 
 selves. This hatred had been extended and intensified by 
 the exertions of influential Indian caciques like Ucita and 
 Tuscaluza especially the latter, who had organized hos 
 tilities against the Spaniards far and near. 
 
 It seemed, then, that when it became known that the 
 Cherokee nation was reforming itself on a Spanish basis, 
 with the guidance and assistance of Spaniards, and had 
 recently defeated the powerful Creeques, the feeling of 
 alarm and resentment became widespread amongst all those 
 Indians who were hostile to Spanish influence in every 
 shape and form. Such was the nature of the reports 
 brought to us by our own Indians, and by others coming to 
 trade with us. As soon as we heard of those things, we 
 took means for keeping ourselves as well informed as 
 possible as to what was going on in the outer world of 
 interest to us. Soon we heard that a combination was 
 being organized against us. The Creeques, bent upon 
 revenge, and unable to gratify it against us single-handed, 
 were active in promoting this combination, representing 
 that their cause was a national one, and that our effacement 
 was for the interest of all Florida. Later on we became 
 aware that they had sent emissaries to Tuscaluza and other 
 caciques, who had warmly entered into their views, and 
 had resolved upon making war upon the Cherokees. 
 
 Having made sure upon those points, we saw that a 
 great crisis had arisen in our affairs, and that the most 
 strenuous exertions were necessary to save us from destruc 
 tion. Frequent councils were held to consider the reports 
 as they came in, and devise means of defence. No 
 decisive action was, however, taken until we learnt that 
 Tuscaluza himself had come from his own country at the 
 head of a great force, and, advancing in a north-westerly 
 direction, had marched towards the Rio Grande. At the 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER I/ESTRANGE 233 
 
 Rio Grande a multitude of large canoes and rafts had been 
 collected, and by means of these his army had crossed the 
 river, and quartered itself in villages on the other side, 
 waiting the arrival of other bodies of Indians. 
 
 At this news we set about preparing ourselves in earnest 
 for the threatened invasion of our valley and the life and 
 death struggle it would involve. At a great council of 
 Indian lords from all parts of the valley, De Guzman 
 exposed the gravity of the situation, pointing out how 
 unsafe it would be to depend solely upon repulsing the 
 invaders in the field, and how our main reliance must be in 
 the strength of the capital town. What might or could be 
 done to check the advance of the enemy must be left for 
 circumstances to decide, but steps must at once be taken 
 to ensure the safety of the town against any attack which 
 might be directed against it, and to enable it to hold out as 
 long as the enemy remained in the neighbourhood. The 
 Indians all agreed that this was the wisest course. Then 
 De Guzman secured their approval of the general plan he 
 purposed adopting. All the efficient men throughout the 
 valley were to be put under arms, ready for any service that 
 might be required of them ; the rest, with the women and 
 children, should be sent to the upper end of the valley on 
 the appearance of the enemy, where, under guard of a 
 moderate force, they would be comparatively secure and 
 out of the way of the invaders, for there there was nothing 
 but a wilderness of rocks and defiles, marshes and tangled 
 woods, offering great difficulties to an enemy. 
 
 In regard to the actual defences of the capital there was 
 not much to be done, for these were new and solid, thanks 
 to De Guzman s foresight and military genius, and thanks 
 also to our brickmaking and other industries. Such 
 improvements, alterations, and additions as a careful survey 
 suggested were promptly taken in hand and soon finished. 
 The rules which De Guzman had laid down for regular 
 watch and ward of the wall and gateways were strictly 
 enforced, and were sufficient, if observed, to render a 
 surprise of the town impossible. Thus our plans con 
 templated the abandonment of the open villages to the 
 enemy. This was inevitable, for none of them were 
 defensible against such a force as we expected to come 
 against us, nor could we spare men enough to defend 
 
234 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 them. I looked forward with much sorrow to the probable 
 destruction of my village, with our comfortable home and 
 its many workshops and stores. But all must be sacrificed 
 to the necessity of concentrating our forces in the chief 
 town. Thither great quantities of corn in the grain were 
 carried, and thither I had our mill removed and set up, so 
 that we might grind the corn as we wanted it for bread. 
 The flour itself we could not safely store, for I had found 
 that, when kept in large quantities for any length of time, it 
 was liable to a sort of change which made it as insipid as 
 sawdust and quite unfit for food. I also brought into the 
 town all our stores of weapons and implements of metal, 
 whether iron, bronze, or copper. I determined to keep 
 our works going as long as possible for the manufacture of 
 arms, and as fast as these were turned out they were 
 carried away to the town. Of food and of arms we should 
 have enough to last us as long as would probably be 
 necessary. 
 
 The state of our water supply in the town was far from 
 satisfactory. From its isolated situation on a low mound 
 there was no natural flow of water to the town, and the 
 natives were in the habit of procuring what they required 
 by carrying it in earthen and wooden vessels from the 
 river. It would certainly not do to depend upon this source 
 of supply in the case of invasion, for if we were shut up in 
 the town by an overwhelming force of enemies we should 
 perish for want of water. At first we thought of forming a 
 large tank and filling it with water from the river, but were 
 daunted by the magnitude and difficulties of such an 
 undertaking. While the matter was still unsettled, and a 
 cause of great anxiety to us, it came out that there was in 
 one part of the town an old well which had long been 
 disused, and which, though choked up with rubbish, still 
 showed signs of having water in it. On examining the 
 place we found that the well \vas situated in the lowest 
 part of the town, on the side next the river, at the spot 
 most likely to have water beneath the surface. We had it 
 cleared out and found it of no great depth, but still 
 yielding a certain flow of water. It appeared to be a very 
 ancient structure, and originally made by a people who 
 were not mere barbarians, for the interior of the well was 
 smooth and round, and built up straight with blocks of cut 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 235 
 
 stone, closely fitting one to the other. According to 
 Cherokee tradition this country once belonged to a more 
 civilized people who were great builders and practised 
 many useful arts, a knowledge of which had not come 
 down to their successors. Many things were absurdly 
 attributed to those older people (such as the making of 
 hills and even mountains), but there were several things 
 (besides this old well) to show that clever artificers once 
 lived in the valley of Cargutah. With a good deal of 
 trouble and labour we cleared out the well to the depth of 
 about twenty-five or thirty feet, when we could dig no 
 further owing to the increased influx of water, but we 
 found this depth quite enough to keep the well pretty full 
 at all times. Thus our supply of water was made secure. 
 
 I have already said that the river of Cargutah appeared 
 to have been confined to its present channel by embank 
 ments built up at certain places in former times. On a 
 careful study of those embankments and the adjacent land, 
 and after taking what measurements I could, I came to the 
 conclusion that the mound upon which the town stood was 
 formerly surrounded, or nearly so, by a marsh formed by the 
 water of the river before it had been embanked. Probably 
 that was the reason why the town was built there. I asked 
 myself if the former state of things could not be restored, if 
 necessary, by again letting in the river water? I saw no 
 reason to doubt it. One or more breaches in the embank 
 ment would (as well as I could judge of the levels) suffice 
 to flood the country in the neighbourhood of the town, and 
 thereby add greatly to its security against an enemy design 
 ing to attack it. Thereupon I formed certain plans, which, 
 being submitted to De Guzman and the Indian lords, were 
 approved by them, and left to me to be carried out in the man 
 ner I proposed. Accordingly I selected a suitable place by 
 the river, and there I had the embankment cut down from 
 above and thinned away from behind to such an extent that 
 what remained of it at that particular spot was only kept in 
 its place by certain timber supports and props, which, 
 though solid enough for the time being, could quickly be 
 wrenched and knocked away, so as to let the river burst 
 through the weakened place and form a breach, which the 
 rush of water would soon deepen and widen. This was, of 
 course, to be a last resource, only to be adopted when the 
 
236 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 necessity for it arose. It was a serious matter to let loose 
 a flood the extent of which could not be foreseen, and 
 which it might be difficult or impossible afterwards to abate. 
 
 As to our military strength, we could muster in all two 
 thousand fighting men. The whole number would not be 
 too much for the proper defence of the town if strongly 
 attacked on all sides. But the whole two thousand men 
 could certainly not be so employed, for some would have to 
 remain as a guard for the women and children in the upper 
 part of the valley, and others would have duties at various 
 points without the town. We estimated that we could 
 garrison the town with fifteen hundred men, and that this 
 would be sufficient for all purposes likely to arise in the 
 course of the threatened war. We had about that number 
 of men who could be classed as good soldiers, well armed 
 with superior weapons, in the use of which they had 
 been thoroughly exercised crossbows, spears, battle-axes, 
 hatchets, swords and knives. The rest, about five hundred 
 in number, were men who, from one cause or another, had 
 not been fully disciplined as yet, and for the most part had 
 only native arms, though none of them were without some 
 metal weapon of our manufacture, for which all the Indians 
 had an eager longing. The "Guards," so called by De 
 Guzman, formed the choicest part of the army, and included 
 all Indians of the class of lords or chiefs. They numbered 
 250, and were esteemed the bravest, as they were, for a 
 certainty, the best armed, armoured, and disciplined of the 
 whole army. Their special weapons were the crossbow, the 
 battle-axe, and the long sword. It was from this body that 
 De Guzman drew all his subordinate officers and lieu 
 tenants of whatever rank. Any man of the army who 
 showed a good capacity in military matters was sent into 
 the ranks of the Guards, and from thence promoted in time 
 to some position of command in the army. This was a 
 strict rule of De Guzman, and it was one highly conducive 
 to subordination, discipline, and efficiency. 
 
 Such was our general condition, and such our prepara 
 tions, at the time we were threatened with the vengeance of 
 Tuscaluza and the invasion of our valley by a confedera 
 tion of Indian tribes. We had learnt that numerous bodies 
 of Indians had assembled from all parts at the appointed 
 place by the Rio Grande ; that there they had been 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 237 
 
 marshalled and organized so as to form one great army; 
 that thence they had set out on their march in our direction, 
 and with the avowed purpose of destroying us. About all 
 this there was no uncertainty, secrecy, or duplicity. Our 
 spies were numerous and their reports were, in the main, 
 uniform. Besides, Tuscaluza and the other chiefs took no 
 pains to prevent a knowledge of their doings and intentions 
 going abroad, and anybody might go to or from their 
 encampments without challenge. Confident in their over 
 whelming strength, they were probably indifferent to their 
 movements becoming known to their designed victims. 
 Up to the last moment we had continued to hope that 
 perhaps something might happen to interfere with the 
 enemy s designs against us and divert his warlike prepa 
 rations in another direction. Now all such hopes were 
 abandoned, and we had to face the grim fact of a great in 
 vasion by numerous and ruthless foes. 
 
 Accordingly our people were gathered in from all places 
 down the valley. The non-efficients were sent away with a 
 sufficient guard to the fastnesses of the upper part. In the 
 town our garrison of fifteen hundred men were organized 
 for duty, and assigned to different posts. A certain number 
 of non-efficients were detained in the town to serve the 
 garrison and leave the soldiers more free to attend to their 
 military duties. Winona and Ay may remained in the 
 town, being unwilling to separate themselves from their 
 husbands at such a critical time. A similar grace was 
 accorded to the wives of the two Spaniards, and those of 
 some of the leading Indians. De Guzman took to the 
 open country at the head of a force of five hundred men, 
 having with him two of the horses, for the purpose of 
 reconnoitring the enemy and watching his movements. I 
 had command of the town in his absence. The draw 
 bridges were raised, sentinels and guards posted, and a 
 strict state of siege established throughout the town. In 
 all this the old cacique had no voice and took no part, for 
 of late his state of health had become so much worse that 
 he had to keep to his bed, and was incapable of being con 
 sulted or of giving orders, or even being made to under 
 stand clearly what was going on. 
 
CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 De Guzman reconnoitres the enemy Occupies a pass Fights with the 
 Indians A feint and its failure Outflanking and retreat of De 
 Guzman He wastes the country Opposes the passage of a river 
 Imprudence of the Indians A gain defeated with heavy loss Defiant 
 attitude of De Guzman A flotilla of canoes De Guzman returns 
 to the valley Satisfactory results of the expedition. 
 
 IT was nigh upon a month before the return of De 
 Guzman. In the valley every day of that time had been 
 fully employed in warlike preparations in the town and at 
 the workshops. We heard often from De Guzman, and 
 had from time to time sent him food and other supplies. 
 We learnt of what he was doing through his messengers, 
 and afterwards more fully from himself. He had gone a 
 good way towards the Rio Grande before he came within 
 sight of the advancing enemy, whose force he estimated 
 at between five and six thousand men, including a number 
 who acted as porters or carriers, but who appeared, for the 
 most part, to be capable fighting men. All were well 
 armed and prepared for war in the native fashion. They 
 marched in three pretty equal divisions, and showed more 
 signs of order and discipline than De Guzman had yet 
 observed amongst the Indians. Having no intention of 
 attacking so formidable a host, he confined himself to the 
 plan of taking every good opportunity of checking its 
 advance and testing its metal and generalship. Once he 
 held a narrow defile in a range of hills for three days, 
 inflicting heavy losses upon the Indians. Those hills were 
 a good way from the Rio Grande, and ran obliquely with 
 its course. They were precipitous, but not very high. 
 The defile was the only one in that neighbourhood through 
 which a large body of men could conveniently pass, and 
 De Guzman, being satisfied that the enemy must come 
 through it, resolved to lie in wait there. He selected a 
 position at the head of the pass, where the road was 
 narrow and bounded on each side by steep cliffs. Here 
 
 238 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER ^ESTRANGE 239 
 
 he threw up a strong rampart of rocks, earth, and timber, 
 and established himself behind it to await the enemy s 
 advance. Some distance from his front the pass took a 
 sharp turn, so that the obstruction would not be visible 
 to an advancing foe until close upon it. On heights to 
 the right and left he established sentinels on an extended 
 line, so that he might have timely notice of any attempt 
 to outflank him or take him in the rear. 
 
 The enemy had been advancing slowly and in good 
 order over the more open country in three columns, but 
 when at length the pass was reached, the Indians had to 
 advance through it in one narrow column. Not having 
 sent scouts forward, they came suddenly upon the rampart, 
 and the head of the column was at once saluted with a 
 shower of bolts and arrows which brought several of them 
 to the ground before they had time to realise the situation. 
 The front ranks fell back in disorder on those behind, who, 
 not understanding what was going on in front, continued to 
 press forward. In this state of confusion and panic, De 
 Guzman, at the head of a hundred picked men, drawn up 
 and ready for the occasion, leaped from the rampart and 
 charged furiously upon the crowd of Indians with spears, 
 swords, and battle-axes, slaughtering them almost without 
 resistance. This mere butchery went on until the move 
 ment of retreat was imparted to the whole column, and the 
 Indians commenced flying for their lives down the pass. 
 With a self-restraint unusual in him, De Guzman refrained 
 from pursuing the fugitives much beyond the turning in the 
 pass, and, contenting himself with his brilliant little victory, 
 fell leisurely back to the rampart. 
 
 This affair happened early in the forenoon, and for 
 several hours the pass was deserted by the enemy. At last 
 a sentinel gave notice that the Indians were once more 
 coming up the pass in a closely formed column. This time 
 there could be no surprise for them, for now they knew that 
 an enemy blocked the way, though they could have no 
 very accurate knowledge of the number of the force opposed 
 to them, and the nature of the obstruction against which 
 they were advancing. Then, or at any time after the 
 encounter of the morning, De Guzman could have made a 
 safe retreat, but, confident in the strength of his position 
 and in his men, he determined to keep his place as long as 
 
240 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 possible. After a short delay, under cover of the corner, the 
 Indians swept round the turning with many loud cries, and 
 advanced resolutely to the assault. Again shafts and bolts 
 rained upon them from the rampart, killing or wounding 
 numbers of them. They replied with flights of arrows, all 
 the time advancing rapidly to the wall. Up this as many 
 of them as could get to the front endeavoured to find a 
 passage. But they found little hold for foot or hand, and 
 all the time they were exposed to the missiles of the 
 defenders. Under proper leaders, such a number of brave 
 men might have scaled the rough wall and dislodged its 
 defenders ; but they had no skilful leaders and no scaling 
 materials, and such of them as succeeded in getting near 
 the top had no time to use their weapons before they were 
 hurled down again, wounded or slain. De Guzman de 
 scribed to us how rush after rush had been made against 
 the parapet before the enemy discovered that it could not 
 be gained in that way. The attacking Indians were simply 
 slaughtered one after another as they scrambled up the 
 wall, practically unarmed and unable to defend themselves. 
 Those further away were shot down in numbers by am 
 bushed crossbow-men, who sent their bolts into the swaying 
 mass without themselves being exposed to much danger. 
 This unequal fight went on for nearly an hour before some 
 one in authority ordered a retreat. The Indians, nothing 
 loth, at once ceased the attack and commenced flying to 
 the rear in great disorder. Then De Guzman, once more 
 sallying forth at the head of a compact body of his men, 
 charged upon the panic-stricken crowd and slew them 
 without mercy. 
 
