GIFT OF 
 MICHAEL REESE 
 

 lot 
 
 
THE 
 
 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA, 
 
 BY 
 
 HERNANDO DE SOTO. 
 
 BY THEODORE IRVING, 
 
 Son quattromila, e bene armati e bene 
 Inatrutti, usi al disagio e tolleranti. 
 Buona d la gente, e non pud da phi <l~tta 
 O da piii forte guida esser condotta TASSO. 
 
 IN TWO VOLUMES. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 * PHILADELPHIA : 
 CAREY, LEA & BLANCHARD 
 
 1835. 
 

 ENTERED according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1835, 
 by THEODORE IRVING, in the Clerk s Office of the District Court 
 of the Southern District of New-York. 
 
DEDICATION. 
 
 TO WASHINGTON IRVING, ESQ. 
 
 MY DEAR UNCLE, 
 
 I KNOW of no person to whom I can with more 
 propriety dedicate the following pages than to your 
 self, since they were written at your suggestion, and 
 the materials of which they are composed were 
 moulded into their present form and feature under 
 your affectionate and judicious advice. 
 
 Often, in the course of my labours, when I have 
 been dismayed by unlooked for difficulties, and dis 
 heartened by those misgivings which beset an in 
 experienced writer, you have dispelled my doubts, 
 cheered forward my faltering spirit, and encour 
 aged me to persevere. 
 
 I would be pardoned for alluding to other and 
 
 greater obligations yet nearer to my heart : with 
 2 
 
 
IV DEDICATION. 
 
 the anxious interest of a parent s eye, you have 
 watched over the most critical period of my life. 
 Amid the excitement and snares of foreign scenes, 
 and in the quiet employments of our home, your 
 counsels have been my guide your friendship the 
 circumstances will excuse the term from one so 
 much your junior your friendship my happiness 
 and pride. The heedlessness of boyhood could not 
 arrest your assiduous care the wayward habits of 
 youth have not wearied your unceasing solicitude. 
 That I have been thus far led in safety, claims the 
 fervent gratitude of 
 
 Your affectionate nephew, 
 
 THEODORE IRVING. 
 
 NEW- YORK, March, 1835. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 WHILE studying the Spanish language, some few years 
 since, at Madrid, an old chronicle was placed in my hands, re 
 lating to the early discoveries and achievements of the Span 
 iards in America. It was denominated " The Florida of the 
 Inca, or the History of the Adelantado, Hernando de Soto, 
 Governor and Captain-General of the Kingdom of Florida, 
 and of other heroic cavaliers, Spaniards and Indians : written 
 by the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega." As I read, I became in 
 sensibly engrossed by the extraordinary enterprise therein nar 
 rated: I dwelt with intense interest upon the hairb rained adven 
 tures and daring exploits of steel-clad warriors, and the no less 
 valiant and chivalrous deeds of savage chieftains, which entitle 
 this narrative to the high praise bestowed upon it by Mr. 
 Southey, of being one of the most delightful works in the 
 Spanish language. 
 
 At a subsequent day, I was advised to undertake a free trans 
 lation of it into English, as a literary exercise. While occu 
 pied in the task, I had the good fortune to meet with a narra 
 tive on the same subject, written by a Portuguese soldier, who 
 was present in the expedition. This led me to further research 
 and closer examination ; and, finding that the striking events 
 and perilous adventures in the chronicle of the Inca, were borne 
 out, in the main, by this narrative from another hand, and that 
 various lights had been thrown by modern travellers upon the 
 1* 
 
V PREFACE. 
 
 line of march said to have been taken by the adventurous band 
 of De Soto, I was convinced, that what I had before regarded 
 almost as a work of fiction, was an authentic, though, perhaps, 
 occasionally exaggerated history. 
 
 Deeming, therefore, that a full account of an expedition 
 which throws such an air of romance over the early history of 
 a portion of our country, would possess interest in the eyes of 
 my countrymen, I resolved, to the best of my abilities, to di 
 gest a work from the materials before me. 
 
 The two main sources from which I have derived my facts, 
 are the narratives already mentioned, by the Inca Garcilaso 
 de la Vega, and by the anonymous Portuguese adventurer. 
 The former I have consulted in a folio edition, printed in Ma- 
 drid, in 1723, and in the history of the Indias, by Herrera, in 
 which it is incorporated almost at full length. The Portuguese 
 narrative I have found in an English translation, published in 
 London, in 1686, and in an abridgment in Purchas Pilgrims. 
 
 It has been the fashion, in later days, to distrust the nar 
 rative of the Inca, and to put more faith in that of the 
 Portuguese. This has occasionally been done without due 
 examination into their respective claims to credibility. Gar 
 cilaso de la Vega was a man of rank and honour. He was 
 descended from an ancient Spanish stock by the father s side, 
 while by the mother s, he was of the lofty Peruvian line of the 
 Incas. His narrative was originally taken down by himself, 
 from the lips of a friend ; a cavalier of worth and respect 
 ability, who had been an officer under De Soto, and for whose 
 probity we have the word of the Inca as a guarantee. It was 
 authenticated and enriched by the written journals or memo 
 randums of two other soldiers, who had served in the expe 
 dition. He had the testimony, therefore, of three eye wit 
 nesses. 
 
PREFACE. Vll 
 
 The Portuguese narrative, on the other hand, is the evidence 
 of merely a single eye witness, who gives himself out as a 
 cavalier, or gentleman ; but for this we have merely his 
 own word, and he is anonymous. There is nothing intrinsic 
 in his work that should entitle it to the exclusive belief 
 that has been claimed for it. It agrees with the narrative 
 of the Inca, as to the leading facts which form the frame work 
 of the story : it differs from it occasionally, as to the plans and 
 views of Hernando de Soto ; but here the Inca is most to be 
 depended upon the Spanish cavalier from whom he derived 
 his principal information, being more likely to be admitted to 
 the intimate councils of his commander than one of a differ 
 ent nation, and being free from the tinge of national jealousy 
 which may have influenced the statements of the Portuguese. 
 
 The narrative of the Portuguese is more meagre and con 
 cise than that of Garcilaso ; omitting a thousand interesting 
 anecdotes and personal adventures ; but this does not increase 
 its credibility. A multitude of facts, gathered and gleaned 
 from three different persons, may easily have escaped the 
 knowledge, or failed to excite the attention of a solitary indi 
 vidual. These anecdotes are not the less credible because 
 they were striking and extraordinary ; the whole expedition 
 was daring and extravagant, and those concerned in it men 
 who delighted in adventure and exploit.* 
 
 I have been induced, therefore, in the following pages, to 
 draw my facts more freely and copiously than others, in latter 
 days, have seemed inclined to do, from the work of the Inca ; 
 still I have scrupulously and diligently collated the two narra 
 tives, endeavouring to reconcile them where they disagreed, 
 and to ascertain, with strict impartiality, which was most likely 
 
 * The reader will find a note concerning Garcilaso de la Vega and his 
 in the Appendix. 
 
Vlll PREFACE. 
 
 to be correct, where they materially varied, and to throw upon 
 the whole subject the scattered lights -furnished by various 
 modern investigators. While I have discarded many incidents 
 which appeared hyperbolical, or which savoured too strongly 
 of the gossip of idle soldiery, I have retained, as much as pos 
 sible, those every day and familiar anecdotes which give so 
 lively a picture of the characters, habits, persons and manners 
 of the Spanish discoverers of those days, and to my mind, 
 bear so strongly the impress of truth and nature. My great 
 object has been to present a clear, connected, and character 
 istic narrative of this singular expedition : how far I have suc 
 ceeded, it is for the public to judge. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 First discovery of Florida. 
 
 NEVER was the spirit of wild adventure more uni 
 versally diffused than at the dawn of the sixteenth 
 century. The wondrous discoveries of Columbus 
 and his hardy companions and followers, the de 
 scriptions of the beautiful summer isles of the west, 
 and the tales of unexplored regions of wealth locked 
 up in unbounded wildernesses, had an effect upon 
 the imaginations of the young and the adventurous, 
 not unlike the preaching of the chivalric crusades for 
 the recovery of the* Holy Sepulchre. The gallant 
 knight, the servile retainer, the soldier of fortune, 
 the hooded friar, the pains-taking mechanic, the toil 
 ful husbandman, the loose profligate, and the hardy 
 mariner, all were touched with the pervading pas 
 sion, all left home, country, friends, wives, children, 
 loves, to seek some imaginary Eldorado, confidently 
 expecting to return with countless treasure. 
 
 Of all the enterprises undertaken in this spirit of 
 
10 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 daring adventure, none has surpassed for hardihood 
 and variety of incident, that of the renowned Her- 
 nando de Soto and his band of cavaliers. It was 
 poetry put in action ; it was the knight errantry of 
 the old world carried into the depths of the Ameri 
 can wilderness ; indeed, the personal adventures, 
 the feats of individual prowess, the picturesque de 
 scriptions of steel clad cavaliers, with lance and helm 
 and prancing steed, glittering through the wilder 
 nesses of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and the prairies 
 of the Far West, would seem to us mere fictions of 
 romance, did they not come to us recorded in mat 
 ter of fact narratives of contemporaries, and corro 
 borated by minute and daily memoranda of eye 
 witnesses. 
 
 Before we enter, however, upon the stirring and 
 eventful story of the fortunes of De Soto and his fol 
 lowers, it is proper to notice briefly the discovery 
 of the land which was the scene of his adventures, 
 and the various expeditions to it which stimulated 
 him to his great enterprise. 
 
 Those who are conversant with the history of the 
 Spanish discoveries will remember the chimerical 
 cruise of the brave old Governor of Porto Rico, 
 Ponce de Leon, in search of the Fountain of Youth. 
 This fabled fountain, according to Indian tradition, 
 existed in one of the Bahama Islands. Ponce de 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 11 
 
 Leon sought after it in vain, but in the course of his 
 cruisings discovered a country of vast and unknown 
 extent, to which, from the abundance of flowers, 
 and from its being first seen on Palm Sunday, (Pas- 
 cha Florida) he gave the name of Florida. 
 
 Obtaining permission from the Spanish govern 
 ment to subjugate and govern this country, he made 
 a second voyage to its shores, but was mortally 
 wounded in a conflict with the natives. Such was 
 the fate of the first adventurer into the wild regions 
 of Florida, and he really seems to have bequeathed 
 his ill fortune to his successors. 
 
 A few years after his defeat a Captain of a cara 
 vel, named Diego Miruelo, was driven to the coast 
 of Florida by stress of weather, where he obtained 
 a small quantity of silver and gold in traffic from 
 the natives. With this he returned well pleased to 
 San Domingo, spreading the fame of the country 
 he had visited. About the same time a company of 
 seven wealthy men of San Domingo, concerned in 
 gold mines, at the head of which was the Licentiate 
 Lucas Vasquez de Ayllon, auditor and judge of ap 
 peals of that island, fitted out two vessels to cruise 
 among the islands and entrap Indians to work in 
 the mines. In the course of this righteous cruise 
 the vessels were driven by stress of weather to a 
 cape on the East coast, to which they gave the 
 
12 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 name of St. Helena. The country in the neighbour 
 hood was called Chicorea. and is the same now call 
 ed South Carolina. Here they anchored at the 
 mouth of a river which they called the Jordan, after 
 the name of the sea captain who discovered it. It 
 is the same now known by its Indian apellation, the 
 Cambahee.* The natives hastened to the shores 
 at sight of the ships, which they mistook for huge 
 sea monsters ; but, when they beheld men issue 
 from them, with white complexions and beards, and 
 clad in raiment and shining armour, they fled in ter 
 ror. 
 
 The Spaniards soon dispelled their fears, and a 
 friendly intercourse took place. The poor Indians 
 were kind and hospitable, brought provisions to the 
 ships and made the strangers presents of martin 
 skins, pearls, and a small quantity of gold and silver. 
 The Spaniards gave them trinkets in return, and, 
 having completed their supplies of wood and water 
 and provisions, invited their savage friends on board 
 of the ships. The Indians eagerly accepted the in 
 vitation. They thronged the vessels, gazing with 
 
 * We follow the general opinion, strengthened by the circum 
 stance that the neighbouring sound and Island are still called by 
 the name of St. Helena. Herrera places Cape St. Helena and 
 the river Jordan in the thirty second degree of latitude, which is 
 that of Savannah river. Vide Herrera. D. 2. lib. X. c. 6. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 13 
 
 wonder at every thing around them ; but when a 
 sufficient number were below the decks, the Spa 
 niards perfidiously closed the hatches upon them, 
 and, weighing anchor, made sail for San Domingo. 
 One of the ships was lost in the course of the voyage, 
 the other arrived safe, but the Indians on board of 
 her remained sullen and gloomy, and refused food, 
 so that most of them perished of famine and melan 
 choly.* 
 
 The reports, however, brought back by the kid 
 nappers, of the country they had visited, as well as 
 the specimens of gold and silver brought home 
 about the same time by Diego Miruelo, roused the 
 cupidity and ambition of the auditor Lucas Vas- 
 quez de Ayllon. Being shortly afterwards in Spain, 
 he obtained from the Emperor Charles V. permis 
 sion to conquer and govern the newly discovered 
 province of Chicorea. With this permission he re 
 turned to San Domingo, and fitted out an arma 
 ment of three large vessels, embarking personally in 
 the enterprise. 
 
 Diego Miruelo persuaded him first to steer in 
 quest of the country he had visited, and which he 
 represented as much richer than Chicorea. He ac 
 companied the expedition as pilot, but having, with 
 
 * Hist. Florida por el Inca. L. 1. c. 2. 
 Herrera, D- 2. L. x. c- 6. 
 
 2 
 
14 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 a negligence unworthy of a practised mariner, neg 
 lected in his first visit to take an observation, he was 
 unable to find the place at which he had formerly 
 landed, and w r as so much mortified by the ridicule 
 and reproaches of his employers, that he fell into a 
 profound melancholy, lost his senses, and died in the 
 course of a few days. 
 
 Lucas Vasquez de Ayllon now prosecuted his 
 voyage to the eastward in search of Chicorea. Ar 
 riving in the river Jordan, (or Cambahee) the scene 
 of perfidy in the preceding voyage, his principal 
 ship stranded and w r as lost. With the remaining 
 two he passed further to the Eastward, and landed 
 on a coast adjoining Chicorea, in a gentle and plea 
 sant region. Here he was so well received that he 
 considered the country already under his dominion, 
 and permitted two hundred of his men to visit the 
 principal village, about three leagues in the interior, 
 while he remained with a small force to guard the 
 ships. 
 
 The inhabitants of the village entertained these 
 visitors with feasting and rejoicing for three days, 
 until, having put them completely off their guard, 
 they rose upon them in the night and massacred 
 every soul. They then repaired by daybreak to 
 the harbour, and surprised Vasquez de Ayllon and 
 his handful of guards. The few who survived es- 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 15 
 
 caped wounded and dismayed to their ships, and 
 making all sail from the fated coast, hastened back 
 to San Domingo. According to some accounts 
 Ayllon remained among the slain on the coast he 
 sought to subjugate, but others assert that he re 
 turned wounded to San Domingo, where the humi 
 liation of his defeat and the ruin of his fortunes, 
 conspired with his bodily ills to hurry him broken 
 hearted to the grave. Thus signally did the natives 
 of Chicorea revenge the wrongs of their people who 
 had been so perfidiously kidnapped.* 
 
 * Hist. Florida, por el Inca. L. I.e. 2. 
 
 Herrera. D. 2. L. x. c. 6. Idem. D. iii. lib. 8. c. 8. Peter Mar 
 tyr, D. vii. c. 11. 
 
 Heylyns Cosmographie. L. 4. p. 100. Lond. Ed. 1669. 
 
16 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 The Expedition ofPamphilo de Narvaez. 
 
 A CAVALIER of greater note was the next who as 
 pired to subjugate the unknown realms of Florida. 
 This was the brave but ill starred Pamphilo de 
 Narvaez, the same who had attempted to arrest 
 Hernando Cortes in his conquering career against 
 Mexico, in which attempt he was defeated in battle, 
 and lost an eye. Narvaez possessed favour at court 
 and was enabled to fit out a considerable armament 
 for his new enterprise. He was invested by the 
 Emperor Charles V. with the title of Adelantado, or 
 military governor of the country he expected to sub 
 due and occupy, which was that part of Florida ex 
 tending from its extreme cape to the river of Palms. 
 In this expedition he trusted to wipe off the dis 
 grace of his late defeat, and even to acquire laurels 
 which might vie with those of Cortes. 
 
 On the 12th of April, 1528, Narvaez anchored at 
 the mouth of an open bay on the eastern coast of 
 Florida, with a squadron of four barques and a bri- 
 gantine. Here he landed his forces, consisting of 
 four hundred men and forty five horses ; having lost 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 17 
 
 many of his men by desertion in the West India 
 islands, and several of his horses in a storm. 
 
 Erecting the royal standard, he took possession of 
 the country for the crown of Spain, with no opposi 
 tion from the natives. After having explored the 
 vicinity, Narvaez determined to penetrate the 
 country in a northward direction, hoping to dis 
 cover some great empire like that of Mexico 
 or Peru; In the mean time, the ships were to 
 proceed along the coast in quest of some conve 
 nient harbour where they were either to await his 
 arrival, or to steer for Havana and return with sup 
 plies for the army.* 
 
 This plan was strongly opposed by the treasurer 
 of the expedition, one Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Va- 
 ca, a prudent and sagacious man. He represented 
 the danger of plunging into an unknown wilderness 
 without knowing a word of the language, and advis 
 ed, rather, that they should continue on in their 
 ships, until they found a secure harbour and a fer 
 tile country, from whence they might make incur 
 sions into the interior. 
 
 This sound advice w r as slighted by Narvaez and 
 his adventurous companions, whose imaginations 
 were inflamed with the idea of inland conquest. 
 The squadron, accordingly, set sail to the north- 
 
 * Herrera. Decad. iv. L. iv. c. 4. 
 
 2* 
 
18 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 ward ; and Narvaez and his troops set out by land 
 in the same direction, accompanied by the faithful 
 Alvar Nunez ; who since he could not dissuade his 
 commander from his desperate career, resolved to 
 share his fate. 
 
 The force which proceeded by land consisted of 
 three hundred men, forty of whom were mounted 
 on horses. The allowance to each man, consisted 
 of two pounds of biscuit and half a pound of bacon. 
 For the first few days they met with fields of maize, 
 and villages containing provisions. Here, however, 
 they outraged the feelings of the natives by rifling 
 and laying waste their sepulchres, mistaking them 
 for idolatrous temples. They afterwards journey 
 ed many days through desert solitudes without 
 house or inhabitant, suffering greatly from \vant of 
 food. They crossed rapid rivers on rafts or by 
 swimming, continually exposed to the assaults of 
 hordes of lurking savages : they traversed swamps 
 and forests, making their way with great difficulty 
 through matted thickets and over fallen trees, and 
 suffering every variety of misery and hardship. 
 
 Still they were cheered onward by the assurances 
 of certain captives who served as guides, that at 
 some distance ahead lay a vast province called 
 Apalachee, extremely fertile, and abounding in the 
 gold they so eagerly sought after. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 19 
 
 At length they arrived in sight of the place which 
 gave its name to this long desired province. Nar- 
 vaez had pictured it to himself a second Mexico, 
 and was chagrined at finding it a mere village of 
 two hundred and forty houses. Alvar Nunez was 
 sent forward to take possession of it, which he did 
 without opposition, the men having all fled to the 
 woods. 
 
 The Spaniards remained twenty five days in the 
 village, exploring the neighbouring country, and sub 
 sisting upon the provisions they found in the place. 
 During this time they were harassed, day and 
 night, by the natives of the province, who were an 
 exceedingly warlike people. They were disap 
 pointed in their hopes of finding gold, and discourag 
 ed by the accounts given them of the country fur 
 ther on. They were told, however, that by shaping 
 their course to the southward, towards the sea, they 
 would, after nine days journey, come to the village 
 of Aute, where there was maize and vegetables and 
 fish in abundance, and where the natives were of a 
 friendly disposition. 
 
 Towards Aute, therefore, did they turn their steps, 
 more eager now for food than for gold. The jour 
 ney was perilous and full of disaster. They had to 
 cross deep lagoons and dismal swamps, with the wa 
 ter often up to their breasts, their passage obstruct- 
 
20 CONQUEST OP FLORIDA. 
 
 ed by rotten trees, and beset by hordes of savages. 
 These appeared to the disheartened Spaniards of 
 gigantic height ; they had bows of enormous size, 
 from which they discharged arrows with such force 
 as to penetrate armour at the distance of two hun 
 dred yards. At length, after incredible hardships, 
 and with the loss of many men and horses, they ar 
 rived at the village of Aute.* The natives aban 
 doned and burnt their houses on the approach of the 
 invaders, but they left behind a quantity of maize 
 with which the Spaniards appeased their hunger. 
 
 A day s march beyond the village brought them 
 to a river which gradually expanded into a large 
 road, or arm of the sea. Here they came to a pause 
 in their adventurous career, and held a consultation 
 as to their future movements. Their hopes of 
 wealth and conquest were at an end. Nearly a third 
 of their original number had perished ; while of the 
 survivers a great majority were ill, and disease was 
 daily spreading among them. To attempt to re 
 trace their steps, or to proceed along the coast in 
 search of the fleet would be to hazard all their lives. 
 At length it was suggested that they should con 
 struct small barques, launch them upon the deep, 
 and keep along the coast until they should find their 
 
 * Supposed to be on what is now called the Bay of St. Marks. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 21 
 
 ships. It was a forlorn hope, but they caught at it 
 like desperate men. They accordingly set to work 
 with great eagerness. One of them constructed a 
 pair of bellows out of deerskins, furnishing it with 
 a wooden pipe. Others made charcoal and a 
 forge. By the aid of these they soon turned their 
 stirrups, spurs, cross-bows and other articles of iron, 
 into nails, saws, and hatchets. The tails and manes 
 of the horses twisted with the fibres of the palm 
 tree served for rigging ; their shirts cut open and 
 sewed together furnished sails ; the fibrous part of 
 the palm tree also was used as oakum ; the resin of 
 the pine trees for tar ; the skins of horses were 
 made into vessels to contain fresh water; and a 
 quantity of maize was won by hard fighting from 
 the neighbouring natives. A horse was killed every 
 three days for provisions for the labouring hands and 
 the sick. Having at length by great exertions com 
 pleted five frail barks, they embarked on the 22d of 
 September, from forty to fifty persons being in 
 each ; but so closely crowded were they, that there 
 was scarcely room to move, while the gunwale of 
 the boats was forced down by their weight to the 
 w r ater s edge. 
 
 Setting sail from this bay, which they called the 
 Bay of Caballos, they continued on for several days 
 to an island where they secured five canoes that had 
 
22 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 been deserted by the Indians. These being attach 
 ed to their barks enabled them to sail with greater 
 comfort. They passed through the strait between 
 the island and the main land, which they called the 
 Strait of San Miguel, and sailed onward for many 
 days, enduring all the torments of hunger and parch 
 ing thirst : the skins which contained their fresh 
 water having burst, some, driven to desperation, 
 drank salt water, and died miserably. Their suffer 
 ings were aggravated by a fearful storm. At length 
 they approached a more populous and fertile part 
 of the coast, upon which they landed occasionally 
 to procure provisions, and were immediately in 
 volved in bloody affrays with the natives. Thus 
 harassed by sea and land, famishing with hunger, 
 their barks shattered and scarcely manageable, 
 these unfortunate wanderers lost all presence of 
 mind, and became wild and desperate. They were 
 again driven out to sea, and scattered during a stor 
 my night. At daybreak three of these tempest- 
 tossed barks rejoined each other. In one, which 
 was the best manned and the best sailer, was Pam- 
 philo de Narvaez. Alvar Nunez, who had com 
 mand of another, seeing the Adelantado making for 
 the land, called upon him for aid. Narvaez replied 
 that it was no longer time to help others, but that 
 every one must take care of himself. He then made 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 23 
 
 for the shore, and abandoned Alvar Nunez to 
 make the best of his way with the other bark. 
 
 After wandering along the coast in his bark for 
 many days, Narvaez anchored one night off the land. 
 All his crew had gone on shore for provisions, ex 
 cepting one sailor and a page who was sick. A vio 
 lent gale sprang up from the north, and the vessel, 
 in which was neither food nor water, was driven out 
 to sea, and no tidings ever heard of her after. Thus 
 perished the ill fated Pamphilo de Narvaez. 
 
 The only survivers of this disastrous expedition 
 were Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, arid four of his 
 companions. After the most singular and unparal 
 leled hardships, they traversed the northern parts of 
 Florida, crossed the Mississippi, and the desert and 
 mountainous regions on the confines of Texas and 
 the Rocky Mountains, passing from tribe to tribe of 
 Indians, oftentimes as slaves, until at the end of se 
 veral years they succeeded in reaching the Spanish 
 settlement of Compostella. Fronx thence Alvar 
 Nunez proceeded to Mexico, and ultimately arrived 
 at Lisbon in 1537 ; nearly ten years after his em 
 barkation with Pamphilo de Narvaez*. 
 
 * This chapter is chiefly taken from the " Naufragios de Alvar 
 Cabeza de Vaca," with occasional references to Herrera. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 Hernando de Soto his birth adventures in Peru 
 Jits out an armament for Florida touches at the 
 Canary Islands arrival at Cuba. 
 
 ONE would have thought that after the melan 
 choly result of these sad enterprises, and others of 
 less note, but equally unfortunate, the coast of Florida 
 would have been avoided as a fated land. The 
 Spanish discoverers, however, were not to be de 
 terred by difficulties and dangers, and the accounts 
 rendered of the vast extent of this unknown coun 
 try, and of opulent regions in its interior, served to 
 prompt to still bolder and more costly enterprises. 
 
 It is proper to note that the Spaniards, at this 
 period, had a very vague idea of the country called 
 Florida, and by no means limited it to its present 
 boundaries. They knew something of the maritime 
 border of the peninsula, but Florida, according to 
 their notions, extended far beyond, having the con 
 fines of Mexico in one direction, the banks of New 
 foundland in another, and expanding into a vast 
 Terra Incognita to the north. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 25 
 
 The accounts brought to Europe by Alvar Nunez, 
 of the expedition of Pamphilo de Narvaez, contri 
 buted to promote this idea. It was supposed that 
 this unfortunate cavalier, in his extensive march, had 
 but skirted the borders of immense internal empires, 
 which might rival in opulence and barbaric splen 
 dour, the recently discovered Kingdoms of Mexico 
 and Peru ; and there was not wanting a bold and 
 ambitious spirit to grasp immediately at the palm of 
 conquest. 
 
 The candidate that now presented himself for the 
 subjugation of Florida, was Hernando de Soto, and 
 as his expedition is the subject of the succeeding 
 pages, it is proper to introduce him particularly to 
 the reader. Hernando de Soto was born about the 
 year 1501, in Villa nueva de Barcarota,* and was 
 of the old Spanish hidalguia, or gentry, for we are 
 assured by one of his biographers that " he was a 
 gentleman by all four descents ;" that is to say, the 
 parents both of his father and mother were of gen 
 tle blood ; a pedigree which, according to the rules 
 of Spanish heraldry, entitled him to admission into 
 the noble order of Santiago. 
 
 *The Portuguese narrator assigns Xeres de Badajos as the birth 
 place of De Soto ; we follow, however, the authority of the Inca 
 Garcelasso de la Vega. Herrera. Hist. Ind. Dec. VI. L. 7. c. 9. 
 agrees with the Inca. 
 
 3 
 
26 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 Whatever might be the dignity of his descent, 
 however, he began his career a mere soldier of for 
 tune. All his estate, says his Portuguese historian, 
 was but a sword and buckler. He accompanied 
 Pedrarias Davila,* when he went to America to as 
 sume the command of Terra Firma. The merits of 
 De Soto soon gained him favour in the eye of Pedra 
 rias, who gave him command of a troop of horse : 
 with these he followed Pizarro in his conquering ex 
 pedition into Peru. Here he soon signalized himself 
 by a rare combination of prudence and valour : he 
 was excellent in council, yet foremost in every peril 
 ous exploit ; not recklessly seeking danger for dan 
 ger s sake, or through a vain thirst for notoriety, but 
 bravely putting every thing at hazard where any 
 important point was to be gained by intrepidity. 
 
 Pizarro soon singled him out from the hardy spirits 
 around him, and appointed him his lieutenant. f Was 
 there a service of especial danger to be performed, 
 De Soto had it in charge ; was there an enterprise 
 requiring sound judgment and fearless daring, De 
 Soto was sure to be called upon. A master at all 
 weapons, and a complete horseman, his prowess 
 and adroitness were the admiration of the Spanish 
 soldiery. They declared that his lance alone was 
 
 * Properly written Pedro Arias de Avila. 
 t Herrera Hist. Ind. Decad. V. L. ii. c. 2. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 27 
 
 equal to any ten in the army ; and that in the ma 
 nagement of this chivalrous weapon, he was second 
 only to Pizarro. 
 
 He was sent by that commander on the first em 
 bassy to the renowned and ill fated Inca Atahualpa, 
 whose subjects, we are told, were filled with sur 
 prise and admiration on beholding his wonderful 
 feats of horsemanship.* 
 
 He afterwards commanded one of the squadrons 
 of horse that captured this unfortunate Inca and 
 routed his army of warriors.f He led the way with 
 a band of seventy horsemen, to the discovery and 
 subjugation of the great province of Cusco, in which 
 he distinguished himself by the most daring and 
 romantic achievements. J We might trace him 
 throughout the whole history of the Peruvian con- 
 
 *Herrera. Hist. Ind. Decad. V. L. 3. c. 10. says, Hernan- 
 do de Soto sprang upon his horse, and aware that the eyes of the 
 Inca were upon him, he made his steed curvet, caracole and leap, 
 and striking in his spurs dashed up so near to the savage Prince 
 that he felt the very breath of the snorting animal. The haughty 
 Inca was as serene and unmoved as if he had been accustomed all 
 his life to the charge of ahorse. Many of the Indians, however, 
 fled in terror. Atahualpa immmediately ordered the fugitives to 
 appear before him, and sternly reprehending them with their cow- 
 ardice, ordered them all to be put to death for having behaved so 
 dastardly in his royal presence. 
 
 t Vega. Com. de Peru. L. 1. c. 21. Herrera D. V. L. 2. c. 11. 
 
 | Herrera, Dec. V. L. 4. c. x. and lib. 5. c. 2. 3. 
 
28 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 quest by a series of perilous encounters and marvel 
 lous escapes, but our purpose is only to state briefly 
 the circumstances which directed his ambition into 
 the career of conquest, and which elevated him to 
 the notice of his sovereign, and of all contemporary 
 cavaliers of enterprising spirit. 
 
 Hernando de Soto returned to Spain enriched by 
 the spoils of the new world ; his share of the trea 
 sures of Atahualpa, having amounted, it is said, to 
 the enormous sum of a hundred and eighty thousand 
 crowns of gold. He now assumed great state and 
 equipage, and appeared at the court of the Emperor 
 Charles V., at Valladolid, in magnificent style, hav 
 ing his steward, his major domo, his master of the 
 horse, his pages, lacqueys, and all the other house 
 hold officers that in those ostentatious days, swelled 
 the retinue of a Spanish nobleman. He was ac 
 companied by a knot of brave cavaliers, all evidently 
 bent on pushing their fortunes at court. Some of 
 them had been his brothers in arms in the conquest 
 of Peru, and had returned with their purses well 
 filled with Peruvian gold, which they expended in 
 soldierlike style, on horses, arms, and " rich array." 
 Two or three of them deserve particular notice, as 
 they will be found to figure conspicuously in the 
 course of this narrative. Nuno Tobar, a native of 
 Xeres de Badajos, was a young cavalier of gallant 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 29 
 
 bearing, great valour, and romantic generosity. 
 Another, Luis de Moscoso de Alvorado, likewise of 
 Xeres, had signalized himself in his campaigns in the 
 new world. A third, Juan de Anasco, was a na 
 tive of Seville. He had not been in Peru, but was 
 not inferior to the others in bravery of spirit, while 
 he was noted for his nautical skill and his knowledge 
 of cosmography and astronomy. 
 
 The world was at that time resounding with the 
 recent conquest of Peru. The appearance at court 
 of one of the conquerers, thus brilliantly attended, 
 could not fail to attract attention. The personal 
 qualifications of De Soto corresponded with his 
 fame. He was in the prime of manhood, being 
 about thirty-six years of age, of a commanding 
 height, above the middle size, and a dark, animated, 
 and expressive countenance. With such advan 
 tages, of person and reputation, he soon succeeded 
 in gaining the affections and the hand of a lady of 
 distinguished rank and merit, Isabella de Bobadilla, 
 daughter to Pedrarias Davila, Count of Puno en 
 Rostro. This marriage, connecting him with a 
 powerful family, had a great effect in strengthening 
 his influence at court.* 
 
 De Soto might now have purchased estates, and 
 
 * Portuguese Narrative, c. 1. 
 3* 
 
30 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 have passed the remainder of his days opulently and 
 honourably in his native land, in the bosom of his 
 connexions, but he was excited by the remembrance 
 of past adventures, and eager for further distinction. 
 Just at this juncture, Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca 
 returned to Spain with tidings of the fate of Parn- 
 philo de Narvaez and his followers. His tale, it is 
 true, was one of hardships and disasters, but it turned 
 the thoughts of adventurous men to the vast and un 
 known interior of Florida. It is said that Alvar 
 Nunez observed some reserve and mystery in his 
 replies when questioned as to whether they had 
 found any riches in the country they had visited ; 
 that he talked of asking permission of the Crown to 
 return there and prosecute the discovery, and that 
 he had even sworn his fellow survivors to secrecy 
 as to what they had seen, lest others should be in 
 duced to interfere with his prospects.* 
 
 The imagination of De Soto took fire from what 
 he had gathered of the narrative of Alvar Nunez. 
 He doubted not there existed in the interior of Flori 
 da some regions of wealth, equalling, if not exceed 
 ing, Mexico and Peru. He had hitherto only fol 
 lowed in the course of conquest ; an opportunity 
 now presented of rivalling the fame of Cortez and 
 
 * Portuguese Narrative, c. 2. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 31 
 
 Pizarro ; his reputation, his wealth, his past ser 
 vices, and his marriage connexions all gave him the 
 means of securing the chance before him. In the 
 magnificent spirit of a Spanish cavalier, he asked 
 permission of the Emperor to undertake the con 
 quest of Florida at his own expense and risk. 
 
 His prayer was readily granted. The Emperor 
 conferred on him in advance, the title of Adelantado, 
 which combines military and civil command, and a 
 Marquisite, with an estate thirty leagues in length 
 and fifteen in breadth, in any part of the country he 
 might discover. He, moreover, created him Gover 
 nor and Captain-General for life, of Florida, as well 
 as of the Island of Cuba. The command of this 
 Island had been annexed at the especial request of 
 De Soto, as he knew it would be important for him 
 to have the complete control of it, for the fitting out 
 and supplying his armaments for the meditated con 
 quest. 
 
 No sooner was De Soto thus gratified in his wishes 
 than he provided for his brothers in arms who had 
 accompanied him to Court. Nuno de Tobar he ap 
 pointed his Lieutenant-General, for which post he 
 was well qualified by his great valour and his popu 
 lar qualities. Luis de Moscoso de Alvarado he 
 made Camp Master General, and he procured for 
 Juan de Anasco the appointment of Contador, or 
 
32 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 royal accountant, whose duty it was to take account 
 of all the treasures gained in the expedition, and to 
 set apart one fifth for the crown. 
 
 De Soto would likewise have engaged Alvar 
 Nunez Cabeza de Vaca to accompany him, and 
 offered him highly advantageous terms, which he 
 was at first inclined to accept, but subsequently re 
 fused, being unwilling to march under the command 
 of another in an enterprise in which he had aspired 
 to take the lead. He afterwards obtained from the 
 Emperor the government of Rio de la Plata.* 
 
 But though Alvar Nunez declined to embark in 
 the enterprise, his representations of the country in 
 duced two of his kinsmen to offer their services. 
 One of them, a brave and hearty cavalier, named 
 Balthazar de Gallegos was so eager for the expedi 
 tion that he sold his houses, vineyards and corn 
 fields, and fourscore and ten acres of olive orchards, 
 in the neighbourhood of Seville, and determined to 
 take his wife with him to the new world. De Soto 
 was so well pleased with his zeal, that he made him 
 Alguazil Mayor. The other kinsman of Alvar Nu 
 nez was named Christopher Spinola, a gentleman 
 of Genoa, to whom De Soto gave the command of 
 seventy Halberdiers of his body guard. 
 
 It was soon promulgated throughout Spain that 
 
 * Portuguese Narrative, c. 4. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 33 
 
 Hernando de Soto, one of the conquerors of Peru, 
 was about to set out on the conquest of the great 
 empire of Florida, an unknown country, equal if not 
 superior in wealth and splendour to any of the gold 
 en empires of the new world, and that he was to 
 do it at his own expense, with the riches gained in 
 his previous conquests. 
 
 This was enough to draw to his standard adven 
 turers of all kinds and classes. Cavaliers of noble 
 birth, soldiers of fortune who had served in various 
 parts of the world, private citizens and peaceful ar 
 tisans, all abandoned their homes and families, sold 
 their effects, and offered themselves and their re 
 sources for this new conquest. 
 
 A striking account is given us of the arrival of a 
 party of these volunteers. As De Soto was one day 
 in the gallery of his house at Seville, he saw a bril 
 liant band of cavaliers enter the court yard, and has 
 tened to the foot of the stairs to receive them. They 
 were Portuguese hidalgos, led by Andres de Vas- 
 concelos ; several of them had served in the wars 
 with the Moors on the African frontiers, and they 
 had come to volunteer their services. De Soto joy 
 fully accepted their offer. He detained them with 
 him to supper, and ordered his steward to provide 
 quarters for them in his neighbourhood. A muster 
 being called of all the troops, the Spaniards appear- 
 
34 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 ed in splendid and showy attire, with silken doublets 
 and cassocks pinked and embroidered. The Por 
 tuguese, on the contrary, came in soldierlike style, 
 in complete armour. De Soto was vexed at the 
 unseasonable ostentation of his countrymen, and or 
 dered another review in which all should appear 
 armed. Here the Portuguese again came admira 
 bly well equipped, while the Spaniards, who had 
 been so gaudy in their silken dresses, made but a 
 sorry show as soldiers, having old rusty coats of 
 mail, battered head pieces, and indifferent lances. 
 The General, it is said, marked his preference of the 
 Portuguese, by placing them near his standard. It 
 must be observed, however, that this account is 
 given by a Portuguese historian, who naturally is 
 disposed to give his countrymen the advantage of 
 the Spaniards. Other accounts speak generally of 
 the excellent equipments of all the forces. 
 
 In little more than a year from the time of the 
 first proclamation of this enterprise, nine hundred 
 and fifty Spaniards of all degrees had assembled in 
 the port of San Lucar de Barrameda, to embark in 
 the expedition.* Never had a more gallant and bril 
 liant body of men offered themselves for the new 
 
 * The Portuguese narrator gives six hundred as the number of 
 men assembled, but we follow the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, 
 whose authority is corroborated by Herrera and others- 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 35 
 
 world. Scarcely one among them had grey hairs, 
 all were young and vigorous, and fitted for the toils 
 and hardships and dangers of so adventurous an un 
 dertaking. 
 
 De Soto was munificent in his proffers of pecunia 
 ry assistance to aid the cavaliers in fitting themselves 
 out according to their rank and station. Many 
 were compelled, through necessity, to accept of his 
 offers ; others, who had means, generously declined 
 them, deeming it more proper that they should as 
 sist, than accept aid from him : many young cava 
 liers came equipped in splendid style, with rich ar 
 mour, costly dresses, and a train of domestics. In 
 deed, some young men of quality had spent a great 
 part of their substance in this manner. 
 