 During most of the following day there were but few 
 signs of the enemy in the pass, but De Guzman kept on 
 the alert, rightly judging that he was not going to be left in 
 undisturbed possession of the position he had taken up, but 
 which he did not mean to abandon just yet. The hostile 
 caciques would never allow their great expedition to be 
 frustrated by a mere handful of men ; and the pass being 
 the only convenient road for the army to take, every 
 sacrifice and effort which might be necessary would be 
 made to clear it. The only question in De Guzman s mind 
 was as to the form in which the next attempt to do this 
 would be made. He had nothing to fear from overhanging 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 24! 
 
 cliffs (as in my case at the cavern), for there were none near 
 enough and accessible enough from which he could be 
 assailed. What seemed to him most probable was that 
 parties of Indians would make their way across the range of 
 hills at other points, and, collecting in his rear, expose him 
 to simultaneous attacks before and behind, which he could 
 not successfully resist. As he had no intention of allowing 
 himself to be put into such a predicament, he issued fresh 
 instructions for the best look-out to be kept at the various 
 points of observation on the hill tops, and for immediate 
 news to be sent to him of any such movement on the part 
 of the enemy. 
 
 Towards the close of the day it appeared as if the hostile 
 caciques had resolved upon some course of action. Alarm 
 was given that the Indians were once more swarming up 
 the valley, apparently intent on renewing the fight in the 
 same hopeless fashion as before. This surprised De 
 Guzman, for he supposed the enemy had by that time 
 found out that the position was not to be forced in that 
 way. However, he made everything ready to resist this 
 fresh assault. The Indians came rushing on as before with 
 loud cries, but the attack on the rampart was feeble and 
 badly maintained and was soon over. The Indians then 
 commenced running away at the top of their speed, but 
 there was so little that looked like reality in the whole pro 
 ceedings that De Guzman held back from pursuing them in 
 the manner he had done before. It was well he did so, 
 for shortly afterwards he learnt from his outposts that the 
 Indians beyond the bend in the pass were drawn up in full 
 force and good order, ready to receive the expected charge. 
 By this it was seen that the intention was to draw out the 
 sallying force, as on the two former occasions, and then fall 
 upon it in overwhelming numbers. This force, beaten 
 back and closely pressed by the enemy, could only have 
 regained the shelter of the rampart mingled with a crowd of 
 hostile Indians. This would embarrass the defenders and 
 cause so much confusion and uncertainty that the position 
 would in all probability have been easily carried. The plan 
 was a good one, but the suspicions of De Guzman defeated it. 
 
 That night he caused a great fire to be kept alight in 
 front of the rampart, so that any movement on the part of 
 the enemy might be the better seen. Nothing was, 
 
 Q 
 
242 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 however, attempted, though the Indians still remained in the 
 pass in full force. Things continued the same during the 
 whole of the next day, De Guzman being still tenacious of 
 remaining in a place he had so stoutly defended until he 
 should be obliged to quit it of necessity. But towards 
 evening word came from some of the more distant posts 
 that bands of Indians were making their way over the hills 
 on the left. They were so far but few in number, but De 
 Guzman knew that in time enough would gather to 
 threaten his rear and cut off his retreat. It was time to be 
 moving, and he resolved to give the enemy the slip. At 
 sunset, therefore, the better to deceive the hostile Indians, 
 he had the watchfire relighted, and shortly after got his 
 men together and marched quickly away from the rampart. 
 Probably several hours elapsed before the enemy found 
 that the pass was free, for the retreat of De Guzman was in 
 no wise molested, and it was long before he again came in 
 sight of the foe. 
 
 Having passed through the hilly country, always keeping 
 well in advance of the enemy, he emerged into the more 
 level and fertile lands. Having considered the course 
 which those behind him would most probably take, he 
 gave orders for the destruction of everything which might 
 afford them shelter or sustenance. In this way he confessed 
 to having wasted a wide belt of country, burning or other 
 wise destroying all houses and stores of food of whatever 
 kind, but without (he declared) otherwise afflicting the 
 natives or personally molesting them. He and his men were 
 willing enough again to come to blows with the enemy, but 
 a favourable opportunity of doing so did not present itself 
 until they came to a good-sized river (found to be the lower 
 part of the river of Cargutah) flowing in a southerly 
 direction, which the advancing army would have to cross. 
 Passing over this river by means of rafts, De Guzman 
 encamped amongst the trees on the other side, and sent 
 out scouts to discover the approach of the enemy. After 
 waiting for some days, word was brought that the hostile 
 forces had reached the river and taken up a position some 
 distance below the encampment on the other side. Early 
 next morning De Guzman, with most of his force, marched 
 through the forest and reached a point from whence he 
 was able secretly to observe the Indians on the opposite 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 243 
 
 side of the river. They had arranged themselves in three 
 camps, and set up huts, skin tents, and wigwams, as if 
 intending to repose themselves for a time. Parties of them 
 were fishing in the river, and others were visible amongst 
 the hills some distance off, apparently foraging and hunting 
 for food, of which they were probably in want. They 
 showed no signs of an intention to make the passage of the 
 river at once. To do this they would have to build large 
 and numerous rafts, for the river was here too broad and 
 strong in current to be otherwise crossed by so numerous a 
 body, and De Guzman was assured by some of his people 
 that there was no ford up or down stream for a great distance. 
 
 It was not until the third day of their arrival that they 
 began to show signs of raft-building. Then they became 
 constantly busy wilh the work during six days in succession 
 some bringing down timber to the river-side, others 
 putting the rafts together, and others superintending the 
 work, amongst whom Tuscaluza himself was distinguishable 
 by his tall figure. Not once during the whole of those nine 
 or ten days did they take steps for examining the other 
 side of the river. This seems surprising, inasmuch as they 
 had reason to know that an active and dangerous enemy 
 was in the field against them, watching their movements, 
 and ready to take advantage of any opportunity for em 
 barrassing them. But it is the fault of the Indians that 
 they despise such precautions, seeming to think that they 
 are signs of timidity and cowardice. It was on this account 
 that they suffered so severely in the hills, and had their 
 march delayed for three days, and now again they were 
 doomed to further loss and delay from the same cause. 
 
 When several rafts had been completed, a number of men 
 embarked upon them and commenced pushing and paddling 
 them over to the opposite shore. Seeing this, De Guzman 
 retired further into the forest, intending that the first-comers 
 should land peaceably and without suspicion. As more and 
 more crossed over, he thought it prudent to fall back as far 
 as his encampment, the better to escape discovery. Mean 
 while he took notice of the manner in which the rafts were 
 navigated, the time they took to cross the river, and the 
 number of men they carried. By this he saw that it was 
 impossible for the enemy to transport any large body of 
 men quickly from one side to the other. He laid his 
 
244 ADVENTURES OF ROGER l/ESTRANGE 
 
 plans accordingly. When five or six hundred Indians had 
 passed over, he set out from his encampment and came round 
 through the forest within charging distance of the Indians 
 who had come across. They were not in the least prepared 
 for an attack. All their attention was directed to the passage 
 to and fro of the rafts, and many of them had laid down 
 their weapons at one spot the better to assist in the work of 
 landing the laden rafts and sending back those which were 
 empty. De Guzman, noticing all this, instructed his men 
 what to do, and gave the word to charge. The Cherokees 
 dashed out of the forest in an extended line and swept 
 down upon the astonished enemy with fierce cries and war- 
 whoops. The mass of five or six hundred Indians, hemmed 
 in between the river and the advancing Cherokees, ran 
 about in the greatest confusion, not knowing what to do or 
 which way to turn. Those who had parted with their arms 
 made a rush to recover them, but found they were already 
 in possession of the enemy. Some shouted for help across 
 the river, others tried to get away on the rafts, and others 
 took to the water to reach the other side by swimming. 
 Those amongst them who were armed faced about and met 
 the charge of the Cherokees as best they could. They fought 
 well and bravely for a time, but were outnumbered and over 
 matched by their better armed and better ordered opponents. 
 On getting clear of the forest the Cherokees had taken a 
 crescent-shaped formation which enabled them to overlap the 
 crowd of Indians at both ends. Raining blows upon them 
 with their superior weapons, they steadily pressed them back 
 towards the river, killing and wounding all who attempted 
 to make a stand. While this was going on in front, frantic 
 efforts were being made on the other side of the river to 
 send over reinforcements to those who were standing to the 
 fight. Some rafts reached the shore in time, and gave fresh 
 vigour to the defence, but such reinforcements were totally 
 inadequate to bringing about anything like even a numerical 
 equality between the combatants on each side. So the 
 Cherokees continued to gain ground and to force their 
 adversaries further and further back, until they fairly drove 
 them into the water. Then De Guzman brought round 
 from the rear a party of bowmen, who sent a hail of bolts 
 and shafts into the mass of Indians struggling in the river, 
 driving them further and further out until they were carried 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER {/ESTRANGE 245 
 
 away by the current. Some swam for the other side, others 
 managed to scramble on board rafts, and many seemed to 
 let themselves go with the stream, being either disinclined 
 to go back to the other side, or unable from wounds or 
 fatigue to make the effort. So long as any were within 
 bow-range, either on the rafts or in the water, they were made 
 marks for the arrows and bolts of the Cherokee bowmen. 
 Some of these were sent along the shore down stream, in 
 order to prevent any rallying on the part of the fugitives. 
 A few did manage to land, but, so far from attempting to 
 make a stand, were only too eager to make off through the 
 woods as fast as possible. 
 
 Four of the enemy s rafts fell into the hands of the 
 Cherokees, and these De Guzman had broken up to supply, 
 in part, the materials for a kind of fort or breastwork, which 
 he immediately set about building on the bank of the river. 
 This was a plain intimation to the enemy that no uncon- 
 tested landing could take place in that quarter. It was, 
 indeed, clear enough that with mere rafts no landing could 
 be effected in face of such opposition, and the hostile 
 Indians, seeing this, abandoned certain preparations they 
 were making to cross in force in order to avenge a disas 
 trous defeat. They recognized, in effect, that the Cherokees 
 were masters for the time being of the opposite shore, and 
 could not be dislodged by any means which did not ensure 
 the simultaneous landing of a superior force. No such 
 means were afforded by unnavigable rafts, precariously 
 impelled through a strong current across a broad river. 
 
 So far all was well, but De Guzman was quite aware that 
 he had not permanently prevented the enemy from crossing 
 the river at some point or another. He could not guard 
 the whole of the waterway up and down stream, but he 
 had the satisfaction of feeling that he had delayed the 
 advance of the hostile Indians, and was putting them under 
 the compulsion of finding other means, and another place, 
 for crossing beyond the range of his observation. The 
 better to carry out the latter object, he established patrols 
 and guards to watch the river for a long way below and 
 above the fort. In the meantime he kept his men in 
 readiness to march upon any given point where the enemy 
 appeared to meditate crossing. 
 
 This state of things continued for many days, the Indians 
 
246 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 on the opposite shore (fully observing what De Guzman 
 was doing) being apparently unable to devise a means for 
 getting over the difficulties he had created for them. But 
 it turned out that they were neither so inactive nor so 
 resourceless as had been surmised, for, some ten days after 
 the fight, word was brought in from the furthest post down 
 the river that a great flotilla of canoes, many of the largest 
 size, was coming rapidly up stream. With this aid, Tusca- 
 luza could quickly send across the river a force which it 
 would be folly for De Guzman to think of fighting in his 
 present circumstances. The game was played out so far as 
 it could be advantageously played by him, and the time 
 had now come for abandoning it. Without waiting for the 
 arrival of the flotilla, or for any fuller information about it, 
 he got his men together, set fire to the fort, and, in full 
 view of the yelling and disappointed enemy, fell back 
 through the woods in the direction of Cargutah. 
 
 Finding there was no likelihood of having another 
 skirmish with the enemy on his own terms, he continued on 
 his course to the valley, very well satisfied, on the whole, with 
 his month s campaign. It was true that it had cost him forty 
 men killed or badly wounded, but he estimated that, in one 
 way or another, he had inflicted on the other side a loss of 
 not less than five or six times his own, and, in addition, he 
 had delayed the advance of the invaders, strained their 
 resources, and probably dispirited most of them for the task 
 set before them. He had also the no small advantage of 
 ascertaining for himself that their leaders were but poor 
 commanders, ignorant of tactics and generalship, and with 
 out ingenuity, and that the common men, though brave 
 and willing, were almost wholly undisciplined. He gave it 
 as his opinion, after this month of experience, that the 
 approaching army of Indians would never be able to take 
 the town of Cargutah, nor even beleaguer it for any length 
 of time. For the former, they had no appliances and no 
 engineering skill ; for the latter, they had not sufficient 
 food with them for a long stay, nor was it likely they could 
 procure enough in the wasted valley of Cargutah. More 
 over, he assured the assembled Cherokee lords that, with 
 patience and quiet waiting for opportunities, together with 
 good generalship and fair luck, it would be quite possible 
 to force a disastrous retreat upon the great host of invaders. 
 
CHAPTER XXXIII. 
 
 We destroy our workshops and other buildings Flood the valley 
 The enemy s army and fleet Invested by land and water Peace 
 negotiations Indignantly rejected The attack begins I defend 
 the water-gate Advance of canoes Ingenuity of the enemy 
 Disadvantages of our position Battering the gate At last we 
 repel the enemy. 
 
 THE invaders being now close at hand, it was time to 
 take the last steps necessary to our defence. De 
 Guzman insisted upon the immediate destruction of every 
 thing in the valley which might be of any use to the 
 enemy. I could not but agree in this view, though it 
 went to my heart to think that our pleasant and happy 
 home, and the many fruits of our labour, care, and in 
 genuity, were all doomed to destruction. Having removed 
 from my village (our little Sheffield, as I loved to consider 
 it) everything of value which could be carried away, fire 
 was applied to the buildings, and the whole with their 
 contents burnt to the ground. Many other detached 
 houses and groups of houses were similarly destroyed, 
 our rafts and boats broken up, and the valley reduced 
 to a scene of desolation. Of all our works, nothing was 
 left but the furnaces (now three in number), the charcoal 
 pits, and the lime-kilns. Then the weakened part in the 
 embankment of the river was broken through, and the 
 water let out over the lower levels. In the course of a 
 day and night it spread over the parts of the valley nearest 
 the river, and made a sort of shallow lake, averaging two 
 or three feet deep. The flood stretched from the river 
 to the wall and gate of the town, but on the far side, where 
 the ground commenced to rise towards the hills, the fosse 
 only was filled, and the water spread a little beyond it 
 in a narrow belt of a few inches deep. 
 
 We now awaited the appearance of the enemy. This 
 247 
 
248 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 was not long delayed. On the third day after the return 
 of De Guzman, the Indian army, with much noise and 
 shouting, beating of drums and blowing of horns, marched 
 into the valley at its lower end, between the river and the 
 hills. There it encamped on the edge of the forest, the 
 striped skin flag of Tuscaluza flying from a pole planted 
 in the centre of his position. For two days Tuscaluza 
 himself, accompanied by several of the Indian lords, 
 appeared to be busy examining the country around. On 
 the second day the flotilla of boats of which De Guzman 
 had had notice made its appearance coming up the river, 
 and drew up close to the encampment. It was a formidable 
 fleet, many of the vessels being large enough to hold thirty 
 men, though a number were small canoes of bark, only 
 capable of carrying from three to six men. Our people 
 thought that most of the larger vessels must have come 
 from the Rio Grande, as none of such size were ever 
 seen so far up the Cargutah river. On the morning of 
 the third day the enemy got into motion. The fleet came 
 up the river in a long column and stopped in front of the 
 town. The larger vessels stayed in the river, but most of 
 the smaller ones passed through the opening we had made 
 in the bank, and spread themselves over the shallow water. 
 The land forces moved along the higher ground to avoid 
 the flood, and took up positions on the slopes and hills 
 overlooking the town on that side. Some force was left 
 behind in the encampment (as we afterwards learnt) to 
 forage in the woods and get meat for the army. 
 
 It was now plain to us that we had more foes to cope 
 with than we had been led to suppose. The enemy 
 must have been largely reinforced since De Guzman s 
 last skirmish, for it was certain that the force now en 
 compassing us could not represent less than six thousand 
 warriors. No doubt when Tuscaluza found it necessary 
 to send back for boats to enable him to cross the Cargutah 
 river, he thought it advisable to procure reinforcements of 
 men to make up his losses and increase his numbers. 
 