 Nuno Tobar, Luis de Moscoso, and several other 
 cavaliers, who had distinguished themselves in the 
 conquest of Peru, expended the greater part of their 
 spoils in sumptuous equipments. Beside the cava 
 liers already specified, we may mention three bro 
 thers, relatives of the Governor, who accompanied 
 him ; Arias Tinoco and Alonzo Romo de Cardefio- 
 sa, both captains of infantry, and Diego Arias Tino 
 co, who was standard bearer to the army. 
 
 There were also enlisted in the enterprise twelve 
 priests, eight clergymen of inferior rank, and four 
 monks ; most of them relatives of the superior offi- 
 
36 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 cers : for, in all the Spanish expeditions to the new 
 world, the conversion of the heathen was not lost 
 sight of in the rage for conquest. 
 
 This brilliant armament embarked at San Lucar 
 de Barrameda, on the sixth of April, 1538, in seven 
 large and three small vessels. In the largest, 
 called the San Christoval, which was of eight hun 
 dred tons, embarked the governor, with his wife Dona 
 Isabel de Bobadilla, and all his family and retinue. 
 They set sail in company with a fleet of twenty six 
 sail bound to Mexico,* and with great sound of 
 trumpets and thunder of artillery. The armament 
 of De Soto was so bountifully supplied with naval 
 stores, that each man was allowed double rations. 
 This led to useless waste ; but the governor was of a 
 magnificent spirit, and so elated at finding in his train 
 such noble and gallant cavaliers, that he thought he 
 could not do enough to honour and gratify them. 
 
 On the twenty first of April, the fleet arrived at 
 Gomera, one of the Canary Islands. Here they 
 were received with greaf parade and courtesy by 
 the Governor, who bore the title of Count de Go 
 mera. The Count seems to have been a gay and 
 luxurious cavalier, with somewhat of an amato 
 ry complexion, his domestic establishment being- 
 graced by several natural daughters. When he 
 came forth to receive his guests he was dressed in 
 
 Portuguese Narrative, c. 4. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 37 
 
 white from head to foot, hat, cloak, doublet, breeches 
 and shoes ; so that, according to the old Portuguese 
 narrative, he looked not unlike a captain of a gang of 
 gipsies. During three days that the fleet remained 
 in the port, he entertained his guests in jovial style, 
 with feastings and rejoicings. 
 
 Among his daughters was one named Leonora de 
 Bobadilla, who particularly attracted the notice of 
 the youthful cavaliers. She was not more than se 
 venteen years of age, and extremely beautiful. De 
 Soto was so pleased and interested with her ap 
 pearance and manners, that he entreated the Count 
 to permit her to accompany his wife, Dona Isabel 
 de Bobadilla, who would cherish her as her own 
 daughter ; intimating that he would procure an ad 
 vantageous match for her among the noble cavaliers 
 of his army, and advance her to rank and fortune 
 in the country he should conquer. 
 
 The Count de Gomera, knowing the munificence 
 of De Soto, and that he would be disposed to per 
 form even more than he promised, confided his 
 daughter to his care, and to the maternal protection 
 of his high minded and virtuous wife. 
 
 On the 24th April the fleet again set sail. The 
 voyage was fair and prosperous, and about the last 
 of May they arrived in the harbour of the city of 
 Santiago de Cuba. 
 
38 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Rejoicings of the inhabitants of Cuba on the arrival 
 of De Soto. Deposition of NuTio Tobar. Don 
 Vasco Porcallo de Figueroa, appointed Lieutenant 
 General of the forces. 
 
 THE arrival of a new Governor with so important 
 an armament was an event of great joy throughout 
 the island of Cuba. When De Soto landed, the 
 whole city of Santiago turned out to receive him. 
 He found a beautiful horse, richly caparisoned, wait 
 ing for him, and likewise a mule for Donna Isabella; 
 which were furnished by a gentleman of the town. 
 He was escorted to his lodgings, by the Burghers on 
 horse and on foot, and all his officers and men were 
 hospitably entertained by them ; some being quar 
 tered in the town, and others in their country 
 houses.* For several days it was one continued fes 
 tival. At night there were balls and masquerades ; 
 by day, tilting matches, bull fights, contests of skill 
 in horsemanship, running at the ring, and other 
 amusements of a chivalrous nature. 
 
 The young cavaliers of the army, vied with each 
 
 * Portuguese relation, c. 4. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 39 
 
 other and with the youth of the city in the gallantry 
 of their equipments, the elegance and novelty of 
 their devices, and the wit and ingenuity of their 
 mottoes. What gave peculiar splendour to these 
 entertainments was the beauty and spirit, and excel 
 lence of the horses. The great demand for these 
 noble animals, for the conquests of Mexico and Peru, 
 and other parts, rendered the raising of them one 
 of the most profitable sources of speculation in the 
 islands. The island of Cuba was naturally favoura 
 ble to them, and as great care and attention had 
 been given to multiply and improve the breed, there 
 was at this time an uncommon number, and of re 
 markably fine qualities. Many individuals had from 
 twenty to thirty horses in their stables, and some of 
 the rich had twice that number on their estates. 
 
 The cavaliers of the army had spared no expense 
 in furnishing themselves with the most superb and 
 generous steeds for their intended expedition. Many 
 individuals possessed three or four, caparisoned in 
 the most costly manner ; and the Governor aided 
 liberally with his purse, such as had not the means 
 of equipping themselves in suitable style. 
 
 Thus freshly and magnificently mounted, and ar 
 rayed in their new dresses and burnished armour, 
 the young cavaliers made a brilliant display, and 
 carried off many of the prizes of gold, and silver, 
 
40 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 and silks, and brocades, which were adjudged to 
 those who distinguished themselves at these chival 
 rous games. 
 
 In these, no one carried off the prize more fre 
 quently than Nuno de Tobar, the Lieutenant Ge 
 neral. He was, as has been said, a cavalier of high 
 and generous qualities, who had gained laurels in 
 the conquest of Peru. He appeared on these occa 
 sions in sumptuous array, mounted on a superb 
 horse, of a silver grey dappled, and was always 
 noted for the gracefulness of his carriage, his noble 
 demeanour, and his admirable address in the ma 
 nagement of lance and steed. 
 
 Unfortunately the manly qualifications of Nuno 
 Tobar had procured him great favour in the eyes 
 of the beautiful Leonora de Bobadilla, the daughter 
 of the Count de Gomera. A secret amour was 
 carried on between them, and the virtue of the la 
 dy was not proof against the solicitations of her 
 lover.* 
 
 The consequences of their unfortunate inter 
 course were soon too apparent to be concealed. 
 De Soto was incensed at what he considered an 
 outrage upon his rights, as a guardian over the lady, 
 and his confidence as a friend. He immediately 
 
 * Portuguese Narrative of Conq. of Florida, c. 7. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 41 
 
 deposed Nuno Tobar from his station, as Lieutenant 
 General ; and, though that really generous spirited 
 cavalier endeavoured to make every reparation in 
 his power, by marrying the lady, De Soto could 
 never afterwards be brought to look upon him with 
 kindness. 
 
 At this time there was on a visit to the Governor 
 in the city of Santiago, a cavalier, upwards of fifty 
 years of age, named Vasco Porcallo de Figueroa. 
 He was of a noble family, and of a brave and gal- 
 liard disposition, having seen much hard fighting in 
 the Indies, in Spain and Italy, and distinguished 
 himself en various occasions. He now resided in 
 the town of Trinidad in Cuba, living opulently and 
 luxuriously upon the wealth he had gained in the 
 wars, honoured for his exploits, loved for his so 
 cial qualities, and extolled for his hearty hospita 
 lity. 
 
 This magnificent cavalier had come to Santi 
 ago with a pompous retinue, to pay his court to the 
 Governor, and witness the festivities and rejoicings. 
 He passed some days in the city, and when he be 
 held the array of gallant cavaliers and hardy sol 
 diers assembled for the enterprise, the splendour of 
 their equipments, and the martial style with which 
 they acquitted themselves in public, his military spi 
 rit again took fire, and forgetting his years, his past 
 4* 
 
42 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 toils and troubles and his present ease and opu 
 lence, he volunteered his services to De Soto, 
 to follow him in his anticipated career of con 
 quest. 
 
 A volunteer of such military experience, ample 
 wealth, and great influence in the island, was too 
 important not to be received with open arms ; the 
 Governor immediately made him Lieutenant General 
 of the army ; the post from which the gallant but 
 unfortunate Nuno Tobar had recently been de 
 posed. 
 
 The conduct of Vasco Porcallo, shewed the poli 
 cy of this appointment. He was so elated with this 
 distinction, that he lavished his money without stint 
 in purchasing provisions for the armada. He was 
 magnificent too in all his appointments, camp equi 
 page, armour and equipments, having caught the 
 gay and braggart spirit of his youthful companions 
 in arms. He carried with him a great train of Spa 
 nish, Indian and negro servants, and a stud of thirty 
 six horses for his own use : while with the open 
 handed liberality for which he was noted, he gave 
 upwards of fifty horses as presents to various cava 
 liers of the army. 
 
 The example of this generous and high mettled, 
 though somewhat whimsical old cavalier, had a 
 powerful effect in animating the inhabitants of Cu- 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 43 
 
 ba to promote the success of the expedition, and in 
 inducing some of them to enrol themselves among 
 the followers of De Soto.* 
 
 * The Portuguese narrator dryly asserts that Vasco Porcallo 
 engaged in the expedition merely with a view to get slaves for 
 his estates in Cuba. This narrator, however, is to be distrusted, 
 when he assigns motives to the Spanish leaders, for whom he 
 seems to have entertained a national jealousy. I have preferred 
 the motives attributed by the Inca, as they seem borne out by facts, 
 and by the general conduct of this veteran Porcallo, whose charac 
 ter is quite Spanish and peculiar. Indeed, throughout the whole 
 work of the Inca, his rich and copious facts are always in harmo 
 ny with the characteristics of his persons. 
 
44 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Juan de Anasco twice despatched to Florida. His nar 
 row escape and safe return. Final preparations 
 of the Governor. 
 
 FOR three months the governor made a tour of 
 the island, visiting the principal towns, appointing 
 officers of justice to rule in his absence, purchasing 
 horses, and making other provisions for his expedi 
 tion. Towards the end of August, he repaired to 
 Havana, where he was afterwards joined by his 
 family and all his forces. Here he remained for a 
 time aiding the inhabitants, out of his own fortune, 
 to rebuild their houses and churches, which had re 
 cently been destroyed by French corsairs. 
 
 While thus occupied he twice despatched the 
 Contador Juan de Anasco, in a brigantine manned 
 with picked sailors, to coast the shores of Florida, 
 in quest of some commodious harbour to which the 
 expedition might sail direct, and find secure anchor 
 age, and a good landing place for the troops. 
 
 Juan de Anasco, was well fitted for such a ser 
 vice, combining the sailor with the soldier, and pos 
 sessing some skill in nautical science. He was fond, 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 45 
 
 too, of hazardous enterprise, never flinching from 
 toils or perils, and was an excellent leader, though 
 somewhat touchy and choleric. 
 
 Three months elapsed after his departure on his 
 second voyage, without any tidings of him, and 
 great fears were entertained for his safety, when at 
 length his tempest-tossed bark arrived at Havana. 
 
 No sooner did Juan de Anasco and his crew put 
 foot upon land, than they threw themselves on their 
 knees, and in this way crawled to church to hear 
 mass, in fulfilment of a vow made in an hour of great 
 peril. When this was done they related all the 
 dangers they had passed on sea and land ; having 
 once been in imminent peril of foundering, and 
 having passed two months on an uninhabited island, 
 subsisting on shell fish gathered along the beach, 
 and wild fowl knocked down with clubs. 
 
 Juan de Anasco, however, had faithfully fulfilled 
 the great object of his cruise, having found a secure 
 harbour on the coast of Florida. He brought with 
 him, also, four of the natives whom he had captured, 
 to serve as interpreters and guides. 
 
 All his forces being now assembled in Havana, 
 and the season favourable for sailing being at hand, 
 the Governor made his final arrangements, appoint 
 ing his wife Dona Isabel de Bobadilla to govern the 
 island during his absence, with Juan de Roxas, as 
 
46 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 lieutenant governor, and Francisco de Guzman as 
 his lieutenant, in the city of Santiago. These two 
 cavaliers had been in command prior to his arrival 
 at the island, and had proved themselves worthy of 
 this great mark of confidence.* 
 
 * The Inca, lib. 1, c. 13. 
 
 t Portuguese relation, c. vii. Herrera. D. vi. L. 7, c, 9. 
 
47 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 De Soto meets with an old comrade, Hernan Ponce 
 much against the will of the latter. 
 
 WHILE the Governor was waiting for a fair wind 
 to embark and set sail, a ship was seen hovering off 
 the port, driven there by stress of weather, but evi 
 dently endeavouring to keep to sea. Three times 
 it was forced to the mouth of the harbour, and as 
 often fought its way against contrary winds to the 
 broad ocean, as if the greatest anxiety of the crew 
 was to avoid the port. At length, after struggling 
 four or five days against tempestuous weather, it 
 was compelled to come to anchor in the harbour. 
 
 This ship came from Nombre de Dios, on the 
 Isthmus of Panama, and this was the story of its 
 singular conduct. On board of it was Hernan 
 
 o 
 
 Ponce, an old comrade of Hernando De Soto. 
 They had sought their fortunes together in Peru, 
 and when De Soto left that country for a time to 
 visit Spain, he entered into articles of partnership, 
 or brotherhood, as it was called, with Hernan 
 Ponce, as was frequently done by the Spanish dis- 
 
48 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 coverers and soldiers of fortune in the new world. 
 By these articles they bound themselves, during 
 their lives, to an equal participation of gains and 
 losses, and of all things, whether of honour or profit. 
 
 After the departure of De Soto for Spain, Her- 
 nan Ponce had amassed much wealth, and had re 
 covered several debts which De Soto had left with 
 him to be collected. Having turned all his property 
 into gold and silver, and jewels and precious stones, 
 he embarked for Spain, but, at the port of embar- 
 cation, heard of the new enterprise of his old com 
 rade De Soto, and that he was at Havana with a 
 great and expensive armament for the conquest of 
 Florida. 
 
 Hernan Ponce had no ambition of joining in 
 the conquest ; and he feared that De Soto, having 
 expended all his own wealth upon hi* outfits, would 
 claim his right of partnership and seek to share the 
 treasures he was carrying home, if not to grasp the 
 whole. Hernan Ponce, therefore, had been anxious 
 to steer clear of the port of Havana and to pursue 
 his voyage, and had made large offers to the mari 
 ners to induce them to keep to sea, but tempestuous 
 weather had absolutely driven them into port. No 
 sooner did Hernando De Soto hear of the arrival 
 of his ancient comrade and partner, than he sent per 
 sons on board to-compliment and congratulate him 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 49 
 
 upon his arrival, and to invite him on shore to share 
 with him his house, his possessions, and all his 
 honours and commands. The message he followed 
 up in person, repeating all his congratulations and 
 offers. 
 
 Hernan Ponce would gladly have dispensed with 
 both compliments and fraternity, and quaked in se 
 cret for the safety of his treasures. He affected, 
 however, to reciprocate the joy and good will of 
 his former comrade, but excused himself from land 
 ing until the following day, pleading the necessity 
 of sleep and repose after the fatigues of the late 
 tempest. De Soto left him to his repose, but sus 
 pecting, or having had some intimation of his real 
 circumstances and designs, he secretly stationed 
 sentinels by sea and by land to keep a watch upon 
 the movements of his ancient comrade. His pre 
 cautions were not in vain. Hernan Ponce about 
 midnight landed two coffers, containing all his gold, 
 pearls, and precious stones, to be concealed in 
 some hamlet, or buried on the shore, leaving only 
 the silver on board, to keep up appearances, intend 
 ing to pass it off on his partner as the w r hole of his 
 wealth. 
 
 No sooner had the mariners landed the coffers, 
 and conveyed them some distance from the boat, 
 than a party of sentinels rushed out from a thicket, 
 5 
 
50 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 put them to flight, and seized upon the treasure, 
 which they conveyed in safety to the Governor. 
 
 The confusion and distress of Hernan Ponce, at 
 thus losing his beloved treasure by a measure in 
 tended for its safety, may easily be imagined. He 
 landed the next day with a sorrowful countenance, 
 and took up his abode with De Soto. 
 
 In the course of their private conversation, he 
 soon revealed the misfortune of the preceding night. 
 De Soto had been waiting for the occasion, and 
 now broke forth indignantly, reproaching him with 
 having attempted to conceal his treasures, through 
 want of faith in his justice and friendship. To show 
 how groundless had been his distrust, he now order 
 ed the coffers to be brought in, and requested him to 
 open them and see if any thing were missing. 
 
 He furthermore declared that all he had expended 
 in his present undertaking, and all the titles, com 
 mands, and privileges he had obtained from the 
 crown, he had considered as for their mutual bene 
 fit, according to their terms of co-partnership and 
 fraternity; as he could prove by witnesses then 
 with him, who had been present at the execution of 
 the writings. He now offered, whether he chose 
 to accompany him in his conquest or not, to share 
 with him his titles and commands, or to yield to 
 him such of them as he might prefer. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 51 
 
 Hernan Ponce was confounded as much by the 
 overwhelming courtesy of the Governor, as by a 
 sense of his own delinquency ; but his heart yearn 
 ed more after his own treasures than after all De 
 Soto s anticipated conquests. He excused himself 
 as well as he could for the past, pretended to be 
 highly gratified at being still considered partner 
 and brother, but declined all participation in De 
 Soto s titles. He begged that their writings of co 
 partnership might be renewed and made public, 
 and that his Excellency would proceed with his con 
 quest ; while he returned to Spain, leaving to some 
 future occasion the division of all their gains. To 
 testify his acceptence of one half of the conquest, 
 he entreated his Excellency to permit his wife 
 Dona Isabel de Bobadilla, to receive from him ten 
 thousand dollars in gold and silver, to aid in the ex 
 penses of the expedition ; being the half of what he 
 had brought from Peru. 
 
 De Soto granted his prayer; the ten thousand 
 dollars were paid into the hands of Dona Isabel, the 
 articles of co-partnership were renewed, and dur 
 ing the whole stay of Hernan Ponce at Havana, he 
 was always addressed as his Excellency, and re 
 ceived the same personal honours as the Governor. 
 
 The heart of Hernan Ponce, however, rested 
 with his money bags, and delighted not in these 
 
52 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 empty honours. Under various pretexts, he deferred 
 sailing for Spain until after the embarcation and de 
 parture of De Soto and his army for Florida. 
 Eight days after the Governor had sailed, and when 
 there was no longer a likelihood of his prompt re 
 turn, Hernan Ponce addressed an instrument in 
 writing to Juan de Rojas, the Lieutenant-Governor, 
 declaring that the ten thousand dollars given to Her- 
 nando de Soto, had not been paid as a just debt, 
 but extorted through fear lest he should make use 
 of his power to strip him of all his property. He 
 begged, therefore, that Dona Isabel de Bobadilla 
 might be compelled to refund them, otherwise he 
 should complain to the Emperor of the injustice 
 with which he had been treated. 
 
 When Dona Isabel heard of this claim, she im 
 mediately replied that there were many accounts 
 both new and old to be settled between Hernan 
 Ponce and her husband, as would be seen by the 
 writings of their co-partnership. That by those 
 same writings it would also appear that Hernan 
 Ponce owed her husband more than fifty thousand 
 ducats, being the half of the amount expended in 
 the outfit for the conquest. She demanded, there 
 fore, that Hernan Ponce should be arrested and held 
 in safety until all these accounts could be examined 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 53 
 
 and adjusted, which she offered immediately to at 
 tend to, in the name of her husband. 
 
 Hernan Ponce obtained a hint of the new troubles 
 preparing for him, and fearing, should he fall into 
 the hands of justice, he would meet with but little 
 mercy, he hoisted sail before the harpies of the law 
 could get hold of him, and made the best of his way 
 to Spain, leaving his ten thousand dollars and all 
 the unsettled accounts in the hands of Dona Isabel.* 
 Having thus disposed of this episode, we will step 
 back eight days in our chronology, to relate the sail 
 ing of. the expedition for Florida. 
 
 * Hist, of Florida per el Inca. Lib. 1. c. 14, 15. 
 
 5 - - 
 
54 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 The armament sets sail from Cuba. Arrival and Land 
 ing in Florida. Exploit of Vasco Porcallo. 
 They come upon the first traces of Pamphilo de 
 Narvaez. 
 
 On the 12th May 1539,Hernando de Soto sailed 
 from Havana on his great enterprise. His squa 
 dron consisted of eight large vessels, a caravel, and 
 two brigantines, all freighted with ample means of 
 conquest and colonization. In addition to the forces 
 brought from Spain, he had been joined by many 
 volunteers, and recruits in Cuba, so that his arma 
 ment, beside the ships crews, amounted to a 
 thousand men, and there were three hundred and 
 fifty horses. It was altogether the most splendid 
 expedition that had yet set out for the new world. 
 
 The prevalence of contrary winds kept the squa 
 dron tossing about, for several days, in the Gulf of 
 Mexico. At length, on Whitsunday, the twenty 
 fifth day of May, they arrived at the mouth of a 
 deep bay, to which, in honour of the day, De Soto 
 gave the name of Espiritu Santo, which it still re 
 tains. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 55 
 
 They had scarce arrived on the coast, when they 
 beheld bale fires blazing along the shores, and co 
 lumns of smoke rising in different directions. It 
 was evident the natives had taken the alarm, and 
 were summoning their warriors to assemble. De 
 Soto was cautious, therefore, as to debarking his 
 troops, and remained several days on board ; sound 
 ing the harbour, and seeking a secure landing place. 
 In the mean time a boat was sent on shore to pro 
 cure grass for the horses. The sailors brought off 
 also, a quantity of green grapes, resembling those 
 of Spain, which had been found growing wild in the 
 woods. They were of a kind different from any 
 that the Spaniards had seen either in Mexico or 
 Peru, and they regarded them with exultation as 
 proofs of a fruitful and pleasant country. 
 
 At length, on the last day of the month, a detach 
 ment of three hundred soldiers were landed, and 
 took formal possession of the country, in name of 
 Charles V. Not a single Indian was to be seen, 
 and the troops remained all night on shore, in a 
 state of careless security. Towards the dawn of 
 day, however, an immense number of savages 
 broke suddenly upon them with deafening yells ; se 
 veral of the Spaniards were wounded with arrows, 
 many were seized with panic, as new levied troops 
 are apt to be in their first encounter, especially 
 
56 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 when in a strange land and assailed by strange foes. 
 They retreated to the edge of the sea in great con* 
 fusion, crowding together so as to prevent each 
 other from fighting to advantage, and sounding the 
 alarm with drum and trumpet. 
 
 The din of the tumult was heard on board the 
 fleet. The late seemingly lifeless hulks were im 
 mediately as busy as a hive of bees, when their re 
 public is invaded : armour was buckled on in haste, 
 and a reinforcement quickly landed. The Lieuten 
 ant General Vasco Porcallo, with seven horsemen, 
 took the lead, not a little pleased with having so 
 early an opportunity of displaying his prowess. 
 Dashing his spurs into his horse, and brandishing his 
 lance, he charged upon the savages, who made but 
 slight resistance, and fled. He pursued them for 
 some distance, and then returned highly elated with 
 this first snuff of battle. 
 
 Scarcely had he reached the camp, however, 
 when his horse staggered under him and fell dead, 
 having been wounded by an arrow in the course ot 
 the skirmish. The shaft had been sent with such 
 force as to pass through the saddle and its housings, 
 and to bury itself, one third of its length, between 
 the ribs of the horse. Vasco Porcallo rose trium 
 phant from his fall, vaunting that the first horse that 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 5? 
 
 had fallen in this expedition was his, and his the first 
 lance raised against the infidels. 
 
 The remainder of the troops were now disem 
 barked and encamped on the borders of the bay, 
 where they remained a few days reposing after the 
 fatigues of the sea. They then marched to a vil 
 lage situated about two leagues distant ; while the 
 ships being lightened by the landing of the troops, 
 were enabled with the aid of the tide, to take their 
 station opposite. 
 
 The village was deserted by the inhabitants. It 
 consisted of several largo houses, built of wood and 
 thatched with palm leaves. At one end stood a 
 kind of temple, with the image of a bird on top, 
 made of wood, with gilded eyes. In this edifice 
 were found strings of pearls of small value, having 
 been injured by the fire, in boring them for neck 
 laces and bracelets. 
 
 In an opposite quarter of the village upon an ar 
 tificial eminence, near the shore, so constructed a 
 to serve as a fortress, stood the dwelling of the Ca 
 cique. Here the governor took up his residence, 
 with his Lieutenant, the veteran Porcallo, and his 
 camp master Luis de Moscoso. The other houses 
 were converted into barracks for the troops, and 
 store-houses for the provisions and ammunition 
 brought on shore from the vessels. The trees and 
 
58 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 bushes were cleared away, for the distance of a 
 bow-shot round the village, so as to give room for 
 the cavalry to act and to guard against sudden sur 
 prise in the night time. Sentinels also were placed 
 at every point, and parties of horsemen patrolled 
 the neighbourhood. 
 
 The governor at length succeeded in capturing a 
 few straggling Indians, natives of the place, from 
 whom he learned the cause of the fierce hostility of 
 their countrymen, and their desertion of the village. 
 Here it was that he first came upon the traces of his 
 predecessor, Pamphilo de Narvaez, and unfortu 
 nately they were of a cruel character. Narvaez in 
 his expedition to Florida had been bravely opposed 
 by the Cacique of this village, whose name was Hir- 
 rihigua.* He succeeded, at length, in winning his 
 friendship, and a treaty was formed betwen them. 
 Subsequently, however, Narvaez became enraged 
 at the cacique for some unknown reason, and in a 
 
 * We give this name according to Garcilaso de la Vega : the 
 Portuguese narrator calls the Cacique Ucita. These two authori 
 ties often differ as to Indian names. Sometimes they merely vary 
 in the spelling, as is natural where the names were caught by ear, 
 and did not originally exist in writing. At other times they differ 
 entirely ; one narrator having probably heard a village and pro 
 vince called by its proper and permanent name, the other by the 
 name of its cacique. These discrepancies are common and una 
 voidable, in the narratives of adventurers among savage tribes, 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 59 
 
 transport of passion had ordered his nose to be cut 
 off, and his mother to be torn to pieces by dogs. 
 These merciless wrongs, as may well be supposed, 
 had filled the heart of Hirrihigua with the bitterest 
 hatred of the white men. 
 
 De Soto, having heard this story, endeavoured to 
 appease the cacique and to gain his friendship. For 
 this purpose, he treated his subjects, whom he had 
 captured, in the kindest manner, and sent them, la 
 den with presents, to seek their chieftain in his re 
 treat, and invite him to amicable intercourse. The 
 Cacique was indignant at his subjects for daring to 
 bring him messages from a race who had injured 
 and insulted him so deeply. " I want none of their 
 speeches nor promises," said he, bitterly, " bring 
 me their heads, and I will receive them joyfully." 
 
 De Soto was reluctant to leave so powerful a foe 
 between himself and his ships, and endeavoured, by 
 repeated envoys to soften the animosity of the ca- 
 
 whose language is unwritten and but little understood. Where 
 irreconcilable differences occur, we are generally inclined to fol 
 low the Inca, as he received his facts from three different mem 
 bers of the expedition, one a gentleman of rank, the other two, 
 private soldiers ; whereas the Portuguese account has merely the 
 authority of a single witness. The account of the transactions 
 on landing are chiefly taken from the Inca, and occasionally from 
 the Portuguese Narrative. 
 
60 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 cique : but every message only provoked a more 
 bitter and scornful reply. 
 
 While thus negotiating with this vindictive sa 
 vage, he received intelligence that there was a Spa 
 niard, a surviver of the followers of Pamphilo de 
 Narvaez, living under the protection of a neighbour 
 ing Cacique called Mucozo.* To obtain the ser 
 vices of this Spaniard was now a matter of great 
 moment, for, having lived upwards of ten years in 
 the country, and become acquainted with the lan 
 guage and customs of the natives, he was well fitted 
 to act as guide, interpreter, and negotiator. He ac 
 cordingly despatched the brave and trusty Baltasar 
 de Gallegos, the chief Alguazil, at the head of sixty 
 lances, and under the guidance of a native Indian, 
 on an embassy to the Cacique Mucozo, to obtain the 
 release of the Spaniard, and to invite the chieftain 
 to the camp, with assurances of great friendship and 
 munificent rewards. 
 
 As this Spaniard was subsequently of great ser 
 vice throughout the expedition, and as his story is il 
 lustrative of the character and customs of the na 
 tives, and of the implacable resentment of the ca 
 cique Hirrihigua, we will diverge for a moment 
 from the main course of our narrative, to relate 
 some particulars of his adventures. 
 
 * Mocoso. Portuguese Narrative. 
 
61 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Story of Juan Ortiz. 
 
 SHORTLY after Pamphilo de Narvaez had left the 
 village of Hirrihigua on his disastrous march into 
 the interior, a small vessel of his fleet which was in 
 quest of him, put into the bay of Espiritu Santo. 
 Anchoring before the town, they saw a few Indians 
 on the shore, who made signs for them to land, 
 pointing to a letter in the end of a cleft reed, stuck 
 in the ground. The Spaniards supposed, and pro 
 bably with justice, that it was a letter of instruction 
 left by Narvaez, giving information of his move 
 ments and destination. They made signs for the 
 Indians to bring it to them. The latter, however, re 
 fused, but getting into a canoe came on board, where 
 four of them offered to remain as hostages for such 
 Spaniards as chose to go on shore for the letter. 
 Upon this four Spaniards stepped into the canoe and 
 were swiftly conveyed to shore. The moment they 
 landed, a multitude of savages rushed out of the vil 
 lage and surrounded them, and, at the same time, 
 the hostages on board plunged into the sea and 
 6 
 
62 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 swam on shore. The crew of the vessel, seeing the 
 number of the enemy, and dreading some further 
 mishap, made sail with all haste, abandoning their 
 luckless comrades to their fate.* 
 
 The captives were conveyed with savage triumph 
 into the village of Hirrihigua ; for the whole had 
 been a stratagem of the Cacique, to get some of the 
 white men into his power, upon whom he might 
 wreak his vengeance. He placed his prisoners un 
 der a strong guard, until a day of religious festival. 
 They were then stripped naked, led out into the 
 public square of the village and turned loose, one 
 at a time, to be shot at with arrows. To prolong 
 their misery and the enjoyment of their tormentors, 
 but one Indian was allowed to shoot at a time. In 
 this way the first three were sacrificed, and the Ca 
 cique took a vindictive pleasure in beholding them, 
 running in their agony from corner to corner, vainly 
 seeking an asylum in every nook, until after repeat 
 ed wounds they were shot to death. 
 
 Juan Ortiz, a youth, scarce eighteen years of age, 
 of a noble family of Seville, was the fourth victim. 
 As they were leading him forth, his extreme youth 
 touched with compassion the hearts of the wife and 
 
 * Garcilaso de la Vega. Part 1. L. 2. c. 1. 
 Portuguese Narrative, c. 9. 
 Herrera. D. 6. L. 7. c. 10. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 63 
 
 daughters of the Cacique, who interceded in his fa 
 vour. 
 
 The Cacique listened to their importunities, and 
 granted for the present the life of Ortiz ; but a 
 wretched life did he lead. From morning until 
 evening he was employed in bringing wood and 
 water, and was allowed but little sleep and scanty 
 food. Not a day passed that he was not beaten. 
 On festivals he was an object of barbarous amuse 
 ment to the Cacique, who would oblige him to run, 
 from sunrise until sunset, in the public square of the 
 village, where his companions had met their untimely 
 end ; Indians being stationed with bows and arrows, 
 to shoot him, should he halt one moment. When 
 the day was spent, the unfortunate youth lay stretch 
 ed on the hard floor of the hut, more dead than 
 alive. At such times the wife and daughters of the 
 Cacique would come to him privately with food 
 and clothing, and by their kind treatment his life 
 was preserved. 
 
 At length the Cacique determining to put an 
 end to his victim s existence, ordered, that he should 
 be bound down upon a wooden frame, in the form 
 of a huge gridiron, placed in the public square, over 
 a bed of live coals, and roasted alive. 
 
 The cries and shrieks of the poor youth reached 
 his female protectors, and their entreaties were once 
 
64 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 more successful with the Cacique. They unbound 
 Ortiz, dragged him from the fire, and took him to 
 their dwelling, where they bathed him with the 
 juice of herbs, and tended him with assiduous care. 
 After many days he recovered from his wounds, 
 though marked with many a scar. 
 
 His employment was now to guard the cemetery 
 of the village. This was in a lonely field in the 
 bosom of a forest. The bodies of the dead were 
 deposited in wooden boxes, covered with boards, 
 without any fastening except a stone or a log of 
 wood laid upon the top ; so that the bodies were 
 often carried away by wild beasts. 
 
 In this cemetery was Ortiz stationed with a bow 
 and arrows, to watch day and night, and was told 
 that should a single body be carried away, he would 
 be burnt alive. He returned thanks to God for 
 having freed him from the dreaded presence of the 
 Cacique, hoping to lead a better life with the dead 
 than he had done with the living. 
 
 While watching thus one long wearisome night, 
 sleep overpowered him towards morning. He was 
 awakened by the falling lid of one of the chests, and, 
 running to it found it empty. It had contained the 
 body of an infant recently deceased, the child of an 
 Indian of great note. 
 
 Ortiz doubted not some animal had dragged it 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. ^ 05 
 
 away, and immediately set out in pursuit. After 
 wandering for some time, he heard, a short distance 
 within the woods, a noise like that of a dog gnaw 
 ing bones. Warily drawing near to the spot, he 
 dimly perceived an animal among the bushes, and 
 invoking succour from on high, let fly an arrow at 
 it. The thick and tangled underwood prevented 
 his seeing the effect of his shot, but as the animal 
 did not stir he flattered himself that it had been fatal ; 
 with this hope he waited until the day dawned, 
 when he beheld his victim, a huge animal of the 
 panther kind,* lying dead, the arrow having passed 
 through his entrails and cleft his heart. 
 
 Gathering together the mangled remains of the 
 infant, and replacing them in the coffin, Ortiz 
 dragged his victim in triumph to the village, with 
 the arrow still in his body. The exploit gained him 
 credit with the old hunters, and for some time sof 
 tened even the ferocity of the Cacique. The resent 
 ment of the latter, however, for the wrongs he had 
 suffered from white men, was too bitter to be ap 
 peased. Some time after, his eldest daughter came 
 to Ortiz, and warned him that her father had deter 
 mined to sacrifice him at the next festival, which 
 was just at hand, and that the influence of her mo- 
 
 * The Inca calls this animal a Lion, as the Spanish discoverers 
 were prone to call animals of the Tiger or Panther kind. 
 6* 
 
66 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 ther, her sisters and herself would no longer avail 
 him. She wished him, therefore, to take refuge 
 with a neighbouring Cacique named Mucozo, who 
 loved her and sought her in marriage, and who, for 
 her sake, would befriend him. " This very night 
 at midnight" said the kind-hearted maiden, " at the 
 northern extremity of the village you will find a 
 trusty friend who will guide you to a bridge, 
 about two leagues hence ; on arriving there, you 
 must send him back, that he may reach home be 
 fore the morning dawn, to avoid suspicion for well 
 he knows that this bold act, in daring to assist you, 
 may bring down destruction upon us both. Six 
 leagues further on, you will come to the village of 
 Mucozo tell him that I have sent you, and expect 
 him to befriend you in your extremity I know 
 he will do it go, and may ^our God protect you !" 
 Ortiz threw himself at the feet of his generous pro 
 tectress and poured out his acknowledgments for 
 the kindness she had always shown him. The In 
 dian guide was at the place appointed, and they left 
 the village without alarming the warlike savages. 
 When they came to the bridge, Ortiz sent back the 
 guide, in obedience to the injunction of his mistress, 
 and, continuing his flight, found himself, by break of 
 day, on the banks of a small stream near the village 
 of Mucozo. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 67 
 
 Looking cautiously round, he espied two Indians 
 fishing. As he was unacquainted with their lan 
 guage, and could not explain the cause of his coming, 
 he was in dread lest they should take him for an 
 enemy and kill him. He, therefore, ran swiftly to 
 the place where they had deposited their weapons 
 and seized upon them. The savages fled to the 
 village without attending to his assurances of friendly 
 intention. The inhabitants sallied out armed with 
 bows and arrows, and made show as though they 
 would attack him. Ortiz fixed an arrow in his bow 
 and prepared for defence, but cried out at the same 
 moment, that he came not as an enemy but as an 
 ambassador from a female Cacique to their chief. 
 Fortunately one present understood him, and inter 
 preted his words. On this the Indians unbent their 
 bows, and returning with him to their village, pre 
 sented him to Mucozo. The latter, a youthful chief 
 tain, of a graceful form and handsome countenance, 
 received Ortiz kindly for the sake of her who had 
 sent him ; but, on further acquaintance, became at 
 tached to him for his own merits, treating him with 
 the affection of a brother. 
 
 Hirrihigua soon heard where the fugitive had 
 taken refuge, and demanded several times that he 
 should be delivered up ; Mucozo as often declined ; 
 considering himself bound by the laws of honour and 
 
68 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 hospitality to protect him. Hirrihigua then em 
 ployed as mediator another Cacique, a brother-in- 
 law of Mucozo, by the name of Urribarracuxi, who 
 went in person to demand Ortiz. The generous 
 Mucozo, however, indignantly refused to deliver up 
 to a cruel enemy, the poor fugitive who had come 
 recommended to his protection, and treated the 
 very request as a stain upon his honour. The two 
 Caciques continued their importunities, but the high 
 minded savage remained faithful to his guest, though 
 in maintaining inviolate the sacred rites of hospi 
 tality, he lost the friendship of his brother-in-law, 
 and forfeited the hand of her he tenderly loved, the 
 beautiful daughter of Hirrihigua. 
 
69 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Baltazar de Gallegos despatched in search of Juan 
 Ortiz. The Cacique Mucozo, and afterwards his 
 mother, visit the Spanish camp. 
 
 1539. AT this juncture tidings reached Mucozo 
 of the arrival of De Soto and his troops at the village 
 of Hirrihigua, and that it was their intention to con 
 quer the country. The cacique, alarmed at this in 
 telligence, addressed himself to Ortiz. " You well 
 know," said he, " what I have done for you ; that I 
 have sheltered you when friendless, and have chosen 
 rather to fall into disgrace with my relations and 
 neighbours, than deliver you into the hands of your 
 enemies. This I have done without thought or hope 
 of reward, but the time has come when you can re 
 pay me for my friendship. Go to the chieftain of 
 this army of white men that has arrived represent 
 to him the asylum I have extended to you, and 
 which, in like case, I \vould have afforded to any of 
 your countrymen entreat him, in return, not to lay 
 waste my small territory, and assure him that I and 
 mine are ready to devote ourselves to his service." 
 
 Ortiz gladly departed on the mission, accompa- 
 
70 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 nied by fifty chosen warriors. It happened that 
 about the same time Baltazar de Gallegos had been 
 despatched, as has been already mentioned, on his 
 embassy to Mucozo. . 
 
 As Ortiz and his Indian escort, therefore, were 
 on their way to the village of Hirrihigua, they came 
 in sight of Baltazar, and his band of lancers, glisten 
 ing at a distance, in the midst of a verdant plain, 
 skirted by a wood. 
 
 The Indians would have concealed themselves 
 in the forest, until the Christians could be informed 
 that they were friends ; but Ortiz slighted their ad 
 vice, insisting that his countrymen would at once 
 recognise him : not reflecting that in appearance he 
 was in no wise different from his savage companions, 
 being like them almost naked, his body browned by 
 exposure to the sun, his arms painted, a quiver at 
 his back, a bow and arrow in his hand, and his head 
 adorned with feathers. 
 
 No sooner did the Spaniards descry the savages, 
 than they came down upon them at full gallop, 
 heedless of the voice of their captain ; for they 
 were newly raised soldiers, full of spirit, and eager 
 for a brush with the natives. 
 