 Here, then, were we fairly invested by land and by water, 
 surrounded by savage foes who would show us no mercy if 
 we should fall into their hands. We had to bide the 
 course of events and wait for the enemy to develop his 
 plans of attack. Though not without anxiety as regards 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 249 
 
 what these might prove to be, we were full of courage and 
 confidence. We held a strong and well-garrisoned town, 
 had plenty of food and water, and every means for keeping 
 our men fresh and in good fighting trim. Against us was 
 arrayed a host of savages brave enough, no doubt, but 
 little disciplined, poorly armed in comparison with us, 
 encamped with little or no shelter in the open country, 
 and certain within a short time to be pinched for supplies. 
 It was not, therefore, without reason that we considered 
 the better chances and the balance of advantage to be on 
 our side. This was the general feeling, and nothing could 
 be better than the spirit and resolution of our people, from 
 the leaders down to the common soldiers. We felt sure 
 that no time would be lost in attacking us, and we were 
 glad of it. Tuscaluza and the confederate chiefs must be 
 aware that their forces were not fitted to carry on a pro 
 tracted investment, and that whatever was to be done 
 against us must be attempted quickly, or not at all. Yet 
 some delay did take place, the reason for which was not 
 difficult to understand. The closer view of the town must 
 have disturbed the enemy, and given him occasion to 
 pause before risking an attack upon it. For several days 
 the hostile chiefs could be seen examining the place on all 
 sides sometimes from the land side, sometimes from the 
 banks of the river, sometimes from canoes brought as near 
 as might be safe to the walls. They had never before 
 seen a town so defended and knew not what to make 
 of it. 
 
 After four days of this delay, whilst we were still 
 curiously awaiting what was to come of so much inspection, 
 a party of three Indians was seen coming towards the land- 
 gate of the town, waving green branches, and making other 
 signs of a desire to parley. When within speaking distance, 
 they called out that they had come from Tuscaluza with a 
 message to the cacique and chiefs of the Cherokee tribe. 
 As the old cacique was not in a state to be seen, five or six 
 of the Cherokee lords, with De Guzman, went out through 
 the gate to talk with Tuscaluza s messengers. Briefly, their 
 errand was to make an offer of the withdrawal of the army 
 if the cacique would surrender the Spaniards in the town, 
 and promise to abandon his Spanish proclivities and revert 
 to the customs and usages of the Indians. The Cherokees 
 
250 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 thought those proposals outrageous and insulting, and 
 De Guzman got into a great rage with the bearers of them. 
 I had previously been sent for from the other side of the 
 town, and hurrying up to learn what the embassy was 
 about, was just in time to prevent violence being offered to 
 the messengers. I represented that the men ought not to 
 be held responsible for their masters, that it would be 
 disgraceful to us to harm defenceless messengers, and that 
 they should be sent back with a suitable answer, not from 
 either De Guzman or myself, who were personally in 
 terested parties, but from the Cherokee lords alone. My 
 remonstrances and advice prevailed in the end, and the 
 messengers were sent back with a spirited and dignified 
 refusal on the part of the Cherokees to violate the laws of 
 hospitality, or accept any dictation from Tuscaluza. To 
 this was added a threat that the bearers of any insulting 
 messages of a similar character would certainly be hanged 
 from the walls in full view of their employers. 
 
 We took this embassy as showing a certain reluctance on 
 the part of the enemy to commence hostilities. The 
 appearance of our defences, and the experience they had 
 already had of our fighting qualities, made (we supposed) 
 the confederate chiefs unwilling to engage in a contest of a 
 precarious and costly character, and anxious, in spite of 
 their vast preparations, to escape from the embroilment, if 
 they could do so with any show of success. Before they 
 had seen the town they would not have thought of making 
 the proposals they did, and would not have been satisfied 
 with anything less than the effacement of the Cherokees, as 
 well as the sacrifice of their Spanish friends. But they had 
 failed in their negotiations and must now go on with the 
 war at any risk or cost, and commence as quickly as 
 possible. So we judged, and our surmise proved to be 
 correct. 
 
 On the second day after the return of the messengers, 
 the enemy commenced moving on all sides. From an early 
 hour bodies of men took up positions on the slopes behind 
 the town. On the river side the boats and canoes were all 
 in motion. As many of them as could float in the shallow 
 flood water gathered in lines and groups as near the town 
 as was consistent with safety. Here they were laden with 
 quantities of things which we could not at first make out, 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 2$ I 
 
 but some of which were bundles of arrows and weapons. 
 Numbers of Indians waded through the water to and from 
 those smaller vessels, which seemed to be designed at 
 present for carrying things rather than persons. The forces 
 of the enemy on either side were concentrated opposite our 
 two gates, as offering the best, as indeed the only available 
 points for attack, for elsewhere the town wall rose clear 
 and solid out of the flood. Seeing what was intended by 
 the enemy, De Guzman, as commander-in-chief, made the 
 best disposition possible of his forces. He assigned a 
 strong division of mixed arms to each gate, and another he 
 mustered in the open place in the centre of the town to 
 serve as a reserve. The remainder of the force he dis 
 tributed around the town wall, under the command of a 
 number of the Cherokee lords. To me he entrusted the 
 defence of the water-gate, or gate facing the river, he him 
 self intending to give particular attention to the other gate, 
 while superintending the defence of the town as a whole. 
 One of the Spaniards he left with the reserve force as his 
 lieutenant ; the other, with the negro, was assigned to 
 duties on the wall. 
 
 Those arrangements of ours were very expeditiously 
 carried out, but were hardly completed when the enemy 
 gave the signal for attack by the blowing of a horn and the 
 beating of a drum, from the top of one of the hills behind 
 the town, the sound re-echoing throughout the valley. It 
 was answered from all sides by the war cries of the Indians 
 advancing against both gates. I did not, of course, see 
 what was done at the land-gate, though I had the account 
 afterwards, and so I will first tell what befell us at the 
 water-gate, where, as it turned out, the chief fighting of that 
 day took place, and this by the enemy s design, which was 
 unsuspected by us at the beginning. 
 
 We saw from the wall the fleet of small vessels pushed 
 forward through the shallows by a multitude of wading 
 Indians, the whole advancing in a broad and solid column 
 of men and boats mixed together. It was evident at a 
 glance what important purposes could be served by this 
 ingenious aquatic combination of men and canoes. As 
 soon as they came within reach of our arms, we let fly at 
 them as hard as we could, but with no very great effect, for 
 many of them were protected by the boats, which we now 
 
252 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 began to see contained not only stores of arrows and other 
 weapons, but also logs of wood, stones, and the quilted 
 cotton mantles and skin coats and leggings worn by the 
 Indians, together with other things likely to serve as a 
 shield against our arrows. Some of these articles were 
 spread out above the canoes, others loosely piled up in 
 them, and the canoes being turned broadside towards us, 
 the hostile Indians were in this way pretty well sheltered 
 from our shafts. I saw, in fact, and somewhat to my dismay, 
 that we were powerless to check the advancing column, 
 which continued to come nearer and nearer to us, all the 
 time directing flights of arrows against us as we stood on the 
 wall. Several of our men were struck, and soon we found 
 it dangerous to expose any part of our bodies above the 
 parapet. When the column came within some thirty yards 
 of the wall it stopped and formed itself more regularly, 
 with the boats to the front, and the men crouching behind 
 them from this cover they commenced shooting at us 
 more vigorously than ever, and with such good aim that we 
 were unable to reply with any effect. The number and 
 true direction of their arrows was indeed such that in a 
 little time we found it almost impossible to get a shot at 
 them without the certainty of being hit, in the act of aiming, 
 by one or more of their shafts. In this way we lost so 
 many men that I was fain to give directions to the others 
 not to further expose themselves. 
 
 I was far from content with this state of things. It was 
 not at all what I had expected. I began to think that the 
 plan of flooding the country might turn out an unfortunate 
 one for us. True, it was decided upon at a moment when 
 we had no reason to think that the enemy would come 
 provided with boats, and when, in fact, the enemy could 
 have had no intention of the kind. It was an unfortunate 
 accident or coincidence for us that the boats should have 
 been brought up the Cargutah river just at the time when 
 we were flooding the country. Tuscaluza and the con 
 federate chiefs were not slow in turning to their own 
 advantage an expedient of ours which we supposed would 
 enormously inconvenience them. For this there was now 
 no remedy, but I anxiously speculated upon what might be 
 the further plans of our foes, as it could not well be their 
 full purpose merely to stand in the water and compel us to 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L*ESTRAXGE 253 
 
 keep under shelter of our parapet. Their mode of attack 
 was too well prepared and systematic to have only this 
 purposeless ending. It turned out to be so. 
 
 After this long-arm fighting had gone on for some time, 
 with all the advantage on the side of our enemies, they 
 commenced to develop a further movement which quite 
 changed the nature of the contest. A strong body of 
 Indians came away from the boats, and advanced as 
 quickly as they could through the water towards the 
 gate. We did what we could to stay them, but they 
 were well covered by the shooting of their comrades 
 from the boats, and the only effect of our exposing our 
 selves was that several more of us were shot down. In 
 a very few minutes the fosse was reached, but this offered 
 but a momentary check for the Indians. A row of sharp- 
 pointed stakes, inclining outwards, ran all round the inner 
 edge of the ditch, but there was a gap in the row in front 
 of each gateway, owing to the necessity of using, in ordinary 
 times, a plank bridge over the fosse at those parts. These 
 bridges had been removed on the approach of the enemy, 
 the gaps remaining unstaked. Thus the Indians attacking 
 our gate were able to cross the fosse without encountering 
 any obstruction. They tumbled headlong into the deeper 
 water of the fosse in crowds, and a stroke or two carried 
 them to the other side, where they again touched ground 
 on the short causeway leading up to the gate, against which 
 they at once commenced thundering. The gate was sunk 
 in the thickness of the wall, which was here buttressed and 
 strengthened on each side with solid brickwork. The wall 
 was carried over the gate on stout beams of timber, roughly 
 squared, laid horizontally across the gateway. Thus the 
 gate stood in a kind of recess, which, though not very 
 deep, afforded protection to a number of Indians against 
 missiles discharged from the top of the wall. Such was 
 the state of things at the moment the Indians were 
 crowding in front of the gate and battering it with stone 
 hammers, billets of wood, pieces of stone, and their flat 
 war clubs, which are almost equal to iron for weight, 
 strength, and hardness. The gate was made of thick 
 planks of hard wood strengthened by crosspieces at the 
 back, the whole secured by large nails. It was made 
 fast in its place by crossbars of wood, and heavy bolts 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 of brass and copper. The solid brickwork the Indians 
 could not hurt, but upon the gate they might make some 
 impression, strong as it was. 
 
 Having run down to make sure that the gate was 
 properly guarded by our men, I hastened back to the 
 wall to see what could be done to dislodge the enemy 
 who were battering at the gate from without. Many of 
 them were unsheltered by the gateway, and so more 
 or less exposed to discharges of missiles from the top 
 of the wall, but we could do little against them, because 
 of the watchfulness of the Indians at the boats. We could 
 not expose ourselves from the parapet without almost 
 certainly being struck by one or more arrows. But after 
 some consideration of our awkward position, we adopted 
 a plan which gave us a certain degree of protection against 
 the enemy s shafts. By means of lances and poles, we 
 held out in front of the parapet cotton quilts and robes 
 of buffalo hide, to shield us against the arrows coming 
 from the boats. Under screen of these we were now 
 able to lean over the wall with comparative security, 
 and assail the Indians beneath with a hail of stones, 
 bricks, logs of timber, arrows and bolts, and anything 
 we could lay our hands on suitable for the purpose. 
 Against this sudden and furious attack they were absolutely 
 defenceless and quite at our mercy, for they could not 
 retaliate, as they had left their bows and arrows with the 
 boats before charging through the water. So whilst those 
 nearest in kept pounding away at the gate, those who could 
 not find room in the recess were being rapidly destroyed 
 by us. The tables were now turned upon our enemies. 
 The more exposed of them, seeing that by staying where 
 they were they would be inevitably slaughtered, plunged 
 into the fosse and hastened back to the protection of their 
 boats. The others remained where they were in the recess, 
 but ceased their attacks upon the gate. How to deal with 
 them was a question, but one which I was in no hurry 
 to solve. It might be dangerous, with the main body 
 so close at hand, to unfasten the gate and drive them 
 off, and as they were doing no harm where they were, 
 I decided to leave them alone until I could devise some 
 safe plan for dislodging them. However, they saved me 
 from my perplexity in a little while, for (seeing, I suppose, 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 25$ 
 
 that they were doing no good by remaining where they 
 were) they made a rush in a body from their place of 
 concealment, plunged into the fosse, got to the other 
 side, and made their way as fast as they could through 
 the shallow water to the boats. We took toll of them 
 as they fled, bringing down one of their number, and 
 wounding three or four more. After that the boats drew 
 further off, leaving us victorious. The attack had failed, 
 though it had been stoutly maintained for nigh upon three 
 hours. 
 
CHAPTER XXXIV. 
 
 The contest at the land-gate A battle of bows Breastworks of the 
 enemy Precautions against surprise We make arrow screens A 
 night of anxiety Early morning surprise General assault The 
 water-gate again attacked Employment of a battering ram 
 Bridging the fosse The gate gives way A hot and fluctuating 
 fight in the gateway We are at length driven back The Indians 
 enter the town Reinforcements at last Horsemen lead the way 
 Turning the tables The Indians driven out and pursued Capture 
 and destruction of their canoes Replacing the gate I hasten to 
 De Guzman s assistance. 
 
 IT was not until the fighting at the water-gate was all over 
 that De Guzman came hurrying up at the head of 
 several companies. The attack on the other gate having 
 slackened, he crossed the town as quickly as possible to 
 learn how I fared, and was pleased to find that I had 
 repulsed the enemy without needing help. The battle at 
 the land-gate, he said, had been merely one of bows, the 
 enemy not having made any serious attempt to reach the 
 gate itself. On considering the nature of the two attacks, 
 we agreed that the real one was on my side, and that the 
 other was little better than a feint, intended to distract our 
 attention and divide our forces. Nevertheless, the latter 
 had some features unusual in Indian warfare, so far as we 
 knew. The Indians had thrown up a sort of breastwork 
 of branches on the slope of the hill facing the gate, and 
 from behind this, as from other situations, they had sent 
 their arrows. This breastwork was like an abatis, and we 
 supposed that the Creeques, our enemies at the cavern, 
 had given their allies an idea of this sort of work. From 
 this protection they had kept up a continuous discharge of 
 arrows against the town during all the time the attack on 
 the other side was going on. They had driven our men 
 under cover of the parapet, and had made one or two 
 movements as if intending to advance against the gate, but 
 
 256 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 257 
 
 had not done so. They still remained in force behind the 
 breastwork and amongst the hills, and showed no signs of 
 abandoning the siege of the town. It was evident we were 
 not yet to be quit of them, though we could not make out 
 what they were going to do next. Neither De Guzman nor 
 myself considered it at all safe or satisfactory that we 
 should thus be overmastered on both sides of the town 
 by the bowmen of the enemy, and compelled to keep 
 under cover of our parapets, but for this we saw no present 
 cure. 
 
 Under the circumstances none of our precautions were 
 relaxed, but everything was so ordered as to enable us to 
 stand on our full defence at any moment. Our men were 
 sent away in sections to rest and refresh themselves, those 
 not so engaged remaining on duty at the gates and on the 
 wall. All were to be ready to assemble at their assigned 
 posts on the first alarm. Nothing, in short, was left undone 
 by us to guard against a surprise or sudden attack, or any 
 attempt to take us at a disadvantage. Matters were 
 arranged so that our whole force should be under arms 
 a couple of hours before daylight, that being the most 
 likely time for an attempted surprise on the part of the 
 enemy. 
 
 All things being settled in this way, I employed the 
 remainder of the day in trying to make some provision 
 against the annoyance of the enemy s shafts. I got around 
 me a number of our handiest workmen, and set about making 
 several screens or large shields to cover us when fighting 
 from the wall. These we made of thick hides and the 
 quilted stuff already mentioned, stretched upon and secured 
 to light frames of wood. The screens so composed were 
 fastened to slim poles in such a way as to allow of their 
 being readily run out beyond the wall, when required. 
 Hanging in this way in front of the parapet, like curtains, 
 they would to some extent protect our men against shafts 
 from the more distant foes whilst engaged in discharging 
 missiles on those close under the wall. We worked hard 
 at those screens, and before sunset we completed several, 
 some of which I sent across the town for use at the other 
 gate. 
 
 Night came on, and for several hours all remained still 
 within and without the town. At the appointed time 
 
 R 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER I^ESTRANGE 
 
 before dawn all our men quietly took their stations as on 
 the day before. I posted myself above the gate, and 
 remained there on the watch. The night at this time was 
 moonless and very dark. Nothing could be made out but 
 a dim mist overlying the flooded country. For a long time 
 no suspicious sound reached my ears, but at length there 
 came a noise as if of a movement in the water below us, 
 some distance off. It came from about the position where 
 the enemy s boats lay, and I made no doubt but that they 
 were once more being prepared for action. Presently I 
 heard a splashing in the water close by, and again I felt 
 sure that a party from the boats was advancing through the 
 water to the gate, and that the attack was to be renewed in 
 that quarter. For this we were all as ready as we could be, 
 but nothing could be done before the commencement of 
 the attack, nor until daylight enabled us to make out our 
 foes. We had not long to wait now. A faint tinge of 
 orange-grey light appeared in the eastern sky : every 
 moment it grew redder and stronger, and in less than ten 
 minutes it was plain dawn. At once there arose through 
 the heavy morning air an outburst of warlike cries, coming 
 from the water. These were re-echoed by similar cries from 
 the other side of the town, intermingled with the hoarse 
 blasts of the native trumpet and the boom of the drum. 
 The attack had recommenced at each gate. We could hear 
 the Indians battering at ours with extraordinary violence, 
 though at first we could scarcely see them. As the light 
 increased and the mist cleared away we made them out, 
 and began to understand what they were about. We saw a 
 band of them busy around a large piece of fir tree, using it 
 against the gate like a battering rain. Some had hold of it 
 by the stumps of its branches ; others assisted in its use by 
 means of straps and thongs of hide passed round it. We 
 now knew how it was that the sound of the blows against 
 the gate was so much louder than on the occasion of the 
 former attack. Further out the line of boats became visible, 
 rather nearer to us than on the day before. Behind them 
 loomed dark masses of Indians, who had already com 
 menced to send their arrows towards us. Closer in a new 
 and more alarming appearance was presented. Under cover 
 of the mist and darkness, the Indians had managed to block 
 up the fosse just in front of the gate with some long canoes 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 259 
 
 made of hollowed-out tree trunks. Upon these they had 
 laid branches of trees and quantities of coarse grass, the 
 whole forming a kind of floating bridge over the fosse. 
 This (for them) clever piece of engineering work had been 
 so silently done that we had no suspicion of its existence 
 until daylight disclosed it to us. Over this they had passed 
 with the piece of fir tree, which they were now swinging 
 vigorously against the gate with a succession of tremendous 
 strokes, while their comrades at the boats were keeping up 
 a brisk discharge of arrows against us. 
 
 It required but a few minutes to realise all this, and the 
 sun had not yet risen before the attack was in full swing. 
 I had the screens out immediately, and directed our whole 
 attention to the Indians attacking the gate. Upon them we 
 brought our bows and crossbows to bear, and assailed 
 them in every possible way from the top of the wall. We 
 brought numbers of them down, but could not force them 
 to discontinue using the ram. Sometimes we stopped them 
 for a brief space, but numbers were always ready to rush 
 forward and take the places of those who had fallen. Nor 
 were we without losses on our side. The screens were not 
 a perfect protection, though of great service. The arrows 
 from the boats were sent with such force that many of 
 them passed right through the screens and struck our men 
 on the parapet, and this happened with more frequency as 
 the line of boats gradually came nearer. Some got so near 
 as to be close to the outer edge of the fosse, and the men 
 fighting from behind them shot their arrows upwards at us 
 behind the screens, giving us much annoyance. Others 
 stationed themselves on the causeway and the floating 
 bridge and similarly assailed us. Still we had to stand to 
 it at any cost and do our best to stop the attack upon the 
 gate, for unless we could do so in some way, and that 
 speedily, it must yield to the mighty blows struck against it. 
 So the fight went on, the enemy suffering more than we; 
 but though we struck down numbers of them, we could not 
 force them to retire. Two or three times we succeeded so 
 far as to compel them to drop the ram for a time, but then 
 a fresh rush would take place and the battering work would 
 recommence as vigorously as ever. 
 
 After more than half an hour of this kind of fighting, I 
 was called below to look at the state of the gate. I was 
 
260 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 not much wanted on the wall, and leaving instructions for 
 the men there to keep on fighting in the same way, I hurried 
 down to the gate. I found it in a bad state. In two or 
 three places the heavy timber was broken and splintered, 
 all the bars, bolts, and fastenings strained or displaced, and 
 the lower part driven in some inches. My men had already 
 done what they could to keep the gate in its place, and I 
 now had further props and supports placed against it, 
 though it was clear that all we could do in this way would 
 not long keep out the enemy, if the battering were con 
 tinued. Seeing the serious position of affairs I despatched 
 a messenger to De Guzman for aid, and in the meantime I 
 drew up what men I had with me in a column of four wide 
 just in front of the gateway, ready to receive a rush of the 
 enemy should the gate go down. I had not above one 
 hundred and fifty men for this purpose, for our losses had 
 been heavy during the last two days, and I could not afford 
 to draw a man from the wall so long as there was a chance 
 of saving the gate from above. 
 
 The catastrophe came quicker than I had expected. 
 The gate was riven by so many holes and fractures that a 
 score of hands were thrust through to get at the props and 
 fastenings within. Upon these limbs we used our weapons 
 as we could, and through the openings in the gate we shot 
 our bolts or used our spears whenever we had the chance. 
 But all would not do. The men without shot back at 
 us, and kept injuring the gate more and more with their 
 hatchets and clubs. Suddenly there was a pause in the 
 battering, and then a wild yell, and a mighty pressure upon 
 the gate which carried it bodily away from its position and 
 sent it crashing to the ground, a heap of wreckage. Over 
 this the Indians came leaping and yelling in a dense mass, 
 which filled up all the gateway. We received them with our 
 spears, and with a steady and quick discharge of bolts and 
 arrows. The more forward of them fell in heaps, and for 
 a moment the onward rush was checked. But with new 
 cries those behind again dashed forward, and through the 
 now open gateway we could see numbers of Indians 
 running from the direction of the boats to the aid of their 
 comrades in the gateway. Seeing that we were likely to 
 be swept away by the mere impetus and weight of so great a 
 body of men, I gave the word to charge before our foes had 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 261 
 
 time to get clear of the gateway. The shock was tremendous, 
 but our closer and better disciplined men had the best of 
 it, and the enemy was forced to recoil a little. Following 
 this first success with a vigorous use of all the weapons at 
 our command, we gradually pressed the mass of Indians 
 backwards, bringing numbers of them to the ground, and 
 inflicting ghastly wounds on many others. In this hand-to- 
 hand conflict we had all the advantages of discipline and 
 superior weapons on our side, and suffered from no dis 
 advantage in point of numbers. For though our foes were 
 vastly more numerous than we, this did not tell in their 
 favour in the narrow gateway. But they stood their ground 
 manfully, and though they had to fall back they did not 
 do so willingly, but faced us all the time, and yielded only 
 to sheer pressure. But when we had driven them out 
 through the gateway and on to the short causeway, we found 
 our position was not so good. Here the somewhat wider 
 space enabled them to surround the head of our column 
 and attack it on the flanks as well as in front. It was now 
 our turn to give way ; and little by little, and inflicting 
 heavy losses upon us, they forced us back into the gateway, 
 where once more the contest was continued on more equal 
 terms. Three times did the battle fluctuate in this way, 
 with no marked advantage to either side. We had not 
 driven off the Indians, nor had they got secure possession 
 of the gateway. But they were coming up as numerous 
 and as fresh as ever, whilst we had already lost heavily, and 
 were becoming exhausted with incessant fighting. After 
 our third charge, the enemy so pressed upon us as to make 
 our falling back like a disorderly retreat. They forced us 
 through the gateway, followed us beyond it, and spreading 
 out on each side, began to surround us within the town 
 wall, giving us less chance than ever of making a fresh 
 charge, or even of standing our ground for any length of 
 time. 
 
 It was at this highly-critical moment that the anxiously 
 expected reinforcements arrived, after a delay which was at 
 the time unaccountable to me, and might well have been 
 disastrous to us and to the town as well. As we were 
 desperately struggling for our lives, we heard the clatter of 
 horses hoofs coming down the street behind us, and, 
 looking back, I saw De Guzman and two Cherokee 
 
262 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 cavaliers galloping towards us. Not far behind came a 
 column of our warriors, advancing at the run, but keeping 
 good order. Our enemies were in no sort of formation to 
 resist such a charge, but they met it boldly. The horsemen 
 dashed in amongst them, followed by the footmen. The 
 charge carried the column right through the mob of 
 Indians, dividing it in two. The horsemen then wheeled 
 about and led a second onslaught upon the Indians, 
 scattering them to right and left, and killing and wounding 
 many of them. Meanwhile I rallied as many of my men 
 as I could get together, and joined in the fray. The 
 Indians were now attacked on nearly all sides with bows, 
 spears, battle-axes, and every available weapon. They were 
 becoming demoralised, by being forced constantly to shift 
 from one position to another and to keep moving. When 
 ever they massed themselves together, the horsemen and 
 the more swift-footed of the Cherokees charged upon them 
 and forced them to divide. This manoeuvre (the credit for 
 which was due to De Guzman) was so often repeated that 
 soon there was nowhere any considerable group of them 
 left, and they were being hunted down and destroyed in 
 detail all over the place. Those who could disentangle 
 themselves from the fray made for the gateway, pursued by 
 our men ; others were slain where they stood, fighting 
 bravely to the last. The slaughter was perhaps greatest 
 at the gateway, after the real fighting was over, and the 
 victory indisputably ours. Not more than four or five men 
 could pass through at a time, and the passage was 
 obstructed by the bodies of the killed an d wounded, and 
 the wreckage of the gate. The hindmost were slaughtered 
 in numbers, and with little or no resistance. Those who 
 got through were hotly pursued by our men. I was too 
 spent and bruised to care to take part in the pursuit, but, 
 mounting the wall, I watched its course from the parapet 
 The Cherokees, led by De Guzman, now on foot, chased 
 the flying Indians over the boat-bridge they had themselves 
 made, and through the flood-water, killing all whom they 
 overtook. Some of them attempted to rally at the line of 
 boats, but De Guzman, dividing his forces, swept round at 
 each end of the line, drove out the Indians, and pursued 
 them for some distance towards the river. Then he 
 commanded a halt, not deeming it prudent to go further 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 263 
 
 from the town, and knowing that he could do nothing 
 against the fleet of large boats in the river, which could so 
 easily evade an attack. 
 
 On the way back he caused all the canoes to be drawn 
 together in one place, and, having allowed his men to help 
 themselves to their contents, set them on fire and destroyed 
 them, thus making it impossible for the enemy to renew 
 a form of attack which had been so dangerous for us. The 
 boat-bridge over the fosse was also broken up and removed. 
 
 De Guzman, I now learnt for the first time, was in 
 great haste to get back to the other gate, where heavy 
 fighting had been going on all the morning. This was the 
 cause of the long delay in coming to my assistance. 
 Having his own hands full, he could not attend to my 
 request until the news of the enemy having forced the gate 
 and actually entered the town obliged him to come to my 
 relief at all hazards. Fortunately at that moment there was 
 a lull in the attack on the other gate. Though anxious to 
 return at once with all available men, he left with me for 
 the time ten companies, or a hundred men, to help in 
 making the town secure on my side, desiring me at the 
 same time to make haste and join him at the other gate, 
 with as many men as I could safely bring with me. 
 
 We lost no time in setting to work to clear out the gate 
 way and replace the shattered gate in its proper position. 
 It could not at once be made as secure as it had been ; but 
 any early return of the Indians was no likely thing, after 
 their disastrous failure in an attack which they could not 
 repeat under anything like equally favourable circumstances. 
 They had lost many men, their canoes had been destroyed, 
 and any advantage they might have had from the country 
 being flooded was rapidly disappearing. For we had 
 noticed at daylight that the flood in the valley had gone 
 down a little, and since then it had been rapidly decreasing, 
 either through a fall in the river, or because of the water 
 having found some outlet lower down the valley. It was 
 now impossible to bring canoes, however light, close to the 
 town, were any available for such a purpose. We were 
 thus pretty secure on this side from any present danger. 
 Confident in this belief, and having seen that everything 
 was left in good order, I hastened across the town with two 
 hundred men to the assistance of De Guzman. 
 
CHAPTER XXXV. 
 
 At the land-gate Burning arrows and cords Attempt to fire the 
 gate Firing houses How to prevent the burning of the town 
 The enemy must be driven further off De Guzman s secret sortie 
 by the water-gate I march through the land-gate Carry and 
 destroy first breastwork And the second Fall back under town 
 wall Gate not to be opened Our formation We hold our own 
 though outnumbered Watching for De Guzman s appearance on 
 the enemy s rear An unexpected sight Charge of Spanish horse 
 men Rout of the Indians A murderous pursuit End of the great 
 Indian expedition Tuscaluza. 
 
 AT the land-gate (as I have called it) I found the attack 
 by the enemy still going on. It had begun at the 
 same time as that upon the other gate. During the 
 nights the enemy had built a second abatis closer to 
 the town than the first one, and behind both had massed 
 numbers of warriors. Under cover of the darkness the 
 Indians had also nearly filled up the ditch in front of 
 the gate with fallen trees, branches, grass, and other 
 materials. But instead of attacking the gate with a ram, 
 as the others had done, their design was to destroy it by 
 fire, and for this purpose they had piled against it, within 
 the recess of the gateway, quantities of dried grass and 
 faggots ready to be set on fire when the time came. Those 
 preparations had been made so quietly that our people 
 knew nothing of them until some time after daylight. The 
 attack had commenced with the usual discharge of arrows. 
 The nearer position of the new abatis gave the enemy 
 more advantage than before, and made it much more 
 difficult for our men to reply from the parapet. Presently 
 the enemy began sending burning arrows against the 
 gate. These are arrows to the points of which balls of 
 inflammable material are tied, the balls being set alight 
 just before the arrows are shot. Very soon the stuff piled 
 in the gateway caught fire and commenced burning freely. 
 
 264 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 265 
 
 Instantly upon this discovery De Guzman sent away a 
 number of men to bring water from the well. There being 
 plenty of vessels of all kinds in the town, a good supply 
 of water was soon brought up to the gate, dashed through 
 every chink and opening, and poured in a stream under 
 neath. This did not quench the fire, but helped to keep 
 it down. Had necessity required it, De Guzman would 
 have thrown the gate open and directly attacked the 
 fire, taking the risk of a rush by the enemy, but this 
 extreme course did not become necessary. The gate 
 was made of thick planks of the evergreen oak, and 
 stood the fire well. After half-an-hour s exertion the fire 
 was extinguished, or had burnt itself out, without very 
 serious damage to the gate. While the fire was at its 
 height the Indians without made as if they intended to 
 dash at the gate from the nearest abatis, and no doubt 
 it was their plan to do so when the gate was destroyed. 
 But fortunately the gate was not destroyed, and so the 
 design of the enemy miscarried. 
 
 After this there was a lull in the hostilities, the dis 
 appointed Indians having to consider what they could 
 next do to get the best of us. It was at this time that 
 De Guzman had crossed the town to my relief. When 
 I rejoined him afterwards on his own side, I found the 
 attack, as he expected, had recommenced there in a new 
 and more alarming form than ever. The Indians were 
 now shooting burning arrows and slinging burning cords 
 over the wall on to the roofs of the houses from the nearest 
 abatis, and already two houses were on fire. The roofs 
 of the houses being mostly of bark, reeds, and straw, and 
 very dry, were liable to catch fire easily and to spread the 
 flames rapidly. 
 
 As soon as I came up, De Guzman directed me to give 
 my whole attention to checking and extinguishing the 
 flames, and I at once set about doing so with the aid of the 
 men I had brought with me. With the roofs already on 
 fire little or nothing could be done, and my first task was 
 to unroof the adjacent houses, so as to prevent the fire from 
 spreading. I next sent up parties of my men to the tops 
 of all the houses exposed to the fire of the enemy, and 
 stationed them on and about the roofs wherever they 
 could get a good footing. To these men, as fast as we could 
 
266 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 manage it, I had passed up hides and quilts saturated with 
 water, pots and other vessels of water, and long poles to 
 assist them in reaching any place on fire. They watched the 
 flight of the fire-arrows, and when one fell on a roof, they 
 were on the alert to lay hold of it if they could and throw 
 it off, or to extinguish it, or any flame it might cause, by 
 means of the appliances they possessed. In this way we 
 were able to prevent the fire from extending, though only 
 by the greatest exertions and the utmost watchfulness and 
 activity. Now and then a burning missile would reach 
 some place not easy to get at, and the fire it created would 
 only be mastered with great difficulty, if at all. At first 
 those cords and arrows were few in number, but after a 
 time they got more numerous, and our trouble increased to 
 such an extent that it at last became evident that the 
 flames would get the mastery of us unless we could speedily 
 find some means of putting a stop to the fiery shower. I 
 hastened to De Guzman and told him our state. He at 
 once called the chief men together to consult upon the 
 matter and consider what was to be done. It was plain 
 enough that if the Indians from their present position, or 
 one nearer still, continued to shoot as they had been 
 doing, we should either perish in the flames or be forced 
 by them to evacuate the town in the face of a powerful 
 enemy. This view of the situation was recognised on all 
 hands. How to stop the discharge of those burning missiles 
 was the question to settle. De Guzman declared that 
 there was nothing for it but a sortie in force. We must go 
 out and fight the enemy in the open while we could yet do 
 so to some purpose. It was better to do so now, while the 
 town still remained to be saved, rather than be forced to do 
 it later on when the town was destroyed. The choice was 
 a hard one for us, and the alternative he proposed pre 
 carious, but it was our only chance and must be risked. 
 