 The Indians seeing their furious approach, fled 
 terrified to the wood. One of their number, how 
 ever, being bewildered, or possessing more courage 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 71 
 
 than the rest, loitered behind. He was pursued by 
 a Spaniard, and before he could attain the shelter of 
 the adjacent thicket, was overtaken by the trooper s 
 lance. Juan Ortiz was assaulted by Alvaro Nieto, 
 one of the stoutest and boldest troopers in the army, 
 who charged upon him full tilt with his lance. 
 Ortiz parried the thrust with his bow, running at 
 the same time, and leaping from side to side with 
 great agility to avoid the horse, crying out lustily 
 Xivilla,Xivilla meaning Seville, Seville ; and mak 
 ing the sign of the cross with his arm and bow, to 
 signify that he was a Christian. 
 
 Alvaro Nieto hearing him cry out Xivilla, demand 
 ed of him whether he was Juan Ortiz. On his re 
 plying in the affirmative, he seized him by the arm, 
 lifted him upon the croup of his saddle, and scoured 
 away with him over the plain to present him to 
 Baltazar de Gallegos. The captain received him 
 with great joy, and ordered his troopers to be im 
 mediately recalled, for they were beating up the 
 entangled woods, hunting the poor Indians like so 
 many deer. 
 
 Ortiz himself went into the forest and called with 
 a loud voice to the Indians, to come out of the 
 thickets and fear nothing. Many of them, however, 
 were panic-struck and fled back to their village, to 
 acquaint Mucozo with what had happened. Others 
 
72 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA- 
 
 joined Ortiz in small parties, upbraiding him with 
 his rashness, but when they found one of their peo 
 ple wounded, they were so exasperated, that they 
 would have laid violent hands upon him had not the 
 Spaniards been present. 
 
 They were at length pacified. The soldiers 
 bound up the wounds of the Indian, and placed him 
 upon a horse. The troopers, having taken up all 
 the Indians behind them, galloped away for the 
 encampment of the Governor. Previously to set 
 ting off, however, Ortiz despatched an Indian to 
 Mucozo, with a true account of the late events, lest 
 that cacique should be irritated by the alarming 
 statement brought by the fugitives.* 
 
 The night was already far advanced when Balta- 
 zar de Gallegos and his band reached the camp. 
 When the governor heard the tramp of their horse, 
 he was filled with alarm, suspecting some mischance 
 had befallen them, as he did not look for them be 
 fore the expiration of three days. His apprehen 
 sions, however, were soon turned to rejoicing. He 
 praised Gallegos and his men for the skill and suc 
 cess of their expedition, and received Ortiz as his 
 own son, sympathizing with him in his past suffer 
 ings, presenting him with a suit of clothes, arms, and 
 
 * Portuguese Narrative, c. 8. Herrera, D. 6. L. 7. c. 9 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 73 
 
 a good horse.* The Indians who accompanied 
 them, he treated with every mark of kindness, and 
 ordered the wounded savage to be carefully attend 
 ed. He then despatched two of the natives to Mu- 
 cozo, thanking him for his past kindness to Ortiz, 
 accepting his proffers of friendship, and inviting him 
 to visit the camp. Not an eye was closed this 
 night, but one and all joined in the revelry which 
 welcomed the liberation of poor Ortiz. 
 
 On the third day after the envoys had been des 
 patched, the cacique Mucozo arrived, accompanied 
 by his warriors. He kissed the hands of the Go 
 vernor with great veneration, saluted each one of 
 the officers, and made a slight obeisance to the pri 
 vates. De Soto received him with affectionate 
 courtesy, and assured him that his people would be 
 ever grateful to him for all his past kindnesses. 
 " What I have done unto Ortiz," said Mucozo, " is 
 but little indeed ; he came commended to me, and 
 threw himself upon my protection. There is a law 
 of our tribe, which forbids our betraying a fugitive 
 w r ho asks of us an asylum. But his own virtue and 
 dauntless courage entitled him to all the respect 
 which was shown him. That I have pleased your 
 people, I rejoice exceedingly, and by devoting my- 
 
 * Portuguese Narrative, c. 7, Garcilaso de la Vega, P. 1. L. 2. 
 c. 7. Hcrrera, Decad. 6. L. 7. c. 10. 
 
74 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 self, henceforth, to their service, I hope to merit 
 their esteem." These words were uttered with so 
 much grace, his bearing was so noble and lofty, and 
 his manner was so full of kindness, that De Soto and 
 his officers were touched, and made him presents 
 for himself and his warriors. 
 
 Two days afterwards came the mother of Muco- 
 zo, overwhelmed with grief because her son was in 
 the power of the Christians. She never would have 
 consented to his visiting the army, but was absent 
 at the time of his departure. She passionately en 
 treated the governor to deliver up her son, and not 
 serve him as Narvaez had served Hirrihigua. " He 
 is young," said she, " only give him his liberty, and 
 take me, who am a poor old woman, and treat rne 
 as you please. I will bear any punishment for both." 
 De Soto endeavoured to reassure her by expres 
 sions of gratitude and friendship for her son and 
 herself; but though she remained three days in the 
 camp, and was treated by every one with respect 
 and kindness, she continued anxious and suspicious. 
 She ate at the table of the governor, but would par 
 take of nothing until Ortiz had tasted it; fearing she 
 might be poisoned. " How is this," said a Spaniard 
 to her, "that you have now so great a fear of death, 
 you who offered to die for your son ?" 
 
 " I have the same love of life as other mortals," re- 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 75 
 
 plied she, " but most willingly would I lose it to 
 save a son, who is far dearer to me than life itself !" 
 
 Even when assured of the perfect liberty of Mu- 
 cozo, and that he only remained for a time with the 
 Spaniards through choice, because they were young 
 braves like himself, she was but poorly comforted, 
 and departed sorrowing for her home. On parting, 
 she took Juan Ortiz aside, and besought him to libe 
 rate Mucozo, inasmuch as he had saved him from 
 the vengeful hands of Hirrihigua. 
 
 The cacique remained in the army eight days, 
 and during this time became very familiar, and was 
 inspired with perfect confidence in the Spaniards. 
 He went home well contented, and frequently after 
 wards revisited the Governor, bringing always a 
 number of presents.* 
 
 * Garcilaso de la Vega. P. 1. L. 2. c. 7, 8. 
 
76 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 The Governor endeavours to gain the friendship of 
 the stern Cacique of Hirrihigua Gallegos des 
 patched on an expedition to the village of Urri- 
 barracaxi he hears of a region to the westward" 
 abounding in gold. 
 
 1739. WHILE these things were passing in the 
 camp, the provisions and munitions were landed from 
 the caravels, and stored away in the village of Hir 
 rihigua. The Adelantado, following the example of 
 Cortez and other renowned captains, despatched se 
 ven of the largest vessels to the Havana, in order 
 that his followers might lose all hope of leaving the 
 country, retaining only a caravel and twobrigantines 
 to keep command of the sea coast and of the bay.* 
 He appointed Pedro Calderon to the command of 
 this important post. He was a hardy veteran, nursed 
 in a rough school, amid camps and battle scenes, 
 and had served in his youth under the great Captain 
 Gonsalvo de Cordova. 
 
 * Herrera. Hist. Ind. Decad. vi. L. vii. c. 10. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 77 
 
 De Soto left no means untried to gain the friend 
 ship of Hirrihigua, being aware that the example of 
 this powerful chieftain would have great sway with 
 the neighbouring Caciques. Accordingly, when 
 ever the troopers, in foraging the adjacent country, 
 captured a vassal of this Cacique, he instantly sent 
 him home loaded with presents and kind messages, 
 urging Hirrihigua to accept his proffered amity, and 
 promising every reparation for the wrongs inflicted 
 upon him by Pamphilo de Narvaez. These wrongs, 
 however, were too deep to be easily obliterated 
 from the stern bosorn of the savage chieftain. The 
 only reply he deigned to give was, " The memory of 
 my injuries forbid my sending a kind answer, and 
 a harsh one your courtesy will not allow me to re 
 turn." Still these constant and unwearied exer 
 tions of De Soto in some measure mitigated the 
 deadly rancour of the Cacique against the Span 
 iards. 
 
 The Governor made many inquiries of Ortiz re 
 specting the country, and whether there was any 
 region abounding in gold and silver. Ortiz knew of 
 no such place, and could yield but little information. 
 When with Hirrihigua he had been closely watch 
 ed, and not allowed to wander : and although while 
 dwelling with Mucozo he had perfect liberty, yet he 
 dared not venture far, through fear of being waylaid 
 7* 
 
78 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 by his enemies. He had heard much, however, of 
 a Cacique named Urribarracaxi, whose village was 
 thirty leagues distant, who was the most powerful 
 chieftain of the country. To him Mucozo, Hirrihigua, 
 and all the other Caciques of the coast paid tribute, 
 and his territories were far more fertile and abun 
 dant than those nearer the sea.* 
 
 Upon this the Governor despatched Baltazar de 
 Gallegoson an expedition to the village of this pow 
 erful Cacique. Gallegos chose the same sixty lances 
 that had accompanied him when in search of Juan 
 Ortiz, and other sixty foot soldiers, armed with cross- 
 bows and bucklers. He was accompanied by Or 
 tiz as guide and interpreter. On approaching the 
 village of Mucozo, the Cacique came forth to receive 
 them, and entertained them for the night with great 
 hospitality. On the following morning the Captain 
 demanded of him a guide to the village of Urri 
 barracaxi. The Cacique at first thought their de 
 signs upon the village were hostile, and shrank with 
 noble spirit from what would have been an act of 
 perfidy against his relative and neighbour. When 
 he found, however, that they w r ere on a friendly 
 errand, and only wanted one of his vassals as a pre 
 cursor, to go before and inform Urribarracaxi of 
 
 * Portuguese Relation, c. 9. The name of the Cacique in the 
 Portuguese Narrative is Paracoxi, We follow the Inca. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 79 
 
 their amicable intentions, he gladly furnished them 
 with an Indian for the purpose, who had been a fast 
 friend of Juan Ortiz. 
 
 In their march thus far into the interior they had 
 been occasionally impeded by morasses, which, 
 however, became less frequent the farther they 
 went from the sea. They observed many trees 
 similar to those of Spain, such as Walnut, Oak, 
 Mulberry, Plumb, Pine, and Evergreen Oak. There 
 were wild grapes also in abundance. 
 
 The distance from the village of Mucozo to that 
 of his brother-in-law was about seventeen leagues. 
 They arrived there in four days, but found it desert 
 ed, the inhabitants having fled to the woods. They 
 sent their envoy repeatedly to the Cacique, with the 
 most friendly messages, but every effort to draw him 
 from his retreat proved fruitless, though he mani 
 fested no hostility in word or deed. Gallegos made 
 diligent inquiry of the Indians they met with as to 
 any province where gold and silver were to be 
 found. They replied that there was a country to 
 the westward called Ocali, the inhabitants of which 
 were continually at war with the people of another 
 province, in which the Spring lasted all the year 
 long, and gold was so plenty that their warriors 
 wore head pieces of that precious metal.* 
 
 * Portuguese Narrative, c. 10. 
 
 
80 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 The expedition of the veteran Vasco Porcallo in quest 
 of the Cacique Hirrihigua, and how he fared in a 
 swamp. 
 
 1539. AFTER the Governor, Hernando de Soto, 
 had despatched Gallegos on his exploring expedition, 
 he received intelligence that the Cacique Hirrihigua 
 was concealed in a forest at no great distance from 
 the camp. He was about to send a captain with an 
 armed force in quest of him, when the enterprise 
 was claimed by the Lieutenant-General, Vasco Por 
 callo de Figueroa. This brave old cavalier had a 
 passion for military exploit, and was withal, a little 
 vainglorious. He thought this a fitting opportunity 
 to signalize himself, and insisted upon having the 
 honour of capturing this fugitive, yet formidable 
 Cacique. The enterprise being granted to him, he 
 prepared for it in his usual style ; for he was fond of 
 parade, and generous in all his appointments. Hav 
 ing selected a band of horsemen and foot soldiers, 
 he put himself at their head and sallied forth from 
 the camp, well mounted, and cased in glittering ar- 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 81 
 
 mour, vaunting that he would bring home Hirri- 
 higua either a prisoner or a friend.* 
 
 He had not proceeded far, however, when he was 
 met by an Indian messenger, sent by Hirrihigua, 
 who had received intelligence by his spies of the 
 armed force, marching in quest of him. The mes 
 senger entreated Vasco Porcallo on the part of Hir 
 rihigua, not to proceed any farther, as the Cacique 
 was in so secure a fortress that, with all his exer 
 tions, he could not get to him ; whereas he and his 
 troops would be exposed to infinite perils from the 
 rivers, morasses and tangled forests, which he would 
 have to pass. The Cacique added, that he gave 
 this advice, not through any fear for himself, but in 
 consequence of the forbearance manifested by the 
 Spaniards, in not injuring his territory, or his sub 
 jects. 
 
 Vasco Porcallo listened to the messenger with 
 incredulity ; persuading himself that fear, not gra 
 titude, nor courtesy dictated the message ; so he or 
 dered the trumpet to sound, and marched on. As 
 he advanced, messenger after messenger encounter 
 ed him, all repeating the warning to return, and 
 they at length became so frequent as almost to over 
 take each other. The more, however, he was warn- 
 
 * Garcilaso de la Vega, P. 1, L. 2, c. 9. 
 Herrera. Hist. Ind. Decad. 6, L. 7. c. 10, 
 
82 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 ed to return, the more obstinately did the stout 
 hearted, and hot headed cavalier persist in advanc 
 ing ; taking every thing by contrary, and judging of 
 the panic of the Cacique, by the frequency of his 
 messages. His only fear was that the prize might 
 take to flight, and escape him. He spurred on hotly, 
 therefore, with his troops until they arrived at a 
 vast and dismal morass. 
 
 Here his men perceived the truth of the warnings 
 they had received, and began to remonstrate about 
 the difficulty and danger of attempting this morass. 
 Vasco Porcallo, however, had put himself too much 
 on his mettle in this enterprise, to be easily daunt 
 ed. He insisted upon their entering ; but, being 
 an old soldier, he knew the effect in time of difficul 
 ty, of setting an example ; so, putting spurs to his 
 horse, he dashed forward, and his men followed him 
 pell mell into the morass. Vasco Porcallo had not 
 proceeded far, however, when, coming to a deep 
 miry place, his horse floundered and fell. The peril 
 of the Lieutenant-General was imminent ; the horse 
 had fallen upon one of his legs so as to pin him 
 down, while the weight of his armour contributed to 
 sink him in the mire. Both horse and rider were in 
 danger of suffocation, nor could any one come to 
 their aid : being in a perfect quagmire, where all 
 who entered would be exposed to like peril. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 83 
 
 At length, with infinite difficulty, the worthy ca 
 valier extricated himself and his steed from this dis 
 mal bog, and landed once more on firm ground, co 
 vered with mud and mire. All his vainglory was 
 at an end, he was out of humour with himself, and 
 felt mortified in the sight of his soldiers. The sa 
 vage whom he had come to fight and capture, in 
 stead of encountering him with deadly weapons, 
 had conquered him by courteous and friendly mes 
 sages, and his vainglorious enterprise had ended in 
 a struggle in a quagmire. 
 
 Ordering his men to face about, he set. out 
 on his return for the camp, in far different 
 mood from that in which he had sallied forth. 
 Amidst the mortifications of his present plight, he 
 called to mind the pleasant and comfortable home 
 he had left behind, at Cuba, and the easy and luxu 
 rious life he had led there. He reflected that he 
 was no longer a boy ; that the vigour of his days 
 was past ; that his present disaster was but a slight 
 foretaste of the toils and troubles that must attend 
 this conquering expedition ; that he was not obliged 
 to encounter them, but had better return to his 
 home, and leave the conquest of Florida for the 
 young hot heads who were embarked in it. 
 
 Revolving these and similar thoughts in his mind, 
 the worthy old cavalier, all bedabbled and bemired, 
 
84 CONQUEST OP FLORIDA. 
 
 and totally crest fallen, rode along in crusty and 
 querulous, yet half whimsical humour, muttering his 
 fancies to himself, and ejaculating, in a broken 
 manner, the hard Indian names, with an occasional 
 curse upon them for their ruggedness. " Hurri- 
 harri ! Hurri-higa ! Burra-coxa ! Hurri-harri the 
 devil take a country where the great men have such 
 infamous names ! a fine commencement this ! pro 
 mising omens of future luck ! Glorious middles and 
 ends to be augured from such beginnings ! Well, 
 let those work for food and fame who are in need of 
 them. For my part, I have riches and honour 
 enough to last for the rest of my life, and to leave 
 behind me." 
 
 In this moody way, the worthy Vasco Porcallo 
 arrived at the camp. All his dreams of conquest 
 were at an end. The martial fire which he had 
 caught from the young sparks of the army, and 
 which had blazed up so suddenly in his bosom, had 
 been as suddenly extinguished. His only thought 
 now, was, how to get rid of his command of Lieu 
 tenant General, and to get safe back to his comfort 
 able home in Cuba. With these views he present 
 ed himself at once before De Soto, and stating his 
 reasons with honest force and hearty sincerity, ap 
 plied for permission to resign. The Governor grant 
 ed it with the same promptness and grace, with 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 85 
 
 which he had accepted his offer to join the enter 
 prise, and moreover furnished him with the galliot 
 San Anton, to convoy him to the island. 
 
 The worthy veteran now set to work as eagerly 
 to get out of the expedition, as he had done to enter 
 upon it. His train of servants, Spanish, Indian, and 
 negro, were embarked with all speed ; but when 
 the gallant old cavalier came to take leave of his 
 young companions in arms, and the soldiers he 
 had lately aspired to lead so vaingloriously, his 
 magnificent spirit broke forth. He made gifts to 
 the right and left, dividing among the officers and 
 knights all the arms, accoutrements, horses, and 
 camp equipage with which he had come so lavishly 
 and ostentatiously provided ; and he gave for the 
 use of the army all the ample store of provisions 
 and munitions which he had brought for the use of 
 himself and his retinue. This done, he bade fare 
 well to campaigning, and set sail for Cuba, much to 
 the regret of the army, who lamented that so galliard 
 a spirit should have burnt out so soon. 
 
 The only one that remained behind of the train 
 of Vasco Porcallo, was his natural son, named Go 
 mez Suarez de Figueroa, whom he had by an In 
 dian woman, in Cuba, and with whom he left two 
 horses and arms, arid other necessaries. This youth 
 throughout this expedition, conducted himself as a 
 
 8 
 
86 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 good knight and soldier, and a worthy son of such 
 a father, serving with great promptitude on all oc 
 casions.* 
 
 *The Inca. P. 1, L.2, c. 11. 
 
87 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 De Soto leaves Pedro Colder on with a garrison in 
 Hirrihigua and sets out on his march into the 
 interior the difficulties he encountered Gonzalo 
 Silvestre sent back with a message to Calderon. 
 
 1539. ON the day after the departure of Vasco 
 Porcallo, a young cavalier named Gonzalo Silves 
 tre, followed by three other horsemen, rode into the 
 camp, having been sent by Baltazar de Gallegos. 
 They brought favourable accounts from Gallegos of 
 the country he had explored, and assurances that, in 
 the village of Urribarracaxi and its neighbourhood, 
 there were provisions enough to sustain the army 
 for several days. 
 
 There was but one drawback on their favourable 
 intelligence, which was, that beyond the town of 
 Urribarracaxi there extended a vast and dismal 
 swamp, exceedingly difficult to be traversed. The 
 Spaniards, however, who were all alert for action 
 and adventure, made light of this obstacle, averring 
 that God had given man genius and dexterity with 
 which to make his way through every difficulty. 
 
88 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 Satisfied from the relation given by these men 
 that he might readily penetrate into the interior, the 
 Governor issued orders for every one to prepare to 
 march on the fourth day. In the mean time he des 
 patched Gonzalo Silvestre, with twenty horsemen, 
 to notify Baltazar de Gallegos of his intended march 
 to join him. 
 
 As there was a great quantity of arms, ammuni 
 tion, and provisions in the village of Hirrihigua, he 
 left a garrison there of forty horsemen and eighty foot 
 soldiers, with Pedro Calderon as Captain ; who had 
 command also of the shipping in the harbour, con 
 sisting of a caravel and two brigantines with their 
 crews. 
 
 They were enjoined to remain quiet, and not to 
 move to any other place without orders from De 
 Soto : they were, moreover, to cultivate peace with 
 the surrounding Indians ; not to make war upon them 
 even though they were taunted and insulted, and 
 above all, to treat Mucozo with marked friendship. 
 
 Having made all these arrangements, and trust 
 ing, as well he might, in Pedro Calderon as a good 
 soldier and discreet Captain, De Soto set out on 
 the appointed day, with his main force, from the 
 Bay of Espiritu Santo and the village of Hirrihigua. 
 It was an arduous and difficult task to conduct such 
 a body of troops, encumbered with armour and 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 89 
 
 with all kinds of baggage and supplies, through a 
 wilderness, exposed to hardships and dangers, and 
 a wild kind of warfare, to all which most of them 
 were entirely unaccustomed. 
 
 As a leading object with the Governor, also, was 
 to found a colony, he was encumbered with many 
 things that embarrassed the march of his army. 
 Among these are particularly noted three hundred 
 swine, with which he intended to stock the country 
 when he should settle, having been found the most 
 advantageous stock for the sustenance of new colo 
 nies. These animals were placed in charge of a 
 company of horse, to keep them to the line of march, 
 and guard them in traversing the swamps and 
 rivers. 
 
 Besides the match locks and cross-bows with 
 which the infantry were armed, there was one piece 
 of ordnance in the army, the transportation of 
 which must have cost vast labour, while it appears 
 never to have rendered any efficient service. 
 
 After two days march, always to the northeast, 
 De Soto, on the morning of the third day, came in 
 sight of the village of Mucozo. The Cacique came 
 forth to receive him, expressing great grief at his 
 intended depatrure from the country, and entreat 
 ing him to remain that night in his village. The 
 Governor, however, excused himself, riot wishing to 
 8* 
 
90 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 task his hospitality with such a multitude of guests. 
 He again expressed his thanks for the kindness 
 shown by the Cacique to Juan Ortiz, and commend 
 ed to his friendship and good offices the Captain 
 and soldiers who remained in garrison in the village 
 of Hirrihigua. The Cacique promised to observe 
 towards them the strictest amity. He then took 
 leave of the Governor and his principal officers and 
 cavaliers, with many embraces and apparently sin 
 cere tears, praying that the sun might shine upon 
 them throughout their journey, and prosper them in 
 all their undertakings. The Spaniards, themselves, 
 were greatly affected at parting with this generous 
 savage, who had in all things proved himself so true 
 and noble a friend. 
 
 On arriving at the village of Urribarracaxi, De 
 Soto found Baltazar de Gallegos waiting to receive 
 him. The Cacique, however, was still absent, re 
 maining in the fastnesses of the forest, and though 
 the Governor sent envoys with offers of peace and 
 amity, nothing could draw him forth from his place 
 of refuge. 
 
 A grand obstacle now lay in the way by which 
 the Spaniards were to proceed. About three 
 leagues from the village extended a great morass 
 a league in width, two thirds mire and one third wa 
 ter, and very deep at the borders. Runners were 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 91 
 
 
 
 sent forth in three different directions to discover 
 a pass, which they succeeded in doing after several 
 days search. By this pass the army crossed with 
 ease, although it took a whole day to do so. 
 
 They now arrived on a broad plain, and sent the 
 runners ahead to explore their route. The latter 
 returned the next day, declaring that they could not 
 proceed farther on account of the many bogs made 
 by streams which ran out of the great morass and 
 inundated the country. Upon this the Governor 
 determined to seek a road himself. Choosing, there 
 fore, one hundred horse and as many foot soldiers, 
 he left the rest of the army where they were, with 
 the Camp-Master-General, Luis de Moscoso, arid 
 re-crossing the great swamp, he travelled three 
 days along one side of it, sending runners at differ 
 ent distances, to seek for some outlet. 
 
 During the three days, the Indians incessantly 
 sallied forth from the woods which skirted the 
 swamp, discharging their arrows at the Spaniards 
 and then retreating to their thickets. Some, how 
 ever, were killed and others taken prisoners. The 
 latter were used as guides, but they led the troops 
 into difficult passes, and places where the Indians 
 were lurking in ambush. Discovering their perfidy, 
 the Spaniards let loose the dogs, who killed four of 
 them. Upon this, an Indian, fearing a similar fate, 
 
92 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA* 
 
 
 
 offered to guide them surely, and accordingly, after 
 a wide circuit, brought them to a place free from 
 mud, but where they had to proceed for the dis 
 tance of a league breast high in water, until they 
 came to the mid channel, where, for a hundred 
 yards, it was too deep to be forded. Here the In 
 dians had constructed a rude bridge, by felling two 
 large trees into the water ; and, where they did riot 
 unite, the space was supplied by logs tied to each 
 other, with poles across them. By this same bridge 
 Pamphilo de Narvaez had passed, ten years before, 
 with his unfortunate army. 
 
 Hernando de Soto, well pleased to have found 
 this bridge, summoned two soldiers, half-breeds of 
 the Island of Cuba, named Pedro Moron and Diego 
 de Oliva, who were expert swimmers, and ordered 
 them to take hatchets and cut away several branches 
 which obstructed the passage of the bridge, and 
 clear away all other impediments. 
 
 The two soldiers set to work with all diligence, 
 but in the midst of their labour, several canoes with 
 Indians darted forth from among the rushes, and 
 galled the workmen by a flight of arrows. The 
 two half-breeds plunged headlong from the bridge, 
 swam under the water and came up near their com 
 rades. They were but slightly wounded, for being 
 under the surface of the water, the force of the ar- 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 93 
 
 rows was broken and they did not penetrate deeply. 
 After this sudden onset the Indians retired. The 
 Spaniards repaired the bridge without being again 
 molested, and at a short distance above they dis 
 covered a very good pass for the horses. 
 
 Having thus succeeded in the object of his search, 
 the Governor called to him Gonzalo Silvestre, one 
 of the most hardy and spirited of his youthful cava 
 liers, and the best mounted of his troop. " To your 
 lot," said he, " has fallen the best horse in the army, 
 and the more work you will have in consequence, 
 for we have to~ assign to you the most difficult tasks 
 that occur. It is important to our lives and the suc 
 cess of our enterprise, that you return this night to 
 the camp, and tell Luis de Moscoso to follow us 
 with all the army ; and as for you, that he immedi 
 ately despatch you to us with provisions, to sustain 
 us until we find food : for our need you well know 
 is great. And that you may return with more 
 safety than you go, tell him to give you thirty lances 
 as an escort. I will wait for you in this same place 
 until to-morrow night, so return without delay. The 
 road may seem long and difficult to you, and the 
 time short, but I know to whom I entrust the under 
 taking. That you may not go alone, take with you 
 the companion you like best ; and be off at once, 
 for you should be at the camp before day breaks ; 
 
94 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 lest, should the day dawn before you have passed 
 the swamp, the Indians capture and kill you." 
 
 The very peril of the mission put the youthful Sil- 
 vestre upon his metal. Without answering a w r ord, 
 he left the Governor, vaulted in his saddle, and was 
 already on the way when he encountered another 
 youth, one Juan Lopez Cacho, native of Seville, 
 and page of the Governor, who had an excellent 
 horse. "Juan Lopez," cried Silvestre, " the Gene 
 ral has ordered that you and I go with a message 
 to be delivered before day-break at the camp; fol 
 low me, therefore, immediately, for I am already 
 on the road." 
 
 " Take some other person, I entreat you," said 
 Juan Lopez, " I am fatigued, and cannot make the 
 journey." 
 
 " As you please," replied Silvestre, " the Gover 
 nor ordered me to choose a companion, and I have 
 chosen you. If you are so disposed, come and wel 
 come ; if not, remain. Your company will not dimi 
 nish the danger, nor will my going alone encrease 
 the toil." So saying he put spurs to his horse and 
 continued on his way. Juan Lopez, much as it 
 went against his will, leaped into his saddle and gal 
 loped after him. 
 
95 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 The perilous journey of Gonzalo Sihestre, and his 
 friend, Juan Lopez. 
 
 1539. THE sun was just setting as Gonzalo Silves- 
 tre and his comrade, Juan Lopez, departed on their 
 hazardous mission. These youthful cavaliers were 
 well matched in spirit, hardihood, and sprightly va 
 lour ; and neither of them had attained his twenty 
 first year. 
 
 They galloped rapidly over the first four or five 
 leagues, the road being clear, free from forests, 
 swamps, or streams. In all that distance they did 
 not perceive a single Indian. No sooner, however, 
 had they crossed this open tract, than their dan 
 gers and difficulties began ; for, being ignorant of 
 the country, they were obliged to trace back step by 
 step, the track they had made three days previous, 
 through bog and brake, brambles and forest, and 
 across a labyrinth of streams meandering from the 
 great morass : guiding themselves by the land 
 marks they had noticed on their previous march. In 
 this toilsome twilight journey, they were aided by 
 the instinct of the horses. These sagacious animals, 
 
96 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 as if possessed of understandings, traced the road 
 by which they had come, and like spaniels or setter 
 dogs, thrust their noses along the ground to discover 
 the track. Their riders did not at first understand 
 their intention, and checked them with the reins to 
 raise their heads. Did they at any time lose the 
 track, on finding it again the steeds would puff and 
 snort, which alarmed their masters, who dreaded 
 being overheard, by the savages.* 
 
 Gonzalo Silvestre, comprehending at length the 
 intention of his horse when he lowered his head to 
 seek the track, gave him his will, without attempt 
 ing to guide him. Encountering these difficulties 
 and many others more easily to be imagined than 
 
 * The Inca is curiously minute in his account of these horses. 
 The steed of Gonzalo Silvestre, says he, was the most sure in the 
 track, and certain to discover it when lost. However, he adds, 
 we must not be surprised at this excellent quality, and many 
 others that this horse possessed ; for, his marks and colour prov 
 ed him admirably fitted aither for peace or war. He was of a dark 
 chestnut of a pitchy shade, with white on one of his left feet, 
 and striped above the nostrils, marks which promise more excel, 
 lence and gentleness than any other. The dark chestnut colour, 
 especially when of a pitchy hue, is above all others the most ex- 
 cellent, either for light or heavy labour. The steed of Juan Lo. 
 pez Cachero, was of a light bay, commonly called fox colour, and 
 his extremities were black, excellent marks, but inferior to the 
 dark chestnut colour. 
 
 Garcilaso de la Vega. P. 1, L. 2, c. 14. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 97 
 
 written, these two daring youths travelled all night, 
 without any road, half dead with hunger, worn out 
 with excessive fatigue, and almost overcome by 
 sleep. Their horses were in no better plight, as for 
 three days they had not been unsaddled, the bits 
 being merely taken from their mouths occasionally, 
 that they might graze. 
 
 At times they passed within sight of huge fires, 
 around which the savages were seen stretched in 
 wild and fantastic groups, some capering and sing 
 ing, and making the silent forests ring with their hi 
 deous yells, and howlings. These were probably 
 celebrating some of their feasts with war dances. 
 The deafening din they raised was the safeguard of 
 the two Spaniards, as it prevented the savages notic 
 ing the clamorous barking of their dogs, and hear 
 ing the trampling of the horses as they passed.* 
 
 Thus they journeyed for more than ten leagues. 
 Juan Lopez was repeatedly so much overpowered 
 by sleep, that he entreated that they should halt, 
 and take some repose, but Silvestre resolutely re 
 fused. At length poor Lopez could contain himself 
 no longer. " Let me sleep for a short time," said he, 
 " or kill me with your lance on the spot, for I can 
 not possibly go on any farther, or keep my saddle." 
 
 * The Inca, p. 1, L. 2, c. 14. 
 
 9 
 
98 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 " Dismount then, and sleep if you please," said 
 Silvestre, " since you had rather run the risk of 
 being butchered than bear up an hour longer. Ac 
 cording to the distance we have come, we must be 
 near the pass of the morass, and cross it we must 
 before dawn ; for, if day finds us in this place our 
 death is certain." 
 
 Juan Lopez made no reply, but let himself fall 
 upon the ground like a lifeless body. His compa 
 nion took from him his lance, and held his horse by 
 the bridle. Night now rapidly drew on the clouds 
 poured forth a deluge of rain, but nothing could 
 awaken Juan Lopez from his deep and death-like 
 slumber. 
 
 As the rain ceased, the clouds dispersed and Sil 
 vestre declared that he found himself suddenly in 
 broad daylight, without having perceived it dawn ; 
 it is probable that he had been unconsciously sleep 
 ing in his saddle. Startled at beholding the day so 
 near, he hastened to call Lopez, but finding that the 
 low tones in which he spoke, were insufficient, he 
 made use of his lance, and gave him some hearty 
 blows, calling out, " Look what your sleeping has 
 brought upon us : see, the daylight which we dread 
 ed has overtaken us, and we have now no escape 
 from our enemies !" 
 
 Juan Lopez, roused at last by this summary pro- 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 99 
 
 cess, sprang into his saddle, and they set off at a 
 hand gallop. Fortunately for them, the horses were 
 of such bottom, that notwithstanding past fatigue, 
 they were yet in spirit. The light revealed the two 
 cavaliers to the Indians, who set up yells and howl- 
 ings, that seemed to arise from every part of the 
 morass, accompanied by a frightful din, and clang 
 our of drums, trumpets, conches, and other rude in 
 struments of warlike music. 
 
 A perilous league remained to be made, over an 
 expanse of water, which the horses would have to 
 ford. Before the Spaniards reached it, they beheld 
 canoes darting forth from among thickets and cane- 
 brakes, until the water seemed covered with them. 
 They saw the imminent danger that awaited them 
 in the water, after passing so many on land ; but, 
 knowing that in courage alone consisted their safety, 
 they dashed boldly into it ; seeking to pass it with 
 all speed. Throughout the whole distance, they 
 were beset by the Indians, who discharged clouds 
 of arrows at them. Fortunately they were cased 
 in armour, and their horses were nearly covered 
 with the water, so that they both escaped without 
 wounds, though the cavaliers declared that, on 
 reaching land, ajid looking back, the whole surface 
 of the water seemed strewed with arrows. 
 
 The Indians still continued to pursue them on 
 
100 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 land, plying their bows, and speeding flights of ar 
 rows after them, when suddenly a band of thirty 
 horsemen came galloping to the rescue, headed by 
 the gallant Nuno Tobar, on his famous dapple grey 
 charger. The wild cries and yells of the Indians 
 having reached the army, had caused a surmise that 
 some Spaniards were in danger, and Nuno Tobar 
 had immediately proposed this sally to their rescue ; 
 for that generous cavalier, now that he was out of 
 favour with his general, seemed, with the pride of a 
 noble spirit, to pique himself the more on signalizing 
 himself by worthy deeds. 
 
 At sight of Nuno Tobar, and his band, the In 
 dians gave over the pursuit ; and fearing to be tram 
 pled down by the horses, fled to the thickets and 
 morass for safety. 
 
101 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Thirty lances sally forth with supplies for the 
 Governor. The haughty speech of the Cacique 
 Acuera. 
 
 1 539. THE two adventurous troopers reached the 
 army in safety, and were received with acclamations 
 by their comrades. On learning their errand, Luis de 
 Moscoso, the Camp-Master-General, immediately 
 ordered two horses to be laden with supplies for the 
 Governor and his troops, and thirty horsemen as an 
 escort. With this band Gonzalo Silvestre set out 
 on his return, without having reposed an hour in the 
 camp, and having scarcely taken any refreshment. 
 His friend, Juan Lopez, however, remained behind, 
 excusing himself under the plea that the Governor 
 had neither ordered him to go nor return. 
 
 The thirty horse passed the morass without oppo 
 sition from the Indians, and travelled all day with 
 out seeing an enemy. With all their speed they 
 could not arrive at the place at which the Governor 
 had promised to await them, until two hours after 
 night fall, when, to their great chagrin, they found 
 9* 
 
102 - CONQUEST OP FLORIDA. 
 
 the late camping ground deserted. Ignorant of the 
 route taken by the General, the little band made 
 arrangements for passing the night in this perilous 
 situation. Being exposed to the attacks of hordes of 
 lurking savages, constant vigilance was necessary. 
 They divided their party, therefore, into three bands 
 often men each. One mounted and armed for ac 
 tion, went the rounds the -first third of the night; 
 another band kept watch at the encampment, with 
 their horses at hand, saddled and bridled and ready 
 to be mounted. The third detachment merely took 
 the bridles off their steeds, and, suffering the saddles 
 to remain on, turned the horses loose to graze while 
 they snatched a brief repose. In this manner, go 
 ing the rounds, watching and sleeping by turns, they 
 lightened their toils, and the night passed away 
 without molestation from any enemy. 
 
 As soon as the day dawned they sought the track 
 of the General and his troop, and following it came 
 to the second pass of the morass with the Indian 
 bridge. Here, having to advance for a great dis 
 tance, breast high in water, they thought themselves 
 in imminent peril from the Indians, who might ho 
 ver about them in their canoes and assail them with 
 flights of arrows : to their great joy, however, they 
 accomplished the whole passage without any as 
 sault. This capricious conduct of the savages, one 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 103 
 
 day attacking with blood-thirsty fury, and the next 
 keeping entirely out of sight, occurred repeatedty 
 throughout the whole of this expedition, and has 
 been sometimes attributed to superstitious notions 
 and observances in their warfare. 
 
 Having travelled six leagues, the convoy carne to 
 a beautiful valley, in which were large fields of In 
 dian corn, of such luxuriant growth as to bear three 
 and four ears upon a stalk. The horsemen leaned 
 down and plucked them as they rode along, eating 
 them raw to appease their hunger. In this valley 
 they found the Governor encamped, who received 
 them joyfully, lavishing praises upon Silvestre for his 
 courage and hardihood, and promising to reward 
 him for his valuable services. He excused him 
 self for not having waited at the appointed place, 
 by alleging the intolerable hunger of the troops, 
 and their doubts whether Silvestre had not fallen 
 into the hands of the Indians. 
 
 Within a few days the Governor was joined by 
 the residue of the army, conducted by Luis dc 
 Moscoso. They had traversed the two passes of 
 the morass with great toil and difficulty, but fortu 
 nately, without any hostility on the part of the na 
 tives. 
 
 The fertile province in which the army was en 
 camped, was twenty leagues to the north of that of 
 
104 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 XJrribarracaxi, and was ruled by a Cacique named 
 Acuera, who, on the approach of the Spaniards, had 
 fled with his people to the woods. Hernando de 
 Soto sent Indian interpreters to him representing 
 the power of the Spaniards to do injury in war, and 
 confer benefits in peace ; their disposition to be 
 friend the natives, and that their only object was, 
 by amicable means, to bring the people of this great 
 country into obedience to his Sovereign the power 
 ful Emperor and King of Castile. He invited the 
 Cacique, therefore, to a friendly interview to ar 
 range a peaceful intercourse. 
 
 The Cacique returned a haughty and vaunting 
 reply. " Others of your accursed race," said he, 
 " have in years past poisoned our peaceful shores. 
 They have taught me what you are. What is 
 your employment? To wander about like vaga 
 bonds from land to land to rob the poor to be 
 tray the confiding to murder in cold blood the de 
 fenceless. No, with such a people I want no peace, 
 no friendship. War never ending exterminating 
 war, is all the boon I ask. You boast yourselves 
 valiant and so you may be but my faithful war 
 riors are not less brave and this, too, you shall one 
 day prove, for I have sworn to maintain an unspar 
 ing conflict while one white man remains in my 
 borders. Not openly in the battle field though 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 105 
 
 even thus we fear not to meet you but by strata 
 gem, and ambush, and midnight surprisal." 
 
 In reply to the demand that he should yield obe 
 dience to the Emperor, he replied : " I am king in 
 my own land, and will never become the vassal of a 
 mortal like myself. Vile and pusillanimous is he 
 who will submit to the yoke of another, when he 
 may be free ! As for me and my people, we choose 
 death, yes, a hundred deaths, before the loss of 
 our liberty, and the subjugation of our country !" 
 
 The Governor was filled with admiration at the 
 pride and haughtiness of spirit of the savage chief 
 tain, and was more pressing than ever to gain his 
 friendship ; but to all his messages and overtures the 
 answer of the Cacique was, that he had already 
 made, the only reply he had to offer. 
 