 De Guzman s views were thoroughly concurred in by me, 
 and unanimously approved by our friends, and he at once 
 set about arranging his plans with his usual energy, and 
 with all the sound judgment of a skilful general. It was 
 not his purpose to depend alone upon a direct attack upon 
 the enemy. He determined that a strong force should go 
 out by the further gate, and going round the town by the 
 brine springs, pass through the woods on that side, and so 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 267 
 
 get in the rear and on the right flank of the hostile Indians. 
 Then, in concert with the troops coming directly from the 
 town, a simultaneous attack could be made upon the 
 enemy. If all went well, the Indians, while engaged in 
 front, would be taken by surprise on the flank and rear, 
 and might be overcome in spite of their great numerical 
 superiority. To carry out this plan with the best chances 
 of success, it w r as settled that the force going round the 
 town should consist of five hundred of our best troops, and 
 our three horses. An equal number of men in narrow 
 column were, at the right time, to charge through the gate 
 upon the front of the enemy. This force of a thousand 
 men was the fullest we could employ in the field, and 
 though (after our losses) it would leave but a mere handful 
 of men in the town, it was little enough against so for 
 midable a foe. 
 
 De Guzman himself took the command of the force 
 going round the town, leaving me in charge of the rest. I 
 crossed the town with him to see his party through and 
 take his final instructions. From the top of the wall on 
 that side no enemy was visible. The boats in the river had 
 gone down towards the original encampment of the invaders, 
 the attack upon this side of the town having to all appear 
 ances been quite given up. No Indians were in sight, all 
 having been called away to the other side of the town, as 
 we supposed. The flood water had still further abated, 
 and I could see from our look-out that the river was lower 
 than I had ever known it before. Everything was so far 
 favourable for De Guzman s enterprise. I took leave of 
 him with a heavy heart, not knowing if we should ever 
 meet again ; the gate was thrown open, the plank bridge 
 laid across the ditch, and the column, headed by the horse 
 men, passed out of the town. Having withdrawn the 
 bridge and made the gate secure, I watched the march of 
 the column for some time from the top of the wall. It 
 plashed through the shallow water towards the brine 
 springs, mounted the wooded slope beyond, and disappeared 
 in the forest. 
 
 My instructions were to wait for fully an hour before 
 commencing the attack. It was thought that by that time 
 De Guzman would be in or near a good position for 
 advancing upon the enemy. The fighting was to begin on my 
 
268 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 side, and to be kept up at all cost until De Guzman made 
 his appearance. The more fully the attention of the enemy 
 was directed to us, the better for the success of our general 
 plan. All this time the Indians continued sending their 
 burning arrows and cords into the town, causing us infinite 
 trouble and alarm, and obliging us to unroof several houses. 
 The time of labour and anxiety was prolonged to the end 
 of the appointed hour, and it was with a sense of relief 
 that I welcomed the approach of the moment when the 
 intolerable annoyance of this fiery shower must cease. 
 
 The time being fully up, and my men in perfect readiness, 
 I ordered the gate to be opened to its fullest extent. A few 
 minutes sufficed to throw our plank bridge over the fosse, 
 and out we marched through the gateway, five abreast. 
 Once over the bridge, my men extended right and left so 
 as to present to the enemy a line of fifty men abreast and 
 ten in depth. This formation had been carefully explained 
 to, and rehearsed by, the men within the town during the 
 hour of delay, so that there was no difficulty nor loss of 
 time in its adoption without. Behind us, pursuant to my 
 orders, the bridge was withdrawn and the gate closed. One 
 of the Spaniards I had left in charge of the gate ; the other 
 had gone with De Guzman. Our movements had been so 
 rapid and precise, that I was able to give the word to 
 advance before our foes had recovered from the surprise of 
 seeing us marching out of the town. We went forward at 
 a steady pace, using our bows and crossbows against the 
 enemy, and supported by discharges of bolts and shafts 
 from the wall, where I had left some of our best marksmen. 
 The Indians, their surprise over, promptly responded in 
 like fashion. As soon as we reached the beginning of the 
 rising ground, we charged full upon the first abatis. In a 
 moment we were amongst the branches of the work, tearing 
 them away and trampling them under foot. This abatis 
 was but a poor sort of thing, without any stability, serving 
 more as a screen than a substantial defence. Its demolition 
 brought us at once face to face with the Indians, and then 
 the real fighting began. Our men kept their ranks well, 
 and pressed forward upon the enemy with levelled spears 
 and flashing swords and battle-axes. The Indians, closing 
 upon us with leaps and bounds, were first received upon 
 our spears, and those amongst them who were able to 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 269 
 
 push further had to reckon with men wielding weapons very 
 superior to any in their possession. 
 
 Fighting in this way, sometimes in one spot, sometimes 
 making a rush, but always advancing more or less, we 
 forced our way to the second abatis. This we demolished 
 as easily as the first. By this time the whole force of the 
 enemy was gathering towards us, and I thought it prudent 
 to fall back towards the gate. We had succeeded in our 
 two immediate objects first, stopping the shower of fire, 
 and secondly, in engaging the whole attention of the 
 enemy. This was all that could be done with the force at 
 my command. Our retreat was managed by causing our 
 front rank men to pass quickly to the rear, and by repeating 
 the process until the desired position was gained. By this 
 expedient we were always able to show a firm and fixed 
 front to the enemy. The position I took up was in front 
 of the gate, with the fosse behind us, and the men on the 
 wall helping in our defence. I called aloud to the Spaniard 
 to keep the gate fast, no matter what happened to us, for I 
 thought he might suppose we were in distress, and anxious 
 to re-enter the town. This was far from being our situation, 
 for as yet nothing had occurred to daunt us, or make us 
 despair of holding out until De Guzman appeared. Our 
 formation was that of a solid half- circle or crescent, in 
 front of the gate. Our three first ranks were composed of 
 spearmen (the front one kneeling), presenting to the foe 
 a triple line of bristling spears. Behind these were 
 arrayed the men using battle-axes, swords, and crossbows. 
 In this formation I felt we could long hold out against 
 the great crowd of Indians in front of us. We had now 
 secured their whole attention, and a splendid opportunity 
 was afforded De Guzman to surprise them in the rear. 
 They raged and yelled around our front, and, urged on by 
 their leaders, made desperate attempts to break in upon us. 
 Now and then they succeeded in making an opening in our 
 line, but were as often beaten back by the inner ranks of 
 our warriors. Such were the discipline and confidence of 
 our men, that the gaps so made were promptly filled up 
 by fresh spearmen, ready to meet the next rush of the 
 enemy. We stood, in truth, like a fortress, within which 
 our assailants might at times penetrate a little way, but 
 in which they could secure no permanent footing. The 
 
270 ADVENTURES OF ROGER ^ESTRANGE 
 
 slaughter on the side of our enemies was immense, but on 
 our side comparatively slight. They suffered most not 
 only as the attacking party, but also because of their poor 
 weapons and want of defensive armour, and by being 
 exposed to our bowmen on the wall, to whom they could 
 give but little attention. 
 
 Though confident in the security of our position, I was 
 anxious for the coming of De Guzman to turn the tide of 
 battle in our favour and enable us to assume the offensive. 
 I looked from time to time in the direction where he was 
 likely to appear, and at last I saw something which I had 
 not expected, and which filled me with bewilderment and 
 amazement. I saw emerging from the woods at the top 
 of the slope, in rear of the enemy, a strange body of over 
 twenty wild-looking horsemen, followed at no great distance 
 by our Cherokee troops. At first I could scarcely believe 
 that what I saw was real, and I thought I must be suffering 
 from some kind of delusion, so totally incomprehensible 
 was the spectacle presented. I called to Choquo and 
 some of my Cherokee friends to tell me if what I saw was 
 real. They saw what I saw, and with equal wonder. The 
 horsemen looked like Indians both in dress and complexion, 
 but managed their horses as only white men could, and 
 they carried the long lances and swords of Spanish cavalry. 
 Whilst still lost in conjecture as to whence De Guzman 
 had conjured up those extraordinary horsemen, they ex 
 tended themselves in a single line, changed their trot into 
 a gallop, and came thundering down the incline, led by 
 De Guzman and another, upon the rear of the great mob 
 of Indians gathered around us. Above the din and uproar 
 of the charge I could hear the Spanish cry of " St. Jago ! 
 St. Jago ! " and knew that those weather beaten and skin- 
 clad horsemen must be Spaniards, and could scarcely be 
 other than Spaniards of the army we had supposed lost in 
 the western wilderness. Recovering from my bewilderment, 
 I rushed to the front, and calling upon my men to follow 
 me, charged upon the Indians, now confused and paralysed 
 by the appearance of the horsemen and the attack on their 
 rear. They had doubtless supposed that in us they had 
 before them all the available force that could be brought 
 against them, and were totally unprepared for this demon 
 stration in their rear just as they seemed within reach of 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 2/1 
 
 victory. This discovery threw them into complete con 
 fusion, and no effort seemed to be made to rally them, or 
 to unite them in some common purpose or joint action. 
 
 A most murderous contest now commenced, if, indeed, 
 contest it could be called. The horsemen swept through 
 the crowd of Indians, riding them down in numbers, and 
 using their lances or swords right and left. Behind them 
 came De Guzman s Cherokees in an extended line, plying 
 sword and battle-axe upon the distracted Indians, who 
 offered but feeble resistance. On the other side of the 
 crowd my men were equally busy in the work of slaughter. 
 The Indians had now neither front nor rear, nor plan nor 
 purpose. As we drove them before us, De Guzman s 
 Cherokees drove them back again upon us, giving them 
 no rest nor respite. Thus attacked on all sides, and 
 ploughed up by the charges of the horsemen, they could 
 hold no ground, and could only seek safety in flight. The 
 country down the valley was still open to them, and soon 
 the great mass of those who remained were flying in that 
 direction. Many could not get away, and others desperately 
 stood their ground, but all who stayed were slain without 
 mercy sooner or later. The main body, like a flock of 
 sheep before a pack of wolves, flew down the valley at full 
 speed, pursued by the horsemen and our men on foot. 
 The horsemen hung on the rear of the crowd, and lanced 
 or cut down the Indians at discretion, or drove them in 
 groups to the right and left, where they fell a prey to the 
 Cherokees. A few of the swifter-footed fugitives reached 
 the hills by the side of the valley, or the river on the 
 opposite side, into which they plunged. The main body, 
 greatly reduced in number, at length gained the shelter of 
 the forest at the end of the valley, and escaped further 
 pursuit. Later on the fleet of boats was seen going down 
 the river, laden with fugitives. The rout was most com 
 plete, and the losses of the enemy from first to last must 
 have been little short of two thousand men. 
 
 The expedition against us was no doubt the greatest that 
 had ever been organised by the Indians of Florida, but 
 neither its numbers nor the influence of Tuscaluza had 
 saved it from destruction. The gigantic form of this chief 
 had often been observed from the walls of the town, 
 directing the operations against us, and it was confidently 
 
2;2 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 stated that his dead body had been found amongst the slain 
 down the valley ; but this was not true, as will hereafter 
 appear, though of his ultimate fate nothing is known. He 
 appeared to take no personal part in the actual fighting, 
 though surely his was the guiding spirit in all that was 
 attempted against the town. Had his military knowledge 
 and resources been at all equal to his intrepidity of soul 
 and influence over his fellow-countrymen, I had not lived 
 to write this narrative, or might have been obliged to make 
 it a record of cruel disasters in these later pages. But, all 
 being said, Tuscaluza was a mere untutored barbarian in 
 a nation as ignorant as himself, destitute of all power or 
 means of making war in any but the rudest and most 
 primitive way. He was thus unable to overcome the 
 resistance of one little town, defended on a civilized 
 basis by a few Europeans. To him, however, is due the 
 credit (if such it be) of having contributed largely to the 
 ruin of the splendid expedition of De Soto, and the death, 
 broken-hearted, of its noble leader. Almost from the first 
 arrival of the army in Florida he harassed it by incessant 
 hostilities, and when the remnant of it disappeared in the 
 wilderness of the west, he contrived to pursue it with his 
 vengeance. Emerging thence (to anticipate my story), he 
 was the last to give up the chase of the miserable fraction 
 of it which at last managed to escape from the accursed 
 country down the Rio Grande. Truly Tuscaluza was a 
 man who had in him all the essential qualities of a great 
 leader, but his circumstances afforded no fair scope for the 
 exercise of his rare abilities ; and he who, in a more favour 
 able situation, might have made for himself a world-wide 
 fame, will leave but an uncouth name and a transient 
 reputation in the memory of a few passing strangers. 
 
CHAPTER XXXVI. 
 
 Festivity and rejoicing The state of the Spaniards and their horses 
 Exchange of news How O Donel came to us The news of the 
 army Sufferings and losses in Los Vaqueros and elsewhere They 
 come to a boundless wilderness March back to the Rio Grande 
 Still greater sufferings and heavier losses Mortality of men and 
 horses The river at last More deaths Putting things in order in 
 Cargutah A council and its results I go in advance to the army 
 My instructions to Aymay about our pearls and gold. 
 
 THE next three days were given up mainly to festivities and 
 the interchange of news between us and the Spaniards. 
 Of the festivities nothing need be said, except that they 
 were heartily appreciated by the half-starved Spaniards. In 
 all respects they were kindly and hospitably entertained by 
 our people, who not only fed them on the best the town 
 could supply, but cleansed them and gave them new 
 clothing to replace the foul rags they had on. For those 
 Spaniards were truly in sorry plight when they came into 
 the town, and both they and their horses wayworn to the 
 last degree. They had scarcely a scrap of European 
 clothing left, and such as they had was patched and eked 
 out with skins and bits of Indian cloth of various sorts and 
 colours. Instead of boots their legs were wrapped in 
 bandages of raw hide, and their feet covered in the same 
 way, or with the native skin shoes called moccasins. Strips 
 and thongs of raw hide were used as bridles and stirrup 
 straps, and such worn-out saddles as remained were 
 clumsily covered with pieces of bear skins and buffalo 
 hides. Their horses were shoeless, and not one free from 
 injured hoofs, back sores, and bad legs. Altogether the 
 men presented a painful contrast to our well-fed, trim, and 
 soldierly Cherokees. The Spaniards fed as men do who 
 have long been in a state of starvation ; and they enjoyed 
 s 273 
 
2/4 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 the comforts of our town with the zest of people long 
 strangers to civil society, regular diet, and a roof over their 
 heads. 
 
 Of news there was, of course, abundance to tell, and an 
 eagerness on both sides to hear and impart it. At the very 
 earliest opportunity, and before the Spaniards had yet time 
 to fully satisfy the cravings of nature, we got from them an 
 account of the circumstances which had led to their un 
 expected appearance in our neighbourhood, and at a moment 
 so critical and important for us. Luis de Moscoso had, it 
 appeared, at last turned back from his march towards the 
 west, and, on his way to regain the Rio Grande, had 
 bethought himself of De Guzman, and sent Captain 
 O Donel and the other horsemen to search him out and 
 bring him back. It was while this force was on its way to 
 the town of Cargutah that De Guzman, at the head of his 
 Cherokees, came upon it in the forest. The astonishment 
 was mutual and extreme. The surprise of De Guzman 
 at seeing before him what he took to be a force of 
 mounted Indians, was not less than that of the Spaniards 
 at being confronted by a whole regiment of undoubted 
 Indians, ranged and armed after the European fashion. 
 Fortunately this mutual surprise created a pause, otherwise 
 the two forces might have fallen foul of each other as 
 enemies; and the interchange of a few words in Spanish 
 soon set matters right. The leader of the Spaniards stated 
 his errand, but De Guzman at once replied that he had 
 no intention of returning to the army. O Donel threatened 
 to take him back forcibly, whereupon De Guzman answered 
 that if he (O Donel) conceived it to be his duty to endea 
 vour to take him by force, he might try to do so there and 
 then, or later on if he preferred. The Irishman, though as 
 hot-headed as the Spaniard, was prudent enough to recog 
 nise that he could do nothing effective with his five-and- 
 twenty worn-out troopers against such a force as De Guzman 
 commanded ; and learning from the latter the errand he was 
 upon, agreed to help him in it, leaving open for the present 
 the question of De Guzman s return to the army. This 
 offer De Guzman warmly accepted, and cheered the 
 hearts of the Spaniards by the assurance that they should 
 have comfortable quarters, and abundance of every 
 thing as long as they liked, in the town. That is how 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER ^ESTRANGE 2?$ 
 
 the Spaniards came to our aid, in the manner already 
 stated. 
 
 As to the general fortunes of the army, O Donel and his 
 men had a sad story to tell of sufferings and privations in 
 the Far West and on the march there, and back to the Rio 
 Grande, where it now was. Part of this story we already 
 knew through the two Spaniards, who had left the army in 
 the country or province to which the name of Los Vaqueros 
 was given. The following is the substance of the rest of 
 the narrative : 
 
 For many weeks after quitting the province of the 
 Herdsmen, the army continued to wander westward, 
 finding the country growing wilder and wilder, and the 
 inhabitants more and more savage and intractable. After 
 traversing more than a hundred leagues they came to a 
 vast uninhabited region, where they were again reduced to 
 living on herbs and roots. Far away in the distance they 
 saw a chain of lofty mountains and extensive forests, but 
 no sign of cities or inhabitants. The Indians they had 
 recently met with appeared to be homeless savages, living 
 on wild fruits, herbs, and roots, and by hunting and fishing. 
 They were quite a different people from the comparatively 
 civilized and settled natives hitherto met with. 
 
 The Spaniards were now thoroughly disheartened. They 
 had come upon no traces of their own countrymen from 
 Mexico, and there were no signs and no reports of civilized 
 native communities anywhere in front of them. They 
 seemed to have come to the end of the world, where there 
 was nothing but savage waste of boundless extent, occupied 
 (where inhabited at all) by the lowest savages, with whom 
 it was impossible to communicate, or to establish friendly 
 relations. Winter was approaching, and if they lingered 
 much longer the snows and rains would cut off their 
 retreat, and cause them to perish miserably of cold and 
 hunger. Luis de Moscoso was weary in mind and body 
 and longed to be in a place where his sleep might not be 
 broken by continual alarms. Calling a council of his 
 officers, he proposed giving up all further progress to the 
 west, making the best of their way back to the Rio Grande, 
 and there building vessels to take them down the river to 
 the Sea of Mexico. These proposals were by no means 
 universally relished, for, in spite of all their cruel 
 
2/6 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L J ESTRANGE 
 
 experiences and bitter disappointments, there were some 
 who had still a lingering hope of finding a rich native state, 
 the plunder of which would repay them for all their toil 
 and sufferings. However, the more prudent counsels pre 
 vailed in the end, and it was finally decided to retrace 
 their steps to the Rio Grande. 
 
 The Spaniards had now a long and dreary march before 
 them, with none of their former hopes to cheer them on 
 the way. They had a country to traverse the resources 
 of which had already been wasted and exhausted by their 
 foraging parties, and the inhabitants exasperated against 
 them. They sought to avoid those disadvantages by 
 inclining somewhat to the south-east, so as to avoid the 
 tracts they had desolated, and find regions better supplied 
 with provisions. They travelled by forced marches, taking 
 every precaution against provoking the natives. These, 
 however, they found everywhere hostile, and on the alert, 
 as if inspired by a common understanding. The Spaniards 
 were incessantly attacked, losing heavily in men and horses, 
 and failing in all their efforts to make friends with the 
 natives. In those western regions, going and returning, 
 they sustained more disasters than in any other part of the 
 country, and that without being once able to come to close 
 quarters with the enemy. 
 
 After a certain time they took a north-easterly course, in 
 order to strike the great river at a place they were familiar 
 with. But while still a long way from the river, the winter 
 commenced to set in with severity. They had to endure 
 violent gales, heavy rains, and piercing cold. In such an in 
 hospitable country it was impossible to go into winter quarters. 
 They had neither the means nor the inclination to delay their 
 march, and the sooner to reach the termination of their 
 journey they continued to press forward through all weather, 
 being often obliged to encamp for the night drenched with 
 rain and covered with mud. Then they had to go in quest 
 of food, being generally compelled to obtain it from the 
 natives by violence, and often at the expense of many lives. 
 The rivers became swollen with rain, and even the brooks 
 were unfordable, so that almost every day the men were 
 engaged in making rafts. At some places they were 
 detained seven or eight days, either from want of materials 
 to make rafts, or on account of the hostility of the natives. 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 2JJ 
 
 Often, too, they found no place where they could lie down 
 at night, the ground being covered with water and mud. 
 In such situations the cavalry passed the night sitting upon 
 their horses, and the footmen stood up to their knees in 
 water. For clothing they had jackets of skin which served 
 for shirt, doublet, and coat, and were almost always wet 
 through. Many were barelegged and barefooted. 
 
 Under such dreadful privations men and horses sickened 
 and died rapidly. Every day two or three, and on one day 
 seven, Spaniards died, and the deaths of the Indian servants 
 were so numerous that at last hardly any were left. There 
 being no means of treating or nursing the sick, nor of 
 carrying them, they had to drag themselves along after the 
 army as best they could, until they fell down and died by 
 the way or were killed by Indians. All the effective horses 
 were needed to repel the constant attacks of the enemy, 
 and the rest were too infirm to be used for transporting the 
 sick or wounded. 
 
 At length the Spaniards reached the end of their terrible 
 march. Their hearts leaped within them for joy when they 
 came in sight of the great river once more, for they regarded 
 it not only as a place where they could find rest for a time, 
 but as the highway by which they could escape from a land 
 of miseries and disasters. They took possession of a village 
 called Aminoya as a haven of repose, and fervently thanked 
 God that they had at length reached a spot where they 
 might rest awhile from their toils and sufferings. They 
 reached this place none too soon, for had their march been 
 much further prolonged, or had they not been fortunate in 
 finding in the village a good supply of food, they must 
 inevitably have perished to a man. As it was, many of 
 them only reached the place to lie down and die. The 
 excitement of the march had stimulated and sustained 
 them at the expense of their vitality, and when exertion 
 was no longer necessary, and plenty of rest and food 
 available, they fell into a strange lethargy from which 
 nothing could arouse them, and in the course of a few 
 days over fifty died in this singular way. 
 
 Such, in general outline, and omitting many particulars, 
 was the heartrending account given us by O Donel and his 
 men of the sufferings of the army. We, on our part, had a 
 pleasanter tale to tell of our own fortunes, and one to which 
 
278 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 the Spaniards listened with greedy attention. My own 
 personal adventures particularly interested them, not only 
 because of their strangeness, but also for the reason that no 
 one of the army had supposed that I was alive or would ever 
 more be heard of. My cousin Henry (who I was glad to 
 hear had survived all the hardships of the double march) 
 had long given me up for dead, and had caused masses to 
 be said for the repose of my soul. 
 
 Amidst those first days of festivity and gossip, neither 
 De Guzman nor myself would permit necessary work to 
 be neglected. The first and most urgent was the dis 
 posal of the great number of dead bodies lying close 
 to the town and throughout the valley. These we got 
 rid of, partly by throwing them into the river, partly by 
 burying, and partly by burning, according to the position 
 in which they lay. Our next attention was given to the 
 opening in the bank of the river. This we filled up by 
 means of trunks of trees, and baskets and bags filled 
 with earth and stone, the lowness of the river making 
 our task an easy one. Though there was now no danger 
 of a renewal of an attack upon the town, De Guzman 
 would not rest until everything connected with its security 
 and defence was completed, and made as perfect as before 
 the late events. In matters of watch and ward he was 
 as strict as if an enemy were again approaching our walls. 
 Though by no means afraid of the Spaniards now in our 
 midst, he so ordered matters as to preclude them from 
 exercising any authority in the town, and, had occasion 
 required, they could have been readily overmastered and 
 made prisoners. But no such occasion arose, for O Donel 
 was quite aware of his impotence to employ force, and his 
 war-worn men were more than content to rest and refresh 
 themselves amongst the friendly and hospitable Cherokees. 
 Indeed, the danger rather was (so far as O Donel was con 
 cerned) that his men might refuse to return with him 
 to the army, and choose rather to remain amongst the 
 Cherokees, enjoying a life of ease and plenty, marrying 
 agreeable native wives, and ranking as a superior caste 
 in the community. It is certain that had it suited De 
 Guzman s views to encourage them in such a course, 
 few, if any, of them would ever have rejoined the army. 
 O Donel was quite aware of all this, and for that and 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 279 
 
 other reasons acted with the utmost moderation and cir 
 cumspection. 
 
 It was not until the fourth or fifth day after the arrival 
 of the Spaniards, that the question of what was to be 
 settled as regards the future was fully and formally gone 
 into at a council composed of the leading Indian lords, 
 De Guzman, O Donel, and myself. At this meeting De 
 Guzman definitely stated his determination to remain at 
 Cargutah, and never to return to the army. O Donel made 
 little pretence at persuading him to a contrary course, for 
 already he well knew he was determined to remain. For 
 myself it was equally well known that I had always the 
 purpose of rejoining the army should the opportunity 
 ever offer; and now that it had come, my mind was 
 made up to return with O Donel, though within the last 
 few days I had been privately entreated by De Guzman 
 and our Indian friends to remain with them. O Donel 
 rejoiced at and applauded my decision, saying that though 
 he had come to bring back De Guzman, he would be 
 content to return with me instead. He was furthermore 
 desirous of taking with him the two Spaniards and the 
 negro we had rescued from the Creeques ; but De Guzman 
 said that those men should only go back of their own 
 free choice, and should not be forced either to go with 
 O Donel or remain in Cargutah. To this O Donel assented, 
 and the three of them being called in, they one and all 
 elected to remain with De Guzman and the Cherokees. 
 This was a mere formality, for it was known prior to the 
 meeting that the men had resolutely decided not to go 
 back. 
 
 Those matters being settled and agreed upon, other 
 things were considered and arranged without difficulty. 
 In the main these were that O Donel and his men should 
 repose themselves some time longer in the town, not only 
 on their own account, but for the good of their horses, 
 many of whom were in a very bad state, needing treat 
 ment, good feeding and rest, as well as shoeing and the 
 renewal of their trappings. Meanwhile, I was to take 
 with me five of the troopers and ride to De Moscoso 
 to inform him of all that had taken place, and to bring 
 back his instructions to O Donel. In this matter I had 
 a private understanding with De Guzman. Though it was 
 
28O ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 not probable that Moscoso would think of embroiling 
 himself with the Cherokees, or consider it worth his 
 while to march on Cargutah, yet, to guard against any 
 thing in the nature of a surprise from that quarter, I 
 considered myself justified in promising De Guzman to 
 send back a timely message to him by a confidential 
 Indian (to accompany me as a servant), in the event of 
 Moscoso entertaining hostile designs. 
 
 Everything being now settled, I prepared for the journey. 
 We selected five of the best of O Donel s horses, and five 
 of the healthiest of the cavalry men. We had the horses 
 well groomed, properly accoutred, and shod in the best 
 manner we could. A sixth horse was selected for my man 
 Choquo, and also to carry certain packets of our nails and 
 bolts and other metal things, which O Donel assured me 
 would be most acceptable for the boat building which 
 Moscoso was about to commence. I decided to ride my 
 own mare ; so that we should take with us seven horses and 
 five Indian servants, in addition to Choquo in all, twelve 
 men and seven horses. I took leave of my wife Ay may, 
 directing her, in my absence, to make every preparation for 
 accompanying me, on my return, for our long and probably 
 adventurous journey with the army. I had before then told 
 her all I could about the length, the hardships, and the 
 perils of that journey, and how, if successful, it would take 
 her to a new and strange country, where she would for ever 
 be separated from her own people ; and I had freely left it 
 to her to say whether she would come with me or not. 
 She never hesitated for a moment, but said she would come 
 with me, whether to live or to die, and had no thought of 
 remaining behind. I expected no less, from what I knew 
 to be her womanly devotion, and her loving and childlike 
 reliance upon me in all matters. The preparations I 
 enjoined her to make had chief relation to the wealth in 
 our possession the great store of pearls we had, and a 
 certain quantity of fine gold, which I had accumulated 
 amongst a people who had little use for it, and to which 
 even De Guzman was indifferent in his new life. All these 
 riches (together with some stones of apparent value) would 
 be of the greatest use to us in a civilized country ; so I told 
 Aymay to make some long and narrow bags of soft skin, 
 which could be worn as belts, and to fill these with the 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 28 1 
 
 pearls and the gold, and have everything ready for our long 
 and hazardous journey by the time I returned to Cargutah. 
 I may say at once that I never did return to the town to 
 take final leave of De Guzman and cur good Indian 
 friends, for, on arriving at the camp of the army, the 
 General found it necessary to retain me for many urgent 
 services ; but he made up for this disappointment to me by 
 taking care that my wife should be honourably escorted to 
 the camp, and in all respects treated as if she had been a 
 Spanish lady instead of an Indian woman. 
 
CHAPTER XXXVII. 
 
 My arrival at Aminoya Conference with De Moscoso and the officers 
 Friendly overtures with De Guzman and the Cherokees I assist 
 in the shipbuilding work Lack of metal and good workmen I 
 send for both to Cargutah Am forced to remain in the camp 
 Aymay joins me Progress of the work Preparing for the voyage 
 Slaughtering pigs and horses Horse boats Fortunate launch of 
 the brigantines Their structure, &c. Arranging for bestowal of 
 Aymay Our re-marriage Kindness of De Moscoso Henry 
 Stanley and I made joint captains of one of the brigantines. 
 
 A RRIVED at Aminoya (I dwell not upon the journey 
 ** thither, which was uneventful enough), my appearance 
 caused the greatest astonishment and no small excitement 
 in the camp. Amongst the first to greet me was my cousin 
 Henry, who received me with open arms and tears of joy, 
 as one restored from the dead. Escaping from congratula 
 tions and questions, I had myself conducted as quickly as 
 possible to the quarters of the Governor, Luis de Moscoso, 
 to report myself and deliver the letter, written on a piece of 
 deerskin, which O Donel had entrusted me with. 
 
 For fully two hours I remained with the General and his 
 officers, narrating all that had befallen me, and the present 
 state of things at Cargutah, in all of which they were much 
 interested. In the discussion which followed it was the 
 common opinion that it was needless, and indeed impos 
 sible, to trouble further about De Guzman ; and that 
 O Donel and his force should be recalled as soon as 
 might be, without embroiling themselves in any way with 
 the Cherokees. I strongly advised this latter course, not 
 only because it was the most politic under the circumstances, 
 but also for the sake of my old friends at Cargutah. I 
 represented that the Cherokees, in their present state of 
 civilization and military efficiency, might be dangerous 
 enemies, and could be very useful friends in the actual 
 
 282 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 283 
 
 situation of the army. In proof of this, I produced the 
 bags and baskets of metal things I had brought with me, 
 which could not but be of the utmost value in the contem 
 plated boat-building, and in the great scarcity of metal of 
 all kinds from which the Spaniards now suffered. I made 
 no doubt that further supplies of the same kind could be 
 had from Cargutah if friendly relations were maintained 
 with the Cherokees ; and I likewise spoke in high, but not 
 exaggerated, terms of the skill of many of the Cherokees 
 as workmen. 
 
 At the close of the conference Moscoso authorised me 
 to give full effect to the recommendations I had been 
 making in the manner I thought best, and with the least 
 possible delay. I accordingly wrote a long letter to De 
 Guzman, telling him of the friendly disposition of the 
 General towards him, and the desire to secure his assistance 
 and good will in the preparations for ship-building. This 
 letter I submitted to the General, and he, approving of it, 
 countersigned it, and himself wrote a letter to be sent with 
 it to O Donel, instructing him to act towards De Guzman 
 in a friendly and harmonious spirit, and to return to the 
 camp as soon as might be convenient, with such useful 
 things as De Guzman might be willing to supply him with. 
 Those letters (together with a verbal message) I entrusted 
 to the confidential man of De Guzman, and gave him my 
 mare to make the journey back to Cargutah with. Two 
 other Cherokees accompanied him, each provided with a 
 horse from the army. The three took their departure early 
 on the morning after my arrival at the camp. 
 
 The Governor had asked me to postpone my return to 
 Cargutah for a few days in order to assist him in the 
 numerous preparations that were being made at the camp 
 for the voyage down the river. There was truly much to 
 be done and few to do it, and such a lack of adequate 
 means as to call for the exercise of the greatest ingenuity. 
 The keels of seven brigantines had been laid down on a 
 space of ground near the river, under the directions of a 
 Genoese named Francisco, who heretofore had been very 
 proficient in constructing bridges, rafts, and boats for the 
 army. He was the only one who had any pretence to a 
 knowledge of ship-building, though another Genoese and 
 a certain Catalonian knew something of ship-caulking and 
 
284 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 other minor arts relating to the building of vessels. There 
 were four or five Biscayans who were fairly good carpenters, 
 and a Portuguese who had learnt the use of the saw and 
 other tools while a slave among the Moors of Fez. There 
 was also a cooper who knew how to make water-casks, but 
 at present he was too ill to do anything, though later on he 
 rendered good service. A great deal of heavy work had 
 to be done in felling trees and reducing the timber to 
 suitable planks, and officers and men alike were employed 
 in cutting and drawing timber, twisting cordage, shaping 
 oars, and such like. Not a man could afford to be idle, 
 and, indeed, all worked with good will. 
 