 In this province the army remained twenty days, 
 recruiting from the fatigue and privation of the past 
 journey. During this time the Governor sent per 
 sons in every direction to explore the country, w T ho 
 returned with favourable reports. 
 
 The Indians, during this time, were not asleep nor 
 idle. To fulfil the bravadoes of their Cacique, they 
 lurked in ambush about the camp, so that a Span 
 iard could not stray a hundred steps from it with 
 out being shot down and instantly beheaded ; so 
 
106 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 that if his companions hastened to his rescue, they 
 found nothing but a headless trunk. 
 
 The Christians buried the dead bodies of their un 
 fortunate comrades wherever they found them, but 
 the Indians would return the following night, disin 
 ter them, cut them up and hang them upon the trees. 
 The heads they carried as trophies to their Cacique, 
 according to his orders. Thus fourteen Spaniards 
 perished, and a greater number were w r ounded. 
 The savages in these skirmishes ran comparatively 
 but little risk, as the Spanish encampment was 
 skirted by a thicket, whither the Indians, after mak 
 ing an assault, could easily escape. In this manner 
 the Spaniards saw effectually verified the threats 
 which had been shouted forth by the Indians who 
 had hung upon the rear during the march, " Keep 
 on, robbers and traitors," cried they, " in Acuera 
 and Apalachee we will treat you as you deserve. 
 Every captive will we quarter and hang up on the 
 highest trees along the road." 
 
 Notwithstanding their great vigilance during all 
 this time, the Spaniards did riot kill more than fifty 
 Indians, for they were most prudent and wary in 
 their waylay ings.* 
 
 * The Inca, P. 1. L. 2. c. 16. 
 Herrera. D. 6. L. 7. c. 10. 
 
107 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 The Governor arrives in the Province of Ocali. 
 Occurrences there. 
 
 1539. FOR twenty days did the army repose in the 
 Province of Acuera, during which time, De Soto per 
 mitted no injury to be done either to the hamlets 
 and villages, or the fields of grain : they then broke 
 up their encampment, and set out in search of ano 
 ther province, about twenty leagues to the north 
 eastward, called Ocali,* the same of which Galle- 
 gos had heard, at the village of Urribarracaxi. 
 Their way lay across a desert tract, about twelve 
 leagues broad, interspersed with open forests of 
 pine and other trees, free from underwood, through 
 which the horsemen could ride at ease. They then 
 traversed seven leagues of inhabited country, where 
 dwellings were scattered about the fields and fo 
 rests. At length they arrived at the principal vil 
 lage, called after the Cacique Ocali, which contain 
 ed six hundred houses. The inhabitants, however, 
 
 * This name is spelt Cale by the Portuguese Narrator. 
 
108 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 had abandoned it, and had fled with their effects to 
 the forests. 
 
 This province, being further from the sea coast, 
 was less cut up, and intersected by deep creeks and 
 bays, which in other parts penetrated an immense 
 distance into this low and level country, causing 
 vast swamps and bogs, difficult and sometimes im 
 possible to be passed. In some of the morasses 
 they had traversed, the surface would appear like 
 firm and dry land, yet on stepping upon it, it would 
 tremble for twenty or thirty paces around, and on 
 being trodden by horses would give way arid plunge 
 steed and rider into a suffocating quagmire. 
 
 Beside being more free from morasses, the pro 
 vince of Ocali was more populous and fruitful than 
 the others ; and this the Spaniards found to be the 
 case, throughout this country, in proportion as the 
 provinces were remote from the sea. What they 
 chiefly suffered from throughout this whole expedi 
 tion, was the great scarcity of animal food, as the 
 natives did not raise domestic cattle ; and, although 
 deer and other game were abundant, the Indians 
 only killed sufficient to supply their immediate 
 wants. 
 
 The Spaniards took up their quarters in the vil 
 lage of Ocali, where they found vast quantities of 
 maize, vegetables and various kinds of fruits. The 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 109 
 
 Governor sent three or four Indian messengers dai 
 ly, to the Cacique Ocali, endeavouring, but in vain, to 
 draw that chieftain from his retreat, with proffers of 
 peace and friendship. With one of these messengers, 
 there came to the carnp four young Indian warriors, 
 gaily decorated with many plumes, who manifested 
 an eager curiosity to see the Spaniards, their dress, 
 their arms, and above all, their horses. The Gover 
 nor entertained them kindly, gave them presents, 
 and ordered that a collation should be set before 
 them. 
 
 They sat down and appeared to be eating very 
 quietly, when, perceiving the Spaniards to be off 
 their guard, they all rose suddenly together, and ran 
 full speed to the woods. It was in vain for the 
 Spaniards to pursue them on foot, and there was no 
 horse at hand. 
 
 A grey hound of uncommon sagacity, however, 
 happened to be near ; hearing the cry of the In 
 dians, and seeing them run, he pursued them. Pas 
 sing by the first whom he overtook, and likewise the 
 second, and third, he sprang upon the shoulders of 
 the foremost and pulled him to the ground ; in the 
 mean time the Indian who was nearest, passed on; 
 but the dog leaving the one he held down, sprang 
 upon the other, and secured him in the same way. 
 In like manner he served the third and fourth ; and 
 
 10 
 
110 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 then kept running from one to the other pulling 
 them down as fast as they rose, and barking so fu 
 riously, that the Indians were terrified and con 
 founded, and the Spaniards were enabled to over 
 take and capture them. They were taken back to 
 the camp and examined separately, for as they were 
 armed, the Spaniards apprehended some treachery ; 
 but, it appeared that their sudden flight was only 
 by way of exploit to show their address and fleet- 
 ness. 
 
 This same grey hound had signalized himself on 
 another occasion, before the army reached Ocali. 
 As several Indians and Spaniards w r ere talking in a 
 friendly way on the bank of a river, one of the In 
 dians struck a Spaniard violently with his bow, and 
 threw himself into the water, all his companions fol 
 lowing him. The dog immediately sprang in after 
 them, but passed by several of the Indians without 
 molesting them until he came to the one who had 
 committed the assault, when laying hold of him, he 
 tore him to pieces. 
 
 
Ill 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 The fate of the Greyhound. 
 
 ]539. AFTER repeated solicitations, the Cacique 
 Ocali, at the end of six days, ventured from his place 
 of refuge, and visited the army, where he was treated 
 with great courtesy and kindness, although the Span 
 iards doubted much the sincerity of his professions. 
 
 Hard by the village ran a wide and deep river, 
 with most precipitous banks. Notwithstanding it 
 was the summer season, this river was too full of 
 water to be fordable ; it was necessary, therefore, 
 to construct a wooden bridge, over which the army 
 might pass. De Soto having treated with the Ca 
 cique for a number of his subjects to aid in its con 
 struction ; they w r ent forth one day to decide upon 
 the spot where it should be erected. As they were 
 walking along the bank, conferring on the subject, 
 more than five hundred Indians suddenly started up 
 from among the bushes and thickets, on the oppo 
 site bank of the river, crying out fiercely, " you 
 want a bridge, do you ? merciless robbers ! but you 
 will never see it built by our hands !" Thus shout- 
 
112 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 ing, they let fly a volley of arrows towards the 
 place where the Cacique and Governor were stand 
 ing. 
 
 De Soto demanded of his savage companion the 
 meaning of this outrage, seeing he had given him 
 pledges of his friendship. The Cacique replied, 
 that these were of a refractory party of his subjects, 
 who had cast off allegiance to him on account of 
 his attachment to the Spaniards, and that he was 
 not therefore answerable for their acts. 
 
 It happened that the greyhound already mention 
 ed, was at hand, held in a leash by the governor s 
 page. No sooner did he hear the yells and see the 
 menacing actions of the Indians, than he was furi 
 ous to get at them. In his struggles he drew the 
 page along, threw him on the ground, and then 
 breaking loose, plunged into the stream. The Spa 
 niards called him back in vain. The Indians, know 
 ing his valour and exploits, and the harm he had 
 done to their countrymen, were glad of an opportu 
 nity to revenge themselves. They showered their 
 arrows about him as he swam, and with such dex 
 terous aim, that more than fifty struck him about the 
 head and shoulders, which were above the water. 
 Still the courageous animal kept on, and reached the 
 land, but had scarcely left the water when he fell 
 dead. His death was lamented by the Governor 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 113 
 
 and the army, as if it had been that of a brave 
 warrior: for. he had been of signal service through 
 out the expedition, a vigilant guardian of the camp 
 by night, and a fierce champion by day. He was 
 one of a rare and renowned race of dogs, several 
 of which were noted for their feats in the course of 
 the Spanish discoveries and conquests. 
 10* 
 
114 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 The Spaniards enter the vast province of Vitachuco. 
 Their reception there. 
 
 1539. DE SOTO saw that the chieftain Ocali, was 
 but lightly esteemed by his subjects, who disobeyed 
 his commands with impunity ; and, thinking that the 
 neighbouring Caciques might suppose that he was 
 detained against his will, he gave him permission to 
 go to his people and re-visit the camp whenever it 
 pleased him. The Cacique gladly availed himself 
 of this offer, but declared he only went in order to 
 bring his subjects into more perfect submission to 
 the governor, which accomplished, he would joyful 
 ly rejoin the Spaniards. With these and many si 
 milar professions, he departed ; but never again 
 showed his face in the camp. 
 
 Upon the departure of the Cacique, the Spaniards 
 commenced constructing a bridge over the river. 
 The work was superintended by one Francisco, a 
 Genoese, the only shipwright in the army. He was 
 likewise skilled in every kind of carpentering work, 
 and by his art rendered incalculable services to the 
 Spaniards throughout this expedition. Large planks 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 115 
 
 were thrown upon the water, and these tied toge 
 ther with strong cords, which they had brought with 
 them for such emergencies ; crossing and fastening 
 the planks with immense poles laid on top. It was 
 of sufficient strength for the passage of both men 
 and horses. Having captured thirty Indians to 
 serve as guides, the Spaniards crossed the bridge 
 and set forward on their march. 
 
 After travelling about three days, the Governor 
 threw himself in the advance of the army, with a 
 hundred horse, and a hundred foot ; and, pushing 
 forward in the night, came by daybreak to the fron 
 tiers of a province of great extent, being fifty leagues 
 across, called Vitachuco. It was under the domi 
 nion of three brothers. The eldest, Vitachuco, 
 bearing the name of the country over which he ruled, 
 had five parts out often, the second brother govern 
 ed three of the remaining five, and the youngest of 
 the family who was chief of the village of Ochile, 
 and of the same name, possessed the residue. This 
 was contrary to the usage of the other provinces 
 through which the Spaniards had passed, in which 
 the eldest son inherited all. 
 
 It was scarce daybreak on the first day, when 
 the Governor and his advanced corps arrived at the 
 village of Ochile. It contained fifty large and 
 strong dwellings, being a frontier post, fortified 
 

 116 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 against the adjacent provinces, with which it ap 
 peared this country was embroiled in warfare. 
 
 De Soto and his little band rushed suddenly into 
 the village, with clamorous sound of drum and trum 
 pet ; seized the Indians, as, terrified and amazed, 
 they came forth from their houses, and surrounded 
 the mansion of the Cacique. This was built in form 
 of one large pavilion, upwards of a hundred and 
 twenty paces in length, and forty in breadth, and 
 four doors, and a number of smaller buildings con 
 nected with it like offices. 
 
 The Cacique had with him a guard of his prin 
 cipal warriors, and many others had hastened to his 
 defence. He would have sallied forth and made 
 battle, but the Spaniards had possession of the 
 doors, and threatened to fire the house. At length, 
 by sun rise, he was persuaded through the media 
 tion of Indian prisoners and interpreters, to yield to 
 the superior power of the Spaniards, and accept 
 their proffered friendship. The Governor received 
 him kindly, but kept him with him, while at the 
 same time he set at liberty all the other prisoners, 
 ordering his soldiers to treat them in the most friend 
 ly manner. 
 
 The Governor, however, did not feel himself se 
 cure. The neighbourhood was populous ; the In 
 dians seeing the small number of his band, might ga- 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 117 
 
 ther together, and attempt a rescue of their Ca 
 cique. Taking that chieftain with him, therefore, 
 and a number of his savage warriors, who adhered 
 to his fortunes, the Governor marched his band out 
 of the village, and returned in quest of the main 
 body of his troops ; these he found encamped at 
 three leagues distance, full of anxiety on account 
 of his absence. 
 
 The day following, the army entered into Ochile, 
 in battle array ; the foot and horse formed into 
 squadrons, and trumpets, fifes, and drums sounding. 
 The troops being quartered, the Governor prevailed 
 upon Ochile to send envoys to his two brothers, in 
 viting them to accept the offer of peace of the Span 
 iards, and warning them of the disastrous conse 
 quences that would attend a refusal. 
 
 The second brother who was nearest, readily 
 complied, and at the end of three days came ac 
 companied by many of his warriors gaily deco 
 rated. After kissing the hands of the Governor, he 
 entered into familiar conversation with the officers 
 and distinguished cavaliers of the army, asking the 
 name of each, and bearing himself with as much 
 ease as if he had been brought up among them. 
 
 The elder brother, however, who was much the 
 most powerful of the three, made no reply to the 
 message, but detained the envoys by whom it was 
 sent. The two brothers, by the persuasion of De 
 
118 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 Soto, sent again other messengers with still more 
 urgent counsel and entreaties. They represented 
 the invincible power of the Spaniards, who were 
 children of the sun and moon, their gods that 
 they had come from the remote region, where the 
 sun rises, and withal, that they had with them ani 
 mals called Horses, so fleet, courageous, and power 
 ful, that it was impossible to escape them by flight, 
 or resist them by force. 
 
 The answer of Vitachuco is given at length by 
 the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega ; though he quotes 
 it from memory, after a lapse of years ; and de 
 clares that he cannot vouch for its being arranged 
 exactly in the order in which it was declared, or 
 that it was the whole of what was said ; but, he 
 pledges his word that, as far as it goes, it is truly 
 the message of the Cacique. He declares that if 
 the whole could be written, as recounted by the en 
 voys, none of the knights that the divine Ariosto or 
 his predecessor, the illustrious and enamoured Count, 
 Matheo Maria Boyardo, have introduced in their 
 works, could equal in haughty spirit and extrava 
 gant bravado, this savage chieftain. Without claim 
 ing for it all the praise here, so liberally awarded by 
 this ancient author, still it shows the fiery spirit of 
 this wild warrior, whose gallant efforts were, alas ! 
 of but little avail against the resistless might of the 
 Spanish invader. 
 
119 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 Haughty message of the Cacique Vitachuco. 
 
 1539. "!T is evident enough," observes the Ca 
 cique in reply to the embassy of his brothers, " that 
 you are young, and have neither judgment nor expe 
 rience, or you would never speak as you have done 
 of these hated white men ! You extol them greatly 
 as virtuous men, who injure no one. You say that 
 they are valiant that they are children of the Sun, 
 and merit all our reverence and service. The vile 
 chains which they have hung upon you, and the 
 mean and dastardly spirit which you have acquired 
 during the short period that you have been their 
 slaves, have caused you to speak like women, laud 
 ing what you should censure and abhor. You re 
 member not, that these Christians can be no better 
 than those who formerly committed so many cruel 
 ties in this our country. Are they not of the same 
 nation and subject to the same laws ? Do not their 
 manner of life and actions prove them to be chil 
 dren of the Spirit of Evil, and not of the sun and 
 the moon, our gods ? Go they not from land to 
 
120 CONQUEST OP FLORIDA. 
 
 land plundering and destroying ; taking the wives 
 and daughters of others instead of bringing their 
 own with them ; and, like mere vagabonds, main 
 taining themselves by the laborious toil and sweat 
 ing brow of others ? Were they virtuous, as you 
 represent, they never would have left their own 
 country, since there they might have practised their 
 virtues, planting and cultivating the earth, maintain 
 ing themselves without prejudice to others or injury 
 to themselves ; instead of roving about the world 
 committing robberies and murders, having neither 
 the shame of men nor the fear of God before them. 
 
 Warn them not to enter into my dominions, for I 
 vow that, as valiant as they may be, if they dare to 
 put foot upon my soil, they shall never go out of my 
 land alive the whole race will I exterminate !"* 
 
 This was the first reply of the fierce Vitachuco ; 
 but he sent many others, insomuch that every day 
 there arrived two or three Indians, sounding always 
 a trumpet, and bringing greater bravadoes and 
 menaces than the last. The Cacique Vitachuco 
 thought to terrify them by the various and hideous 
 supernatural deaths, with which he menaced them. 
 At one time he threatened, that the moment they 
 entered his province, the earth should open and 
 
 *The Inca. P. 1, L. 2, c. 21. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 121 
 
 swallow them ; that the hills by which the Span 
 iards would have to travel, should join together and 
 bury them alive. Again, the trees of the forest 
 through which they had to pass, were to be blown 
 down and crush them ; flights of birds were to hover 
 over and pounce upon them, with corroding poison 
 in their beaks. And again, that he would have the 
 waters, herbs, trees, and even the air poisoned, in 
 such a manner that neither horse nor rider, man nor 
 beast, could escape with life ; making an example 
 of them to all who should henceforth dare to invade 
 his territory. 
 
 These extravagancies provoked the laughter of 
 the Spaniards, who considered them the empty bra 
 vadoes of a vapouring spirit ; but the deeds of the 
 Cacique afterwards showed that they were the furi 
 ous wishes and conceptions of a proud warrior; 
 who, it is probable, was promised all these miracles 
 in his favour by some Indian prophet. 
 
 These and many other messages arrived during 
 eight days that were spent by the Governor in tra 
 velling about the domains of the two brothers, who 
 did every thing in their power to gratify the Span 
 iards. At length the two brothers themselves 
 departed on a mission to Vitachuco. The fierce 
 chieftain pretended to be at length won by their 
 persuasions, and agreed to enter into friendly inter- 
 11 
 
122 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 course with the strangers ; but he wished first to 
 know how many days they would be in his domains, 
 what quantity of provisions they would require 
 when they departed, and what other things w r ould 
 be necessary for their journey. 
 
 The two brothers sent an envoy to De Soto with 
 this message, who replied, that they would not so 
 journ in the territory of Vitachuco longer than he 
 desired them to remain, nor did they wish any more 
 provisions than he saw fit to give them, neither had 
 they need of any thing besides his friendship. 
 
123 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 The Cacique Vitachuco dissembles his plot to de 
 stroy the Spaniards. 
 
 1539. THE chieftain, Vitachuco, pretended to be 
 well contented with the reply of the Governor, a 
 day was appointed for their meeting, and the Ca 
 cique ordered an abundant supply of provisions 
 for the troops and horses to be brought from all 
 parts of his domains, and deposited in the chief 
 village. 
 
 On the appointed day Vitachuco went forth from 
 his village, accompanied by his two brothers and 
 five hundred Indian warriors, all graceful men, 
 adorned with plumes of various colours, and armed 
 with bows and arrows of the finest workmanship. 
 At the distance of two leagues they found the Gover 
 nor, .encamped with his army in a beautiful valley. 
 
 Their meeting was cordial, and the Cacique en 
 deavoured to atone for past threats and menaces, 
 by professions of present amity and promises of fu 
 ture services and allegiance, all which were gra 
 ciously received by De Soto, 
 
124 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 Vitachuco was about thirty-five years of age, of 
 very good stature, and strongly formed, as the In 
 dians of Florida generally were, and evinced in his 
 countenance the bravery of his spirit. 
 
 The ensuing day the Spaniards entered in order 
 of battle, into the principal village, bearing the same 
 name as the Cacique. It consisted of two hundred 
 houses, large and strong, besides many others of 
 smaller size which were in the suburbs. The Go 
 vernor and his body guards and servants, together 
 with the three brother Caciques, lodged in the house 
 of Vitachuco, as it was of ample size to accommo 
 date them all. 
 
 Two days were passed in feasting and rejoicing. 
 On the third day, the two brothers of Vitachuco ob 
 tained leave to return to their respective territories, 
 and departed well pleased with the good treatment 
 and the many presents they had received from the 
 Spaniards. 
 
 After their departure, Vitachuco redoubled his 
 courtesy and kindness to the Spaniards, and seemed 
 as if he thought he could not do enough to serve 
 and gratify them. Five days only had elapsed, how 
 ever, when Juan Ortiz came to the Governor and 
 informed him of a perfidious plot devised by the Ca 
 cique, and which had been revealed to him by four 
 of the Indian interpreters. He had selected several 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 125 
 
 thousand of his bravest warriors, and had ordered 
 them to conceal their weapons in a thicket near to 
 the village, and to appear at all times unarmed, so 
 as to throw the Spaniards off their guard. On an 
 appointed day he was to invite the Governor to 
 go forth and see a general muster of his subjects, 
 drawn up in battle array, though without weapons, 
 that he might know what a number of Indian al 
 lies he had at his command for his future con 
 quests. 
 
 Trusting that the Governor, from the amity exist 
 ing between them, would go forth carelessly and 
 alone, a dozen of the fiercest and most powerful In 
 dians were suddenly to seize him and bear him into 
 the midst of their warriors; who, seizing their arms, 
 were to attack the Spaniards in their camp. In this 
 way, between the surprise of the sudden assault, 
 and the dismay at the capture of their General, he 
 trusted to have an easy conquest i in which case, 
 he intended to make good his extravagant me 
 naces, and inflict on his prisoners all kinds of 
 strange, cruel, and tormenting deaths. 
 
 The Adelantado having learnt the perfidy of the 
 Cacique, and having consulted with his Captains, it 
 was determined that the best and most justifiable 
 plan would be, to take Vitachuco in the same way 
 that he intended to take the Governor ; so that he 
 11* 
 
126 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 would thus fall into his own snare. For that purpose, 
 twelve of the stoutest soldiers were selected, to be 
 near the Governor at the time he should go forth to 
 view the Indian army, and at a certain signal, were 
 to seize upon the Cacique. These things being con 
 certed in secret, the Spaniards watched Vitachuco s 
 movements, but at the same time, maintained an air 
 of careless unconcern. 
 
 The day so much desired having arrived, Vita- 
 chuco came to the Governor early in the morning, 
 and with much humility and seeming veneration, 
 begged him to confer a great favour on himself and 
 all his subjects, by going out of the camp to behold 
 them arranged in order of battle, that he might 
 know the number that were at his service, and might 
 see whether the Indians of this country knew how 
 to form their squadrons as well as other nations 
 who he had heard were skilled in the art of war. 
 
 The Governor replied, with an unsuspicious air, 
 that he would rejoice greatly to see them ; and that, 
 to make the display more striking, and furnish the 
 Indians likewise with a sight, he would order his 
 horse and foot soldiers to go out and place them 
 selves in squadrons ; and have a mock fight for each 
 other s entertainment. 
 
 The Cacique did not much relish this proposition, 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 127 
 
 but being blinded by his vengeful passions, he agreed 
 to the arrangement ; trusting to the number and va 
 lour of his vassals to overthrow the Spaniards, be 
 they ever so well prepared. 
 
128 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 Battle with Vitachuco. 
 
 1539. ALL things being arranged, the Spaniards 
 inarched forth, horse and foot, in battle array, with 
 glittering arms and fluttering banners. As to the 
 Governor, he remained behind, to accompany the 
 Cacique on foot, the better to appear unsuspicious 
 of the latent treason. He went, however, secretly 
 armed ; and he ordered two of his finest horses to 
 be led forth caparisoned for service. One of these, 
 is especially mentioned as a beautiful and noble spi 
 rited animal. He was named Aceytuno, after Ma- 
 teo de Aceytuno, a brave cavalier who had made 
 him a present to the Governor. 
 
 Near the village was a large plain. It had on one 
 side a lofty and dense forest, on the other, two 
 lakes : the one about a league in circumference, 
 clear of trees, but so deep, that three or four feet 
 from the bank no footing could be found. The se 
 cond, which was at greater distance from the village, 
 was more than half a league in width, and appear 
 ed like a vast river, extending as far as the eye 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 129 
 
 could reach. Between the forest and these two 
 lakes, the Indians formed their squadrons, having the 
 lakes on their right flank, and the forest on the left. 
 Their bows and arrow r s were concealed in the grass, 
 in orderthat they might appear to be totally unarm 
 ed. Their force might be about ten thousand, cho 
 sen warriors, decorated with lofty plumes, which 
 increased their apparent height ; and, being drawn 
 out with somewhat of military order, they made a 
 beautiful display. 
 
 The Cacique and Hernando de Soto came forth 
 on foot, each accompanied by twelve of his people, 
 and each burning with the same spirit and determi 
 nation against the other. The Spanish troops were 
 to the right of the Governor ; the infantry drawn up 
 near to the forest, and the cavalry advanced into 
 the plain. 
 
 It was between nine and ten of the morning, 
 when De Soto and Vitachuco r.rrived at the spot, 
 which the latter had fixed upon for the seizure of 
 the Governor. Before the Cacique, however, could 
 make his preconcerted signal, a Spanish trumpet 
 gave a warning blast.* In an instant the twelve 
 Spaniards rushed upon the Cacique. His attendant 
 Indians threw themselves before him, and endea- 
 
 * Portuguese Narrative, c. 11. 
 
130 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 voured to repel the assailants, but in vain. He was 
 borne off captive. 
 
 At the same time,De Soto leaped upon his favour 
 ite steed AceytuHo, and spurred him upon the thick 
 est of the enemy, with that headlong valour w ? hich 
 always distinguished him in battle. The Indians 
 had already seized their weapons. Their first ranks 
 were thrown into confusion by the impetuous 
 charge of De Soto ; but as he pressed forward, a 
 shower of arrows came whistling about him. They 
 were principally aimed at his horse, the Indians al 
 ways seeking most to kill these animals, knowing 
 their importance in battle. Four of the arrows 
 wounded the generous animal in the knees, four 
 pierced him in the breast, and he fell to the earth 
 dead, as if shot by a piece of artillery.* . 
 
 In the mean time, the Spanish troops at the trum 
 pet signal, had assailed the Indian squadrons, and 
 now came pressing up at this critical moment, to the 
 aid of their general. One of his pages named Vio- 
 ta, a youth of noble birth, sprang from his horse and 
 aided De Soto to mount him. The Governor once 
 more on horseback, put himself at the head of his 
 cavalry, and spurred among the Indians. The lat- 
 
 * Herrera. Decad. 6. L. 7, c. 11. 
 
 Garcilaso de la Vega, P. 1, L. 2. c. 23. 
 Portuguese Narrative, c. 11. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 131 
 
 terhad no lances to defend themselves ; and, being 
 assailed by three hundred horse, broke and fled in 
 every direction. A great number of those who 
 were in the rear, took refuge among the entangled 
 thickets of the forest ; others, threw themselves into 
 the large lake and escaped, while others again scat 
 tered themselves wildly over the plain, where more 
 than three hundred were killed, and a few taken. 
 
 The worse fate attended the vanguard, compos 
 ed of the bravest warriors ; who are always doom 
 ed to fare the worst in battle. After receiving the 
 first impetuous charge of the cavalry, they fled; 
 but, being unable to reach either the forest, or the 
 large lake, more than nine hundred threw them 
 selves into the smaller one. Here they were sur 
 rounded by the Spaniards, who endeavoured by 
 threats and promises, and occasional shots from 
 their cross bows, and arquebusses, to induce them 
 to surrender. The Indians replied only by flights 
 of arrows. As the lake was too deep to give them 
 footing, three or four would cling together, and sup 
 port each other by swimming, while one would 
 mount upon their backs, and ply his bow and ar 
 rows. In this way an incessant skirmishing was 
 kept up all day long ; numbers of the Indians were 
 slain, all their arms were exhausted, yet no one 
 gave signs of surrendering. 
 
132 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 When night came, the Spaniards posted them 
 selves round the lake, the horse by two and two, 
 the foot in parties of six, near to each other, lest the 
 Indians should escape in the dark. Some of the 
 latter endeavoured to save themselves, by covering 
 their heads with the leaves of water lilies, and 
 swimming noiselessly to the shore ; but, the watch 
 ful troopers perceiving the turmoil and bubbling in 
 the water, would spur their horses to the bank, and 
 drive the Indians again into the channel,* in hopes 
 of tiring them out, and thus forcing them to capitu 
 late ; for, while the Spaniards threatened them with 
 death, if they did not yield, they offered them peace 
 and friendship if they would surrender. 
 
 So obstinate were they, however, that midnight 
 arrived before one of them had submitted, although 
 they had passed fourteen hours in the water. At 
 length, however, the intercessions of Juan Ortiz, and 
 the four Indian interpreters, began to have effect. 
 The most weary would render themselves, one and 
 two at a time, but so slowly, that by the dawn of 
 day not more than fifty had surrendered. The re 
 sidue seeing that these were kindly treated, and 
 being admonished by them, now gave themselves up 
 in greater numbers, but still slowly and reluctantly. 
 Some when near the bank would return to the mid- 
 
 * Portuguese Narrative, c. 11. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 133 
 
 die of the lake, until the love of life compelled them 
 to yield. At length, at ten o clock, two hundred 
 came to shore at the same time, and surrendered 
 themselves, after having been swimming four and 
 twenty hours. They were in wretched condition, 
 swollen with the water they had swallowed, and 
 overcome with fatigue, hunger, and the want of sleep. 
 There still remained seven Indians in the lake, men 
 of such unconquerable spirit that neither the prayers 
 of the interpreters, the promises of the Governor, 
 nor the example of their comrades, who had sur 
 rendered, had any effect upon them.* They treat 
 ed all promises with scorn, and defied both menaces 
 and death. In this w T ay they remained until three in 
 the afternoon, and would have remained there until 
 they died. The Governor, however, was struck 
 with admiration of their courage and magnanimity, 
 and thought it would be inhuman to allow such 
 brave men to perish. He ordered twelve Spaniards 
 therefore, expert swimmers, to go into the lake with 
 their swords in their mouths, and draw these war 
 riors forth. The Indians were too much exhausted 
 to resist ; the Spaniards seized them by the legs, 
 the arms, and hair, drew them t6 land, and threw 
 them upon the bank, where they lay extended upon 
 
 * Portuguese Narrative, c. 11. 
 12 
 
134 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 the sane, more dead than alive ;* having according 
 to the Spanish narrator, been for thirty hours in the 
 water, apparently without putting foot to the ground 
 or receiving any other relief: an exploit, adds the 
 Inca historian, almost incredible, and which I would 
 not dare to write, if it were v not for the authority 
 of so many cavaliers and nobles, who, in the In 
 dies, and in Spain, assured me of the truth of it, 
 besides the authority of him who related this histo 
 ry to me, and who, in all things, is worthy of belief. 
 
 The reader, however, without questioning the 
 veracity of the cavaliers, will be prone to surmise 
 that the Indians were enabled, from time to time, to 
 snatch a few moments of repose, on shallows near 
 the banks of the lake. 
 
 The heroic obstinacy of the seven Indians, had 
 extorted the admiration of the Spaniards. Moved 
 to compassion by their present deplorable state, 
 they bore them to the encampment ; and used such 
 assiduous means, that they were restored to anima 
 tion in the course of the night. 
 
 The next morning, the Governor summoned them 
 before him, and pretending to be angry, demanded 
 
 * The Portuguese Narrative adds, that they were immediately 
 put into irons. The Inca s account, however, of the treatment of 
 the Spaniards towards these brave warriors, is more in unison 
 with the generous nature of De Soto. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 135 a 
 
 the reason of their desperate resistance, and why 
 they had not surrendered themselves as their com 
 panions had done. 
 
 Four of them, who were in the prime of man 
 hood, replied, that they were leaders, or captains, 
 chosen as such by their Cacique, from his confi 
 dence in their courage and constancy. Their ac 
 tions were to justify his choice. They were bound 
 to set an example to their children, to their brother 
 warriors, and above all. to such as should thence 
 forth be appointed as leaders. They felt as if being 
 alive, they had failed in fulfilling their duty, and 
 vindicating their honour ; and, while they acknow 
 ledged the kindness of the Governor, regretted only 
 that he had not left them to perish in the lake. " If 
 you want to add to your favours," said they, " take 
 our lives. After surviving the defeat and capture of 
 our chieftain, we are not worthy to appear before 
 him, or to live in the world."* 
 
 The Governor listened with admiration to the he 
 roic words of these savage warriors ; and when 
 they had finished, he turned to their three compa 
 nions, who had remained silent. These were young 
 men not more than eighteen years of age, sons and 
 heirs to Caciques of the adjacent provinces. The 
 
 * Gareilaso de la Vega. P. 1, L. 2, c. 25. 
 Herrera. Decad, 6, L, 7, c. 11. 
 
136 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 Governor demanded of them their reason for persist 
 ing so desperately in their defence, as they were 
 not leaders, nor bound by the same obligations, as 
 their companions. 
 
 They replied with a proud and lofty air, that they 
 had been incited to hostility, not through a desire 
 for gain, or through any implacable spirit against the 
 Spaniards, but, merely from a thirst for glory. 
 That although they were not chiefs, yet as the sons 
 of Caciques, and destined one day to be Caciques 
 themselves, they felt bound more than all others to 
 signalize themselves by bravery in action, and by a 
 contempt for suffering and death. " These, O off 
 spring of the sun !" said they, " are the reasons for 
 our obstinate hostility : if they are sufficient in your 
 eyes, pardon us ; if not, we are at your mercy. 
 Strike us dead, for nothing is prohibited to the con 
 queror." 
 
 The noble spirit and heroic words of these gene 
 rous youths, charmed all the Spaniards who were 
 present ; and their hearts were touched at seeing 
 them exposed so young, to such adversity. The 
 Governor likewise, who was of a compassionate 
 nature, was moved to pity. He arose and embraced 
 them as if they were his own sons ; commending 
 their valour and heroism, which he considered as 
 proofs of noble blood, and illustrious descent. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 137 
 
 For two days, he detained them in the camp, feast 
 ing them at his table, and treating thsm with every 
 distinction ; at the end of which time, he dismissed 
 them with presents of linen, cloths, silks, mirrors, and 
 other articles of Spanish manufacture. He also 
 sent by them presents to their fathers and other re 
 lations, with proffers of his friendship. The young 
 Caciques took leave of him with many expressions 
 of gratitude, and departed joyfully for their homes, 
 accompanied by a number of their countrymen 
 whom he had liberated. 
 
 As to the four captive leaders, they were retained 
 as prisoners, and on the following day were sum 
 moned before the Governor, with their Cacique Vi- 
 tachuco. De Soto reproached them all with the 
 treacherous and murderous plot they had devised 
 against him and his soldiers, at a time when they 
 were professing the kindest amity. Such treason, 
 he observed, merited death: yet, he wished to give 
 the natives an evidence of his clemency : he par 
 doned them, therefore, and restored them to his 
 friendship ; warning them, however, to beware how 
 they again deceived him, or trespassed against the 
 safety and welfare of Spaniards, lest they should 
 bring down upon themselves dire and terrible re 
 venge. 
 
 The Indians who had come out of the lake and 
 12* 
 
138 CONQUEST OF^ FLORIDA. 
 
 surrendered themselves, were distributed among the 
 Spaniards to serve them as menials, during their so 
 journ in the province. This was partly as a punish 
 ment to them for their participation in the late trea 
 son, and partly as an example to warn the neigh 
 bouring Indians from like aggressions. 
 
139 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 Death of Vitachuco and his warriors. 
 
 1539. VITACHUCO now remained in some sort a 
 prisoner in his own house, but was treated with 
 great kindness and respect, and dined at the Gover 
 nor s table. Rage and hatred, however, still rankled 
 in his heart ; and he soon conceived another scheme 
 of vengeance. Nine hundred of his most noble, va 
 liant, and well tried warriors, were dispersed among 
 the Spaniards ; equalling the latter in number, and, 
 as he thought, in personal prowess. They attended 
 their new masters as slaves at meal times, when the 
 Spaniards would be seated, off their guard, and 
 many of them without weapons. At such a mo 
 ment, he conceived it would be easy, by a precon 
 certed movement, for the Indians to strike a signal 
 blow that should rid them at once of their oppres 
 sions. 
 
 Scarcely had Vitachuco conceived this rash 
 scheme, than he hastened to put it into operation. 
 He had four young Indians to attend him as pages. 
 These he sent to the principal prisoners revealing 
 
140 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 his plan, with orders that they should pass it secretly 
 and adroitly from one to another, and hold them 
 selves 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. 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 the Governor and kill him ; giving, at the mo 
 ment of assault, a war-whoop that should resound 
 throughout the village. The war-whoop was to be 
 the signal for every Indian in the place to grapple 
 with his master, or with any other Spaniard that 
 might be at hand, and despatch him oh the spot. 
 
 Many of the poor Indians saw the perfect mad 
 ness of this second project ; but, accustomed to yield 
 implicit obedience to their chiefs, they nevertheless 
 promised to carry it through or perish in the at 
 tempt. 
 
 On the day appointed, Vitachuco dined as usual 
 at the table of the Governor, who sought to win his 
 friendship by the kindest attentions. When the re 
 past was concluded, he straightened himself upon 
 the bench upon which he was seated, and twisting 
 his body from side to side, he stretched first one 
 arm, then the other, to the full extent, with clinched 
 fists, then drew them up so that his fists rested on 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 141 
 
 his shoulders, then jerked them out 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 undertake any extraordinary 
 feat. 
 
 After this preparation the Cacique sprang upon 
 his feet, closed instantly with the Governor, at whose 
 side he had been seated, and seized him with the 
 left hand by the collar ; with the other fist he dealt 
 him such a furious blow in the face as to level him 
 with the ground, the blood gushing out of eyes, 
 nose, and mouth, as if he had been struck with a 
 club. The Cacique threw himself upon his victim 
 to finish his work, giving, at the same time, the sig 
 nal war-whoop, with such force that it might be 
 heard for a quarter of a league about. 
 
 All this was the work of an instant, and before 
 the officers present had time to recover from their 
 astonishment, the Governor lay senseless beneath 
 the tiger grasp of Vitachuco. One more blow from 
 the savage would have been fatal ; but before he 
 could give it, a dozen swords and lances were thrust 
 through his body, and he fell dead, blaspheming 
 heaven and earth at having failed in his attempt. 
 
 The war-whoop of the Cacique had been heard 
 and obeyed by his subjects throughout the village. 
 At hearing the fated signal, the Indians, who were 
 
142 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 attending upon their masters, assailed them with 
 whatever weapon or missile they could command : 
 some seized upon pikes and swords, and wielded 
 them with great skill ; others snatched up the pots 
 in which meat was stewing at the fire, and, beating 
 the Spaniards about the head, bruised and scalded 
 them at the same lime ; some caught up plates, 
 pitchers, jars, and the pestles wherewith they 
 pounded the maize ; others the bones remaining 
 from the repast ; and others seized upon stools, 
 benches, and tables, striking with impotent fury 
 when their weapons had not the power to harm. 
 The greater number, however, snatched up burning 
 firebrands, which seemed to have been provided for 
 the purpose, and rushed like very 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. One was knocked down by his slave 
 with a firebrand and beset by three other Indians, 
 who dashed out his brains. 
 
 Another was assailed with blows, his teeth knock 
 ed out, and he was on the point of falling a sacrifice, 
 when some Spaniards came to his assistance. 
 The savage assailant fled and mounted a hand lad 
 der into a granary opening upon a court yard, tak- 
 
CONQUEST OP FLORIDA. 143 
 
 ing with him a lance which he found leaning against 
 the wall. The Spaniards attempted to ascend after 
 him, but he planted himself in the door way, and 
 defended the entrance so bravely with the lance, 
 that no one dared to approach him.* At length, 
 Diego de Soto, a relative of the Governor, arrived 
 in the court yard, armed with a cross-bow. He 
 presented it and took aim. The Indian never at 
 tempted to draw back or screen himself; his object 
 was, not to save his life, but to sell it as dearly as 
 possible. At the instant that De Soto drew the bow 
 he threw the lance. The steeled point grazed the 
 right shoulder of the Spaniard and the shaft knock 
 ed him down upon his knees, passing half a length 
 beyond, and remaining quivering in the ground. 
 The aim of De Soto was more certain. His shaft 
 pierced the Indian through the breast and killed him 
 on the spot. 
 