 In all this there was employment enough for me, and I 
 longed for the assistance of some of my Cherokee work 
 men, knowing how useful they would be in the kind of 
 all-round work which was going on. With the consent of 
 the Governor I despatched another messenger to Cargutah 
 with a letter to De Guzman, begging him to send us a 
 hundred of the best workmen of Cargutah as soon as 
 possible, with such tools and materials as he could spare. 
 It was necessary to set up a forge and smithy with all their 
 appurtenances, and to employ men in the making of nails, 
 spikes, and other articles of metal necessary for our purpose. 
 Meanwhile every bit of iron in the camp was collected to 
 be converted into such articles. The chains were removed 
 from such Indian slaves as remained, and the iron bits and 
 stirrups were taken from the accoutrements of the horses, 
 and replaced by others made of wood. Day after day I 
 became more and more involved in the work around me, 
 became more continuously in requisition, and more laden 
 with responsibility. At last it seemed to De Moscoso, and, 
 indeed, to myself also, that all thought of my return to 
 Cargutah must be abandoned. That was why (as already 
 intimated) I never returned thither to take leave of my 
 friends and bring away my wife. But, in respect to Ay may, 
 I had the General s word of honour that she should be 
 restored to me, as far as lay in his power. The promise 
 was honourably kept, for when O Donel at length returned 
 to the camp he brought her back with him. With him 
 also came the hundred Cherokees I had demanded of De 
 Guzman, as well as a good supply of tools and articles of 
 iron, likewise quantities of bronze and copper sent by De 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L*ESTRANGE 285 
 
 Guzman as a present to the Governor. O Donel returned 
 from Cargutah with only fifteen cavaliers, the rest having 
 been left behind on account of sickness, which made it 
 impossible for them to travel. He had also left behind 
 four or five horses for the same reason. It was supposed 
 that men and horses would be sufficiently recovered to 
 rejoin the army before it took its departure, but they 
 never did so, and their remaining behind was no doubt 
 of advantage to De Guzman and his little kingdom. We 
 heard from Cargutah on two or three more occasions 
 after the departure of O Donel, but I never again saw 
 De Guzman. 
 
 Our working strength now being increased by the return 
 of O Donel s men and the arrival of my Cherokees, more 
 rapid progress was made with the ship-building. One of the 
 first things I now set about doing was the erection of sheds 
 over the places where the brigantines were being built. 
 These protected the men and materials from the heavy 
 rains which had just set in, and enabled the work to go on 
 without interruption. We made charcoal, set up a forge 
 with all necessary appliances, and built workshops for the 
 different classes of work as carpentering, rope-making, the 
 production of resin, sail -making, &c. In all this the 
 Cherokees were of the utmost use to us. The metal we 
 had procured from Cargutah was also most acceptable, 
 though not nearly enough to supply all our wants. How 
 ever, we made the best use of all we had, and made wood 
 serve our purposes when metal fell short. 
 
 It now became necessary to think about provisioning the 
 vessels for a voyage which would certainly be long, though 
 we could not say how long, having no idea of the length of 
 the river. It was curious that the Spaniards, through all 
 their wanderings and sufferings, had been able to keep with 
 them a number of the swine which they had originally 
 brought with them into Florida to stock their intended 
 settlements. The swine had in fact multiplied during the 
 march, and others, which had strayed away, or been given 
 to friendly Indians, had likewise produced their natural 
 increase, some of which the Spaniards were able to recover. 
 All were now killed and converted into bacon, with the 
 exception of a dozen and a half, which were retained alive 
 in case it should be found desirable or necessary to found 
 
286 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L^ESTRANGfi 
 
 a settlement on the sea coast, and a few more which, at my 
 instance, were sent, with some weapons and armour, to 
 De Guzman, when the hundred Cherokees were dismissed 
 and sent home. Of fifty horses that remained, twenty of 
 the least valuable were killed for food. This was a painful 
 necessity to the Spaniards, on account of their long com 
 panionship with those noble creatures in all sorts of dangers 
 and toil, and the faithful services they had rendered. The 
 poor animals were tied to stakes at night, a vein was 
 opened, and they were left to bleed to death. The flesh 
 was then parboiled, dried in the sun, and laid up amongst 
 the sea stores. Of those that remained alive, three of the 
 less efficient were set aside to be sent to De Guzman, and 
 the remainder had special vessels prepared for their con 
 veyance down the river, the brigantines not being strong 
 enough nor large enough to hold them. Small and stout 
 boats were built and linked together two and two, and on 
 these, when the time came, the horses were embarked in 
 such fashion that their fore feet rested in one boat and 
 their hind feet in another. As there were not wanting 
 indications of an intention on the part of the hostile 
 Indians to renew their attacks upon the army, the horse- 
 boats were boarded around and covered by thick hides, to 
 protect the horses from arrows. 
 
 When all was prepared for the voyage, a difficulty arose 
 about getting the brigantines into the water. Being built 
 with thin planks, fastened with nails which were neither 
 long enough nor strong enough, nor sufficiently numerous, 
 there was reason to fear that they would give way when 
 being dragged to the water. Fortunately, while this appre 
 hension was troubling us, there came an unusual swelling 
 of the river, which reached the stocks upon which the 
 vessels rested, so that they were all launched with the 
 greatest ease and without the slightest mishap. These 
 brigantines were in fact merely large barks, open except 
 at the bow and stern, where they were decked over to 
 protect the stores. The bulwarks were composed of boards 
 and hides. Each had seven oars on a side, at which every 
 man was expected to take his turn, except the captains, 
 of whom there were two to each vessel, so that in an 
 emergency one might act on land while the other remained 
 on board, 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 287 
 
 I was a good deal troubled in my mind about the 
 disposal of Aymay during the voyage we were about to 
 enter upon. But first I must state here that I had lost 
 no time, after the arrival of Aymay in the camp, in 
 attending to two matters which deeply concerned our 
 spiritual welfare. I sought out Father Juan de Gallegos, 
 and made him fully acquainted with all that related to my 
 intimacy and union with Ucita s daughter. Having heard 
 me to the end, he gave the opinion that Aymay s baptism 
 had probably been sufficiently regular to be effective, 
 though it were best that she should undergo the ceremony 
 a second time, to make sure. But as for our marriage, so- 
 called, it was no marriage at all, but an act of sacrilege on 
 the part of De Guzman. Accordingly Aymay was re- 
 baptized conditionally, and afterwards on the same day we 
 were married in due form, and according to the rites of the 
 Church. Luis de Moscoso stood sponsor for Aymay on her 
 baptism, and gave her away at the marriage ceremony. 
 
 I was now much relieved by knowing that Aymay was truly 
 Christianized and regularly married, those facts reconciling 
 me more than I had been before to the perils and dangers 
 of the voyage which lay before us. Still the difficult 
 question of how best to establish her on board ship 
 remained to be answered. She was the only Indian woman 
 De Moscoso would permit to embark, and indeed the only 
 woman who would sail with the army, with the exception of 
 a Spanish woman, the wife of a soldier, who had been with 
 us from the first, and gone through all the campaigns and 
 hardships of the expedition. De Moscoso thought himself 
 under special obligations to me, and had promised that I 
 should not be separated from Aymay. His graciousness in 
 making such an exception in my favour was not lessened 
 in my eyes because he might have had some suspicion that, 
 had he refused to make it, I would certainly follow the 
 example of De Guzman in deserting the army, and go 
 back to Cargutah with my lawful wife. As to the mode of 
 accommodating the two women, the Governor was willing 
 to do anything that might be thought best. At last it was 
 settled that Henry Stanley and myself should be joint 
 captains of one of the brigantines, and that the two women 
 were to be accommodated in our vessel as well as circum 
 stances would permit, the husband of the Spanish woman 
 
288 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 being also on board our boat. In the end, with a little 
 assistance from the carpenters, the women were very com 
 fortably housed in the space under the fore-deck, which 
 was made into a kind of little cabin, so as to secure their 
 complete privacy. 
 
 We dismissed the Cherokees to their homes, with such 
 presents (in addition to the swine and the horses) as our 
 poor circumstances permitted us to make. We gave them 
 most of the tools and other things we had used in building 
 the ships, and many miscellaneous articles which we could 
 not take on board ship. 
 
CHAPTER XXXVIII. 
 
 The voyage begins Hostile Indians The striped banner of Tusca- 
 luza Great fleet and extraordinary canoes Artful mode of 
 attacking us No respite day or night Wounded and worn out 
 Canoes and horse-boats taken We are surprised on shore, and lose 
 our last horses Loss of forty-eight men Nearing the sea A fight 
 among the reeds Our sea course To the west by the land 
 Driven out to sea Water exhausted Favourable change We 
 procure water Nearing civilization A violent storm The 
 brigantines dispersed Gaining a port A Spanish settlement 
 Hospitable reception Returning thanks to the Almighty Our 
 forlorn condition. 
 
 ON the second day of July, 1543, all that remained of 
 the army embarked on board the seven brigantines. 
 Of the numerous and valiant host which had entered upon 
 the bold but disastrous expedition for the conquest of 
 Florida, not quite three hundred and fifty remained, and 
 these in a most wretched plight their once brilliant 
 armour and arms battered, broken, and rusted, or gone 
 altogether, and their rich raiment reduced to rags, or 
 replaced by skins of wild beasts ; themselves haggard, 
 sickly, and broken-spirited. 
 
 During the latter part of our stay at Aminoya we found 
 that the hostile Indians were gathering against us in extra 
 ordinary numbers, and with larger and more numerous 
 canoes than I had ever seen before. And once again, to 
 our dismay, we beheld the ominous striped skin banner 
 displayed, and knew that we had again to deal with the 
 indomitable Tuscaluza. Our intentions were, of course, 
 known to all the Indians, and it seemed to be the design 
 of the hostile tribes to make one last supreme effort to 
 destroy us before we could escape from the country. As 
 we got well into the river, a great fleet of canoes, doubtless 
 the combined force of many caciques, hung upon our rear 
 and watched our movements. Some of those vessels were 
 of extraordinary size, having from fourteen to twenty-five 
 T 289 
 
2QO ADVENTURES OF ROGER L/ESTRANGE 
 
 paddles on each side, and carrying from thirty to seventy 
 warriors. They could dart across the water with the 
 swiftness of racehorses, and with a speed of which our 
 boats were quite incapable. Both the Indians and their 
 canoes were curiously painted in a several manner, as if to 
 distinguish those of one chief from the others. One canoe 
 (or set of canoes) would be painted blue within and 
 without, the paddles of the same colour, and all the 
 warriors blue from the feet to the feather-adorned tuft 
 of hair on the top of the head. With others the colour 
 would be yellow, white, green, violet, or black. I had not 
 previously seen the like of this. The effect was striking 
 and awe-inspiring, and we all felt that such an extraordinary 
 display meant mischief for us. 
 
 For the first few days we were unmolested, the canoes 
 following us without attempting an attack, the Indians 
 scoffing at us and chanting war songs, keeping time with 
 their paddles. On the fourth day, about noon, there began 
 a movement among them. Separating into three divisions, 
 van, centre, and rear, they took the right of us : then the 
 canoes forming the van darted forward, and gliding rapidly 
 along our whole length and front, discharged showers of 
 arrows at us as they passed, wounding many of our men, 
 in spite of their shields and the bulwarks of the 
 vessels. They then turned away and stationed themselves 
 on the right bank. The canoes forming the centre then 
 came on and performed exactly the same manoeuvres, finally 
 taking up position in front of the van. The rear next did 
 likewise, and took position in front of the other two 
 divisions. This mode of attack was repeated over and 
 over again with admirable regularity and precision. They 
 never gave us a moment s rest during the remainder of the 
 day, and all night they harassed us with incessant alarms. 
 Day after day, and night after night, the same thing went 
 on, until we were worn out for want of rest. Our losses 
 were heavy, and we were able to exact little satisfaction 
 from foes we could not close with. We had only our cross 
 bows and some longbows to use. Our arquebuses would 
 have been of service in this kind of fighting, but all our 
 powder having been exploded at Movill, the arquebuses had 
 been wrought up with other articles into iron materials for 
 the brigantines. We could only act on the defensive, keeping 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 29 1 
 
 the enemy at bay as best we could, and at the same time 
 making all speed down the river. This harassing kind of 
 warfare went on without cease until most of our people were 
 wounded, in spite of the bulwarks, buffalo hides, quilts, and 
 double mats, and all of us were almost dead with fatigue. 
 The Indians took a number of our canoes, and managed 
 to destroy, directly or indirectly, all our horses except 
 eight. 
 
 At length, having got a long way down the river, our foes 
 seemed disposed to quit us, and allowed us to get a good 
 distance from them. The Governor seeing this, and think 
 ing that we were nearer the sea than we really were at the 
 time, became desirous of sending a party on shore to 
 replenish our stock of food, which was running very low. 
 Observing a small village on the banks of the river, he sent 
 Gonzola Silvestre on shore with a hundred men and the 
 eight remaining horses. The inhabitants fled with loud 
 cries at the appearance of such strange people. In the 
 village Silvestre found abundance of maize and dried 
 fruits, and a number of dressed skins, amongst which a 
 marten skin, painted in stripes and decorated with pearls, 
 which appeared to be a banner. While he and his party 
 were taking possession of everything of value, they heard 
 the trumpet from the Governor s ship sounding the recall. 
 Hurrying towards the river, they saw the fleet of canoes 
 approaching at great speed to cut them off from the ships, 
 while another band of Indians were coming at them along 
 the shore. Springing into their canoes, they pulled with 
 desperation, and succeeded in escaping, but only at the 
 cost of leaving the horses behind them. The Indians 
 vented their fury upon those animals. We could see the 
 gallant creatures defending themselves by kicking and 
 plunging. Some of the Indians were so frightened at 
 what they took to be ferocious monsters, that they leaped 
 into the water; but others more courageous, or better 
 acquainted with the animals, hunted them about like so 
 many deer, and finally destroyed them all with their arrows. 
 Thus miserably perished the last of the three hundred and 
 fifty noble beasts which had entered Florida with De Soto s 
 army. Seeing these faithful creatures slaughtered without 
 being able to save them, drew tears from the eyes of many 
 of our people. 
 
2Q2 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 The Indian flotilla still continued to follow us at a 
 distance, attacking any vessel that lagged behind, and 
 causing us much annoyance and unrest. On the seven 
 teenth day of our harassed voyage, an ill-advised and 
 unauthorised attack was made in canoes upon the Indians. 
 The danger in which the rash assailants soon found them 
 selves drew others to their aid, with the ultimate and 
 disastrous result of the loss of no less than forty-eight 
 of our men, four others escaping. In this unfortunate 
 encounter we lost Juan de Guzman, brother to Diego, 
 who had stayed at Cargutah. The survivors of the 
 conflict saw him carried off in one of the enemies 
 canoes, but whether dead or alive they could not say. 
 The Indians rejoiced greatly at this success. All the 
 rest of the day and during the succeeding night, they 
 kept up continual shouts of triumph. When the sun 
 rose on the following morning they appeared to worship 
 it, and then raising a deafening shout, accompanied by the 
 sound of their earthenware trumpets, shells and drums, 
 they turned their prows up the river and left us at peace. 
 
 By this time the river had expanded into a mighty 
 stream, several leagues broad, so that when we were in 
 the midst of it we could see no land on either side. 
 We kept the centre of the current in order not to wander 
 into any deep bay, making excellent speed by reason of 
 a favouring wind, and the constant use of our oars. On 
 the twentieth day of the voyage we came to a large floating 
 island formed of vast quantities of driftwood, and beyond 
 this was an uninhabited island formed by alluvial deposits. 
 From those signs we judged we were in the mouth of the 
 great river, and not far from the sea. 
 
 As we were greatly in need of repose, and it was 
 necessary to overhaul the vessels and make other 
 preparations for the sea voyage, we steered for the 
 island of driftwood, where we found a secure harbour 
 for the brigantines. Moored to the trunks of large trees 
 embedded in the floating mass of timber, they were as 
 secure as if at a pier-head. We then commenced refitting 
 and repairing them. The few hogs remaining were now 
 killed and salted down. Those labours took but a little 
 time, and on their completion, the men, who had scarcely 
 slept for three weeks, were left to repose themselves. So 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 293 
 
 exhausted were they from toil and constant watchfulness, 
 that they lay for two days in a state of torpidity like 
 dead men, and could only be roused with the utmost 
 difficulty. 
 
 About noon on the third day, however, our quietude 
 was broken by the appearance of enemies. Seven canoes 
 issued from the reeds and rushes, and when within hail 
 a gigantic Indian, black as a negro, either from paint 
 or natural colour, stood up in the prow of the foremost 
 and addressed us in a thundering and angry voice, accom 
 panied by menacing looks and gestures. After his harangue 
 the canoes shot back again amongst the reeds, where, from 
 time to time, other canoes were perceived gliding about as 
 if in ambush. We understood enough of the words of the 
 black warrior to know that he threatened our destruction. 
 Our position was precarious, for a bold enemy might 
 succeed in firing our ships where they lay. Moscoso, 
 fearing this, determined to be beforehand with the 
 enemy, so he directed a party of us (including myself) 
 to proceed in five canoes and beat up the cane brake 
 where the Indians lurked. We were twenty-five in all, 
 mostly crossbow-men. We soon found the enemy s 
 canoes, drawn up in battle array among the reeds, in 
 formidable numbers. The Indians waited quietly until 
 we were well within bowshot, and then let fly a cloud 
 of arrows at us, wounding several of our men. They 
 then fell back in good order among the rushes, and 
 drew up to receive us a second time in the same way 
 as before. In this way they wheeled about like so many 
 well-trained horsemen, sending shower after shower of 
 arrows at us. On our side we kept up a well-directed 
 discharge of bolts and arrows, inflicting some losses upon 
 them. At length we were able to make a rush and come 
 to close quarters with them, overturning three of their 
 canoes and killing most of their crews, and putting 
 the whole armament to flight. We, however, came out 
 of the affray very roughly handled, most of us being 
 wounded, more or less seriously. De Moscoso, seeing 
 that we had not disposed of the enemy in any con 
 clusive way, and fearing a night attack on the boats, 
 made sail for the uninhabited island, under the lee of 
 which we anchored in forty fathoms of water. We slept 
 
294 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L/ESTRANGE 
 
 on our arms on board that night ready for action, but the 
 enemy did not trouble us again. 
 