 It was fortunate for the Spaniards that most of 
 the Indians were in chains, and none of them were 
 regularly armed, otherwise their assault would have 
 been attended with great carnage. As it was, many 
 of the Spaniards were maimed and mangled, and 
 four were slain before the savages could be over 
 powered. 
 
 * Portuguese Narrative, c. 11. 
 
144 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 A signal vengeance was then taken upon the pri 
 soners. Some of the Spaniards were so exaspe 
 rated at the wounds they had received, and at the in 
 telligence of the maltreatment of the Governor, that 
 they wreaked their fury upon every Indian in their 
 power. Others, who were cavaliers, thought it be 
 neath their dignity to take away the lives of slaves 
 They brought their prisoners, therefore, to the grand 
 square of the village, and delivered them into the 
 hands of the archers of the General s guard, who 
 despatched them with their halberts. 
 
 Among the cavaliers who thus brought their cap 
 tive slaves to be executed, was one of a small and 
 delicate form, named Francisco de Saldana. He 
 entered the square, leading after him a powerful In 
 dian, by a cord tied round his neck. No sooner, 
 however, did the savage perceive what was passing, 
 and the fate that awaited him, than, driven to des 
 peration, he closed upon Saldana as he walked be 
 fore him, seized him with one hand by the neck and 
 with the other by the thigh, raised him like a child, 
 turned him topsy turvy with his head downwards, 
 and dashed him to the ground with a violence that 
 stunned him. Jumping then upon his body he would 
 have despatched him in an instant had not a num 
 ber of Spaniards rushed with drawn swords to his 
 rescue. The Indian seized Saldana s sword, and re- 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 145 
 
 ceived them so bravely, that though there were 
 more than fifty, he kept them all at bay. Grasping 
 the sword with both hands, he threw himself into 
 the midst of them, whirling himself round like a 
 wheel, and dealing about blows so rapidly and madly 
 that no one dare oppose him, and they were oblig 
 ed to shoot him down with their firearms.* 
 
 These, and many similar scenes of desperate va 
 lour, occurred in this wild affray. That the inter 
 preters and the Indian allies who had accompanied 
 the army from the other provinces might be em 
 broiled with the natives of the neighbourhood, so 
 that they would not dare thenceforward to abandon 
 the Spaniards, they were compelled to aid in the 
 destruction of the prisoners, many of whom were 
 tied to stakes in the public square, and shot down 
 with their arrows. f 
 
 In these battles and the subsequent massacres, 
 fell Vitachuco and thirteen hundred of his warriors, 
 the flower of his nation, among whom were the four 
 brave leaders who had survived from the lake. 
 
 * Portuguese Narrative, c. 11. fldem. 
 
 The Portuguese narrator calls the village whore this affray 
 took place Napataca. 
 
 13 
 
146 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 The Army pass through the province of Osachile. 
 Come to a vast morass. Severe skirmishing with 
 the Savages. Preparations to cross the great mo 
 rass. 
 
 1539. THE blow which the Governor, Hernando 
 De Soto, had received from Vitachuco, had been so 
 violent that it was half an hour before he received his 
 senses. His whole face was bruised and disfigured, 
 and several of his teeth were broken, so that for 
 twenty days he could partake of no solid food. It 
 was necessary to remain four days in the village, 
 before he and his wounded soldiers were sufficient 
 ly recovered, to bear a journey; On the fifth day, 
 he resumed his march, departing in search of ano 
 ther province, called Osachile.* 
 
 The first day they journeyed four leagues, and 
 encamped on the bank of a large and deep river, 
 which divides the two provinces, and over which it 
 was necessary to throw a bridge. They had 
 scarcely begun their preparations, however, when 
 
 * This name is spelled Uzachil, by the Portuguese Narrator. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 147 
 
 they beheld the Indians on the opposite side, in hos 
 tile array. Abandoning their construction of the 
 bridge, they hastily formed six rafts, on which a 
 hundred men passed over, cross-bow men and ar- 
 quebusiers, and fifty horsemen, carrying with them 
 the saddles for their horses. 
 
 As soon as these reached the land, their horses 
 were driven into the water, and made to swim 
 across.^ Their owners received them on the shore, 
 saddled and mounted them immediately, and gal 
 loped out into the plain. At sight of them, the In 
 dians took to flight ; and the Spaniards worked 
 without molestation at the bridge, which was finish 
 ed in a day and a half. 
 
 The army passed the river, and after travelling 
 two leagues through a country free from woods, 
 came to large fields of maize, beans, and pumpkins, 
 with scattered habitations. While they were dispers 
 ed about the fields, a number of Indians lurking in 
 ambush among the grain, assailed them with flights 
 of arrows, by which many of them were wounded. 
 The Spaniards started in pursuit of them Jance in 
 hand. There was some sharp skirmishing ; many 
 natives were wounded, and a few taken prisoners. 
 The latter had chains put about their necks, and 
 were distributed among the soldiers ; and made to 
 
148 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 carry the baggage, pound the maize, and fulfil other 
 servile employments.* 
 
 The Spaniards arrived at Osachile, a village 
 about ten leagues from that of Vitachuco. It con 
 tained two hundred houses which were deserted, 
 the Cacique and his people having fled to the woods, 
 terrified by the rumours of the sanguinary massa 
 cre of Vitachuco.f The Governor sent proffers of 
 peace and friendship to him by the Indian prisoners. 
 He made no reply, however, neither did any of the 
 envoys return. 
 
 The village of Osachilef resembled most of the 
 Indian villages of Florida. The natives always en 
 deavoured to build upon high ground, or at least to 
 erect the houses of the Cacique or Chief, upon an 
 eminence. As the country was very level, and high 
 places seldom to be found, they constructed artifi 
 cial mounds of earth, the top of each being capable 
 of containing from ten to twenty houses. Here re 
 sided the Cacique, his family, and attendants. At 
 the foot of this hill was a square, according to the 
 size of the village, around which were the houses of 
 the leaders, and most distinguished inhabitants. The 
 
 * Portuguese Narrative, c. 12. t Idem. 
 t The river Oscilla may take its name from this old Indian vil 
 lage and province. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 149 
 
 rest of the people erected their wigwams, as near 
 to the dwelling of their chief as possible. 
 
 An ascent in a straight line from fifteen to twenty 
 feet wide, led to the top of the hillock, and was 
 flanked on each side by trunks of trees, joined one 
 to another, and thrust deep into the earth ; other 
 trunks of trees formed a kind of stairway. All the 
 other sides of the mound were steep and inaccessi 
 ble. 
 
 While in the village of Osachile, the Spaniards 
 learnt that they were not far from the province of 
 Apalachee, the country of the Apalachians. Of this 
 province they had heard the most wonderful ac 
 count as to its great extent and fertility, and the bra 
 very and ferocity of its inhabitants. Throughout 
 their march the Indians had predicted that the war 
 riors of Apalachee, would transfix them with their 
 lances, hew them in pieces, or consume them with 
 fire. De Soto was little moved by their menaces ; 
 his great desire was to see this boasted province ; 
 arid, if it were as fertile and abundant as represent 
 ed, to winter there. He remained, therefore, but 
 two days in Osachile, at the end of which he re 
 sumed his march. 
 
 The Spaniards were three days traversing an un 
 inhabited desert, twelve leagues in extent, which lay 
 between the two provinces, and about noon on the 
 13* 
 
150 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 fourth day, arrived at a great morass.* It was bor 
 dered by forests of huge and lofty trees, with a 
 dense underwood of thorns and brambles, and 
 clambering vines so interwoven and matted toge 
 ther as to form a perfect barrier. Through this, the 
 Indians had made a Jiarrow path, scarce wide 
 enough for two persons to walk abreast. In the 
 centre of the morass was a sheet of water half a 
 league in width, and as far as the eye could reach in 
 extent., 
 
 De Soto encamped at an early hour on a fine 
 plain on the skirts of the forest, and ordered out a 
 hundred foot, consisting of cross-bow men, archers, 
 and pike men, with thirty horse, and twelve expert 
 swimmers, to explore the passage of the morass, 
 
 * This is supposed by some to have been the great swamp of 
 Okefenokee, lying in lat. 31 North, on the frontiers of Georgia 
 and Florida. Mr. M Culloch in his Researches, imagines it to 
 be the Ohahichee swamp, and his opinion is entitled to great cre 
 dit, as he has investigated the subject more thoroughly than most 
 writers. It must, however, remain a matter of conjecture and 
 uncertainty ; for, it is almost impossible to trace out the route of 
 De Soto and his followers, at the commencement and close of 
 their expedition, as the distances given by both the Portuguese 
 and Spanish chroniclers, are often exaggerated and sometimes 
 contradictory. 
 
 Vide Kerr s Voyages and Travels, V. 5, p. 456. 
 
 M Culloch s Researches, p. 524. 
 
 Darby s Florida, p. 19,20. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 151 
 
 -ascertain the depth of the water, and search for a 
 ford, against the following day. 
 
 The Spaniards had penetrated but a little dis 
 tance into the forest, when they were opposed by 
 Indian warriors. The passage, however, was so 
 narrow, and so completely walled on each side by 
 thorny and impervious forest, that not more than 
 the two foremost of each vanguard could come to 
 blows. The Spaniards, therefore, ordered two of 
 the stoutest to the front, armed with sword and 
 buckler, followed by two others, cross-bow men and 
 archers. In this wa^they drove the Indians before 
 them until they came to the water. Here, as both 
 parties could scatter themselves, and had room for 
 action, there was some hard fighting. Many good 
 shots were given, and several were killed and wound 
 ed on both sides. 
 
 Finding it impossible, under such heavy fire, to 
 examine the depth of the water, the Spaniards sent 
 word to the Governor, who came to their aid, with 
 the best soldiers of the army. The enemy likewise 
 received a reinforcement, and the battle became 
 still more fierce and bloody. Both fought to their 
 waists in the water, stumbling about among thorns 
 and brambles, and twisted roots, and the sunken 
 trunks of fallen trees. The Spaniards were aware, 
 however, that it would not do to return without dis- 
 
 f/ 
 
 or THE 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF 
 
152 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 covering the pass ; they continued, therefore, to 
 charge the enemy with great impetuosity, and suc 
 ceeded in driving them out of the water. They 
 found that the narrow pass through the forest con 
 tinued through the water, being cleared of thorns 
 and roots, and sunken trees, so that the Indians 
 could wade up to their middles, excepting over 
 about forty paces of the mid channel, where it was 
 too deep to be forded. This they passed by a 
 bridge of two trees fastened together. The oppo 
 site side of the morass was bordered by the same 
 kind of impervious forest as the other, and, like it, 
 traversed by a narrow Indian path. The distance 
 through the two forests, and across the morass, was 
 about a league and a half. 
 
 The Governor, having well reconnoitered the pass, 
 returned with his men to the encampment. Here 
 he held a council of war, in which the difficulties 
 and dangers of the case were discussed, and the 
 mode of meeting them determined upon. 
 
 It was arranged that two hundred picked men 
 should be thrown in the advance to secure the pass, 
 and prepare the way for the passage of the main 
 body. One hundred of these were to be horsemen, 
 and one hundred foot soldiers. The former being 
 better armed than the infantry, and protected by 
 bucklers, always received less injury from the ar- 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 153 
 
 rows of the enemy ; they were, therefore, to take 
 the lead, on foot, as horses would only be an embar 
 rassment in such a narrow pass. In this way they 
 would, as it were, form a shield to the hundred foot 
 soldiers, consisting of arquebusiers and archers. 
 
 They were all to be provided with bills, hatchets, 
 and other implements for clearing an encamping 
 place in the opposite forest, on the side of the mo 
 rass i for, as the Spaniards would have to pass the 
 narrow ford one by one, in the face of a ferocious 
 enemy, it would be impossible for the whole army 
 to traverse the morass, and both borders of wood 
 land in one day. It appeared advisable, therefore, 
 to make a lodgement in the opposite forest. 
 
 * Garcilaso de la Vega. P. 2. L. 2. c. 1. 
 
154 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 Of the perilous passage of the great morass. 
 
 1539. An, the requisite preparations being made, 
 two hundred picked men sallied out of the encamp 
 ment, each soldier carrying with him in his bosom 
 his day s allowance, consisting of a little boiled or 
 toasted maize. Two hours before the dawn of day 
 they entered the defile of the forest, which they 
 traversed as silently as possible until they reached 
 the water. They soon found the ford where the 
 stones, and roots, and sunken logs had been cleared 
 away ; keeping along this they came to the bridge 
 made of fallen trees and logs, across the deepest 
 part of the channel. This they passed without mo 
 lestation from the Indians, who had left the whole 
 pass unguarded, not imagining that the Spaniards 
 would dare to penetrate the dense forest, or ford the 
 deep and perilous passage of the morass by night. 
 
 When they perceived at daybreak, however, that 
 they had passed the bridge, they rushed with great 
 fury and loud cries and howls to dispute the passage 
 of the morass yet to be traversed, which was about 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 155 
 
 a quarter of a league. The Spaniards received 
 their attack manfully: both parties fought up to the 
 j, middle in water. The Indians were soon repulsed 
 * and driven into the defile of the opposite forest, into 
 which they could only enter one at a time. This 
 defile being so narrow, and \valled in by an imper 
 vious forest, it was easy to blockade the passage 
 and keep the enemy from sallying forth. Forty 
 men were ordered to do so, while the remaining 
 hundred and fifty went to work to cut down trees 
 and clear a place for the army to encamp. 
 
 In this manner they remained all the day, the In 
 dians in the bosom of the forest shouting and yell 
 ing, as if to frighten with their noise those whom they 
 would not engage with their arms ; some of the Span 
 iards watching, the others felling trees and burning 
 the fallen timber. When night came, each one re 
 mained where he chanced to be. Disturbed by the 
 yells of the Indians, and obliged to maintain a constant 
 vigilance, the Spaniards passed a sleepless night. 
 
 The next morning the troops undertook the pas 
 sage, and although they met with no opposition from 
 the enemy, they found many difficulties in the ford, 
 and, being obliged to pass one by one, were the 
 whole day in crossing. 
 
 By night they were all encamped on the cleared 
 ground, where, however, they enjoyed but little 
 
156 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 sleep, in consequence of the yells and attacks of the 
 enemy. 
 
 At break of day they pressed forward through the 
 defile of the second forest, driving the Indians slowly 
 before them, who retreated step by step, plying their 
 bows incessantly, so that every inch of the way 
 had to be won at the edge of the sword. 
 
 At length, after fighting onward in this way for 
 half a league, they emerged from this dense and 
 thorny forest into more open woodland. Here, 
 however, the Indians, foreseeing that there would 
 be more scope for the horses to come into action, 
 had taken precautions accordingly. 
 
 It was in a part of this very rnorass, though not 
 in this immediate neighbourhood, that Pamphilo de 
 Narvaez had been .defeated about ten or eleven 
 years before ; and the Indians, profiting by the ex 
 perience then gained, and encouraged by the recol 
 lection of that triumph, trusted that they would 
 have like success in the present instance. 
 
 To render the much dreaded horses ineffec 
 tive, they had blocked up and traversed the open 
 places of the forest with great logs, and branches 
 tied from tree to tree ; and in the close and matted 
 parts of the forest, had made narrow passages by 
 which they might dart forth, make an assault, and 
 vanish again in an instant. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 157 
 
 As soon, therefore, as the Spaniards entered this 
 more open woodland, they found themselves assail 
 ed by showers of arrows from every side. The In 
 dians were scattered about among the thickets, they 
 sallied forth, rushed among the troops, plied their 
 bows with intense rapidity, and plunged again into 
 the forest. The horses were of no avail ; the arque- 
 busiers and archers seemed no longer a terror ; for 
 in the time a Spaniard could make one discharge 
 and reload his musket, or place another bolt in his 
 cross-bow, an Indian would launch six or seven ar 
 rows ; scarce had one arrow taken flight before 
 another was in the bow. 
 
 In their hampered situation, the Spaniards found 
 it impossible to assault the enemy ; their only alter 
 native was to defend themselves and press forward. 
 All the while, too, that they were exposed to this 
 galling fire, they were insulted by the taunts and 
 threats of the enemy, who reminded them of their 
 victory over Pamphilo de Narvaez, and menaced 
 them with a like defeat. 
 
 For two long leagues did the Spaniards toil and 
 fight their way forward through this forest ; irritated 
 and mortified by these galling attacks, vexatious 
 taunts, and by the impossibility of retaliating; at 
 length they emerged into an open and level country. 
 Here, overjoyed at being freed from this forest pri- 
 14 
 
158 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 son, they gave reins to their horses and free vent to 
 their smothered rage, and scoured the plain, lancing 
 and cutting down every Indian they encountered, 
 out of revenge of their own annoyances, and of the 
 past defeat of Narvaez. But few of the enemy 
 were taken prisoners ; many were put to the sword ; 
 and thus did they suffer severely for the presump- 
 tious confidence inspired by their former triumph 
 over Spaniards.* 
 
 * Garcilaso de la Vega. P. 2. L. 2. c. 2. 
 Herrera. Hist. Ind. Decad. vi. L. 7. c. 12. 
 
159 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 The Indians make a desperate stand at a deep stream. 
 The Spaniards gain the pass andarrweat the Indian 
 milage of Anhayea, in the province of Apalachee. 
 
 1539. THE Spaniards had now arrived at the 
 commencement of a fertile region covered with 
 those villages and fields of grain for which the pro 
 vince of Apalachee was famous throughout the 
 country. Wearied with their toilsome march and 
 incessant fighting, they encamped for the night in 
 the open plain, near a small village. Still, with all 
 their weariness, they were deprived the repose so 
 necessary to them. All night long they were dis 
 turbed by the yells and howlings of the Indians, by 
 their repeated assaults, and the flights of arrows 
 that were discharged into the camp. 
 
 At daybreak the Spaniards resumed their march 
 through extensive fields of maize, beans, pompions, 
 and other vegetables, extending on each side of the 
 road as far as the eye could reach, interspersed 
 with small cabins, showing a numerous, but scattered 
 population. 
 
160 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 The inhabitants justified their ferocious and war 
 like reputation, for they kept up incessant attacks, 
 sallying forth from their dwellings, or starting up 
 from their corn fields where they had lain in am 
 bush ; and though the Spaniards wreaked upon 
 them a bloody revenge, slaughtering them without 
 mercy, yet nothing could check the fury of the sur- 
 vjvers. 
 
 After contending for two leagues through the 
 fields of corn, the Spaniards came to a deep stream 
 bordered by deep forests ;* where the Indians had 
 erected palisades and barriers, to impede the pass 
 ing of the horse, as well as to protect themselves. 
 As this was one of the strongest and most import 
 ant passes, and in a manner their last hope, they 
 had prepared themselves to defend it vigorously. 
 
 Having reconnoitered the pass, the Spaniards 
 made arrangements accordingly. The best armed 
 horsemen alighted, and buckling on their shields, 
 advanced with swords and hatchets in hand, gained 
 the pass, and broke down the palisades and barriers. 
 The Indians fought desperately to defend them ; se 
 veral Spaniards were killed and many wounded, 
 but they succeeded in forcing their way with less 
 difficulty than they had apprehended. 
 
 * Mr. McCulloch supposes this to be the river Ucho. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 161 
 
 The stream forded, they marched two more 
 leagues without opposition, through the same kind of 
 fertile and cultivated country ; then choosing a place 
 clear from forests, encamped for the night. After four 
 days and three nights of watching, toiling, and fight 
 ing, they needed repose, and had hoped, in this open 
 place, where the horses had free career, that they 
 should be able to enjoy it without molestation. The 
 darkness of the night, however, encouraged the as 
 saults of their restless and daring foes, and obliged 
 them to keep up a constant vigil with their weapons 
 in their hands. 
 
 Even the Indians who were captured evinced the 
 implacable and unconquerable spirit for which the 
 Apalachian tribe was famous. Though in the power 
 of their enemies, they continued to carry an air of 
 haughtiness and defiance ; boasting of their origin, 
 vaunting the valour of their nation, and telling the 
 Spaniards that they would soon arrive at the village 
 of their Cacique, where he and a host of warriors 
 were waiting to destroy them. The name of this 
 Cacique was Capafi ; the first they had heard of, 
 whose name differed from that of his village. Learn 
 ing that this formidable village was actually but 
 about two leagues distant, Hernando de Soto, on 
 the following morning, which was the fifth since 
 crossing the morass, put himself in the advance, 
 14* 
 
162 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 with two hundred horse and a hundred foot. On 
 their way they put all the Indians they met with to 
 the sword. 
 
 On reaching the village they found it recently de 
 serted by the Cacique and his men. They pursued 
 them for some distance, killed some of the Indians, 
 captured others, but the Cacique made his escape. 
 They then took up their quarters in the village, 
 which was named Anhayea,* and contained two 
 hundred and fifty large and commodious houses: 
 the Adelantado took possession of the dwelling of 
 the Cacique, which stood at one end of the village, 
 and was superior to the rest. 
 
 In addition to this principal village, they under 
 stood that there were many others in the province, 
 containing from fifty to a hundred houses more or 
 less, besides a multitude of dwellings scattered about 
 the country. The province throughout was reputed 
 to be pleasant, the soil fertile, producing maize, cu 
 cumbers, beans, and wild plums ; the rivers abound 
 ing in fish, which the natives caught in vast quanti 
 ties throughout the year, and dried for use.f 
 
 * Portuguese Narrative, c. 12. 
 
 t Garcilaso de la Vega. P. 2. L. 2. c. 4. Portuguese Narra 
 tive c. 12. 
 
163 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 Juan de Anasco sets out in search of the Ocean 
 the adventures he met with by the way. 
 
 1539. THE army remained quiet in the village of 
 Anhayea for several days, recruiting from its past 
 toils, although the enemy did not fail to continue 
 their attacks by night and day. The Governor now 
 sent out bands of horse and foot to explore the sur 
 rounding country for fifteen or twenty leagues. 
 Two captains, the one named Arias Tinoco, the 
 other, Andreas de Vasconcelos, were sent in differ 
 ent directions to the northward. They returned, 
 the one in eight, and the other in nine days, having 
 met with no adventures worthy of relation. Both 
 reported that they had found many populous vil 
 lages, and that the country was fertile and free from 
 morasses or extensive forests. A third captain had 
 been sent about the same time to the southward : 
 this was Juan de Anasco, the Contador of the army. 
 He was one whom De Soto often chose for un 
 dertakings that required a stout heart and active 
 spirit, though he was sometimes prone to be a little 
 
164 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 hasty in temper and positive in command. He had 
 under his command forty horse and fifty foot, and 
 was accompanied by Gonzalo Silvestre and Gomez 
 Arias. The latter was a relation of the Governor s 
 wife, and a hardy soldier, seasoned in all kinds of 
 perils and vicissitudes by land and water, as most 
 Spanish adventurers were in those days. He had 
 seen rough times in Moorish warfare ; had been a 
 slave in Barbary ; and, to his adventurous valour, 
 added sage experience in council. 
 
 Thus accompanied, Juan de Afiasco set off to 
 wards the south in quest of the ocean, which was 
 said to be less than thirty leagues distant from An- 
 hayea. He was guided in his expedition by an In 
 dian who professed great fidelity and attachment to 
 the Spaniards. 
 
 For two days they travelled over an excellent 
 road, wide and level, passing two small rivers which 
 were easily forded. Here they came to the village 
 of Aute, which was abandoned by the inhabitants, 
 but well stocked with provisions. Taking with them 
 a supply for four days, they continued on by the 
 same commodious road. At length the Indian di 
 verged from it, and led the way into dense and 
 thorny forests without any path. The ground was 
 in many places rough and broken, and covered with 
 fallen trees. In other places were deep bogs cover- 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 165 
 
 ed with grass, that presented the appearance of 
 firm land, but into which horse and foot sunk and 
 floundered and were almost smothered. 
 
 In this wilderness they wandered about for five 
 days, frequently crossing their former track, until 
 their stock of provisions was nearly exhausted. 
 Three times they came, as they thought, within 
 sound of the distant surges of the sea, and each time 
 the Indian struck in an opposite direction. In their 
 vexation and perplexity they began to suspect his 
 fidelity, and that he had a design to make them perish 
 with hunger in this inextricable forest, even though 
 he should share the same fate. These suspicions, 
 however, they kept to themselves, for they had no 
 other guide. 
 
 They now determined to return to Aute, get a 
 fresh supply of provisions, and renew their search. 
 Their return was the more toilsome, as they had to 
 retrace their footsteps through fear of losing the 
 road, and the mire of the bogs was so much tram 
 pled that they sunk deeper in it than before. Four 
 days did they keep on in this painful way, and their 
 absurd suspicions of their Indian guide revived. 
 They grew r peevish in their conduct towards him ; 
 quarrels ensued between him and the soldiers ; he 
 was beaten, and would have been slain on the spot, 
 had not Anasco interfered. Exasperated to re- 
 
166 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 venge, he watched an opportunity at night while 
 the soldiers slept, and snatching a brand from the 
 fire, struck those who had maltreated him. This 
 only brought on him severer punishment. A chain 
 was then put round his neck and the other end given 
 to a soldier, to keep close watch over him. 
 
 The next morning, in the course of their rugged 
 march, the guide, as he followed the soldier who had 
 him in charge, sprang suddenly upon him, threw 
 him to the ground, and began to trample upon him. 
 
 Upon this the Spaniards fell upon the Indian with 
 sword and pike : even Juan de Anasco, losing all 
 temper, raised himself in his stirrups, and with both 
 hands, dealt him a terrible thrust with his lance ; 
 after which, as he lay for dead, a hound was turned 
 loose to tear him to pieces. 
 
 The guide being slain, and their anger being thus 
 cruelly appeased, they began to think which way 
 they should direct their steps. In this dilemma they 
 turned to an Indian whom they had captured on 
 their return to Aute. From him they gathered by 
 signs, and a few words which they understood, that 
 it would be impossible to get to the sea by their pre 
 sent route, on account of the swamps and forests ; 
 but that if they would return to Aute he would take 
 them by a direct road to the coast, and to the very 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 167 
 
 place where Pamphilo de Narvaez had built his ves 
 sels and embarked. 
 
 They had no alternative but to trust to this new 
 guide, hoping that the fate of his predecessor would 
 have a salutary effect on him. They returned, 
 therefore, to the village of Aute, after fifteen days 
 of toilsome and fruitless wandering. 
 
 As Gomez Arias and Gonzalo Silvestre were 
 riding in the advance, they took two Indian prison 
 ers, near to the village. On questioning them about 
 the sea coast, and the proper route to find it, they 
 confirmed all that had been said by the present 
 guide. The Spaniards comforted themselves with 
 the hope, therefore, that they would now be able to 
 accomplish the object of their journey ; and with 
 this persuasion, slept soundly and contentedly that 
 night, after all their toils. 
 
168 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 Juan de Ailasco arrives at the bay, where he finds 
 traces of Pamphilo de Narvaez. 
 
 1539. ON the following day Juan de Anasco and 
 his followers set out once more from the village of 
 Aute, under the guidance of the three Indians, by 
 the new route they pointed out. The road was 
 wide and open, free from any bad passages, except 
 ing one narrow marsh, in which the horses did not 
 sink over their fetlocks. They had not journeyed 
 more than two leagues when they arrived at a spa 
 cious bay,* and, proceeding along its shores, came 
 at last, to their great joy, to the very place where 
 the unfortunate Pamphilo de Narvaez and his peo 
 ple had sojourned. Here were the remains of a rude 
 forge, where the iron work for the vessels had been 
 wrought ; and around it lay scattered charcoal and 
 cinders. There were large trunks of trees, also, 
 hollowed out into troughs, in which the horses had 
 
 * Evidently the Bay of St. Marks, or Apalachee. See Char, 
 levoix Journal Historique, Let. 34. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 169 
 
 been fed ; and not far off lay the bones of the horses 
 that had been killed. 
 
 The Spaniards gazed with melancholy interest 
 upon these relics of a disastrous expedition, and 
 eagerly sought to glean from their savage guides 
 further particulars respecting Narvaez and his men. 
 The Indians had picked up some Spanish phrases 
 during the time that Narvaez sojourned here ; with 
 these, aided by signs, and by words of their own 
 language partly understood by their hearers, they 
 contrived to give some account of the transactions 
 at the bay. They led the Spaniards, step by step, 
 over the scenes visited by Narvaez ; showed the 
 place where ten of his men had been surprised and 
 slain; and pointed out every spot where things of 
 note had happened to that ill-starred commander. 
 
 Anasco and his companions searched in every di 
 rection to find if any letter had been Isft in the hol 
 low of a tree, or any inscription on the bark ; as 
 \vas the common practice with discoverers ; but 
 they could find nothing of the kind. They then 
 ranged along the shores of the bay to the sea, 
 which was three leagues distant. Here, finding 
 some old canoes cast upon the beach, ten or twelve 
 expert swimmers embarked in them and sounded 
 the bay, in the mid channel of which they found 
 sufficient depth for large ships. 
 15 
 
170 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 After this, they placed signals in the highest trees, 
 so as to be apparent to any one sailing along the 
 coast ; and took down, in writing, a minute account of 
 the place and its bearings, for the certain information 
 of any one who might henceforth seek it. Having 
 taken these precautions, they made the best of their 
 way back to the army. De Soto was rejoiced to 
 see them, for their long absence had caused him 
 great uneasiness. He was highly satisfied, also, to 
 learn that they had discovered so excellent a har 
 bour, and the very one from which Pamphilo de 
 Narvaez had set sail with his ill-fated barques. 
 
171 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 The expedition of Juan de Anasco and his band of 
 thirty troopers. 
 
 1539. As the season was far advanced, De Soto 
 resolved to proceed no farther for the present, but 
 to winter in this abundant province of Apalachee. 
 He caused the village of Anhayea, therefore, to be 
 strongly fortified, additional buildings to be erected 
 for barracks, and the surrounding country to be for 
 aged for a stock of provisions. In the mean time, 
 friendly messages and presents were repeatedly 
 sent to the Cacique Capafi. He, however, rejected 
 all overtures, and buried himself in a dense forest, 
 surrounded by morasses and perilous defiles. 
 
 As De Soto saw no use in keeping up a garrison 
 at Hirrihigua, in the bay of Espiritu Santo, he de 
 termined to send orders to Pedro Calderon to break 
 up his encampment there, despatch the vessels that 
 lay in the harbour, and march with the forces under 
 his command to rejoin the army in their winter 
 quarters. How to get these orders to Pedro Calde 
 ron was now the question ; for whoever bore the 
 
172 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 message would have to retrace the wilderness 
 through which the army had marched, to re-cross 
 the deep and rapid rivers, thread the gloomy forests 
 and miry swamps, and, as it were, to run the gauntlet 
 through tribes of warlike and cruel savages, smarting 
 from their late conflicts, and thirsting for revenge. 
 
 After mature consideration, he resolved to intrust 
 the perilous enterprise to a band of troopers, suffi 
 cient in number to make head against a considerable 
 force of savages, -yet not too numerous to move with 
 secrecy and expedition. 
 
 No sooner had he proposed the daring errand 
 than there was a competition among the hardy young 
 cavaliers of the army to be sent upon it ; for the 
 very danger of the service excited their ardour. De 
 Soto chose from among them thirty prime lances, 
 and appointed as their leader, the stout hearted and 
 well tried Juan De Anasco. Along with him went 
 the shrewd and hardy Gomez Arias, who had been 
 his comrade in his late expedition to the bay of Aute. 
 
 Among the lances was one Pedro Moron, a mes 
 tizo, or half-blood, between Spaniard and mulatto, 
 native of the Island of Cuba. This soldier, beside 
 being an admirable swimmer, was gifted with a 
 scent almost equal to that of a dog ; so that he had 
 often, in the Island of Cuba, winded and traced a 
 fugitive Indian into the thickets and caves in which 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 173 
 
 he had hid himself. He also could scent tire at the 
 distance of a league, though no light or smoke was 
 to be perceived.* In company with him went an 
 other mestizo, his friend and countryman, likewise 
 a native of Cuba. 
 
 It was on the 20th of November,! (1539,) that 
 this small and intrepid band set out on their hazard 
 ous errand. As celerity of movement was all im 
 portant, each horseman was lightly equipped, with 
 a casque, a coat of mail under his doublet, and a 
 lance ; a pair of alforjas or \vallets were slung 
 across the saddle bow, in which, beside a small sup 
 ply of food for himself, and corn for his steed, he 
 had two or three spare horse shoes, and a few nails. 
 
 Long before the day dawned the gallant troopers 
 were on the road.J Pressing forward, they scoured 
 along at full speed, when practicable, fearing lest the 
 rumour of their coming might precede them, and 
 give the Indians time to assemble and dispute the 
 passes. Overtaking two of the natives, they put 
 them to death, to prevent their giving the alarm to 
 their comrades who were scattered about the fields. 
 
 * Garcilaso de la Vega, P. 2, L. 2, c. 7. 
 
 t Portuguese Relation. 
 
 t The account of this romantic and perilous expedition of the 
 thirty troopers, is entirely from the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega. 
 The Portuguese Narrative makes very brief mention of it. 
 15* 
 
174 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 They rapidly traversed the extensive morass and 
 vast forests of Apalachee, without opposition, and 
 halted in an open plain on its skirts ; ten of their 
 number keeping watch while the remainder slept. 
 
 Ere it was light they were again in their saddles, 
 and pressing their horses, made the best of their 
 way over that desert tract of country lying between 
 the morass of Apalachee and the village of Osachile. 
 Apprehensive that the Indians might have heard of 
 their approach, and would make stout resistance in 
 the village, Anasco ordered a halt. As night closed 
 in, they pushed onward with great caution, and came 
 in sight of the village about midnight. Not stopping 
 to reconnoitre, they loosened their reins, clapped 
 spurs to their horses, and dashed through the village 
 full speed. They galloped on about a league fur 
 ther, when they struck off their course for a short 
 distance, and halted for the remainder of the night ; 
 having travelled this day more than thirteen leagues. 
 
 At daybreak they resumed their journey, putting 
 their horses to their speed, as numbers of the na 
 tives were scattered about the fields, and might give 
 the alarm. Thus, they went five leagues on a scam 
 per to the river Osachile, at the risk of their horses ; 
 but these were, luckily, so high mettled that they 
 suffered but little. 
 
 On approaching the river, Gonzalo Silvestre, who 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 175 
 
 had pushed his horse more than his companions, was 
 in advance. He was fearful lest the river should 
 have swollen since the army crossed it. Fortu 
 nately, however, the water had fallen. He was so 
 overjoyed that he plunged in with his horse, swam 
 the stream, and mounted the bank on the opposite 
 side. When his companions came up they were re 
 joiced to see him on the opposite bank, for they had 
 entertained the same fear, that the river might have 
 increased : they all dashed in, gained the other side 
 without accident, and, with light hearts, dismounted 
 and made their breakfasts on the green sward. 
 
 They were soon again on horse, and at a mode 
 rate pace, approached the village of Vitachuco. 
 Thinking to have found the place as they had left it, 
 they looked forward to some severe fighting with 
 the inhabitants, and expected to pass through it at 
 the point of the sword. A consultation was held, 
 and it was resolved, that none should stop to fight, 
 but at full gallop cut their way through the enemy ; 
 for the death of one of their number, or of a horse, 
 would be a serious loss, and increase the perils of 
 the expedition. Thus determined, they spurred 
 on, and were soon relieved from their apprehen 
 sions. They found the village a scene of utter de 
 solation ; the houses burnt, the watts thrown to the 
 ground, and the bodies of the Indians who had fal- 
 
176 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 len on the day of battle, heaped up into a mound, 
 and left unsepulchred. The Spaniards afterwards 
 learnt, that the natives had destroyed and deserted 
 this village, from an idea that it had been built on 
 an evil and ill-fated site ; and they had left the 
 corses of their people unburied, food for carrion 
 birds and wild beasts, because, according to their 
 superstitious belief, the unfortunate, and defeated in 
 battle, were infamous and accursed. 
 
177 
 
 CHAPTER XXV III. 
 
 Continuation of the bold and perilous expedition of 
 Juan de Anasco, and his thirty lances. 
 
 1539. THE Spaniards checked their steeds, and 
 wound slowly through the ruins of the village, won 
 dering at the desolation around them. They 
 had left it but a short distance behind them, 
 when they encountered two Indian warriors, who 
 were out on a hunting expedition. The moment 
 the Indians perceived the horse advancing, they 
 took refuge under a large walnut tree which was at 
 hand. One of them, however, doubting the shelter 
 the tree could afford, fled, and made an attempt to 
 reach the woods on the opposite side of the road, 
 but two horsemen dashed after him, and before he 
 attained this asylum, they transfixed him with their 
 lances. 
 
 The other Indian was a more courageous spirit, 
 and, with undaunted front, kept his station under 
 the tree ; and, as fortune usually favours the daring, 
 he met with a better fate. Fixing an arrow in his 
 bow, he fearlessly faced the Spaniards, who came 
 
178 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 galloping one behind the other, and threatened to 
 shoot, should they approach him. Some of the ca 
 valiers, irritated at his daring insolence, or moved 
 by jealousy of his undaunted courage, would fain 
 have dismounted and attacked him lance in hand. 
 Anasco, however, interfered, representing to them 
 that there was neither valour nor prudence in at 
 tacking a desperate man, especially at a time when 
 the death, even of a horse, would be deeply felt, and 
 when they were so badly provided with medicines 
 for the healing of the wounded. He then wheeled 
 his horse and they made a large circuit from the 
 road, lest the Indian should shoot any of the horses 
 as they passed : for this they dreaded most. He al 
 lowed them all to pass,, and finding that, instead of 
 attacking him, they had turned on one side, he start 
 ed after them, calling them mean spirited cowards, 
 and taunting them for flying from a single foe. At 
 this moment there arose a shrill and wild outcry 
 from every part of the surrounding fields and forests. 
 The savages started up on all sides, and called upon 
 each other to barricade the road. But the Span 
 iards gave their horses the reins and spur, and soon 
 left the enemy behind them. This night, the third of 
 their wayfaring, they halted in a level and beautiful 
 plain, having travelled seventeen leagues since mor 
 ning, the last eight through the province of Vitachuco. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 179 
 
 On the fourth day they journeyed other seven 
 teen leagues through the same province The 
 natives, thirsting for revenge, on account of their 
 late defeat, were on the alert; and seeing the Span 
 iards passing through their country with so small a 
 force, determined to massacre them. They sent se 
 ven Indian runners ahead to spread the alarm of the 
 coming of the white men, that their warriors might 
 assemble at some narrow pass and dispute the way. 
 The Christians, however, suspecting their designs, 
 pushed on so close upon the runners, that they took 
 them all prisoners. At nightfall they encamped as 
 usual in an open plain. 
 
 A little past midnight they roused themselves 
 from their slumbers, and when the sun rose, they 
 had already travelled five leagues, and arrived at 
 the river Ochali, where, on a former occasion, the 
 Indians had killed the greyhound with their arrows. 
 They had hoped to find the river with less water 
 than when they had crossed it, but, on the contrary, 
 it had overflowed its banks, and was now a deep, 
 turbid, furious stream, boiling and foaming with 
 whirlpools, fearful even to look upon, and dangerous 
 to traverse. 
 
 The Spaniards held an earnest consultation for a 
 few moments : the first object was to secure the 
 opposite bank before the Indians should arrive 
 
180 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 there. It was determined, therefore, that twelve 
 of the best swimmers, stripping themselves of every 
 thing except their casques and coats of mail, and 
 disencumbering their horses of saddles and saddle 
 bags, and taking only their lances in their hands, 
 should swim their steeds to the opposite bank, and 
 take post there, to protect the crossing of their 
 companions with the baggage. At the same time, 
 fourteen were, with all speed, to construct a raft of 
 drift wood, to transport the baggage, and such of 
 the party as could not swim ; while four were to 
 mount guard at their present post, until all should 
 be effected. 
 
 All this was no sooner agreed upon than it was 
 put into execution. The twelve swimmers threw 
 off all superfluous clothes, and taking lance in hand, 
 urged their horses into the raging stream. Eleven 
 of them landed in safety at a large opening on the 
 opposite bank : the twelfth swimmer w r as Juan Lo 
 pez Cacho, page to the Governor, and the same 
 youth who once accompanied Gonzalo Silvestre on 
 his perilous errand to the camp. In attempting to 
 cross, he drifted with his horse somewhat below the 
 opening. Finding he could not stem the current 
 up to the place where his companions landed, he 
 let his horse swim lower down the river and sought 
 some other landing place. He attempted several 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 181 
 
 times to scramble up the bank, but it was like a 
 wall, and there was no foothold for the horse. He 
 was compelled, therefore, to return to the opposite 
 shore, but before he reached it his horse began to 
 falter through fatigue. He called out for succour 
 to his companions who were felling the wood for 
 the raft. Four of them threw themselves into the 
 water and dragged him and his horse to shore. By 
 the time they reached it, the poor youth was so 
 thoroughly chilled, and exhausted by struggling so 
 long in the cold water, that he was more like a 
 corpse than a living being. 
 
 Leaving the cavaliers to complete the crossing 
 of the river, we will cast a look back to the camp, 
 to notice the proceedings of its careful commander. 
 16 
 
182 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 De Soto s enterprise against the Cacique of Capafi. 
 
 1539. HAVING despatched Juan de Anasco and 
 his thirty lances on their expedition, the next 
 thought of De Soto was for the security and com 
 fort of his army. Ever since he had been quartered 
 in the village of Anhayea, the Indians had not ceas 
 ed to keep up a series of galling and harassing at 
 tacks and alarms, by day and night. The whole 
 neighbourhood, also; was beset by them, lurking 
 about in ambush, and watching every movement of 
 the Spaniards, so that a soldier could not stray a 
 bow-shot from the camp without being waylaid and 
 assaulted. 
 
 Knowing the devotion of the Indians to their 
 chieftains, it occurred to De Soto, that if he could 
 once get Capafi, the Cacique of Apalachee, in his 
 power, his subjects would cease from their harass 
 ing stratagems and attacks. It was a long time, 
 however, before he could get upon the traces of the 
 Cacique, or discover where he had concealed him 
 self, for he did not take the field with his warriors 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 183 
 
 like the other chieftains. In fact, the Cacique, 
 though redoubtable from his sovereign power, was 
 so enormously fat and unwieldy, that he could not 
 walk, nor even stand. When he went about in his 
 dwelling, he had to do so on his hands and knees, 
 and when he moved from place to place, he was 
 borne in a litter on the shoulders of his subjects. " 
 
 At length De Soto received intelligence that the 
 Cacique, being too fat to travel far, had posted him 
 self in the midst of a dense and extensive forest, 
 about eight leagues from the camp; the road to 
 which lay through tangled thickets, and treacherous 
 morasses, which rendered the place almost inacces 
 sible. It was, moreover, fortified in their strongest 
 manner, and garrisoned by a band of the choicest 
 Apalachian warriors, so as to be deemed by them 
 perfectly impregnable. 
 
 As an enterprise against this stronghold was one 
 of peculiar peril, De Soto, with hrs accustomed in 
 trepidity, took it upon himself, and, putting himself 
 at the head of a body of horse and foot, made his 
 way in three days, with great difficulty, to the Indian 
 citadel, the construction of which deserves par 
 ticular mention. 
 
 In the heart of this close and impervious forest, 
 the Indians had cleared a piece of ground, and for 
 tified it strongly, for the residence of the Cacique 
 
184 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 and his warriors. The only entrance or outlet to it 
 was by a narrow path, cut through the forest. At 
 every hundred , paces this path was barricaded by 
 palisades and trunks of trees, at each of which was 
 posted a guard of the bravest warriors. Thus the 
 fat Cacique was ensconsed in the midst of the forest, 
 like a spider in the midst of his web, and his devoted 
 subjects were ready to defend him to the last gasp. 
 
 When the Governor arrived at the entrance of 
 the perilous defile, he found the enemy well prepar 
 ed for its defence. The Spaniards pressed forward, 
 but the path was so narrow, that the two foremost 
 only could engage in the combat. They gained 
 the first and second palisade at the point of the 
 sword. Here it was necessary to cut the osiers 
 and other bands with which the Indians had fasten 
 ed the beams. While they were thus occupied, 
 they were exposed to a galling fire, and received 
 many wounds. Notwithstanding all these obstacles, 
 they gained one palisade after the other, until, by 
 hard fighting, they arrived at the place of refuge of 
 the Cacique. 
 
 Here was the hottest of the battle. The Indians, 
 driven to desperation by the imminent peril of their 
 Cacique, threw themselves upon the swords and 
 spears of the Spaniards. The latter were animated 
 by the sight of their w r ished-for prey, and excited to 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 185 
 
 furious zeal by the example and voice of De Soto, 
 \vho not only fought as usual, in the thickest of the 
 affray, but called on his men by name, and cheered 
 them on to action. 
 
 This obstinate conflict lasted a long time, with 
 many feats of prowess on both sides. The Indians, 
 however, for want of defensive armour, fought on 
 unequal terms, and were most of them cut down. 
 The Cacique called out to the survivers to surren 
 der. The latter, having done all that good soldiers 
 could do, and seeing all their warlike efforts in vain, 
 threw themselves on their knees before the Gover 
 nor, and offered up their own lives, but entreated 
 him to spare the life of their Cacique. 
 
 De Soto was moved by their valour and their loy 
 alty ; receiving them with kindness, he assured them 
 of his pardon for the past, and that thenceforth he 
 would consider them as friends. Capafi, not being- 
 able to walk, was borne in the arms of his attend 
 ants to kiss the hands of the Governor, who. well 
 pleased to have him in his power, treated him with 
 the utmost urbanity and kindness.* 
 
 *The Inca. P. 2, L. 2, c. 10. 
 16* 
 
186 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 Singular escape of the Cacique Capafi. 
 
 1539. DE SOTO returned well pleased to the vil 
 lage of Anhayea, flattering himself that the moles 
 tation from the savages would now be at an end, 
 since he held their Cacique a captive. His hopes, 
 however, were vain, for the Indians, freed from the 
 charge of protecting their chieftain, now devoted 
 themselves to molesting the Christians. The Gene 
 ral considered this, a base instance of ingratitude, 
 seeing that he had refrained from ravaging the 
 country, and he threatened Capafi to commence a 
 war of extermination against his people. 
 
 The Cacique expressed much grief at their con 
 duct, and informed De Soto that the most eminent 
 of them were concealed in a thick forest, five or six 
 leagues from the camp. He offered to go there, 
 guarded by a body of Spaniards, and persuade them 
 to submit, adding, that no messages would avail, as 
 they would not be convinced that he was not a 
 prisoner in irons, and badly treated. De Soto, ac 
 cordingly, ordered a company of horse and foot to 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 187 
 
 escort him, charging them to watch him closely, 
 and not allow him to escape. They left the village 
 before morning, and, directing their inarch in a 
 southerly direction, reached the forest about sunset. 
 
 Here the Cacique sent some Indians of his train 
 to his warriors, who were concealed in the forest, 
 with orders for them to assemble before him on the 
 following morning. Trusting that the order of Ca- 
 pafi would be punctually obeyed, the Spaniards be 
 took themselves to rest for the night, having first 
 placed sentinels at the out-posts, and a strong guard 
 around the Cacique ; whose unwieldy bulk, in fact, 
 seemed a sufficient guarantee for his safety. Partly 
 through negligence, however, and partly through 
 weariness from three days journey, sentinels and 
 all fell asleep. Upon this, the wily Cacique, watch 
 ing his opportunity, crawled on all fours through the 
 drowsy camp, and soon fell in with a prowling 
 party of his subjects, who raised him on their shoul 
 ders, and bore him off to the forest. 
 
 When morning came, and the Spaniards awoke 
 from sleep, the Cacique was not to be seen. They 
 beat up the surrounding forest, but without success. 
 Each one wondered, and questioned the other, how 
 so unwieldy a man had escaped without being seen 
 or heard. The sentinels all swore that they had been 
 exceedingly vigilant on their parts ; it was unani- 
 
188 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 mously agreed, therefore, that the Indians must 
 have conjured up some demon to carry him off 
 through the air. They set off on their return, deep 
 ly mortified; followed by the Indians at a distance, 
 taunting and jeering them, but offering no other mo 
 lestation. They arrived in the camp much crest 
 fallen, and invented a thousand fables to account to 
 the Governor and his officors for the escape of the 
 prisoner. They all certified that they had witness 
 ed strange sights that night, and insisted that the 
 Cacique could not have escaped unless he had been 
 spirited away by devils, so vigilant had been their 
 watchfulness. 
 
 The Governor, though aware that they had ne 
 glected their duty, knew that there was no remedy, 
 and, not to displease his soldiers, pretended to be 
 convinced of the truth of what they had represent 
 ed. He increased their satisfaction by saying that 
 the Indians were such notorious necromancers that 
 they might have performed even more wonderful 
 feats. 
 
189 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 Continuation of the expedition of Juan de Anasco 
 and his thirty lances, and what further befell them. 
 
 1539. WE must now return to the thirty cavaliers 
 whom we left preparing to cross the river Ocali. 
 Those who were employed in felling the timber, in 
 a short time had finished the raft ; for they were 
 provided for such emergencies with hatchets and 
 cords ; they fastened two large ropes to it under 
 the water, by which it was to be drawn, backwards 
 and forwards, from bank to bank. 
 
 Two good swimmers carried one of the ropes to 
 the opposite shore. They had but just accomplish 
 ed this, when the Indians of Ocali rushed down to 
 the river to assail them. The eleven cavaliers who 
 had crossed to the opposite bank, closed with them, 
 killed some and put the rest to flight, and remained 
 masters of the field, excepting that flights of arrows 
 were discharged at them from a distance. 
 
 The combat ceased, they called out lustily for their 
 cloaks to be sent over on the first raft, as a north 
 wind had risen, and being dripping wet, with no 
 
190 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 other covering but shirts and coats of mail, they 
 were suffering from the cold. 
 
 The rafts made several voyages to and fro, before 
 all the baggage, and such of the Spaniards as could 
 not swim, were ferried across. As fast as they 
 landed they hastened to join their comrades, who 
 were keeping the thickening host of savages at bay : 
 two only remained to unload the raft. 
 
 The four horsemen who had been posted as a rear 
 guard, to protect the men as they embarked, had 
 succeeded in covering them from assault. Two of 
 them, Hernando Athanasio and Gonzalo Silvestre, 
 remained for the last crossing of the raft ; which, as 
 there would be no one left behind to keep back the 
 savages, would be the most perilous. When the 
 raft was laden and ready for the traverse, Athanasio 
 sprang upon it, leading his horse into the water to 
 swim along side. Silvestre then charged upon the 
 savages, drove them to a distance from the shore, 
 returned at full speed, leaped from his horse, urged 
 him into the water, cast loose the fastening of the 
 raft, and, springing upon it, gave signal for it to be 
 hauled over to the opposite bank. 
 
 All this was accomplished with such promptness 
 and activity, that they were already half way across 
 the river, and out of danger, before the Indians 
 could reach the shore. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 191 
 
 In all this crossing, the horses performed their 
 part to admiration. They required no spur nor 
 scourge, and scarce any leading ; they never flinch 
 ed nor hesitated, but seemed to comprehend their 
 real danger that an enemy was hovering near, and 
 that their safety depended upon their docility and 
 their perfect obedience to their masters. 
 
 It was two o clock in the afternoon when they 
 had all crossed the river, neither man nor horse 
 having received a wound. They made for the vil 
 lage, where they purposed resting, as Juan Lopez 
 Cacho had been so long in the cold water that he 
 was completely chilled, and appeared like a statue, 
 without the power of moving hand or foot. 
 
 The Indians opposed them on their approach to 
 the village, until their wives and children had time 
 to fly to the woods ; when they thought them in 
 safety they abandoned the place. The Spaniards 
 entered and halted in the middle of the public 
 square, fearing to quarter in the dwellings, lest, be 
 ing separated, the Indians might surround and make 
 them prisoners. 
 
 They built four huge fires in the square, near 
 which they laid poor Juan Lopez and covered him 
 with the cloaks of his comrades. One of his friends 
 gave him a dry shirt which he chanced to have with 
 him, at this time a most acceptable gift. 
 
192 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 They remained in the village the rest of the day, 
 in a state of anxiety. The situation of Juari Lopez 
 rendered* it impossible for him to travel this night, 
 yet they feared the delay might give the natives 
 time to spread the alarm, and, gathering in numbers, 
 to barricade the road. They generously resolved, 
 however, that come what might, they would place 
 the health of their companion before any other con 
 sideration. Accordingly, they tethered one half the 
 horses, and fed them with maize, while the remain 
 der walked the rounds. Some occupied themselves 
 in drying their saddles and the clothes which had 
 been soaked in the water, and others in replenish 
 ing the saddlebags with maize ; for, notwithstanding 
 there was an abundance of dried grapes and plums, 
 and various other fruits, they took nothing but In 
 dian corn, which answered as food both for them 
 selves and horses. 
 
 As night closed in, mounted sentinels patrolled 
 round the village and its vicinity, to give warning 
 in case of the approach of an enemy. About the 
 mid watch, two of the horsemen, while going the 
 rounds, heard a low murmuring noise, as of men ap 
 proaching. One started off to put his comrades on 
 their guard, while the other remained to reconnoitre 
 and ascertain the meaning of the sound. In the 
 brightness of the starlight he descried a large 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 193 
 
 and obscure cloud of savages moving towards the 
 village, and hastened to give the alarm. The Span 
 iards, finding that Juan Lopez was somewhat re 
 covered, threw the cloaks cf his companions over 
 him, and seating him on a horse, fastened him in 
 the saddle, while one of his comrades led his horse 
 by the reins. In this manner they left the village 
 in deep silence, before the enemy arrived, and so 
 expeditiously did they travel, that at daybreak they 
 were six leagues from Ocali. 
 
 With the same expedition they continued their 
 journey, running post haste through the populous 
 country, that the rumour of their approach might 
 not precede them, and killing all the Indians they 
 encountered near the road, lest they should give the 
 alarm. Through the uninhabited tracts they slack 
 ened their pace, that the horses might rest and 
 breathe, to be ready to run when it should be ne 
 cessary. Thus passed this day, which was the sixth 
 of their wayfaring, having journeyed almost twenty 
 leagues, a part of the distance through the province 
 of Acuera, a country peopled with very warlike 
 savages. 
 
 The seventh day after they had left the village , 
 
 Pedro de Atienza complained of being suddenly ill. 
 
 They made light of his complaint, and, not to lose 
 
 time on the road, urged him forward. He continu- 
 
 17 
 
194 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 ed from time to time to complain, but without being 
 attended to, until having ridden in this way for se 
 veral hours, he fell dead beside his horse. His 
 comrades were shocked at his sudden fate, and at 
 their own want of sympathy in his sufferings. 
 There was no time to be lost, however, in ceremoni 
 als. They silently dug a grave on the spot with 
 their hatchets, buried him by the way side, and then 
 rode on, ruminating on the loss of a brave soldier 
 and a well tried comrade. 
 
 That night they encamped on the border of the 
 great morass, after travelling twenty leagues. It 
 was bitter cold, in consequence of a keen north 
 wind, and they were compelled to build huge fires 
 at the risk of warning the Indians. Twenty of these 
 would have been sufficient to dispute this pass, and 
 massacre every one of them, as they would possess 
 a great advantage in their canoes, while the Span 
 iards could not avail themselves of their horses, 
 neither had they archers nor cross-bows to dislodge 
 the enemy. Thus troubled and anxious, one third 
 of their number kept watch at a time, while the 
 others slept, to gain strength for the fatigues of the 
 coming day. 
 
195 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 Passage of t/ie great morass. The troopers suffer 
 from extreme cold. The vexation of Gomez Arias. 
 
 1539. THE Spaniards had slept but a few hours 
 when they were awakened by the sufferings of Juan 
 de Soto, who had been companion of Pedro Atien- 
 za, and who died almost as suddenly as his comrade, 
 being overcome by excessive fatigue. 
 
 Some of the troop fled from the neighborhood of 
 the corpse, crying that the plague had broken out 
 among them and caused these sudden deaths. The 
 old soldier, Gomez Arias, was vexed at their panic 
 and their clamour. " Plague enough have you," 
 said he, " in your journey, from which you cannot 
 fly, do what you may. If you fly from us, whither 
 will you go ? You are not on the river banks of 
 Seville, nor in its olive groves." Upon this, the fu 
 gitives returned and joined in the prayers for the 
 dead, but would not aid in interring the body, insist 
 ing that he had died of the dreaded pestilence. 
 
 When the day dawned, they prepared to pass the 
 morass. Eight of the Spaniards, who could not 
 
196 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 swim, made for the bridge over the deepest part of 
 the morass, and having replaced its railing, they car 
 ried over the saddles of the horses and the clothes 
 of their companions. The remainder, perfectly na 
 ked, vaulted upon their horses, and endeavoured to 
 force them into the water ; but it was so very cold 
 that they shrunk back. They then attached ropes 
 to the halters, and four or five of them swam to the 
 middle of the current to drag the horses after them, 
 while others struck them behind with long poles. 
 The horses, however, planted their feet firmly in the 
 ground, and could not be moved. 
 
 Two or three were at length urged into the stream 
 a short distance, but when they came to the deep 
 water, the cold was so great that they turned back, 
 dragging the swimmers after them. For more than 
 three hours they thus laboured in vain. At length 
 they succeeded in forcing two horses over, one of 
 which belonged to the leader Juan de Anasco, the 
 other to Gonzalo de Silvestre. Both of these cava 
 liers, being of the number of those who could not 
 swim, had already passed by the bridge. As soon 
 as their horses were brought over, they saddled and 
 mounted them, to be ready for action should any 
 enemy approach. 
 
 Notwithstanding two horses had thus led the way, 
 none other could be prevailed upon, either by coaxing 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 197 
 
 or cudgelling, to follow* Gomez Arias, the hardy and 
 weather beaten soldier, was chief of the nineteen 
 companions who, entirely naked, were labouring up 
 to their waists in water, to compel the horses to 
 cross ; and Arias had toiled more than all the rest. 
 They had now been in the water for more than four 
 hours, exposed to the keen north wind, and so tho 
 roughly chilled that their naked bodies were almost 
 black. They were wearied in flesh, and vexed in 
 spirit ; and seeing all their exertions useless, were 
 almost driven to despair. 
 
 At this juncture, Juan de Afiasco, having saddled 
 and mounted his horse, as has been stated, advanced, 
 on the opposite side, as far as he could ford, until 
 he reached the edge of the deep channel. He was 
 enraged that no more horses had been made to 
 cross over ; and, without inquiring the reason, or 
 regarding the comfortless plight cf Gomez Arias 
 and his comrades, attributed it to a want of respect 
 and obedience to him as leader. In great dudgeon 
 at the idea, he cried out in a loud and choleric voice, 
 " Gomez Arias, bad luck to you ! why do you not 
 pass those horses over ?" 
 
 The spleen of honest Gomez, who was a rough 
 
 soldier, was already sufficiently roused by the toils, 
 
 and sufferings, and vexations he had endured, and 
 
 this speech of his commander nettled him to the 
 
 17* 
 
198 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 quick. Casting a grim and surly glance at Anasco, 
 " Bad luck to you? cried he, " and to the drab of a 
 cur that bore you. There you sit on your horse, 
 comfortably clad and wrapped up in your cloak, 
 and never think that we have been here for more 
 than four hours, in the water, half frozen with cold, 
 and doing all in our power. Dismount with a 
 curse to you ! and come here, and w r e shall see how 
 much better you can do than we have done." 
 
 Juan de Anasco, though prone to be passionate, 
 recollected himself in his anger, and restrained his 
 tongue. The companions of Gomez Arias told him 
 the true state of the case : he saw that he had been 
 wrong in speaking so abruptly to the veteran, whose 
 rough reply was incited by his vexatious situation, 
 rather than by any personal disrespect. 
 
 Juan de Anasco often drew upon himself like re 
 buffs in this and other expeditions, by the hastiness 
 of his tongue and temper ; for there is nothing of 
 which a partisan commander, in these rough adven 
 turous scouting parties, ought to be more observant, 
 than to treat his comrades with kindness and civility. 
 When any toils and hardships are to be encounter 
 ed, he should excite them by words ; and when it 
 becomes necessary to use the latter, they should be 
 kind and temperate, as they do not cost more than 
 harsh ones, and are infinitely more effectual. 
 
199 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIII. 
 
 They capture some of the natives. Perplexed with 
 fears for the safety of the garrison at Hirrihigua. 
 Their arrival there. 
 
 1539. WHEN the discord was appeased the Span 
 iards renewed their efforts, and the noontide sun 
 having somewhat tempered the coldness of the wa 
 ter, the horses were slowly forced across, so that 
 by three in the afternoon all had passed over. 
 
 They were, indeed, in a wretched plight, drench 
 ed with water, worn out with excessive toil, be 
 numbed with cold, exhausted with hunger, and 
 what was worse, they had but scanty provisions 
 wherewith to recruit their strength and spirits. 
 They uttered no complaint or repinings, however, 
 but rejoiced to have crossed this much dreaded pass, 
 and that no enemy had opposed them ; for, had 
 but fifty of the savages hemmed them in, where 
 would have been these brave cavaliers ? The ne 
 glect of the Indians in attacking them was, most 
 probably, owing to the distance of the morass from 
 
200 CONQUEST OP FLORIDA. 
 
 any hamlet or village, and it was now the winter 
 season, during which time the natives, as they went 
 naked, seldom left their houses. 
 
 The Spaniards agreed to pass this night in an ex 
 tensive plain near the morass, for they and their 
 horses were so much fatigued that they could not 
 travel a step. They made large fires, therefore, to 
 warm themselves, and found consolation in the re 
 flection, that from this place unto Hirrihigua, whither 
 they were journeying, they would encounter no dif 
 ficult passes. 
 
 When night came they slept with the same pre 
 cautions as before, and resumed their march before 
 daybreak. In this way they travelled two days 
 without meeting any thing worthy of note. The 
 horses of the two companions who had died, went 
 free, saddled and bridled, sometimes following the 
 others, sometimes taking the lead and keeping as 
 regularly to the route as if they had riders to guide 
 them. The night of the tenth day of their journey 
 was passed within three leagues of the village of 
 Mucozo. 
 
 A little past midnight they were again in the sad 
 dle. They had not gone far before Pedro Moron, 
 the half-blood, so noted for the quickness of his 
 scent, suddenly cried out " take heed ! I smell fire 
 at no great distance." They looked about them 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 201 
 
 but could see nothing of the kind, nor could they 
 perceive the smell of tire. 
 
 After proceeding about a league further, Moron 
 again came to a halt. " I am certain," said he, 
 " that there is a fire somewhere, close at hand." 
 They now proceeded warily, keeping a sharp look 
 out, and after a little while discovered a fire in a 
 forest hard by. Drawing silently near, they per 
 ceived a number of Indians, with their wives and 
 children, seated round it, cooking and eating fish. 
 Though they supposed them to be subjects to the 
 friendly Cacique Mucozo, they resolved to capture 
 as many as they could, and ascertain whether this 
 chieftain continued at peace with Pedro Calderon. 
 In case he did not, they would be able to retain 
 them prisoners of war and send them as slaves to 
 Havana. They accordingly dashed forward to sur 
 round them. The savages started up on hearing 
 the sudden tramp of the horses, and made for the 
 woods. Many eluded pursuit in the darkness of 
 the night, and many escaped in the thickets. They 
 took prisoner about twenty persons, women arid 
 children ; who continually called out the name of 
 Ortiz, desiring to remind the Spaniards of the past 
 kindness of their Cacique. But these availed no 
 thing ; they were detained prisoners. 
 
 The half starved Spaniards, without dismounting, 
 
202 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 made a greedy meal on the fish, not waiting to 
 cleanse them from the sand with which the tramp 
 ling of the Indians and the horses had covered them. 
 
 Refreshed by their hasty repast, they continued 
 their journey, keeping clear of the village of Mu- 
 cozo. After travelling five leagues, the horse of 
 Juan Lopez Cacho gave out ; having never re 
 covered from his sufferings in crossing the river 
 Ocali. His rider had fared better, having been re 
 stored, partly by the sudden alarm in the night, and 
 chiefly, by the natural vigour of his age, being not 
 more than twenty years old. Throughout the resi 
 due of the journey he had been as active as any of 
 his companions. 
 
 Finding it impossible to get the horse on, although 
 within six leagues of the end of his journey, they 
 left him in a verdant meadow where there was 
 abundance of pasturage, and hung his saddle and 
 bridle in a tree, so that any Indian who should use 
 him, might have him with his furniture. They 
 greatly feared, however, that as soon as the Indians 
 found him they would kill him. After travelling for 
 "* nearly five leagues, they arrived within a league of 
 the village of Hirrihigua, where they expected to 
 find Captain Pedro Calderon, with forty horse and 
 eighty foot. They examined the ground narrowly 
 as they rode along, hoping to find some tracks of 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 203 
 
 the horses ; for as the village was so near, and the 
 country free from wood, it seemed to them natural 
 that their countrymen should have rode out as far 
 as this, and even further. Discovering, however, 
 no traces of the kind, they were filled with dismal 
 forebodings, fearing that Calderon and his men had 
 been massacred by the natives, or had left the coun 
 try in the caravels. In either case, what were they 
 to do ? Isolated as it were, surrounded by ene 
 mies, with no barque in which to leave the country, 
 and without the means of building one ! To return 
 to the Governor, appeared to them impossible, after 
 what they had suffered in coming. As they had dis 
 cussed their forlorn situation, they unanimously 
 agreed, that if they did not find their companions 
 in Hirrihigua, they would retire into some of the 
 secret fastnesses of the adjacent forests, where there 
 was abundance of grass for the horses. The super 
 fluous horse they would kill, and dry .his flesh for 
 food for the journey ; and w r hen the other horses 
 had sufficiently recruited, they would attempt to re 
 turn to the Governor. Should they be killed by 
 the road, they would die like true and faithful sol 
 diers ; if they arrived safe, they would have accom 
 plished their commander s orders. 
 
 With this heroic resolve they pushed on ; the fur 
 ther they advanced, however, the more were they 
 
204 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 confirmed in their fears and suspicions ; for they 
 discovered no trace of their comrades. At length, 
 they came to a small lake, which was less than half 
 a league from the village. Here they found fresh 
 tracks of horses, and near the water, marks of their 
 countrymen having made lye and w r ashed their 
 clothes there. 
 
 A joyful shout burst from the lips of every Span 
 iard. The horses were dragging wearily along, 
 but the moment they scented the traces of the 
 others, they threw up their heads, pricked their ears, 
 and neighed loud and shrill, plunging and leaping 
 about as if just from the stable: setting off now at a 
 round rate, they soon accomplished the remainder 
 of their journey. 
 
 The sun was setting as they came in sight of the 
 village. The night patrole w r ere defiling out two 
 by two, on horseback, with lance and shield, and 
 shining armour. Juan de Anasco and his followers 
 fell into the same order, and, as if they were tilting 
 in the lists, they advanced at a furious gallop, 
 rending the air with huzzas and joyous shouts. 
 Pedro Calderon and his men sallied out to meet 
 them, and received them with open arms. Instead 
 of inquiring, however, after the health and welfare 
 of the army and the Governor, and their particular 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 205 
 
 friends, they anxiously demanded whether there 
 was any gold in the country ! 
 
 Anasco, without delay, inquired of Calderon 
 whether the natives of this province, and the vassals 
 of Mucozo, had continued peaceable and friendly ; 
 and learning that they had, he directed that the 
 prisoners recently taken should be immediately 
 liberated, and sent home to their country loaded 
 with presents. By them he sent an invitation to 
 Mucozo to make him a visit with a train of attend 
 ants, to convey to their homes the sea stores and 
 other articles which, on their departure, they in 
 tended leaving behind : at the same time he recom 
 mended to his care the horse W 7 hich had been left 
 in his territory. 
 
 The Indians went away, delighted with this kind 
 treatment, and on the third day, came the good Mu 
 cozo, followed by his warriors and a train of attend 
 ants ; two of whom led the horse, while the others 
 carried the saddle and bridle, as they knew not how 
 to use them. Mucozo embraced Anasco and his 
 comrades, inquired particularly after the Governor 
 and the army, and made him relate the particulars 
 of their going and coming, their battles and skir 
 mishes, and the toils, the hunger, and the privations 
 they had suffered. After hearing the whole detail, 
 he observed that he would rejoice much if he could 
 18 
 
206 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 impress his spirit and will upon the other Caciques 
 throughout the land, that all might serve the Go 
 vernor and his people as they merited and he de 
 sired. 
 
 Juan de Anasco was struck with the difference 
 between the reception he met with from this noble 
 Cacique, and that from his own countrymen, whose 
 first inquiry had been after gold. With a grateful 
 heart, he thanked him for the kindness he had shown 
 Calderon and his soldiers, and delivered him many 
 kind messages from the Governor. 
 
207 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIV. 
 
 Anasco sails in quest of the Bay of Ante. Gomez 
 Arias embarks for the Havana ; and Calderon 
 prepares to march to join the army. 
 
 1539. JUAN de Anasco now set to work to dis 
 charge the duties of his mission. He was to em 
 bark in the two brigantines, and to coast to the 
 westward until he should arrive at the Bay of Aute, 
 which he had discovered with so much toil, as has 
 been already related. He brought orders, also, from 
 the Governor to Captain Pedro Calderon, to rejoin 
 him with his troops, by land : and the worthy cava 
 lier Gomez Arias, was to sail for Havana in the ca 
 ravel, to carry news to Dona Isabel de Bobadilla of 
 the events of the expedition. 
 
 The whole harbour, therefore, was in a bustle. 
 The brigantines and caravel were careened and re 
 paired ; the sea stores, sails, rigging and equipments 
 carried on board, and the crews mustered and em 
 barked. Equal stir was made for the march by 
 land ; preparing the furniture for the horses, furbish- 
 
208 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 ing up armour and weapons, and culling out every 
 article that was necessary for the service. 
 
 After every thing had been selected that was re 
 quired either for sea or land, there remained an 
 abundance of all kinds of articles, which they could 
 not take with them ; such as cassava bread, cloth 
 ing, cuirasses, helmets, bucklers, lances, pikes, be 
 side sea stores, and quantities of steel and iron, 
 which the generous spirited Governor had provided 
 in such profusion for his expedition. All these su 
 perfluous articles they gave to Mucozo, in reward 
 of his constant friendship. The Cacique found him 
 self suddenly overwhelmed with riches. During 
 four days that he remained at the harbour, and for 
 the residue of the term that the Spaniards sojourn 
 ed there, his subjects were incessantly busy, going 
 to and fro like ants, bearing off these inestimable 
 presents to his village. Every preparation being 
 made, the crews being embarked, beside thirty sol 
 diers who were distributed in the brigantines and 
 caravel, and twenty Indian women for Dona Isa 
 bel,* the different commanders took leave of each 
 other, and of their various comrades. Juan de 
 Anasco made sail in the brigantines in quest of the 
 Bay of Aute ; Gomez Arias in the caravel for Ha- 
 
 * Portuguese Narrative, c. 12. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 209 
 
 vana, and Pedro Calderori prepared to march, as 
 soon as he should have seen them fairly under way.* 
 With this cavalier and his little army we shall keep 
 for the present, hoping to meet with the stout Juan 
 de Anasco at some future day. 
 
 * Garcilaso de la Vega, P. 2. L. 2. c. 27. 
 
 18* 
 
CHAPTER XXXV. 
 
 Breaking up of the garrison at Hirrihigua. Pedro 
 Calderon sets out to rejoin the Governor. Despe 
 rate conflict with the natives in crossing the Great 
 Swamp. 
 
 1539. No sooner had Anasco and Arias set sail, 
 than Calderon with a force of seventy horse and 
 fifty foot, sallied out of Hirrihigua, leaving the gar 
 dens and the fields they had planted in full and fresh 
 vegetation. They reached the village of the kind 
 Mucozo on the evening of the second day. He 
 came out to welcome them, and hospitably quar 
 tered them for that night ; and the next day he es 
 corted them to the frontier of his dominions, where 
 he took leave of them with many expressions of re 
 gret. 
 
 Pedro Calderon with his forces continued his 
 march until evening, when they encamped in a plain 
 skirted by a forest. The night darkened apace, 
 when of a sudden a party of savages rushed into 
 the encampment ; the Spaniards attacked them 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 211 
 
 sword in hand, and dispersed and pursued them to 
 the entrance of the woods. No sooner, however, 
 had they returned to the camp than the savages 
 were on their track, and in this manner annoyed 
 them all the night long. During these skirmishes, 
 one of the horsemen pursued an Indian ; who, find 
 ing that the horse gained upon him, and that he 
 would soon be overtaken, turned suddenly round 
 with an arrow fixed in his bow, and drew at the 
 same moment that the horseman threw his lance. 
 The savage fell dead, but not unrevenged ; for, his 
 arrow 7 pierced the horse s breast with a mortal 
 wound, and brought him down upon the spot, so 
 that Indian, Christian, and horse rolled together 
 upon the ground. 
 
 This Indian must have been one of their chief 
 warriors ; for, upon his fall, they all immediately 
 fled into the forest and were not again seen. 
 
 The horse that was slain, was the famous steed 
 of Gonzalo Silvestre. The Spaniards, astonished 
 that this powerful animal should have died so sud 
 denly, merely by the wound of an arrow, opened 
 his body and found that the dart had penetrated his 
 breast, and passed through his heart to the very en 
 trails. So powerful and adroit were the natives of 
 Florida in the use of the bow. 
 
 The next evening, the Spaniards slept on the 
 
212 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 margin of the grand morass, and the following morn 
 ing they traversed it without opposition from the 
 enemy. They pushed on with forced marches, the 
 horsemen dismounting by turns, and relieving the 
 foot soldiers. Thus they travelled for several days, 
 without a single brush with the natives, finding re 
 freshment and food in the villages. These were 
 all abandoned, and the whole country was as si 
 lent as if uninhabited, until they arrived at the war 
 like province of Apalachee. 
 
 Having encamped for a night upon the skirts of 
 the thick forest bordering the morass, they entered 
 on the following morning the narrow defile, half a 
 league in length, through the close woods, and reach 
 ing the water, the foot soldiers passed over the In 
 dian bridge of logs, \vhile the horse swam the deep 
 est part of the channel. Calderon, finding that they 
 had passed over the deepest and most perilous part 
 of the morass, wished to hasten over the residue. 
 He therefore, ordered ten horsemen to take behind 
 them five arquebusiers, and five cross bowmen, and 
 seize upon the narrow pass through the forest which 
 was on the opposite bank. They set off at full speed 
 through the \vater, when shrill cries and yells arose 
 from different quarters, and Indians rushed forth 
 from behind bushes, brakes and the trunks of huge 
 trees, and discharged showers of arrows at them. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 213 
 
 In the very first discharge, the horse of Alvaro 
 Fernandez, a Portuguese, was killed, and five others 
 wounded. The horses, panic-struck with the sud 
 den attack and clamour, turned and fled ; their mas 
 ters could not restrain them. Plunging and rearing 
 in the water, which was up to their breasts, they 
 threw off the foot soldiers, who were all wounded, 
 as the wheeling of the horse exposed their shoulders 
 to the fire of the enemy. The Indians perceiving 
 their fall, rushed forward to despatch them, giving 
 their war-whoop and shout of victory, to encourage 
 their companions. 
 
 The suddenness of the attack, the overthrow of 
 the ten archers, the flight of the horses, the throng 
 ing of hordes of savages to the combat, produced a 
 scene of wild confusion. The Spaniards were be 
 wildered, and as the battle was in the water, and 
 the horse could render them no assistance, they 
 were greatly alarmed for the result of the conflict. 
 
 The Indians, on the contrary, encouraged by 
 the success of their, first efforts, attacked the fallen 
 archers with greater fury. The nearest Spaniards 
 rushed across the bridge to their rescue. On their 
 left advanced a formidable band of savages ; about 
 twenty paces before them stalked an Indian, per 
 fectly naked, fearless and bold in his bearing, with 
 a large plume of feathers upon his head. His ob- 
 
214 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 ject evidently was to gain the shelter of a huge tree, 
 which lay between him and the Spaniards, from be 
 hind which he might annoy them, and even prevent 
 their passing. Gonzalo Silvestre, who happened to 
 be near the tree, perceived his intention and shout 
 ed out to Anton Galvon. Galvon was one of those 
 who had been dismounted and wounded, but like a 
 true soldier, he had kept hold of his cross-bow. He 
 followed behind Silvestre, who shielded him with a 
 quilted garment, which he had found floating in the 
 water ; advising him to shoot at none but the lead 
 ing Indian, who was evidently the Chief. In this 
 manner they gained the tree, but the movement did 
 not escape the observation of the savage ; he bent 
 his bow and in the twinkling of an eye sped three 
 arrows. They were sent with unerring aim, but 
 Silvestre received them upon the garment which he 
 used as a shield, which being wet, proved an effec 
 tual defence. 
 
 Anton Galvon who had reserved his fire until the 
 Indian should draw near, now fixed a bolt in his 
 cross-bow, and sent it with such good aim, that it 
 pierced the savage through the breast ; the latter 
 staggered a few paces, crying out to his followers, 
 " These traitors have slain me." They rushed up 
 to his aid, received him in their arms with dismal 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 215 
 
 murmurs, and passing him from one to the other, 
 conveyed him from the field of battle. 
 
 The combat was not less cruel and bloody in 
 other parts of the morass. A large body of the In 
 dians advanced on the right. A valiant soldier, An 
 dres de Meneses, with ten or twelve others, stood 
 to receive them ; Andres received four arrows in 
 his thighs and fell into the water ; luckily his large 
 shield covered him, and the enemy leaving him fired 
 upon his companions, five of whom were grievous 
 ly wounded. 
 
 The Indians, elated by their successes, considered 
 the victory as already theirs, and redoubled their ef 
 forts. The Spaniards were evidently losing ground, 
 for only fifty of their number could be brought into 
 the engagement, and the horse could neither render 
 assistance, nor molest the enemy. They fought, how 
 ever, desperately, they were struggling for life ; for, 
 \vith them, it was either victory or death. At this 
 critical moment, the news spread among the In 
 dians that their chief was mortally wounded. It 
 gave an immediate check to their ardour ; they 
 soon began slowly to retreat, though keeping up a 
 constant discharge of arrows. 
 
 The Spaniards perceiving these signs of faltering 
 among their adversaries, now T rallied, charged upon 
 them, and drove them out of the morass, pursued 
 
216 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 them to the narrow defile of the forest, and took 
 possession of the cleared field in which De Soto 
 had formerly encamped. 
 
 This the savages had strongly fortified, but had 
 abandoned it to go to the assistance of their chief. 
 Here the Spaniards halted for the night, as the place 
 was strong and only accessible through the narrow 
 defile. Scarcely a man among them escaped with 
 out a wound ; and the least injured bound up and 
 dressed the wounds of their comrades. Not an eye 
 was closed this night, every man maintained an 
 anxious vigil, and the savages who hovered around 
 them, kept up a dread and dismal howling until 
 break of day. 
 
 The lucky shot of Anton Galvon was the salva 
 tion of the Spaniards this day ; for the proud In 
 dian who was laid low by his bolt, proved to be the 
 Chief, whose fall changed the tide of battle in their 
 favour. But for this, every one of them would pro 
 bably have been massacred. 
 
 When morning came, they resumed their march, 
 driving the enemy before them through the defile cf 
 the forest. At length they issued out into the open 
 woods, where the enemy availed themselves of the 
 same barriers and palisades which had stood there 
 when De Soto passed. From behind these they 
 would sally out, discharge a shower of arrows, and 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 217 
 
 then retreat ; wounding in this way above twenty 
 Spaniards. Every inch of ground was disputed, 
 until at the end of two leagues, they came to an 
 open plain, where the enemy left them through fear 
 of the cavalry. They now marched on for five 
 leagues, and halted in an open country, that the 
 wounded might have some repose ; but as soon as 
 night set in, the Indians again beset the camp with 
 dreadful yells and howlings, and bitter and taunting 
 speeches. The little army of Spaniards was worn 
 out by repeated assaults ; the horsemen would spring 
 into their saddles and pursue the enemy helter skel 
 ter. The Indians would launch their arrows and 
 then fly in every direction ; but only to repeat the 
 same annoyances the moment the troopers returned 
 to the camp. 
 
 19 
 
218 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVI. 
 
 Fierce struggle with the natives at the passage of a 
 stream. Arrival at the milage of Apalachee. 
 
 1539. WITH the day, the Spaniards continued 
 their march, and came to a forest skirting a deep 
 stream, which the Indians had obstructed with pali 
 sades, and strong barriers placed here and there. 
 Some of the Spaniards, having formerly passed 
 through this, w T ere enabled to counsel the mode of 
 attack. It was ordered that those on horses should 
 dismount, being better armed than the rest, and 
 4hat thirty of them, with shields, swords, and hatch 
 ets, should go in the vanguard to destroy the barri 
 cades. Those lightly armed were to mount the 
 horses, as they were of no use in this pass, and to 
 go with the baggage and serving men in the centre. 
 The other twenty, who were well armed, were to 
 form a rear guard. In this order they entered the 
 forest. 
 
 The Indians, seeing that the Spaniards were few 
 in number, and that they could not use their horses, 
 charged with great impetuosity, confident of an easy 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 219 
 
 conquest. The Spaniards forced their way to the 
 palisades, where the battle became obstinate, the 
 one struggling to cut a road, and the others to de 
 fend it. While some of the soldiers kept the enemy 
 at bay with their swords, others hacked with their 
 hatchets at the fastenings of wild vines by which 
 the barriers were fastened as with cords. In this 
 way they demolished them one by one, but at the 
 expense of many grievous wounds. Alvaro Fer 
 nandez, the Portuguese, also, lost another horse, 
 which was transfixed with arrows. 
 
 At length, the Spaniards fought their way across 
 this perilous pass, and then travelled with less trou 
 ble over the plains, where the enemy avoided them, 
 through fear of the horses. But whenever there 
 were any woods near the road, the Indians were 
 sure to be in ambush, whence they would make 
 their attacks, shouting, and repeating frequently 
 these words, " Where are you going, robbers? we 
 have already killed your chief and all his warriors." 
 
 In this manner, these one hundred and fifty Span 
 iards, skirmishing and battling all day, arrived at 
 sunset in Apalachee. They had to travel slowly, 
 on account of the many who were wounded, ten or 
 twelve of whom afterwards died ; one of these was 
 Andres de Meneses, a valiant soldier. 
 
 As they drew nigh the village, they became ex- 
 
220 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 ceedingly anxious, for they descried neither man nor 
 horse, nor any sign of life. They felt sure that the 
 yells of the savages must have reached the village, 
 and as their comrades came not out to their assist 
 ance, they dreaded lest the boasts of the natives 
 that they had despatched De Soto and all his army, 
 should prove true. 
 
 They wound slowly into the village, but their 
 anxiety was soon relieved by the sight of the Go 
 vernor, who received them like an affectionate 
 father. They w r ere hailed, too, by their comrades, 
 with shouts of joy, as men risen from the dead ; for 
 the Indians, to grieve and alarm De Soto, had assu 
 red him that they were all slain by the road : a fate 
 he thought too probable, when he considered that this 
 little band of a hundred and twenty men had to cut 
 their way through a wilderness in arms, which he, 
 with a force of eight hundred men, had found such 
 difficulty in passing. 
 
 Among the first to greet Pedro Calderon on his 
 arrival at Apalachee, was Juan de Anasco. This 
 cavalier had made his voyage in the two brigan- 
 tines, without any adverse accident, and arrived 
 safely in the Bay of Aute on the 29th of December.* 
 The Governor had calculated the probable time it 
 would take for Anasco to make his journey and his 
 
 * Portuguese Relation, c. 12. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 221 
 
 voyage, and had taken precautions accordingly. 
 For twelve days before his arrival companies of 
 horse and foot marched, and counter-marched, be 
 tween the camp and the bay, so that while one body 
 was advancing towards the fort, the other was re 
 turning. In this way they kept the road clear of 
 the enemy, and, when at the bay, placed their stand 
 ards in the highest trees, that they might be readily 
 descried from the sea. 
 
 Juan de Anasco saw them, landed confidently, 
 and without molestation, and leaving his brigantines 
 well manned in the bay, came up under the escort 
 of the companies to the camp. 
 
 It was a great gratification for Anasco and Cal- 
 deron to meet each other, and to be once more 
 united to the Governor and their other brother offi 
 cers and soldiers. Companionship in toils and 
 dangers, had attached them strongly to each other, 
 and the proofs they had of each other s fortitude 
 and valour, made them ready, when together, to 
 brave the greatest perils and hardships. Thus hap 
 pily united, a little fraternity in arms, in the midst 
 of a hostile wilderness, this band of adventurous 
 Spaniards passed their winter cheerily together in 
 the village of Apalachee. 
 
 19* 
 
222 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVII. 
 
 The exploring expedition of Diego Maldonado. 
 
 1539. A FEW days after the arrival of Juan do 
 Anasco, the Governor called to him the hardy and 
 trusty Diego Maldonado, and, advising him to leave 
 his own band of followers under the command of his 
 comrade, Juan de Guzman, ordered him to speed to 
 the Bay of Aute, set sail with the brigantines, and 
 explore the coast to the westward, taking note of 
 all its rivers, bays, and harbours. 
 
 Maldonado set sail as directed, and coasted along 
 to the west for seventy leagues, when he discover 
 ed a very beautiful harbour, called Achusi.* It 
 was land-locked and completely sheltered from all 
 winds, ample enough for a fleet to ride in, and its 
 
 * The present Bay of Pensacola. Vide Martin s Louisiana, 
 V. 1. p. 10. The Portuguese narrator calls this port Ochuse, 
 and says that Maldonado set out by land, with a detachment of fifty 
 foot soldiers, and marched along the coast until he discovered 
 the bay. We follow the Inca s account, which is adopted by 
 Herrera and others. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 223 
 
 shores so bold, that a vessel might anchor near the 
 land. 
 
 The natives invited him on shore with many prof 
 fers of hospitality. Seeing he mistrusted them, they 
 came, without hesitation, on board of the brigan- 
 tines, and traded with the Spaniards, bringing them 
 whatever they demanded. This friendly inter 
 course gave Maldonado opportunities to go about in 
 his small boats, to take soundings, and note all the 
 advantages of the bay. The Cacique, moved by 
 the representations his subjects brought of the brig- 
 antines, and relying on the good faith of the stran 
 gers, in a luckless hour, ventured on board. The 
 Spaniards, having made all the necessary observa 
 tions, and being apprised of the rank of one of their 
 visiters, hastily weighed anchor ; thus requiting the 
 hospitality of the simple-hearted natives, by treache 
 rously bearing away their Cacique prisoner. In two 
 months from the time of his departure, Maldonado 
 was again at the camp. 
 
 De Soto was rejoiced at the accounts given of 
 the Bay of Achusi. It was the kind of seaport re 
 quired for his projected empire ; and where he 
 might receive the reinforcements and supplies from 
 Havana, necessary to the prosecution of his grand 
 scheme of conquest and colonization. It was now 
 the latter part of February ; he despatched Maldo- 
 
224 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 nado in the brigantines to Havana, to proclaim his 
 success, and to return with those vessels, the cara 
 vel of Gomez Arias, and any other shipping he 
 could purchase, well freighted with clothing, wea 
 pons and ammunition of all kinds. Gomez Arias 
 was likewise to return with him, as De Soto had a 
 great opinion of his prudence and sagacity in coun 
 cil, and his hardihood, perseverance, and intrepidity 
 in warfare. They were to rendezvous in the bay of 
 Achusi in the following month of October, at which 
 time De Soto proposed to meet them there, having, 
 in the interim, made a circuit through the interior 
 of the country, to explore the surrounding pro 
 vinces.* 
 
 * Portuguese Narrative, c. 12. Garcilaso de la Vega, P. 2, 
 L. 2, c. 23 
 
CHAPTER XXXVIII. 
 
 Strange adventures that befell the Spaniards while, 
 wintering in Apalachee. 
 
 1539. THE natives of Apalachee were a race 
 large of stature, of amazing vigour of arm and intre 
 pidity of spirit, and seemed to delight in war. 
 During the whole winter they kept up alarms by 
 day and night, never ceasing from stratagems and 
 assaults ; but the vigilance and promptness of the 
 Governor, and his great skill in Indian warfare, 
 foiled every attempt of consequence. They never 
 pretended to oppose any body of soldiers drawn up 
 in squadron, but roved in bands about the forest to 
 surprise foraging parties, or lurked about among 
 thickets to cut off any stragglers from the camp. 
 
 If a small party repaired to the forest to cut 
 wood, the sound of their axes would sometimes at 
 tract a host of foes, who, coming upon them by 
 stealth, would surround and massacre them, break 
 the chains of the Indian prisoners who had been 
 brought to carry away the wood, and bear off the 
 scalps of the slain as trophies wherewith to deco- 
 
226 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 rate their bows. In this way they picked off more 
 than twenty soldiers, and rendered the vicinity of 
 the village so dangerous, that the Spaniards rarely 
 ventured to any distance unless well armed and in 
 strong parties. One day, however, Juan de Anasco 
 and six other cavaliers, while riding about the vil 
 lage chatting familiarly, extended their ride into the 
 adjacent fields. Not intending to venture far, and 
 being in a negligent mood, they wore no defensive 
 armour, nor any weapons but their swords, except 
 ing one of their number named Estevan Pegado, 
 who had a helmet and lance. 
 
 Thus sauntering along conversing, they spied in 
 a glade of the woods hard by, a male and female 
 Indian, and spurred forward to make them prisoners. 
 The female was so terrified at sight of the horses, 
 that she stood like one petrified. The husband 
 seized her in his arms, ran with her to the woods, 
 and thrust her among the bushes ; then, seeming to 
 scorn flight, he returned to where he had left his 
 bow and arrows, and seizing them up, made face 
 against the enemy. 
 
 The Spaniards were pleased with his spirit, and 
 determined to take him alive. Rushing upon him, 
 therefore, before he had time to discharge an arrow, 
 they threw him down, and crowded upon him to 
 prevent his rising, while Estevan Pegado with his 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 227 
 
 lance kept him to the ground. The harder he was 
 pressed, the more furious he became. He writhed 
 and struggled under the horses feet, and wounded 
 them in the flanks and belly with thrusts of his bow. 
 At length, with a desperate effort, he sprang on his 
 feet, seized his bow in both hands, and dealt Estevan 
 Pegado such a blow across the forehead that the 
 blood streamed down his face. " Plague on it," 
 cried Pegado, " if we treat this savage thus daintily, 
 he will kill us all seven." So saying, he rose in his 
 stirrups, thrust his lance through the breast of the 
 Indian, and pinned him dead to the earth. 
 
 In this rough affray all the horses were more or 
 less wounded, and one of them afterwards died of 
 his wounds. The cavaliers returned to the camp, 
 wondering at the temerity and prowess of the savage, 
 and not a little ashamed to confess that one single 
 Indian had treated them so roughly. 
 
 At another time, a party of twenty horse and fifty 
 foot sallied out on a foraging expedition to gather 
 maize. After they had collected an ample supply, 
 they placed themselves in ambush in a hamlet about 
 a league from their quarters, in hopes of entrapping 
 some Indians. In the highest part of what appeared 
 to be a temple, they placed a sentry, who after some 
 time descried an Indian moving stealthily across the 
 
228 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 public square ; casting around furtive glances, as if 
 he dreaded a concealed foe. 
 
 The- sentinel gave the alarm, and Diego de Soto, 
 nephew to the Governor, one of the best soldiers in 
 the army, and an excellent horseman, spurred into 
 the square to capture him. Diego Velasquez, Mas 
 ter of the Horse to the Governor, followed at a dis 
 tance on a hand gallop, to aid De Soto in case of 
 need. 
 
 The Indian, seeing them approach, trusted for 
 safety to that fleetness of foot for which his country 
 men were remarkable. Finding, however, that the 
 horse gained upon him, he took refuge under a tree, 
 as the natives were accustomed to do, when they 
 had no lances to defend them from the horses. 
 Here, fixing an arrow in his bow, he awaited the 
 approach of the enemy. Diego de Soto came gal 
 loping up to the tree, but, not being able to ride un 
 der it, wheeled close alongside and made a thrust 
 with his lance over his left arm at the Indian as he 
 dashed by. The latter evaded the blow, and, dra\v- 
 ing his arrow to the head, let fly at the moment that 
 the horse was abreast of him. The shaft buried 
 itself just between the girth and the stirrup-leather; 
 the horse went stumbling forward fifteen or twenty 
 paces and fell dead without further motion. 
 
 Diego Velasquez spurred up to the relief of his 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 229 
 
 comrade, and, brushing by the tree, made a lunge 
 with his lance in the same manner. His luck was the 
 same ; the Indian dodged the lance, shot another 
 arrow just behind the stirrup-leather, and sent the 
 horse tumbling forward to take his place beside his 
 companion. The two cavaliers sprang upon their 
 feet, and rushed upon the Indian lance in hand. 
 The savage, however, contented himself with his 
 good fortune, and made off for the woods, just 
 keeping an even pace ahead of them, scoffing and 
 making grimaces, and crying out, " Let us all fight 
 on foot, and we shall then see who is the best." 
 With this taunt he took refuge among the thickets, 
 leaving the cavaliers to mourn over the loss of their 
 gallant steeds. 
 
 Some few days after the misfortune of these two 
 horsemen, Simon Rodriguez and Roque de Yelves, 
 set out on horesback to gather fruit that grew in the 
 woods skirting the village. Not satisfied with pluck 
 ing it from the lower branches, seated in their sad 
 dles, they climbed the tree to gather it from the 
 topmost boughs, fancying it of better flavour. 
 While thus busied, Roque de Yelves gave the alarm 
 of Indians at hand, and throwing himself from the 
 tree, ran to recover his horse ; but an arrow, with a 
 barb of flint, entered between his shoulders and 
 came out of his breast ; he plunged forward and 
 20 
 
230 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 lay stretched upon the ground. Rodriguez was too 
 much terrified to descend. They shot at him like 
 a wild beast, arid he fell dead, pierced by three ar 
 rows. Scarce had he touched the ground when 
 they scalped him and bore off the trophy in triumph. 
 The arrival of some Spaniards to the rescue saved 
 the scalp of poor Roque de Yelves. He related in 
 a few words the event, and, making confession, im 
 mediately expired. The horses of the slain Span 
 iards fled towards the camp, at the tumult and at 
 tack of the Indians. Upon the thigh of one of them 
 was perceived a drop of blood. He was taken to 
 a farrier, who, seeing that the wound was no greater 
 than that of a lancet, said that there was nothing to 
 cure. On the morning of the ensuing day the horse 
 died. The Spaniards, suspecting that he had been 
 struck by an arrow, opened the body at the wound, 
 and, following the trace of it, found an arrow which 
 had passed through the thigh and the entrails and 
 lodged in the hollow of the breast. They were 
 perfectly amazed at. the result of the examination, 
 for an arquebuse could scarce have sent a ball so far. 
 
231 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIX. 
 
 Tidings of a gold region. The Spaniards break up 
 their winter cantonment. A fatal encounter. 
 
 1540. THE Governor remained five months in 
 winter quarters; and such was the fertility of the 
 province of Apalachee, and the quantity of maize, 
 beans, pumpkins and various other kinds of grain, 
 pulse and vegetables, besides a variety of fruits, 
 that there was no need of foraging more than a 
 league and a half around the village to find food in 
 abundance, though the force consisted of fifteen 
 hundred persons, including Indians and above three 
 hundred horses. 
 
 During this time, De Soto endeavoured to collect 
 information respecting the country in the interior, 
 that he might regulate his march in the spring. In 
 the course of the winter two Indian lads of about 
 sixteen years of age were brought to him, who were 
 natives of distant provinces, and had travelled with 
 Indian traders. They offered to guide him to those 
 provinces ; and one in particular spoke of a remote 
 province towards the east, called Cofachiqui, go- 
 
232 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 verned by a female Cacique, whose town was of 
 great size, and who received tribute from all her 
 neighbours. The Spaniards showed him jewels of 
 gold, pieces of silver, and rings set with pearls and 
 precious stones ; and endeavoured to ascertain if 
 any of those articles were to be found in Cofachi- 
 qui. He gave them no doubt a vague and blunder 
 ing reply, which they interpreted according to their 
 wishes. They understood him that the chief traffic 
 in that province, was in those yellow and white me 
 tals,* and that pearls were to be found there in abun 
 dance. It was determined, therefore, to march in 
 search of Cofachiqui. 
 
 Accordingly, in the month of March, (1540,) Her- 
 nando de Soto broke up his winter cajitonment, 
 and proceeded to the northeast. Being apprised 
 that they must travel many leagues through an un 
 peopled wilderness, the Governor ordered his men 
 to provide themselves with provisions. The In 
 dians they had captured and made servants, being 
 exposed naked, and in irons, during the severe cold 
 weather, had nearly all perished, so that each sol 
 dier was obliged to carry his supply on his back. 
 
 * The Portuguese Narrator asserts, that the lad described the 
 manner in which the gold was digged, melted and refined with 
 such accuracy, that those who were experienced in mining, de. 
 clared he must have witnessed the process. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 233 
 
 After a toilsome march, they arrived on the evening 
 of the third day at a small village called Capachi- 
 qui.* It was situated on high ground on a kind of 
 peninsula, being nearly surrounded by a miry marsh, 
 more than a hundred paces broad, traversed in va 
 rious directions by wooden bridges. The village 
 commanded an extensive view over a beautiful val 
 ley, sprinkled with small hamlets. Here the troops 
 remained quartered for three days. 
 
 About noon of the second day, five halberdiers of 
 the General s guard, sallied forth from the village, 
 accompanied by two other soldiers, Francisco de 
 Aguilar and Andres Moreno. The latter was a 
 gay, good humoured fellow, and from frequently 
 using the exclamation Angels ! was nick-named by 
 his comrades, Angel Moreno. These boon compa 
 nions sallied forth, without orders from their supe 
 riors, and in a heedless manner, merely to amuse 
 themselves, and take a look at the neighbouring ham 
 lets. The five guards were armed with their hal- 
 berts, Aguilar with his sword and shield, Moreno 
 with a sword and lance. They crossed the bog, 
 and a strip of thickets about twenty paces wide, 
 beyond which was an open country with corn fields. 
 Scarce had they advanced two hundred paces, 
 
 * Portuguese Narrative, c 13. 
 
 20* 
 
234 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 when the ever watchful Indians sprang out upon 
 them from their lurking places. The startling war- 
 cries and shouts of both parties, roused the soldiers 
 who were reposing quietly in the village. They 
 took not time to cross by the bridges, but dashed 
 across the swamp where the water was up to their 
 breasts, and rushed on to the rescue. It was too 
 late ; the Indians had disappeared ; and the five 
 halberdiers lay stretched lifeless upon the ground, 
 each pierced with ten or twelve arrows. Moreno 
 was yet alive, but transfixed with an arrow, barbed 
 with flint, and the moment it was extracted from his 
 breast, he expired. Aguilar, who was a hardy sol 
 dier, more robust than his companions, had defend 
 ed himself stoutly ; he was alive, though badly 
 wounded and adly battered about the head. The 
 Indians, having exhausted all their arrows, had clos 
 ed with him, and belaboured him with their bows. 
 With such might did they wield them, that Agui- 
 lar s shield was shivered in pieces, and his scull laid 
 bare. 
 
 As they bore him back to the encampment, they 
 inquired as to the numbers of the enemy, and he 
 declared there were more than fifty, which he said 
 was the reason why his party had been so suddenly 
 defeated. One day being nearly recovered from 
 his wounds, his comrades began to jeer in a rough 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 235 
 
 soldierlike style, asking him whether he had counted 
 the blows he had received, and if they had hurt 
 much. " I counted not the number of the blows," 
 replied Aguilar somewhat crustily, " but you will, 
 one day or other, receive the like, and then you will 
 learn whether they hurt or not." Being further 
 bantered on the subject, he broke forth in testimony 
 of the valour and generosity of the Indian warriors. 
 " You must know," said he, " that a band of more 
 than fifty savages sprang out of the thickets to at 
 tack us ; the moment, however, they saw that we 
 were but seven, and without our horses, seven war 
 riors stepped forth and the rest retired to some dis 
 tance. They began the attack, and as we had nei 
 ther arquebuss nor cross-bow, we were entirely at 
 their mercy. Being more agile and fleet of foot 
 than our men, they leaped around us like so many 
 devils, with horrid laughter, shooting us down like 
 wild beasts, without our being able to close with 
 them. My poor comrades fell one after the other, 
 and the savages seeing me alone, all seven rushed 
 upon me, and with their bows battered me as you 
 witnessed. I concealed all this before, through a 
 sense of shame ; but so it really happened, and may 
 it serve as a warning to you all, never to disobey or- 
 ders and sally forth in like careless manner." 
 
 The story of honest Aguilar had probably receiv- 
 
236 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 ed from him a romantic colouring ; yet, such in 
 stances of magnanimity, or rather bravado, are said 
 to have been common among the warriors of Apa- 
 lachee. They had great confidence in their own 
 courage, strength, and dexterity, considering them 
 selves equal if not superior to the Spaniards, when 
 equally armed, and when the latter were not mount 
 ed on their horses : at such times they would often 
 disdain to avail themselves of superior numbers. 
 
237 
 
 CHAPTER XL. 
 
 Reception of the Spaniards by the natives of Atapa- 
 ha. Their arrival at the province of Co/a, and 
 what happened there. 
 
 1540. LEAVING this village, the army in two days 
 crossed the frontier of Apalachee, and entered the 
 province of Atapaha.* It was the custom of the 
 Governor on entering a new province, to lead the 
 way himself, and see every thing with his own eyes, 
 rather than trust to the accounts of others. He ac 
 cordingly chose forty horse, and seventy foot, well 
 armed, with shields, arquebusses and cross-bows, 
 and penetrated the country in advance of his army. 
 On the morning of the third day, they came in sight 
 of the village of Achese. The Indians had fled to 
 the forests, carrying with them their wives, children, 
 and effects. The horsemen dashing into the village, 
 made six prisoners, two of whom were warriors 
 that had remained behind to remove the infirm. 
 
 The two warriors came into the presence of the 
 
 * The river Atapapaha may derive its name from this ancient 
 province. 
 
238 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 Governor, with a fearless and lofty demeanour. 
 " What seek you in our land ?" said they, not wait 
 ing to be questioned, "Peace or war?" De Soto 
 replied through his interpreter, Juan Ortiz, " we 
 seek not war with any one, but our wish is, to cul 
 tivate peace and friendship. We are in search of 
 a distant province, and all we ask is food by the 
 road." The warriors instantly offered to supply the 
 wants of the army. They sent two of their com 
 panions to their Cacique to relate all they had heard 
 and seen, and charged them to warn all the Indians 
 they should meet, that the Spaniards carne as 
 friends, and were to be received and aided accor 
 dingly. On the departure of the three messengers, 
 De Soto ordered the Indians to be set at liberty, 
 and regaled and treated as friends. 
 
 De Soto, being rejoined by his army, reposed for 
 three days in this village, and then resumed his 
 march north-east, ascending for ten days along the 
 banks of a river, skirted by groves of mulberry 
 trees, and winding through luxuriantly fertile val 
 leys.* The natives were peaceable and domestic in 
 their habits, and never broke the peace which they 
 formed with the Spaniards. 
 
 On the eleventh day they crossed the boundaries 
 
 * Supposed to bo the Flint River. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 239 
 
 of Altapaha, and entered the province of Cofa,* 
 having, according to custom, sent messengers in ad 
 vance with proffers of peace to the Cacique. This 
 chieftain in reply, sent a deputation of two thousand 
 Indians to De Soto, with a present of rabbits, par 
 tridges, maize, and a great number of dogs. The 
 latter were held in high esteem by the Spaniards ; 
 for, next to their want of salt, the greatest cause of 
 suffering was the scarcity of meat. Game was 
 abundant, and amply furnished the natives with 
 food, for they were very skilful in the use of the 
 bow and arrow, and very expert at making all kinds 
 of traps. The Spaniards, however, being constant 
 ly on the march, had no time for hunting ; and 
 moreover, dared not to leave their ranks for fear of 
 falling into some ambush of the enemy. 
 
 The Cacique of Cofa received the Spaniards 
 with a generous welcome, giving up his own man 
 sion to the Governor, and providing quarters for the 
 army. The province over which he ruled was very 
 fertile, plentiful, and populous. The natives were 
 
 * We have followed the Portuguese Narrative here, as the 
 Inca s is evidently in error in making the Spaniards enter the 
 Province of Achalaque, (the country of the Cherokees) at so early 
 a period. This tribe dwelt much further to the northward, on the 
 skirts of the Apalachian Mountains, and was not reached by the 
 Spaniards until a month afterwards. The Portuguese historian 
 calls this province Ocute. 
 
240 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 peaceful and domestic in their habits, and extremely 
 affable. They treated these strangers with much 
 kindness, and detained them five days with their 
 hospitality. 
 
 The Adelantado had brought with him, thus far, 
 a piece of ordnance, but finding it exceedingly bur- 
 thensome and of little use, he determined to leave 
 it with the Cacique. That the natives might have 
 some idea of its use, he ordered it to be loaded, and 
 pointed at a huge oak without the village. In two 
 shots, the tree was laid prostrate, to the infinite 
 amazement of the Cacique and his subjects. 
 
 De Soto told them he left this wonderful machine, 
 as a reward for their friendship and kind hospita 
 lity ; to be taken care of until he should return or 
 send for it. The Cacique and his warriors were 
 deeply impressed with this mark of confidence, and 
 promised that it should be guarded with vigilant 
 care. 
 
 On the sixth day, the army resumed their march 
 in quest of the adjoining province of Cofaqui, 
 whose Cacique was an elder brother of Cofa s, and 
 was much more opulent and powerful. Cofa and 
 his warriors escorted the army during one day s 
 march, and would have continued unto the frontier, 
 but the Governor would not give his assent. The 
 Cacique, having taken an affectionate leave of the 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 241 
 
 Spaniards, ordered his people to accompany the 
 strangers, and do all in their power to serve them. 
 At the same time, he directed a chief to go before, 
 and warn his brother Cofaqui of the approach of 
 the Spaniards, and beseech him to receive them 
 kindly. The Adelantado, continued his march 
 through a pleasant and luxuriant country, fertilized 
 by many rivers, and inhabited by a more docile and 
 gentle race, than any he had yet seen. At the end 
 of six days, he bid adieu to the territory of Cofa.* 
 
 * Portuguese Narrative, c. 13. 
 
 21 
 
242 
 
 CHAPTER XLT. 
 
 * 
 
 Reception of the army by the Cacique. Prepara 
 tions for penetrating to the province of Cofa- 
 chiqui. 
 
 1540. THE moment the Cacique Cofaqui receiv 
 ed the message of his brother, he despatched four 
 chieftains, with a train of Indians, to welcome the 
 Spaniards to his dominions. 
 
 This message diffused joy throughout the whole 
 army. They marched cheerily forward, and soon 
 came to the confines of Cofaqui, where they dis 
 missed the Indians of Cofa. When the Cacique 
 knew by his scouts that the Christians were near, 
 he went out to receive them with a retinue of war 
 riors, richly decorated, carrying their bows and ar 
 rows in their hands, withtall plumes upon their heads, 
 and over their shoulders rich mantles of martin skin, 
 finely dressed. Many kind words were exchanged, 
 the Indians and Spaniards unsuspiciously mingled 
 together, and entered the village with joyous shouts. 
 The Cacique conducted the Governor to his own 
 house, and retired himself to a neighbouring hamlet. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 243 
 
 Early the next morning the Cacique came to visit 
 De Soto. He freely imparted every information 
 respecting his own territory, and spoke of a plenti 
 ful and populous province, called Cosa, which lay 
 to the north-west.* As to the province of Cofachi- 
 qui, he said that it lay contiguous to his dominions, 
 but that a vast wilderness of seven days journey 
 intervened. f Should the Governor, however, per 
 sist in seeking it, he offered to send a band of his 
 warriors to accompany him, and promised to furnish 
 him with all necessary supplies for the journey. 
 De Soto had fixed his mind too intently on Cofa- 
 chiqui to be diverted from his course, and signified 
 his intention of continuing on. Scouts were accord 
 ingly sent out in every direction, to assemble the 
 Indians, and in four days the village was thronged 
 with them. Four thousand warriors were to escort 
 and guide the Spaniards, and four thousand retain 
 ers to carry their supplies and clothing. The chief 
 articles of provisions, were maize, dried plums, 
 grapes, walnuts, and acorns ; for the Indians had no 
 domestic animals, and depended for flesh upon the 
 produce of the chase. 
 
 The Spaniards, seeing themselves surrounded by 
 such a multitude of Indians, although they were as- 
 
 * Portuguese Relation, c. 14. 
 
 t Garcilaso de la Vega, L. 3. c. 4. 
 
244 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 sembled for their service, kept a vigilant and unre 
 mitting watch by day and by night, lest, under the 
 guise of friendship, they should attempt their de 
 struction. But it soon appeared that these troops 
 were destined for warfare in another quarter. 
 
 A few days before the time appointed for the de 
 parture of the Spaniards, the General and his offi 
 cers being in the public square, the Cacique ordered 
 his chief warrior to be called. "You well know," 
 said he to him, " that a perpetual enmity and war 
 fare has existed between our fathers and the Indians 
 of Cofachiqui. That bitter hatred, you are aware, 
 has not abated one jot ; the deep wrongs, the notori 
 ous injuries we have suffered from that vile tribe still 
 rankles in our hearts, unrevenged ! the present op 
 portunity must not be lost ! 
 
 You, the leader of my warriors, must accompany 
 this Chief and his braves, under their protection to 
 wreak vengeance on our enemies ! I need say no 
 more to you, I leave our cause and our honour in 
 your hands !" 
 
245 
 
 CHAPTER XLII. 
 
 Some account of the Chieftain Patofa. The Indian 
 boy Pedro has a marvellous visitation. 
 
 1540. THE Indian leader, whose name was Pa 
 tofa, was of a graceful form and striking features. 
 His expression was haughty and noble, promising 
 dauntless courage for war, and gentleness and kind 
 ness in peace. His whole demeanour showed that 
 the Cacique had not unwisely bestowed his trust. 
 He arose, and throwing aside his mantle of skin, 
 seized a broadsword, made of palmwood, which a 
 servant carried behind him, as a badge of his rank. 
 He cut and thrust with it, as skilfully as a master of 
 fence, much to the admiration of the Spaniards. 
 After going through many singular evolutions, he 
 stopped suddenly before the Cacique and made a 
 profound reverence. " I pledge my word," said he, 
 " to fulfil your commands as far as in my power ; 
 and I promise, by the favour of the strangers, to re 
 venge the insults, the deaths, and the losses, our fa 
 thers have sustained from the natives of Cofachiqui. 
 My vengeance shall be such, that the memory of 
 21* 
 
246 CONQUEST or FLORIDA. 
 
 past evils shall be wiped away for ever. My daring 
 to reappear in your presence, will be a token that 
 your commands have been executed. For, should 
 the fates deny my hopes, never again shall you be 
 hold me, never again shall the sun shine upon me ! 
 If the enemy deny me death, my own hand will find 
 the road ! 1 will inflict upon myself the punish 
 ment my cowardice or evil fortune will merit !" 
 
 The Cacique Cofaqui arose and embraced him. 
 " I consider," replied he, " that what you have pro 
 mised is as certain as though it were already ac 
 complished, therefore do I reward you, as for ser 
 vices already rendered." Saying this, he took from 
 his shoulders a mantle of the most beautiful martin 
 skins, and placed it, with his own hand, upon the 
 shoulders of Patofa. A present of a mantle or 
 plume, or any other article of dress, was considered 
 by the natives of this country, as the greatest honour 
 their chief could confer upon them, more especially 
 when presented in person.* 
 
 A singular event happened the night before the 
 departure of the army. One of the two boys taken 
 prisoner in the province of Apalachee, had guided 
 them thus far. The other, whom they named Pedro, 
 was to conduct them from thence to the dominions 
 
 * Garcilaso cle la Vega, L. 3. o. 5. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 247 
 
 of Cofachiqui, where they expected to find gold, sil 
 ver, and precious stones. About the mid watch, 
 this youth woke the soldiery with his screams of 
 murder, and calls for help. The alarm spread 
 throughout the encampment ; they dreaded some 
 treachery of the Indians ; the trumpets sounded to 
 arms ; all was tumult ; they buckled on their ar 
 mour, seized their weapons, and prepared for ac 
 tion. When it was discovered that no enemy was 
 at hand, an inquiry was made whence the alarm 
 had proceeded. They found the Indian boy Pedro, 
 half dead, trembling with fear and terror, and foam 
 ing at the mouth like a maniac. When they 
 asked him why he had called for help with such 
 strange outcries, he said, that a demon with a huge 
 visage, accompanied by frightful imps, had appear 
 ed to him, and forbidden him, under pain of death, 
 to guide the Spaniards to the land he had promised ; 
 at the same time they had dragged him out of his 
 hut and beat him, until he was so bruised and weak 
 ened that he could not move. He added, that the 
 demon seeing the Christians approach, had vanished 
 with all his imps he knew from this, that the devils 
 feared the Christians, and he begged they would 
 baptize him immediately, lest the demon should re 
 turn and kill him. 
 
 The Spaniards were prcplexcd by this story, 
 
248 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 which seemed to be corroborated by the contusions 
 and swellings on the boy s face and body. The 
 priests, being called in, baptized him, and remained 
 with him during this night and the following day, to 
 confirm him in the faith.* As the boy proved to 
 be an elaborate liar on various occasions, the fore* 
 going tale may be considered a marvel of his own 
 invention. The Cacique accompanied the army 
 two leagues on their march, when, charging Patofa 
 anew, faithfully to serve the Spaniards, he took an 
 affectionate leave and returned to his home. 
 
 * The Portuguese narrator says the gospel was read over him 
 and he recovered. 
 
249 
 
 CHAPTER XLIII. 
 
 The desertion of an Indian, and how he was punish 
 ed. The army lost in a trackless wilderness. 
 
 1540. THE Spaniards marched by themselves, 
 formed into squadrons, with a van and rear 
 guard. Patofa and his four thousand warriors^ 
 marched in like order, with the Indians who car 
 ried the provisions in the centre ; for, the natives 
 sought eagerly to rival the white men in every thing 
 relating to the art of war. 
 
 By night, likewise, they lodged separately, and as 
 soon as the Indians who carried the supplies had 
 delivered up the provisions to the Spaniards, they 
 went away and slept with their companions. Both 
 armies posted their sentinels, and they watched 
 each other, as though they were enemies. The 
 Spaniards were particularly vigilant ; for, seeing 
 the order and regularity observed by the Infidels, 
 they mistrusted them. The latter, however, were 
 entirely free from any evil designs, and rather 
 manifested a desire to please the strangers in 
 every thing. The stationing of sentinels and 
 
250 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 other camp forms observed by them, \vere more 
 to prove themselves men accustomed to war, 
 than through any doubts of the Spaniards. These 
 precautions they observed the whole time they 
 were together. The second night of their inarch, 
 they slept at the commencement of an extensive 
 uninhabited tract lying between the provinces of 
 Cofaqui and Cofachiqui. 
 
 The country upon which they now entered, 
 though deserted, was pleasant, diversified with easy 
 hills, open forests, and frequent streams. 
 
 On the fourth day an Indian deserted, and made 
 off in the direction of his home. Patofa immedi 
 ately sent four young warriors in pursuit of him, 
 with orders to bring him back manacled. They set 
 off with the swiftness of deer, and soon returned, 
 bringing him prisoner. Patofa ordered him to be 
 led to the banks of a small stream that flowed 
 through the encampment. Here he was stripped 
 and commanded to throw himself upon the ground 
 and drink the streamlet dry. The poor culprit 
 drank until he could no more, but the moment he 
 raised his head from the stream, five Indians who 
 were posted over him, with clubs in their hands, 
 belaboured him cruelly until he resumed his task. 
 Some of his comrades hastened to the Governor, 
 and implored him to intercede with Patofa, or the 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 251 
 
 poor wretch would be compelled to drink until he 
 died. The intercessions of the Governor were ef 
 fectual ; the prisoner was released, but was half 
 dead with the quantity of water he had been forced 
 to swallow. 
 
 In the course of their march through this unpeo 
 pled tract of country, they came to two rivers, 
 a cross-bow shot broad, and so deep and rapid, 
 that the infantry could not maintain their footing. 
 They made, therefore, a kind of dam by placing 
 their horses side by side across the stream, to 
 break its fury, until the -foot soldiers and Indians 
 had forded it. 
 
 About noon on the seventh day, their march was 
 arrested, and the whole army thrown into confusion 
 by the sudden termination of the broad road which 
 they had followed thus far. They pursued many 
 narrow winding paths leading into dense and 
 tangled forests. These after being followed for a 
 short distance would likewise entirely disappear. 
 
 Their Indian allies were here quite as much at 
 loss, not one of them being able to point out the 
 proper path. De Soto then ordered Patofa into his 
 presence. " Why," said he to him, " have you un 
 der the mask of friendship led us into this wilder 
 ness, from whence we can discover no way of ex 
 tricating ourselves? I will never believe, that among 
 
252 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA 
 
 eight thousand Indians, there is not one to be found 
 capable of showing us the way to Cofachiqui. It 
 is not at all likely that you, who have maintained 
 perpetual war w r ith that tribe, should know nothing 
 of the public road and secret paths leading from 
 one village to another." 
 
 Patofa replied to this by assurances that neither 
 he nor any of his followers had ever been in this 
 place before. " The wars," said he, " which have 
 been waged between these two provinces, have 
 not been carried on by pitched battles, nor inva 
 sions of either party; but by skirmishes between 
 small bands, who resort to the streams and rivers 
 we have crossed, to fish ; and also by combats be 
 tween hunting parties ; as the wilderness we have 
 traversed, is the common hunting ground of both 
 nations. The natives of Cofachiqui are more pow 
 erful and have always worsted us in fight ; our peo 
 ple, therefore, were dispirited and dared not to pass 
 over their own frontiers. Do you suspect that I 
 have led your army into these deserts to perish? If so, 
 take what hostages you please. If my he^d will suf 
 fice, take it if not, you may behead every Indian, 
 as they will obey my mandate even to tnV death. * 
 
 The frank and feeling manner in which these 
 
 * Garcilaso de la Vega, Lib. 3. c. 0. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 258 
 
 words were delivered, convinced the Governor of 
 Patofa s truth and trustworthiness. He then called 
 to him Pedro, the Indian boy who had guided them 
 thus far, with such a perfect knowledge of the coun 
 try, that the evening previous, he had pointed out 
 exactly where they would find the road on the fol 
 lowing morning. De Soto threatened to throw him 
 to the dogs for thus deceiving him. The poor boy, 
 however, appeared to be really bewildered, and 
 seemed to have suddenly lost all his former sagaci 
 ty ; he said it was four or five years since he had 
 travelled through the wilderness, and he could not 
 now tell where they were. 
 
 They resumed their inarch, wandering through 
 the glades and openings of the forests, and at sun 
 set were arrested by a wide, deep, and unfordable 
 river. This sight filled them with dismay. They 
 had neither rafts nor canoes with which to cross 
 the stream, nor food to keep them alive, while these 
 were being constructed. Their provisions were 
 consumed, as they had only brought supplies for the 
 seven days, which it had been computed they would 
 take to traverse the desert. The road lost, without 
 a guide, without food, before them a deep impassa 
 ble river, behind them an uninhabited wilderness, 
 and on each side a trackless forest ! Their situation 
 was indeed dreary and disheartening. 
 22 
 
 I 
 
254 
 
 CHAPTER XLIV. 
 
 Parties despatched in different directions to seek 
 some outlet to this wilderness. Sufferings of the 
 army for want of food. Success of Juan de Arias- 
 co s expedition. 
 
 1540. THE Governor left the army encamped 
 in a grove of pine trees, and, taking a guide and 
 a detachment of horse and foot, struck into the 
 depths of the forest. He returned late in the even 
 ing, greatly perplexed and troubled, having pene 
 trated five or six leagues into the wilderness with 
 out discovering any signs that the country was in 
 habited. 
 
 Early the following morning he called a council 
 of his officers, to consider the critical situation of 
 the army, and decide whether they should turn in 
 another direction or retrace their steps. Their 
 supplies of maize were exhausted ; both horse and 
 rider were way-worn, dispirited, and enfeebled, 
 for the want of food, and it was extremely doubtful 
 whether they would be able to reach a place of 
 refreshment ; moreover, the Indians taking advan- 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 255 
 
 tage of their weakened condition, might assail 
 them, so that their return would probably be in the 
 face of both war and famine. It was resolved, 
 therefore, not to move their encampment, until 
 some road or outlet from this wilderness should be 
 discovered. The Governor then despatched par 
 ties of troopers in every direction, to seek for 
 some habitation. These returned at night-fall, some 
 leading their wearied horses by the bridle, others 
 driving them before them, having discovered neither 
 road nor human dwelling.* De Soto then ordered 
 four bands of horse and two of foot, to start, two 
 up the course of the river, and two down it ; one 
 party keeping along the bank, and the other a league 
 inland, in hopes that one or the other would find a 
 road or an inhabited place. He directed each of 
 the Captains to return in five days. 
 
 Captain Juan de Afiasco, who commanded one 
 of the detachments, was accompanied by Patofa, 
 who was unwilling to remain in the camp, and the 
 Indian boy, Pedro, who, abashed at having lost the 
 road, thought that by going on this expedition he 
 might succeed in redeeming his character. With 
 each company of Spaniards went a thousand In 
 dian warriors, who scattered themselves about the 
 forests to seek for a road. 
 
 * Portuguese Narrative, c. 14. 
 
256 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 The Governor remained on the bank of the river 
 waiting their return, where he and his people suf 
 fered great distress for want of food ; having little 
 to eat excepting the tendrils of wild vines, which 
 they found in the woods. The four thousand In 
 dians who remained with him sallied out every 
 morning and returned at night, some with herbs 
 and roots that were eatable, others with fish, and 
 others again with birds and small animals they had 
 killed with their bows and arrows. All of these 
 they brought to the army, and although they were 
 exhausted and almost famished themselves, yet such 
 was their fidelity and respect, that they tasted no 
 thing until they had first presented what they had 
 to the Spaniards. The hardy soldiers were touch 
 ed by this generosity of spirit, and gave the Indians 
 the greater part of the food they brought. These 
 supplies, however, were by no means sufficient for 
 the subsistence of such a multitude. 
 
 During three days the army suffered extreme 
 privations. The Governor finding they could no 
 longer endure this excess of hunger, ordered some 
 of the hogs which they had brought with them for 
 the breed to be killed, and half a pound of meat 
 was portioned out to each Spaniard ; which, how 
 ever, rather served to augment than to allay the 
 hunger of half famished men. But notwithstanding 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 257 
 
 their pressing wants, they generously divided their 
 pittance with the poor savages, whose necessities 
 were equally great. 
 
 De Soto fared equally with his men in every 
 respect ; and though troubled and anxious for the 
 fate of his great expedition, he wore a sunny coun 
 tenance to cheer up his followers. These chival 
 rous spirits appreciated his care and kindness, and 
 to solace him, they concealed their sufferings, as 
 sumed an air of contentedness, and appeared as 
 happy as though they were revelling in abundance. 
 
 In the mean time, the four Captains who went 
 in search of a road, suffered no less from hunger 
 than the Governor and his army. Juan de Anasco 
 having travelled three days along the river, came 
 to a small village seated on its banks.* Here he 
 found few natives, but a great supply of food ; in 
 one house alone were deposited five hundred mea 
 sures of meal, formed from toasted maize, beside 
 much more in grain. The joy of both Indians and 
 Spaniards can easily be imagined. After having 
 searched the houses, they ascended into the high 
 est, from which they could see that further on, the 
 country was studded with villages and hamlets, 
 
 * The Portuguese Narrator says the Indians called this hamlet 
 Aymay; and the Spaniards gave it the name of tho " Village of 
 
 Good Relief." 
 
 22* 
 
258 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 with extensive corn-fields on eveiy side. They 
 here quelled the cravings of hunger. After mid 
 night they despatched four horsemen to the Gov 
 ernor with tidings of their success. They took with 
 them many ears of corn, and several horns of the 
 buffalo or bison, The sight of the latter perplexed 
 the Spaniards, who conjectured them to be the 
 horns of tame cattle. Several times in the course 
 of their expedition, they had found fresh beef, and 
 had importuned the Indians to tell them where they 
 kept their herds. They could never get any satis 
 factory information from them on the subject, and 
 supposed that they purposely concealed the truth. 
 
 Patofa and his Indians this night stole stealthily 
 out of the camp, so as not to alarm the Spaniards, 
 and sacked and pillaged the temple. They mas 
 sacred every Indian they found within and in the 
 purlieus of the village, sparing neither sex nor age, 
 and taking their scalps as trophies, to show their 
 Cacique, Cofaqui ; for it was afterwards discov 
 ered that this village was in the long wished for 
 province of Cofachiqui. 
 
 On the following day at noon, Afiasco set for 
 ward to meet the Governor, not daring to await his 
 arrival in the village, fearing a general assault from 
 the natives, in revenge of the massacre of Patofa. 
 
259 
 
 CHAPTER XLV. 
 
 The half famished army revived by the tidings of 
 Anasco s discovery of an abundant region. The 
 ravages committed by Patofa and his warriors. 
 De Soto s reception by the beautiful Princess of 
 Cofachiqui. 
 
 1540. THE four horsemen who had been sent 
 as messengers, pushed on at a rapid pace, and 
 reached the army in one day ; a distance of twelve 
 leagues, which they had previously spent three 
 days in traversing. The news they brought diffused 
 new life among the troops, and they were as wild 
 with joy as if they had been rescued from the jaws 
 of death. When morning dawned, De Soto order 
 ed the four troopers to lead on to the village they 
 had discovered. Before decamping, however, they 
 buried a letter at the root of a tree, and cut upon 
 the bark these words : " Dig at the root of this pine, 
 and you will find a letter." This was to make 
 known to the other Captains, who were seeking a 
 road, the direction the army had taken.* 
 
 * Portuguese Narrative, c. 14. 
 
260 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 The idea of plenty of food revived the half fam 
 ished troops: they clapped spurs to their steeds, 
 and rode helter skelter through the forest, each one 
 striving to pass the other ; so that before noon on 
 the following day they were all within the village. 
 Here the Governor concluded to halt for some 
 days, that his men might recruit, after their late 
 privations and fatigue, and likewise to await the 
 arrival of the three other Captains, who had been 
 sent in quest of a road. 
 
 These three Captains had the good fortune to 
 find the letter of their comrades, and with their dif 
 ferent detachments rejoined the main body in the 
 course of four days, almost famished ; having, du 
 ring these eight days absence, had nothing to eat 
 but a scant supply of roots and herbs. 
 
 De Soto sojourned in this frontier village of the 
 province of Cofachiqui seven days ; during which 
 time Patofa and his warriors were not idle, but sal 
 lying forth stealthily, ravaged the country for leagues 
 round about, slaying and scalping man, woman, and 
 child, sacking and pillaging villages and hamlets, 
 temples and sepulchres, and refraining only from 
 setting fire to them, through the fear that the flames 
 might betray their doings to the Spaniards. 
 
 When De Soto heard of this cruel ravage, he 
 made all haste to get rid of his bloody allies. Send 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 261 
 
 ing for Patofa, he thanked him for his friendly con 
 duct and valuable escort ; and giving him presents 
 of knives, trinkets, and clothing, for himself and 
 bis Cacique, dismissed him and his followers. 
 
 The savage warrior set off on his return, well 
 pleased with the presents, but still more gratified at 
 having fulfilled the vow of vengeance which he had 
 made to his chieftain. 
 
 Two days after the departure of Patofa, the Span 
 iards resumed their march along the banks of the 
 river. They met with no living thing, but with dis 
 mal proofs of the dreadful carnage Patofa had 
 committed. All along, the way was strown with 
 the scalpless corses of the slain. The natives had 
 fled into the interior of the country, leaving a plen 
 tiful supply of provisions in the villages. 
 
 On the afternoon of the third day, the army halt 
 ed in a verdant region, covered with mulberry and 
 other fruit trees, laden with fruit. The Governor 
 was unwilling to advance until he learnt what pro 
 vince he was in. He ordered Juan de Anasco, 
 therefore, with thirty foot soldiers, to pursue the 
 road they had thus far followed, and endeavour to 
 capture some Indians, from whom they might ob 
 tain information, and who might serve as guides. To 
 encourage the doughty Anasco, he told him he sent 
 him in preference to any other, because he was al 
 ways successful. 
 
262 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 Anasco and his thirty comrades left the camp on 
 foot, before night-fall. They marched along in pro 
 found silence, with the noiseless pace and watchful 
 eye of a marauding party. As they advanced the 
 road grew wider. They had proceeded nearly two 
 leagues without seeing a living thing, when on the 
 still night breeze, was borne a low, murmuring sound, 
 like the near hum of a village. As they moved 
 breathlessly forward, the sounds grew more distinct; 
 at length they emerged from the thickets which had 
 obstructed their view, and saw lights and heard the 
 barking of dogs, the cries of children, and the voices 
 of men and women. Certain that a village was 
 near at hand, they rushed forward to seize some In 
 dians secretly in the suburbs, each striving to be 
 first, to have the honour of being the most diligent. 
 They were, however, deceived in their hopes, for 
 the river which they had followed flowed between 
 them and the village. They halted a long while on 
 the opposite bank, at what appeared to be a land 
 ing place for canoes, and having supped, and re 
 posed until two o clock at night, they set off for the 
 camp, where they arrived a little before daybreak, 
 and related to the Governor what they had seen and 
 heard. 
 
 When the day dawned De Soto set out with a 
 hundred infantry, and a hundred horse to recon- 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 263 
 
 noitre the village. Arrived on the opposite bank, 
 Juan Ortiz arid Pedro, the Indian boy, shouted out 
 to the natives to come over, and receive a message 
 for their Cacique. 
 
 The Indians, terrified at the strange sight of the 
 Spaniards and their horses, ran back to the village 
 to spread the news. In a little while a large canoe 
 was launched, and came directly across the river, 
 managed by several rowers. Six Indians, of noble 
 appearance, all about forty or fifty years of age, 
 landed from it. 
 
 The Governor, perceiving they were persons of 
 consequence, received them with much ceremony, 
 seated in a kind of chair of state, which he always 
 carried with him for occasions of the kind. As they 
 advanced they made three profound reverences, 
 one to the sun, with their faces to the eastward, the 
 second to the moon, turning to the west, the third to 
 the Governor. They then made him the usual de 
 mand, " whether he came for peace or war ?" He 
 replied. Peace ; and a free passage through their 
 lands. He moreover requested provisions for his 
 people, and assistance with canoes or rafts in pas 
 sing the river. 
 
 The Indians replied that their supplies were small, 
 the country having been ravaged by pestilence in 
 the preceding year, so that most of the people had 
 
264 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 abandoned their houses and villages, and taken re 
 fuge in the woods, neglecting to sow their corn. 
 They added that they were governed by a young 
 female, just of marriageable age, who had recently 
 inherited the sway. They would return and repeat 
 to her the circumstances of their interview, and 
 made no doubt, from her discreet and generous na 
 ture, she would do every thing in her power to serve 
 the strangers. With these words they departed. 
 
 They had not long returned to the village when 
 the Spaniards perceived movements of preparation, 
 and observed a kind of litter borne by four men to 
 the water s side. From this alighted the female 
 Cacique, and entered a highly decorated canoe, 
 which had been prepared for her reception. A 
 kind of aquatic procession was then formed ; a 
 grand canoe, containing the six ambassadors, and 
 paddled by a large number of Indians, led the van, 
 lowing after it the state bark of the princess, who 
 reclined on 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.* 
 
 "* The account of this Princess and her territory, is taken both 
 from the Spanish and Portuguese account. The former is by far 
 the most ample and circumstantial ; though evidently inclining 
 to magnify the importance of the princess and her dominions. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 265 
 
 The young princess stepped on shore, and as she 
 approached the Spaniards, they were struck with 
 her appearance. She was finely formed, with great 
 beauty of countenance, and native grace and digni 
 ty. Having made her obeisance to the Governor, 
 she took her seat on a kind of stool placed by her 
 attendants, and entered into conversation with him, 
 all her subjects preserving a most respectful silence. 
 
 Her conversation confirmed what had been said 
 by the ambassadors. The province had been ra 
 vaged by pestilence, during the preceding year, and 
 provisions were very scanty. She offered, how 
 ever, to share with the strangers a quantity of 
 maize which had been collected for the relief of her 
 village, and to put them in the way of getting simi 
 lar supplies from the other villages. She proffered, 
 likewise, her own house for the accomodation of the 
 Governor, and half of the village for that of his offi 
 cers and principal soldiers ; and promised that wig 
 wams of bark and branches should be put up for 
 the rest. She added, that rafts and canoes should 
 be provided for the army to cross the river on the 
 following day. De Soto was overpowered by the 
 generosity of the princess, and endeavoured in the 
 best manner, to express his sense of her kind and 
 hospitable offers, assuring her of the constant 
 friendship of his sovereign and himself. The cava- 
 23 
 
266 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 liers, too, listened with admiring attention to her dis 
 course, and to the answers she gave to various en 
 quiries concerning her province ; leaving them as 
 much charmed with her intelligence and judgment 
 as they had been with her beauty, and wondering 
 to find such dignity and grace, and true politeness 
 in a savage brought up in a wilderness. 
 
 While the princess of Cofachiqui 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 told Juan Ortiz, the interpre 
 ter, to present the necklace to the general. Ortiz 
 replied, that the gift would be more valuable if pre 
 sented with her own hand ; but she scrupled to do 
 it, through a dread of infringing the propriety which 
 females should always maintain. When De Soto 
 was apprised of her scruples, he directed Ortiz to 
 tell her, that he would more highly prize the favour 
 of receiving the gift from her own hand, than he 
 would value the jewel itself, and that she would 
 commit no breach of decorum, as they were persons 
 unknown to each other, treating of peace and amity. 
 
 This being interpreted to her, she arose, and 
 placed the string of pearls about the neck of De So- 
 
 * Portuguese Narrative, c. 14. Garcilaso de la Vega, L. 3, 
 c. 11. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 267 
 
 to ;* he likewise stood up ; and, taking from his fin 
 ger a ring of gold, set with a ruby, presented it to 
 her, as a token of peace and friendship. She re 
 ceived it very respectfully and placed it on one of 
 her fingers. This ceremony ended, she returned to 
 her village, leaving the Spaniards much struck with 
 her native talent, and personal beauty.* 
 
 * According to the Portuguese Narrator, the Indians in this in 
 terview, assured the Spaniards that their province was but two 
 days journey from the sea coast; but, subsequent circumstances 
 gave reason to believe, either that the information was incorrect in 
 itself, or was erroneously rendered by the interpreters. 
 
268 
 
 CHAPTER XLVI. 
 
 The army quartered in the village of the young prin 
 cess. Anasco despatched after a certain rich wi 
 dow. Some account of the young warrior by whom 
 he was guided. 
 
 1540. ON the following day, the Indians having 
 constructed large rafts, and brought a number of 
 canoes, the army crossed the river. The passage 
 was not, however, effected without accident. Seve 
 ral of the horses, urged by their riders into the 
 stream, were carried down the current, amid quick 
 sands and whirlpools, and four of them were unfor 
 tunately drowned. Their loss was as much la 
 mented by the Spaniards, as though they had been 
 brothers in arms. 
 
 When the army had all crossed, they were lodg 
 ed partly in wigwams, under the shade of luxuriant 
 mulberry trees, with which the province abounded. 
 Around about the village were scattered many for 
 saken wigwams ; the rank grass growing within, 
 as if they had long been untenanted. A token that 
 the pestilence had, indeed, passed over them. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 269 
 
 The province of Cofachiqui, as well as the neigh 
 bouring provinces of Cofaqui, and Cofa, are repre 
 sented as being extremely populous and fertile. 
 The natives were of a tawny complexion ; well 
 formed ; frank, gentle and sincere in their disposi 
 tions, and less warlike than any of the tribes among 
 which the Spaniards had sojourned. 
 
 They had their wars, however, with their neigh 
 bours, and had many captives among them, whom 
 they employed in cultivating the fields and other 
 servile labour. To prevent their escape and return 
 to their own tribes, they were maimed by having the 
 nerves of the leg cut above the heel or the instep. 
 
 In the course of his various enquiries about the 
 affairs of the province, De Soto learnt that the mo 
 ther of the princess was still living, a widow, at a 
 retired place, about twelve leagues down the river. 
 He felt a strong desire to see her, wishing thorough 
 ly to secure the friendship of the people of this pro 
 vince. His desire was probably quickened by learn 
 ing that the queen mother had in her possession, a 
 large quantity of pearls. 
 
 On making known his wishes to the princess, she 
 immediately despatched twelve of her principal 
 subjects to her mother, to entreat her to come and 
 behold these wonderful people, and the strange ani 
 mals they had brought with them. 
 23* 
 
270 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 The queen mother, however, refused to accom 
 pany the messengers, and expressed herself scanda 
 lized at what she termed the levity of her daughter, 
 in so readily shewing herself to strangers whom she 
 had never before seen. She rebuked the envoys 
 for having permitted such a departure from her pro 
 per dignity ; and manifested in various ways the 
 chagrin which prudish dowagers are somewhat 
 prone to indulge in like cases. 
 
 The Governor hearing of this, called to him the 
 stout Juan de Anasco, who was the very man for 
 undertakings of the kind, and ordered him to take 
 thirty companions and depart for the retreat of this 
 coy widow ; and by fair and gentle means prevail 
 upon her to come to the encampment. 
 
 Juan de Anasco and his comrades, set off at once, 
 on foot, although the morning was already some 
 what advanced. They w r ere guided by a youthful 
 warrior, whom the princess had granted them for 
 the purpose. This youth was a near relative to the 
 widow, and had been reared by her, and, being kind 
 and noble in his nature, was as dear to him as 
 though he were her own son. For this reason her 
 daughter had chosen him to accompany the Spa 
 niards ; and had instructed him to go in advance of 
 them when they approached the residence of her 
 mother, to secure for them a favourable reception. 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 271 
 
 He shewed indeed, in countenance and bearing, 
 his generous blood. He was about twenty one years 
 of age ; with handsome features, and a vigorous 
 and graceful form. His head was decorated with 
 lofty plumes of different coloured feathers, he wore 
 a mantle of dressed deer skin ; in his hand he bore 
 a beautiful bow, so highly varnished as to appear as 
 if finely enamelled ; and afhis shoulder hung a qui 
 ver full of arrows. With a light and elastic step, and 
 an animated and gallant air ; his whole appearance 
 was that of an ambassador, worthy of the young 
 and beautiful princess whom he served. 
 
272 
 
 CHAPTER XLVII. 
 
 The melancholy fate of the young Indian guide. 
 Anasco makes another attempt to capture the old 
 princess. 
 
 1540. JUAN DE ANASCO and his comrades having 
 proceeded nearly three leagues, stopped to make 
 their midday meal and take their repose beneath the 
 shade of some wide spreading trees, as the heat 
 was oppressive. The Indian guide had proved a 
 cheerful and joyous companion, entertaining them 
 all the way with accounts of the surrounding coun 
 try arid the adjacent provinces. On a sudden, after 
 they had halted, he became moody and thoughtful, 
 and, leaning his cheek upon his hand, fell into a re 
 verie, uttering repeated and deep drawn sighs. The 
 Spaniards noticed his dejection, but, fearing to en- 
 crease it, forbore to demand the cause. 
 
 After a time, he quietly took off his quiver, and 
 placing it before him, drew out the arrows slowly, 
 one by one. They were admirable for the skill 
 and elegance with which they were formed. Their 
 shafts were reeds. Some were tipped with buck s 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 273 
 
 horn, wrought with four corners like a diamond ; 
 some were pointed with the bones of fishes, curi 
 ously fashioned ; others, with barbs of the palm and 
 other hard woods ; and some were three pronged. 
 They were feathered in a triangular manner, to ren 
 der their flight of greater accuracy. 
 
 The Spaniards could not sufficiently admire their- 
 beauty ; they took them up, and passed them from 
 hand to hand, examining and praisin-g their work 
 manship and extolling the skill of their owner. The 
 youthful Indian continued thoughtfully emptying his 
 quiver, until, almost at the last, he drew forth an ar 
 row with a point of flint, long and sharp, and shap 
 ed like a dagger ; then, casting round a glance, and 
 seeing the Spaniards engaged in admiring his darts, 
 he suddenly plunged the weapon in his throat, and 
 fell dead upon the spot. 
 
 Shocked at the circumstance, and grieved at not 
 having been able to prevent it, the Spaniards called 
 to their Indian attendants, and demanded the rea 
 son of this melancholy act, in one who had just be 
 fore been so joyous. 
 
 The Indians broke into loud lamentations over 
 the corpse ; for the youth was tenderly beloved by 
 them, and they knew the grief his untimely fate 
 would cause to both of their princesses. They 
 could only account for his self destruction by sup- 
 
274 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 posing him perplexed and afflicted about his embas 
 sy. He knew that his errand would be disagreea 
 ble to the mother, and apprehended that the plan 
 of the Spaniards was to carry her off. He alone 
 knew the place of her concealment, and it appear 
 ed to his generous mind an unworthy return for her 
 love and confidence thus to betray her to strangers. 
 On the other hand he was aware that, should he 
 disobey the mandates of his young mistress, he 
 should lose her favour and fall into disgrace. Either 
 of these alternatives would be worse than death ; 
 he had chosen death, therefore, as the lesser evil, 
 and as leaving a proof to his mistresses of his loyal 
 ty and devotion. 
 
 Such was the conjecture of the Indians, to which 
 the Spaniards were inclined to give faith. Grieving 
 over the death of the high-minded youth, they 
 mournfully resumed their journey. 
 
 They now,- however, found themselves at a loss 
 about the road. None of the Indians knew in what 
 part of the country the widow was concealed, the 
 young guide who had killed himself being alone 
 master of the secret. For the rest of that day and 
 until the following noon, they made a fruitless 
 search, taking prisoner some of the natives ; who 
 all professed utter ignorance on the subject. The 
 stout Juan de Afiasco being a fleshy man and 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 275 
 
 somewhat choleric, was almost in a fever with the 
 vexation of his spirit, the weight of his armour, and 
 the heat of the day ; he was obliged, however, to 
 give up the quest after the widow, and to return to 
 the camp much mortified at having for once failed 
 in an enterprize. 
 
 Three days after his return, an Indian offered to 
 guide the Spaniards by water, to the retreat of the 
 widow. Afiasco accordingly set out a second time 
 with twenty companions, in two canoes ; but at the 
 end of six days returned with no better success. 
 The old princess having heard of the search made 
 after her, had taken refuge in the depths of a forest 
 which they found it impossible to penetrate. The 
 governor, therefore, gave up all further attempt to 
 obtain an interview with this wary and discreet 
 old widow. 
 
276 
 
 CHAPTER XLVIII. 
 
 Disappointment of the Spaniards with respect to gold. 
 The treasure they find. They discover some Euro 
 pean relics. 
 
 1540. WHILE Juan de Anasco was employed in 
 his search after the widow, the Governor endea 
 voured to inform himself respecting the boasted 
 riches of the province. For this purpose he called 
 to him the two Indian lads, who had formerly ac 
 companied traders into this part of the country, and 
 who had told him that their masters had trafficked 
 here for yellow and white metal, similar to the gold 
 and silver shewn by the Spaniards, and also for 
 pearls. He made these youths describe the articles 
 to the youthful princess, and begged her, if such yel 
 low and white metals existed in her territories, to 
 have specimens brought to him. 
 
 The princess cheerfully complied, and in a little 
 while several Indians appeared, laden with the sup 
 posed treasure. To the great disappointment of 
 the Spaniards, however, the yellow metal proved 
 to be a species of copper of a yellowish tint much 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 277 
 
 resembling gold ; and the white metal, though a 
 shining substance somewhat of the appearance of 
 silver, was extremely light, and crumbled in the 
 hand like dry earth. Some have supposed it was a 
 species of quartz, but it is probable that it was mica. 
 Thus vanished of a sudden the golden treasures of 
 Cofachiqui. 
 
 To console the Spaniards under their evident 
 disappointment, the princess pointed out a kind 
 of temple or mausoleum, at one end of the vil 
 lage, and informed them that it was the sepulchre 
 of all the chieftains and great warriors of the place, 
 and was adorned within with great quantities of 
 pearls ; and that at another village called Talome- 
 co, about a league distant, the ancient seat of terri 
 tory, was a still larger mausoleum, in which all her 
 ancestors were interred, and which contained still 
 greater quantities of pearls, all which she assured 
 the Governor, should be entirely at liis disposal. 
 
 De Soto was in some degree consoled by the 
 news of these immense hoards of pearls for his 
 disappointment in respect to gold, though ; even as 
 to the latter, many of his followers did not give up 
 their hopes, insisting that there were veins of gold in 
 the copper and brass of the country. They were 
 destitute, however, of aquafortis, or touchstones to 
 assay them. 
 
 24 
 
278 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 Juan de Anasco, the Contador, or royal account 
 ant of the expedition, being absent, the Governor 
 deferred visiting the temple until he should be pre 
 sent in his official capacity. In the mean time, he 
 placed trusty persons to keep watch round the edi 
 fice by day and night. 
 
 As soon as Anasco returned, the Governor visit 
 ed the mausoleum, accompanied by the officers of 
 the royal revenue, and a number of his principal 
 officers and soldiers. These edifices were of great 
 magnitude, that at Talomeco, being a hundred paces 
 in length, and forty in breadth, with lofty roofs of 
 reed. At the entrance to this latter temple or mau 
 soleum, were gigantic statues of wood carved with 
 considerable skill, the largest being twelve feet in 
 height. They were armed with various weapons 
 and stood in threatening attitudes, with ferocious 
 looks. The interior of the temple was likewise de 
 corated with statues of various shapes and sizes ; 
 and great profusion of conchs, and different kinds 
 of sea and river shells. 
 
 Around the sepulchre were benches on which 
 were wooden chests, skilfully wrought, but without 
 locks or hinges. In these were the bodies of the 
 departed Caciques and chieftains of Cofachiqui, left 
 to their natural decay ; for these edifices were 
 merely used as charnel houses. Beside these chests 
 
wit 
 
 * 
 
 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 279 
 
 there were smaller ones, and baskets wrought of 
 carie, which were filled with valuable furs and In 
 dian robes of dressed skins, and mantles made of 
 the inner rind and bark of trees, and others of a 
 species of grass which when beaten was not unlike 
 flax. There were others formed with feathers of 
 various colours which the natives wore during the 
 winter. But above all, they contained pearls of 
 every size, and in incredible quantities, together 
 with the figures of children and birds made of pearl. 
 The Portuguese narrator says, they obtained four 
 teen bushels of pearls, and that the female Cacique 
 assured them, that, if they searched the neighbour 
 ing villages, they might find enough to load all the 
 horses of the army. Nor is the Inca less extrava 
 gant in his account. All this, however, must be 
 taken with a large deduction for the exaggeration 
 with which. the riches of the new world were al 
 ways described by the discoverers, when beyond 
 the power of proof. 
 
 The Intendants of the revenue would have made 
 general spoil of these precious articles had not De 
 Soto interfered. He represented that they were at 
 present merely discovering the country, not divid 
 ing it, and having to make their way through a vast 
 wilderness, it would not do to burthen themselves 
 with treasure. They should, therefore, only take 
 
280 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 specimens of these riches to send to Havana, and 
 leave every thing in the temples in their present 
 state, until they came to colonize and make a settle 
 ment, when all should be properly divided, and the 
 fifth of the amount be set apart for the crown. He 
 distributed, however, handfuls of large pearls among 
 his officers, exhorting them to make rosaries of 
 them ; and permitted the officers of the crown to re 
 tain a large quantity which they had already weigh 
 ed out. 
 
 Annexed to this great sepulchre were several 
 buildings, which served as armories, containing 
 weapons of various kinds, all arranged in great or 
 der. The whole establishment was maintained with 
 exact care and evidently was in the charge of nu 
 merous attendants. 
 
 While ransacking these depositaries of arms, the 
 Spaniards to their astonishment found a dagger and 
 several coats of mail. Nothing could equal their 
 surprise at meeting with these European reliques 
 in the heart of this unknown wilderness. They 
 questioned the Indians eagerly on the subject. The 
 latter informed them that many years before a num 
 ber of white men like themselves had landed at a 
 sea port, about two days journey from thence. That 
 the commander of the party died soon after landing, 
 whereupon great factions and brawls took place 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 281 
 
 among his followers for the command, in which 
 several were slain ; the rest had reassembled on 
 board of their vessel and put to sea.* 
 
 The Spaniards pondered over these facts and de 
 termined that the white men in question, must have 
 been the unfortunate Lucas Vasquez de Ayllon, and 
 his ill fated followers, and those who were expe 
 rienced in maritime affairs gave it as their opinion, 
 that, from the course of the river which passed by 
 Cofachiqui, it must be the same which, on the sea 
 coast was called the St. Helena, f 
 
 Elated with the riches they had found, they urged 
 the Governor to stop here and create a colony. The 
 
 * We found in the town a dagger and some coats of mail ; 
 whereupon the Indians told us, that many years before, the Chris, 
 tians had landed in a port, two days journey from thence, (this 
 was certainly Aylhan, who undertook the conquest of Florida,) 
 that the Governor died upon his landing, which had occasioned 
 great factions, divisions, and slaughter amongst the chief gentle 
 men that had followed him, every one pretending to the supreme 
 command, so that at length they left the port, and returned to 
 Spain, without discovering the country. 
 
 Portuguese Relation, c. 14. Lond. 1686. 
 
 t El rio caudaloso, que pasava por Cofachiqui, decian los hom- 
 bres Marineros, que entre estos Espanoles iban, que era el que en 
 la costa, llamavan de Santa Elena, no porque lo supiesen de cier- 
 to, sino que, segun su viage, les paracia que era el. 
 
 Garcilaso de la Vega Lib. 3, c. 18. 
 
 24* 
 
282 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 country was fertile, they might establish a lu 
 crative pearl fishery, and carry on a trade with 
 Spain from the seaport at the mouth of the river. 
 
 De Soto persisted, however, in his original plan 
 of making an exploring tour and meeting Maldo- 
 nado at the port of Acusi, according to appointment. 
 He observed that the surrounding country would 
 not afford provisions for a month, that it would al 
 ways be open for them to return to in case they 
 should find none richer, and that, in the mean time, 
 the Indians would sow their land with maize in 
 greater plenty. 
 
 After a long sojourn, therefore, in this fertile and 
 opulent province, De Soto prepared for his depar 
 ture. During the time of his sojourn several broils 
 had taken place between his people and the natives. 
 These had originated in the ill conduct of some of 
 the low and base minded of the soldiery ; probably 
 in their rapacious eagerness for gain. They had 
 produced a general ill will among the Indians to 
 ward their guests, and a change in the feelings of 
 the young and high minded princess ; who, instead 
 of evincing her usual kindness and hospitality, grew 
 cold and indifferent in her conduct, and appeared to 
 eye the Spaniards with great distrust. De Soto re 
 marked this change, and received private intelli 
 gence, that the princess was about to take to flight, 
 
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 283 
 
 and leave him without guides for his march; or por 
 ters for the baggage of the army. As his route 
 would lie through various tracts of country under 
 the dominion of the princess, any hostility on her 
 part or on that of her subjects, could not but prove 
 extremely embarrassing. He determined, there 
 fore, to adopt a precaution, which he had more than 
 once practised in the course of his expedition, and 
 which the Spaniards had found so efficacious in 
 their Mexican and Peruvian conquests ; and that 
 was, to secure the person of the Sovereign, by way 
 of ensuring the peaceful conduct of the people. Ac 
 cordingly, he placed a guard round the person of the 
 female Cacique, and signified to her, that she was 
 to accompany him in his march ; but while he thus, 
 detained her as a hostage, he took care that she 
 should be attended with the respect and ceremony 
 due to her rank. The policy of this measure was 
 apparent in the cessation of all brawls between the 
 Spaniards and the natives ; and in the good treat 
 ment which the army experienced during its subse 
 quent march through the territories of the princess. 
 
 In detailing the march of the Spaniards, in search of Cofa- 
 chiqui, we have as usual, availed ourselves both of the Spanish 
 and Portuguese narrations, reconciling them as far as possible, 
 
284 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 
 
 and exerting our judgment where they vary from each other. 
 Nothing is more perplexing than to make out the route in con- 
 formity to modern landmarks. The discovery of the coats of 
 mail and dagger, the reliques of the unfortunate Ayllon and his 
 comrades, throws an unexpected light upon one part of their 
 route, and shows that the province of Cofachiqui was at no very 
 great distance from the sea coast of Georgia, or South Carolina ; 
 though it could not have been within two days journey, as the 
 Portuguese narrator intimates. The armour and weapons of 
 Ayllon and his followers, had probably been divided among the 
 Savages, and carried as trophies into the interior. The river 
 which passed by Cofachiqui, and which the Spaniards supposed 
 to be the St. Helena, has been variously conjectured to be the 
 Ocone, the Ogeeghee and the Savannah. As to the vast quan 
 tities of pearls found in the Temples, and said to abound in the 
 villages, they pass our belief; yet, both Spanish and Portuguese 
 narrators are very positive and circumstantial in their account 
 of them. 
 
 END OF VOL. I. 
 
CONTENTS OF VOL. I. 
 
 CHAPTER I. PAOE 
 
 First discovery of Florida, ..... 9 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 The expedition of Pamphilo de Narvaez ... 15 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Hernando de Soto his birth. Adventures in Peru. Fits 
 out an armament for Florida. Touches at the Canary 
 Islands. Arrival at Cuba, 24 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Rejoicings of the inhabitants of Cuba on the arrival of 
 De Soto. Deposition of Nuno Tobar. Don Vasco Por- 
 callo de Figueroa appointed Lieutenant General of the 
 Forces, 38 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Juan de Afiasco twice despatched to Florida. His narrow 
 escape and safe return. Final preparations of the Gov 
 ernor, 44 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 De Soto meets with an old comrade, Hernan Ponce, much 
 against the will of the latter, 47 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 The armament sets sail from Cuba. Arrival and landing 
 in Florida. Exploit of Vasco Porcallo. They come 
 upon the first traces of Pamphilo de Narvaez, . . 54 
 
286 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 Story of Juan Ortiz, 61 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Baltazar de Gallegos despatched in search of Juan Ortiz. 
 The Cacique Mucozo, and afterwards his mother, visit 
 the Spanish camp, ....... 69 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 The Governor endeavours to gain the friendship of the 
 stern Cacique of Hirrihigua. Gallegos despatched on 
 an expedition to the village of Urribarracuxi. He hears 
 of a region to the westward, abounding in gold, . 76 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 The expedition of the veteran Vasco Porcallo, in quest of 
 the Cacique Hirrihigua, and how he fared in a swamp, 80 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 De Soto leaves Pedro Calderon with a garrison in Hirri 
 higua, and sets out on his march into the interior. The 
 difficulties he encountered. Gonzalo Silvestre sent back 
 with a message to Calderon, ..... 87 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 The perilous journey of Gonzalo Silvestre, and his friend, 
 Juan Lopez, 95 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Thirty lances sally forth with supplies for the Governor. 
 The haughty speech of the Cacique Acuera, . . 101 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 The Governor arrives in the province of Ocali. Occur 
 rences there, 107 
 
CONTENTS. 287 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 The fate of the Greyhound, Ill 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 The Spaniards enter the vast province of Vitachuco. Their 
 reception there, . . . . . . .114 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 Haughty message of the Cacique Vitachuco, . . 119 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 The Cacique Vitachuco dissembles. His plot to destroy 
 the Spaniards, 123 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 Battle with Vitachuco, x 128 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 Death of Vitachuco and his warriors, .... 139 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 The army passes through the province of Osachile. Come 
 to a vast morass. Severe skirmishing with the savages. 
 Preparations to cross the great morass, . . . 146 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 Of the perilous passage of the great morass, . . 154 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 The Indians make a desperate stand at a deep stream. 
 The Spaniards gain the pass, and arrive at the Indian 
 village of Anhayca, in the province of Apalachee, . 159 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 Juan de Anasco sets out in search of the Ocean The 
 adventures he met with by the way, . . .163 
 
288 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 FAQK 
 
 Juan de Anasco arrives at the bay, where he finds traces 
 of Pamphilo de Narvaez, 168 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 The expedition of Juan de Anasco and his band of thirty 
 troopers, 171 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 Continuation of the bold and perilous expedition of Juan 
 de Anasco and his thirty lances, .... 177 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 De Soto s enterprise against the Cacique of Capafi, . 182 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 Singular escape of the Cacique Capafi, . . . 186 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 Continuation of the expedition of Juan de Anasco and his 
 hirty lances, and what further befell them, . . 189 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 Passage of the great morass. The troopers suffer from 
 extreme cold. The vexation of Gomez Arias, . 195 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIN. 
 
 They capture some of the natives. Perplexed with fears 
 for the safety of the garrison at Hirrihigua. Their ar 
 rival there, 199 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIV. 
 
 Anasco sails in quest of the bay of Aute. Gomez Arias 
 embarks for the Havana and Calderon prepares to 
 march to join the army, ...... 207 
 
CONTENTS. 289 
 
 PAGE 
 
 CHAPTER XXXV. 
 
 Breaking up of the garrison at Hirrihigua. Pedro Cal- 
 deron sets out to rejoin the Governor. Desperate con 
 flict with the natives in crossing the great swamp, . 210 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVI. 
 
 Fierce struggle with the natives at the passage of a stream. 
 Arrival at the village of Apalachee, . . . 218 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVII. 
 
 The exploring expedition of Diego Maldonado, . . 222 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVIII. 
 
 Strange adventures that befell the Spaniards while winter 
 ing in Apalachee, ....... 225 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIX. 
 
 Tidings of a gold region. The Spaniards break up their 
 winter cantonment. A fatal encounter, . . . 231 
 
 CHAPTER XL. 
 
 Reception of the Spaniards by the natives of Atapaha. 
 Their arrival at the province of Cofa and what hap 
 pened there, 237 
 
 CHAPTER XLI. 
 
 Reception of the army by the Cacique. Preparations for 
 penetrating to the province of Cofachiqui, . . 242 
 
 CHAPTER XLII. 
 
 Some account of the Chieftain Patofa. The Indian boy 
 Pedro has a marvellous visitation, .... 245 
 
 CHAPTER XLIII. 
 
 The desertion of an Indian, and how he was punished. 
 The army lost in a trackless wilderness, . . . 249 
 
290 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XLIV. 
 
 Parties despatched in different directions, to seek some 
 outlet to this wilderness. Sufferings of the army for 
 want of food. Success of Juan de Anasco s expedition, 254 
 
 CHAPTER XLV. 
 
 The half famished army revived by the tidings of Anas 
 co s discovery of an abundant region. The ravages 
 committed by Patofa and his warriors. De Soto s re 
 ception by the beautiful Princess of Cofachiqui, . 259 
 
 CHAPTER XLVI. 
 
 The army quartered in the village of the young Princess. 
 Anasco despatched after a certain rich widow. Some 
 account of the young warrior by whom he was guided, 268 
 
 CHAPTER XLVII. 
 
 The melancholy fate of the young Indian guide. Anas 
 co makes another attempt to capture the old princess, 272 
 
 CHAPTER XLVIII. 
 
 Disappointment of the Spaniards with respect to gold. 
 The treasure they find. They discover some European 
 relics, 276 
 
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