 When day dawned, the Governor called the officers 
 together to determine the course of the fleet, now that 
 we were nearing the sea. To attempt crossing to Cuba 
 or Hispaniola was deemed altogether too great an under 
 taking for our frail crafts. Besides, not knowing exactly 
 where we were, and being unprovided with nautical instru 
 ments, we could not tell the direction of those islands. 
 Juan de Anasco warmly urged the advisability of sailing 
 out to sea in a south-westerly direction, by which the coast 
 of Mexico could be reached in ten or twelve days. He 
 drew a map of the coast on a piece of deerskin, showing 
 that from the place we were now supposed to be, the coast 
 bore east and west for a great distance, and then ran north 
 and south to the Mexican shores. By following the coast 
 line the journey would be enormously extended, whereas 
 by sailing as he suggested, we should follow a short straight 
 line, instead of one greatly curved and vastly longer. The 
 knowledge and the judgment of Anasco were alike mis 
 trusted (though afterwards both were shown to be perfectly 
 correct in this matter), and it was decided to steer to the 
 west, keeping the land on our right hand, whither we might 
 resort under stress of weather or for any other serious 
 reason. 
 
 On that understanding we sailed away from the unin 
 habited island, but it was still several days before we got 
 fully into the briny water of the sea. Then we experienced 
 violent and contrary winds that prevented us from making 
 the shore as we had intended. We were tossed about on 
 the sea for so many days that all our fresh water was 
 exhausted, and we were in danger of perishing from thirst. 
 When things had almost reached their worst, the wind 
 veered a little in our favour, and hoisting all sail and 
 plying every oar, we made the best speed we could towards 
 the west. At last we came within sight of a sandy shore, 
 where the fleet remained while the men procured water 
 to fill our casks, by digging pits in the sandy soil. 
 
 For fifty-three days we kept on in a westerly direction, 
 with the land almost always in view. Now and then we 
 stopped to find shelter from rough weather, to catch fish, 
 and to procure further supplies of food and water. A good 
 
2 9 5 
 
 deal of time, too, was spent in repairing the vessels. On 
 the morning of the fifty-fourth day, Juan de Anasco 
 declared, from the appearance of the country, that we were 
 not above sixty leagues from the river of Panuco, where 
 there was a Spanish settlement. Our delight at this intelli 
 gence was cut short by the sudden coming on of a terrible 
 storm, which blew us out to sea, and threatened to terminate 
 our adventures by our total destruction. Five of the 
 vessels (mine included) managed, however, to reach the 
 Panuco river and secure shelter from the fury of the gale, 
 which lasted for six-and-twenty hours. Here, to our great 
 joy, we found that the Indians who came down to us were 
 wearing Spanish clothes, and could speak some Spanish. 
 They told us that the Spanish settlement of Panuco was 
 some leagues up the river, and offered to escort us there. 
 No time was lost in acting upon this offer. We made 
 our way to the town at the best of our speed, and, on 
 arriving there, were received with open arms by the 
 pitying inhabitants. But we first of all proceeded in a 
 body to the church where we offered up our prayers and 
 thanks to Almighty God for having brought us safely 
 through so many dangers and hardships. Afterwards we 
 were hospitably entertained by the inhabitants, and all our 
 immediate wants supplied. In a few days we were joined 
 by our comrades of the two missing ships. Like us, they 
 had been blown out to sea, but had managed to escape the 
 fury of the winds and waves by running their vessels on a 
 sandy shore, some leagues below the Panuco river. 
 
 Here, then, we were all assembled, the forlorn remnant 
 of the gallant and costly armament which, nearly five years 
 before, had set out from Havanah with such high hopes 
 and glorious prospects. Of the thousand gay and valiant 
 cavaliers and footmen who composed the great expedition 
 of De Soto, there remained less than three hundred black 
 ened, haggard, shrivelled, and half-naked wanderers, clad 
 in the ragged skins of deer, buffaloes, bears, and other 
 animals, and looking more like wild savages than Christian 
 men. 
 
CHAPTER XXXIX. 
 
 How the Spaniards quarrelled among themselves, and had to be 
 separated Surprising value of the Florida pearls Further dis 
 content and violence of the disbanded soldiers of the army Juan 
 Terron and his pearls I buy horses, and go to Mexico Luis de 
 Moscoso befriends me Introduction to the Viceroy, Mendoza 
 He contemplates a new expedition to Florida I become hie 
 secretary The project abandoned I am granted a fine estate, 
 and settle on it Retrospect Old friends and comrades The 
 Stanleys and their fortune My companions in arms Thoughts 
 of De Guzman and his plans We may meet again. 
 
 WISH not to lengthen unduly this account of my 
 * adventures by describing how the Spaniards quarrelled 
 and fought amongst themselves, to the killing of some and 
 the wounding of many, during their sojourn of five-and- 
 twenty days at Panuco how the spectacle of the peace 
 and prosperity of that little town made them think how 
 happy they might have been in the beautiful provinces they 
 had abandoned in their greedy quest for gold how the 
 men accused the officers, and the officers blamed each other 
 how, at last, Mendoza, the Viceroy at Mexico, had to 
 interpose his authority, and to send orders for them to be 
 sent to that city in isolated bands, so that they might not 
 slay each other on the way how in Mexico they were 
 clothed and fed by the people, who regarded them as heroes 
 how the Viceroy promised to organize a fresh expedition 
 into Florida, and, in the meantime, enrolled and put upon 
 pay all of them who chose to volunteer for it. Into those 
 matters I enter not, for I have done with the story of the 
 De Soto expedition, and now only desire to put down a few 
 words more about myself and my good wife Aymay, and 
 the affairs more immediately concerning us, so as to 
 complete the history of our fortunes down to this present 
 year 1558. 
 
 296 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 297 
 
 Aymay had endured without a murmur or complaint the 
 terrors, fatigues, privations, and sufferings of the cruel 
 voyage from Aminoya to Panuco. But the courage and 
 fortitude which had sustained her during the voyage down 
 the river and across the sea, gave way when we were safely 
 housed at Panuco. She fell into a kind of low fever, from 
 which her life was for some time in danger. Her recovery 
 was slow, and necessitated our remaining in the town for 
 over two months. We had been taken into the house of 
 the Corregidor, where also De Moscoso and other of the 
 officers had been entertained. We had remained long after 
 the rest; and the time being now come to take our 
 departure I was desirous of making some acknowledgment 
 to the lady of the house for the kindness we had received. 
 Not daring to offer her some of our gold, I begged her 
 acceptance of a handful of the pearls we had with us. It 
 was with much difficulty that I persuaded her to accept the 
 present. She assured me that I had no idea of the real 
 value of what I offered her, and that in Madrid (from 
 whence she came) many of our pearls would sell for large 
 sums. Her admiration was particularly aroused when we 
 showed her the pearls contained in the little reed box 
 given by the Princess Cofachique to Aymay, all of which 
 were unpierced and of great size and beauty. The senora 
 declared that their value was enormous. By her advice, 
 and with her assistance, I disposed to advantage of some 
 of my gold and pearls in Panuco, by sale and by way of 
 exchange, in order to supply our immediate wants. I found 
 afterwards, on my coming into Mexico, that the senora 
 was no more than just in her estimate of the value of my 
 treasures ; and that in our pearls, and the turquoises and 
 other stones we had brought away from Cargutah, we 
 possessed a very large fortune. 
 
 It appeared that the poor soldiers of the disbanded 
 army had also learnt in Mexico the value of the pearls 
 which they might have had in abundance in Florida. 
 They had not, unfortunately, brought many back with 
 them, not knowing their real worth, and, therefore, not 
 caring to encumber themselves with large quantities of 
 them on the march. One foot-soldier named Juan Terron 
 had actually thrown away about six pounds weight of 
 large, unpierced pearls, rather than carry them further. 
 
298 ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 This was on the march in the hilly country, after the 
 escape of the Princess Cofachique. Another soldier picked 
 up thirty of the best of them, and afterwards sold them 
 in Mexico for a thousand ducats. All the men who had 
 carelessly carried away a few pearls in their pouches or 
 pockets, now found to their surprise that they could sell 
 them to dealers and wealthy people at great prices. They 
 also found that some of the skins and furs they had with 
 them (especially the marten skins) were highly esteemed, 
 and met with ready purchasers at good prices. But instead 
 of being comforted by such pleasant discoveries, they gave 
 way to fresh anger, and cursed their ill fortune in not 
 having better understood the value of things which they 
 might have carried away in abundance. Thereupon they 
 once more sought out their late officers to vent their rage 
 upon them, and sanguinary broils broke out in the city, 
 which were only appeased by the Viceroy with great 
 difficulty, and by renewed promises of a fresh expedition. 
 
 Before setting out from Panuco I bought six excellent 
 horses, the town being famous for its breed of those 
 animals. Our party consisted of four persons my wife, 
 myself, the ever-faithful and attached Choquo, and the 
 Spanish woman who had been Aymay s companion on the 
 voyage, and who was now a widow, her husband having 
 died on the river of sickness and wounds. For each of 
 us there was a horse, the other two horses carrying the 
 baggage of the whole party, for we had made many 
 necessary purchases at Panuco. 
 
 Arrived in Mexico than which no city in the world 
 is more pleasantly situated I lost no time in hiring a 
 commodious house for my family. Nor did I lose time 
 afterwards in calling upon Luis de Moscoso, from whom 
 I had a most cordial and friendly reception. He assured 
 me of his good will and desire to serve me, and promised 
 that if I decided to remain in Mexico he would do many 
 things for me greatly to my advancement. In none of those 
 promises did he fail, but kept his word as a true comrade 
 in arms and an honourable cavalier. In a little time he 
 introduced me to the Viceroy, to whom he had already 
 spoken about me in favourable terms. The Viceroy 
 treated me with great courtesy and kindness; and then, 
 as well as in other interviews I had with him, got from 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 299 
 
 me the fullest information I could give him about the 
 provinces of Florida, the geography of the country, the 
 natives, the soil, the climate, the produce, the minerals, 
 and everything else of importance for him to know, in. 
 view of the new expedition he contemplated organizing. 
 At his instance I told him what I thought of the prospects 
 of such an undertaking, expressing an opinion strongly 
 favourable to it, and pointing out that clearly the easiest 
 way of reaching the heart of the country and the regions 
 most favourable for colonization, was to sail up the Rio 
 Grande. Further, in response to his solicitations, I 
 heartily and readily agreed to join the expedition, and in 
 the meantime help in organizing it. Thereupon he pro 
 mised me a high command in it ; and the better to secure 
 me for the time being, made me secretary to the contem 
 plated expedition, with power to enrol members, and do 
 all things necessary for ripening the project to a practical 
 point. But I soon made the discovery that the soldiers 
 who made such loud lamentations over the miscarriage of 
 the De Soto enterprise, and the opportunities they had 
 missed of enriching themselves as colonists in Florida, 
 were by no means so willing as they pretended to engage 
 in the new undertaking and face the fresh hardships it 
 would necessarily involve. The Viceroy seeing this, and 
 cooling from his first enthusiasm in the matter, began to 
 manifest a disinclination for the project, and by the time 
 a year had elapsed the scheme was entirely abandoned, and 
 my secretaryship came to an end. I felt this, under the 
 circumstances, to be a relief, and I suffered nothing by it, 
 but rather it became the gateway to better fortune. For 
 Mendoza, feeling bound to make some provision for me, 
 bestowed upon me a fine estate in land in the district of 
 Cuernavaca, on the southern slopes of the mountains over 
 looking the lovely valley of Mexico. This estate had 
 lapsed to the Government in consequence of the original 
 owner, Gomez de Cardenos, having left it and gone to Peru, 
 without having occupied it for eight years, as required by 
 the law. It is a fair and flourishing place, with good 
 pasturage on the higher lands for sheep ; sugar and mulberry 
 plantations in the lower lands ; and, in the middle regions, 
 planted with vines and growing corn, hemp and flax, and 
 other produce. In addition there is a large stone house, 
 
3OO ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 
 
 for which, however, I had to pay a compensation to the 
 late owner. On the estate are settled a number of Indians, 
 subject to the law of repartimientos, or vassalage; but of 
 this law (which is of questionable legality) I have never 
 availed myself, preferring to deal with the people as free 
 men, and finding it not to my disadvantage to do so. The 
 region contains many Indian ruins. 
 
 It is now fifteen years since I came into Mexico, and 
 during that time my prosperity has experienced no reverse. 
 My wife, now a passable Spanish senora, with little to 
 suggest her Indian origin, of which, however, she is always 
 proud, has borne me three sons and two daughters. To me 
 she is as dear as ever, and in my eyes handsomer, albeit the 
 grace and slimness of figure which I once admired have 
 gone with her youth, and been replaced by more matronly 
 proportions, better suited, on the whole, to her maturer 
 years. 
 
 What remains to be said ? Henry Stanley did not long 
 remain in Mexico, but sailed for Spain. In the years that 
 have since elapsed I have heard from him and my uncle s 
 family at long intervals. At first I learnt with sorrow that 
 the fortunes of his father s house had declined, owing to 
 the spread of heresy in England, and the ruthless persecu 
 tion of all who adhered to the true and ancient faith. 
 Later information tells me that my uncle and his family 
 have returned from their exile in Spanish Flanders, and 
 re-established themselves in the old house at Hooton, by the 
 Mersey, this being one of the happy though minor results of 
 the accession of the good Queen Mary to the throne of 
 England, and the repression of heresy there. Sir William, 
 I learn, is held in high esteem at Court, and his son Henry 
 has been entrusted with important missions of a con 
 fidential character between the Queen and the Spanish 
 monarch. In all this I rejoice, though it is likely enough I 
 may never again see my native land, or any of my uncle s 
 family. 
 
 Of my old comrades of the expedition many returned to 
 Spain broken in fortune and health ; many went to retrieve 
 their fortunes in Peru ; some took holy orders ; and a few 
 remained in Mexico and for the most part prospered 
 here. Luis de Moscoso was one of those who remained, 
 marrying a lady of rank and wealth, who was a relation of 
 
ADVENTURES OF ROGER L ESTRANGE 30! 
 
 his. I have the honour to count him as a good friend, and 
 indeed patron, for I owe him much. Like myself, he 
 would willingly have engaged in another expedition to 
 Florida, had the opportunity offered ; and even yet we often 
 talk together of the feasibility of establishing white colonies 
 there, and of the desirability of opening up to civilization 
 one of the finest countries on the globe. Whatever we may 
 do or leave undone, there is no doubt a time will come 
 when someone will accomplish the glorious work which 
 De Soto began. The conquest and settlement of Florida, 
 rightly undertaken, and slowly, mercifully, and patiently 
 pursued, will be found an easy and profitable undertaking, 
 and the source of innumerable blessings to the natives of 
 that country. 
 
 Often and often do my thoughts go back to De Guzman, 
 to Cargutah, to the worthy and capable Cherokees, and to 
 my old and pleasant life in the little Indian state. Some 
 times I think that De Guzman may succeed in his great plan 
 of founding a powerful Indian kingdom, dominating all 
 Florida, and capable of holding its own against foreign 
 aggression. All my hopes and wishes are that he may so 
 succeed, but reason and probability suggest otherwise. 
 For his position is one of complete isolation, and the 
 element of white civilization which he represents is too 
 insignificant and localized to prevail in the long run against 
 so much that is alien and antagonistic. A revolution 
 which depends for its success upon the continued 
 supremacy and the life of one man, deriving no help from 
 without, has but a poor chance, and so I fear nothing very 
 great or very lasting can come of the ambitious ideas of 
 De Guzman. Even yet, perhaps, some day I and others 
 may be able to lend him a helping hand, and give some 
 assistance in doing for the natives of Florida that which the 
 Spaniards (merciless and rapacious though they have been) 
 have done for the natives of Mexico, namely rescuing them 
 from inhuman and bloody barbarism, improving their 
 industrial and general social position, and conferring upon 
 them the blessings of Christianity and civilization. But, 
 for the present at any rate, this is the end of the history of 
 my adventures in Florida. 
 
 THE END. 
 
PLYMOUTH .* 
 
 WILLIAM BRENDON AND SON, 
 PRINTERS. 
 
LD 2 l-95m-7, 37 
 
20565 
 
 
 290561 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY