in a Wood that the next day we might reach Autiamque In this Town we found a great deal of Maes in Granaries small Beans Nuts and Prunes and all in great plenty and we took some Indians that had staid to pack up their Baggage for the women were already conveyed away to places of security That 's a Champion Country and very well peopled The Governour pitched the Camp in the place most inhabited but at a distance from the houses to avoid the fire that the Indians might put to them and ordered it to be fortified with a Palissado of Wood The ground was measured out by paces that every one might work in that fortification according to the number of slaves he had the Indians brought the Timber and the enclosure was finished in three days with high and great piles of Wood driven deep into the ground and fastned with good cross pieces The River of Cayas past by this Town which was very large Some Indians came from the Cacique bringing Mantles and Hides and another lame Cacique of the Town of Tieriquaque and Vassal to Autiamque frequently visited the Governour giving him many presents however the Cacique of Autiamque appeared not but onely sent to know of Soto how long he intended to sojourn in that place When he came to understand that he was to be his guest for above three days he sent him no more Indians nor Presents and was the cause also that the lame Cacique withdrew for good and all Several parties were sent out who took a great many Indians of both Sexes and amongst the rest the lame Cacique but the Governour having respect to the services which he had rendred him onely checkt him a little and then gave him his liberty ordering him two Indians to carry him home upon their shoulders Autiamque whose sole design was to drive us out of his Country sent out several Spies one of which coming in the night-time to the gate of the Camp was discovered by the Sentinel who gave him a thrust with his Sword that made him fall he was brought to the Governour but expired before any thing could be got out of him The night following Soto being willing to keep his men in a readiness caused a false allarm to be given by a Souldier who cried that he saw the Indians He had made use of this stratagem in other places when he observed any negligence in the guards or in those that were out upon duty and he very severely chid those who delayed to come to their Colours so that all strove who should be first at their duty We staid three months at Autiamque having plenty of provisions as Maes small Beans Nuts dried Prunes and Rabbets which we had not as yet learned the way of catching till we came to this place where the Indians shew'd us how they took them in snares and this was by a small string with a running noose fastned to a stick in the ground into which the Rabbet running its head hanged it self by the neck and that it might not gnaw the string it was put through a little cane A great many were taken so among the green Maes especially when it froze and snowed The snow kept us a whole month within the Town so that we could not go abroad But seeing we began to be in want of wood the Governour with all the horsemen mounted on horseback and riding often to and again pathed a way to a Wood distant from the Camp two Cross-bow-shot whither the Foot went and cut fewel In the mean time our Indians who had their chains taken off catched Rabbets in their Snares or shot them with their Arrows There were two sorts of these Rabbets some like those of Spain and others which were indeed of the same shape and had the same kind of wooll but they were as strong and bigger than Hares nay thicker and fatter too CHAP. XXVIII Soto leaves Autiamque and goes to Nilco and from thence to Guachoya WE left our Camp at Autiamque on Wednesday the Sixth of March 1542. The Governour had a mind to go to Nilco which according to the relation of the Indians stood on the side of a great River and his design was to fall down to the Sea and expect the recruits that he had sent for for he had no more than three hundred Souldiers remaining and forty Horse whereof some were lame and good for nothing but to make a show in a Squadron for above a year they had gone without shooes for want of Iron but being accustomed to it and marching upon soft ground that did not much incommode them Iohn Ortiz died at Autiamque which extreamly grieved the Governour because having lost so good an Interpreter he was afraid that he might engage himself in some Country where he and all his men might be lost and the rather that now he had no other Interpreter but a young Indian of Cutifachiqui who understood a little Spanish The loss of Ortiz was a great cross to his designs for it required sometimes a whole day before that young Indian could explain what the other would have done in four words and very often also this last took what was said to him in a quite contrary sence so that it hapned after a whole days march that we were forced to spend two days in coming back the same way again or in wandring in the Woods not knowing whither we went After our departure from Autiamque Soto made us tarry ten days in the Province of Ayays where we found a Town upon that River which passes by Cayas and Autiamque Soto ordered a Boat to be made to carry us over the River and we were forced after we were got over to stay four days longer because of snow and bad weather The Army marched afterwards three days through swamps and such broken ways by reason the Country is very low that the Troopers themselves were many times up to the knees in water and always to the stirrup besides several places that they were forced to swim over At length we came to the Town of Tultelpina which was forsaken by the Indians and no provisions left A Lake that discharged it self into the River that passed by that Town and it being very high and running impetuously a Captain and five Souldiers who ventured to cross over by the Gonours order were overset in their Canoe some stuck to the Canoe and others to the trees that were in the Lake but Francis Bastien was drowned no body being able to help him He was a Gentlemen of Quality born in Villeneuve of Barcareta In the mean time Soto sought out a way along the sides of the Lake but to no purpose so that he came back to the Town whither two Indians came and taught him the means how to get over the Lake We made rafts of Canes and of the wood the houses were built of for crossing the Lake and being over after three days march we came to
of an Anchor with some bitâ—… that the Troopers had still reserved which werâ—… tied to it to encrease its weight Thus we puâ—… to Sea with a favourable wind and in very faiâ—… weather being the Eighteenth day of Iuly The Governour and Danhusco being on head with their Brigantines kept out two or three Leagues at Sea the other Captains bore up to the Governour to ask him if he designed to quit the shoar which he ought not to do without acquainting them seeing it was contrary to the resolution of Council that if he would not follow it neither would they follow him and every one would make the best of his way Moscoso answered That he would not undertake any thing without the advice of his Council that he stood onely off from the shoar that he might sail with more security in the night-time and that next day he would come in sight of it again when he saw his time We failed all that day and the next until the Evening with a fair wind and all the while in fresh water which was a surprize to us seeing we were a great way from the mouth of the great River but its Current being very strong and the Coast low it carries its fresh water a great way out into the Sea About night we discovered a little Island like a Rock where the Fleet came to an Anchor to take a little rest There Danhusco so prevailed by his reasons that all the Officers consented to stand out to Sea We followed that course two days but when we had a mind to put in again to the shoar we met with a contrary wind so that the fourth day we began to be in want of fresh water Every one cursed Danhusco and the Governour too for complying with his advice and all the Captains swore that they would no more leave the shoar let the Governour take what course he pleased It was the will of God that the wind veered about a little and four days after that the Fleet had stood out to Sea all our fresh water being spent we rowed in to shoar again with a great deal of difficulty and went to land on the sand where there was no shelter In the Evening the wind turned about to the South and blew full upon the shoar on which it forced our Brigantines The wind was high and our Anchors being but light and weak came home so that our Vessels drove In this extremity all leapt into the water by the Governours order and stood betwixt the Land and the Brigantines to keep them out in the water until the wind abated CHAP. XL. Aâ—…storm disperses the Brigantines the joyn again at a Rock or little Island SO soon as the storm was over our men wenâ—… ashoar and dug pits which furnished us witâ—… fresh water enough to fill the Casks of all thâ—… Brigantines Next day we set sail again and after two days came to an Anchor in a little Creelâ—… safe from the South-wind that blew at that timeâ—… and was against us it detained us four days iâ—… that place till at length the weather being calâ—… again we rowed out but towards the Evening the wind began to blow fresh so that it forceâ—… the Brigantines upon the shoar We were sensible then of our fault in leaving our Road foâ—… the Sea began to swell very high and the winâ—… blew so hard that the Brigantines could not keep company Two of them that were on head oâ—… the rest were forced into an Arm of the Sea thaâ—… run into the Land and the other five separateâ—… from one another a League or a League and a half were cast upon a slat open shoar not knowing where they were nor what was become oâ—… the rest the Sea being rough broke furiously upon that shoar and the Anchors could not hold The Oars signified nothing at all almost against â—…e violence of the storm though there were at â—…east seven or eight men at each Oar to keep the â—…essel in the water which made all the rest jump â—…ver-board When the wave that forced the â—…rigantine to land was past they thrust her out â—…gain with incredible pain and labour whilst the â—…est with bowls laved out the water that broke inâ—…o the Vessel In the mean time the tempest was still encreasing as our fears also of seeing our Brigantines in which all our hopes lay broken to pieces when we were attacked by a far more insupportable calamity for about night such a terrible quantity of Musketto's came about us that we were all over covered with them and their stingings caused so sharp pains that they seemed to be venomous About break of day the wind ceased and we had a calm but the Musketto's continued as bad as ever for they fell upon us in such numberless swarms that our white Sails appeared all black and the Rowers could not set their hands to an Oar without somebody by them to beat off these Insects However we were so glad to see the storm over that we laughed at the other inconvenience when by day-light we could see one another with monstrous faces and it was no unpleasant sight to behold how every one beat themselves to kill the Musketto's All fell a rowing and our Fleet got together again in that little Gulf where the two first Brigantines had put in to There we found of that scum of the Sea called Copeck much like to pitch which some indeed make use of instead of it for their Vessels as we our selves did having stayed two days in that place to re fit our Brigantines We sailed two days more and came to an Anchor in a Bay where we stay'd as long we sent out seven men in a Canoe to find out the bottom of the Bay but they could not The Fleet set sail with a South wind which was against us nevertheless seeing it was not violent all were so desirous to make an end of our Voyage as soon as we could that we employed our utmost endeavours to get out to Sea again We advanced then for two days with little Wind and much labour till we came to a little Island at the entry of an arm of the Sea The weather that hapned after gave us good cause to thank God for sending us into that safe Road There were a great many fish thereabouts which we took with Nets or the Hook and it hapned that a Souldier having thrown in a Line the end whereof was tied to his wrist a fish swallowed the Hook and Bait with so much force that it drew the man headlong into the water by good luck he bethought himself of an Axe which he carried about him wherewith he cut the Line and swom back to the Brigantine Bad weather kept us here a fortnight and then it pleased God to send us a favourable gale for which we rendred him our most humble thanks in a very devout Procession which we made along the shoar of that Island beseeching his Divine Majesty
Leagues a day and the Horses being quite spent by reason that the men themselves had short allowance of Maes The Indian confessed that he knew not where he was and that acknowledgment would have certainly made him a prey to the dogs had not he been the onely person whom Iohn Ortiz understood The Governour left the Army encamped under the Pines and with a Guide and some Horse and Foot advanced five or six Leagues into the Country to find out a way but he returned at night extreamly troubled that he could find no sign that that Country was inhabited Next day it was debated in Council whether we should return back again or take some other course The Country which we had left behind us was ruined and laid waste and our provision of Maes spent Both men and horses were so heartless that it was doubted whether we could be able to get to a place of refreshment besides the Indians taking their advantage from that disorder might have had the boldness to attack us so that we had cause equally to fear War and Famine if we resolved to turn back again Wherefore the Governour resolving to send out some Troopers on all hands to search for some habitation dispatched four Captains several ways with eight Troopers a piece They came back at night dragging their Horses by the bridle or driving them before them they were so quite spent and yet found neither rode nor habitation Next day four others were commanded out accompanied with eight Troopers who all could swim mounted on better horses with orders even to cross the Rivers they might meet with These Captains were Gallegos who marched upwards along the side of the River Danhusco who followed the course of the River downwards Romo and Lobilho who crost the Country The Governour had brought with him into Florida an hundred Swine which had already bred him three hundred Pigs some of these he caused to be killed and half a pound of flesh given to every Souldier a day for all the Maes was consumed three or four days before Thus the Souldiers kept Soul and Body together with so small an allowance of meat and some boyled herbs for the Indians of Patofa were sent back so soon as Provisions began to be scarce though the poor men shew'd an extraordinary desire to serve the Christians in that necessity and a great deal of trouble to leave them before they saw them in a good Country Sunday in the Evening Danhusco returned and told us that he had found a little Village about twelve or thirteen Leagues from the Camp which so rejoyced the Governour and whole Army that they seemed to be raised from death to life again Munday the Six and twentieth of April we decamped to go to that little habitation by the Indians called Aymay and by the Spaniards the Village of good Relief The Governour left a Letter buried at the root of one of the Pines in the Camp and these words cut in the baâ—…k of the Tree Dig at the root of this Pine and you 'll find a Letter It was to give notice to the other Captains who were abroad upon discovery what was become of the Governour and what way he was gone The way was no otherwise to be known but by the trees and bushes which Danhusco had broken down in his passage The Governour being accompanied with those who were best mounted arrived at the Habitation on Tuesday all doing their utmost to follow him in the march so that some lay all night two Leagues short of the Village others three or four according to their courage or strength In this habitation we found a Granary full of parched Maes and some Maes in grain which was distributed by allowances We also took four Indians who constantly affirmed that they knew of no other Habitation till the Governour commanded one to be burnt alive then one of them told us that two days Journey from thence there was a Province called Cutifachiqui On Tuesday Gallegos Romo and Robilho joyned us they found the Letter and had followed the tract of the Army but Lobilho lost two of his men whose horses could not march The Governour was much offended at that negligence and gave orders to search after them In the mean time he parted for Cutifachiqui and took three Indians by the way who told him that the Lady of that Country had already had notice of the Christians and that she expected them in one of her Habitations The Governour sent back one of these three Indians to offer the Lady his friendship and tell her that he was coming to see her So soon as he was in sight of the Village four Canoes in one of which was the Sister of the Cacique or Queen came to receive him and that Indian Lady coming ashoar told him That her Sister had sent her to kiss his Lordships hand and that she did not come her self because she was taken up in giving orders to make ready all her Canoes for transporting the Army and for the reception of so great a Lord to whom she had devoted all her Services The Governour thanked her and some time after she was gone back the Cacique appeared in a kind of Litter carried by four of the most considerable of her Subjects to the water-side She went into a Canoe which had a Tent in the stern supported by a Lance with a Carpet and two Cushions on which she sat accompanied by some Indian women of her Retinue and many Canoes with men In that equipage she came to the other side where the Governour expected her and spake to him in these terms Most excellent Lord may all happiness attend your arrival in this Country which belongs to you Though my Ability comes short of my Will and the Services we render you suit not with my Desires nor with the merit of so powerful a Prince nevertheless since the Will is more to be esteemed than all the Treasures in the World if they be presented without it I offer your Lordship a firm and constant good will with my Person Country Subjects and mean Services Having said so she presented the Governour with Mantles and Skins which were brought in the other Canoes and pulling from her neck a Lace of large valuable Pearls she put it about the Governours whom she entertained very pleasantly till a number of Canoes were come sufficient to carry over the Army And so long as he stayed in that Village she took care to send him a great many Pullets daily That was a very pleasant Country fruitful and watered with a great many Rivers It produces but a few bushes but Nut-trees and Mulberry-trees in abundance The Indians told us that the Sea was but two days journey distant Within a League round the Village there were a great many forsaken houses wherein the grass grew which was a sign that they had been a long time uninhabited We were told by the Indians that the Plague had been the cause
which we had Salt the same Evening Next morning we marched and spent the following night in a Wood that was not very thick and from thence we went to Pato At length on the fourth day after our departure we found the first Habitation of the Province of Maye where we took an Indian who told us that from thence to Naguatex it was but a day and a halfs journey more which we made through a very populous Country Saturday the Twentieth of Iuly the Army encamped on the side of a very pleasant Wood betwixt Maye and Naguatex Some Indians being observed to come and view us Moscoso sent out a party of Horse who killed six of them and made two prisoners that were brought in to him He asked them what they came to do and they confessed that their design was to discover what number of men he had and the seat of his Camp that it was by order of their Master the Cacique of Naguatex who was the same day to come and attack him being assisted by two other Caciques that accompanied him Whilst Moscoso was enquiring into the particulars of that Conspiracy the Indians divided into two Batalions appeared who finding that they were discovered attacked us furiously in two places but so soon as they saw we made head against them vigorously they turned their backs leaving many of their men upon the place They were hotly pursued by all our Horse who being at a distance from the Camp were attacked by two other Batalions which made a kind of body of reserve but they were as warmly received as the others were and had no greater cause to brag of their temerity The Indians were put to the flight and the Christians rallied again when of a sudden great cries were heard about a Cross-bow shot from the Camp Moscoso sent off twelve Horse to know what the matter was and they found six Spaniards two on horseback and four a foot surrounded by a great many Indians where the two Troopers did all that could be expected of brave men in defending the four Foot-souldiers They had lost their way in pursuing the Indians who made the first attack and having rallied to return to the Camp they fell into that company of Indians who set upon them Assistance coming in very good time most of the Indians were killed and onely one taken who was brought to the Camp The Governour asked him who they were that attacked us he said it was the Cacique of Naguatex the Cacique of Maye and a third very powerful in Lands and Vassals who governed a Province called Hacanac however that Naguatex was the General Moscoso ordered his nose and right arm to be cut off and sent him in that condition to Naguatex to acquaint him that next day he would enter his Country and put all to fire and sword and that if he would defend it he should meet him at the entry into the Province The Army rested that night in the same place and the day following went to a Village of Naguatex where the houses were at great distance one from another He asked where the Caciques Town was which was shew'd him on the other side of a River that run near that place We marched up to the River and found the side opposite to us covered with Indians in arms who seemed to be resolved to dispute us the passage Seeing the Governour knew not the foard and that he had men and horses wounded he drew back the Army to the Town which we left resolving to rest there for some days that they might have time to be cured So the Army encamped within a quarter of a League of the River 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Town in a pretty clear wood of very lovely and pleasant trees and that place was pitched upon because the weather was very fair and calm Some Indians were taken who told us that the River was foardable at certain times which obliged the Governour two days after to send off two Captains with fifteen horse and some Indians a piece to search for a foard one up and the other down the River The Indians appeared to defend the passage in both places nevertherless the two Captains passed over in spight of the Enemies and found on that side of the water a very populous Country and plentiful in Provisions whereupon they came back and gave the Governour an account of what they had done CHAP. XXXIII The Cacique of Naguatex comes to wait on the Governour He parts from Naguatex and arrives at Mandacao THe Governour sent an Indian to the Cacique of Naguatex to tell him that if he came and offered him his service and shew'd his repentance for what was past he would pardon him but if he failed that the Governour would come and punish him according as his Treachery deserved Two days after the Indian came back and told that the Cacique would come next day Accordingly a great many of the principal Subjects of Naguatex appeared being sent by their Master to observe the Governours looks and the carriage of his men that he might thereupon take his resolution They onely told that the Cacique was coming and presently returned The Cacique came two hours after very well accompanied his Indians marching in two Files and making a lane for the Cacique to walk in the middle They all came weeping according to the custom of the Province of Tulla which is not far from thence to the Eastward The Cacique made a low bow to the Governour and beg'd pardon for what he had done the thought of which alone said he deserved to be punished he enlarged much in the Governours praise and in commendation of the Spaniards whom he called immortal people rejecting the blame of all the enterprize upon the bad Counsels of one of his Brothers who died in the Fight he concluded with the offer of his service and obedience Moscoso answered That he would pardon him what was past and that if he would for the future contain himself within the bounds of his duty he should consider him as his friend Four days after the Army decamped but the River was so swelled that we could not pass it which extreamly surprized us seeing it had not rained for above a month before and that it was Summer too however thâ—… Indians told us that it hapned so sometimes without rain this made us judge that that extraordinary motion might come from the Sea flowing into the River because we were told that that swelling always hapned in the waxing of the Moon in the mean time none of these Indians had the least knowledge of the Sea The Army marched back the same way to the Camp we left and we were forced to stay eight days longer till the water was low enough to let us pass the Indians were careful to give us notice of that and having crossed over to the other side we went to a Town abandoned The Governour pitched the Camp in an open field and sent for the Cacique to come
labour to bring from a far the water bricks mortar and all the necessary materials for the raising of so great a work The other thing that surprized me was that this Wall is not carried on upon the same line but turns and winds in several places according to the disposition of the Mountains in such a manner that instead of one Wall it may be said there are three which encompass all that great part of China But after all the Monarch who in our days hath united the Chinese and Tartars under one Dominion hath done somewhat more for the security of China than that Chinese Emperour who built that long wall for having reduced the Weastern Tartars partly by cunning and partly by force he hath obliged them to go and live three hundred miles beyond the Wall of China And at that distance he hath distributed amongst them Lands and Pasturage giving at the same time their Country to other Tartars his Subjects who at present inhabit it Nevertheless the Western Tartars are so powerful that if they agreed among themselves they might still render themselves Masters of all China and East-Tartary as it is confessed by the Eastern Tartars themselves I said that the Tartarian Monarch who conquered China used Artifice for subduing the Western Tartars for it was one of his chief cares by Royal Bounty and demonstrations of a singular Affection to engage the Lamas into his interests These having great Credit and Authority over the whole Nation easily perswaded them to submit to the Government of so great a Prince and it is in consideration of that service rendred to the State that the present Emperour still looks upon the Lamas with a favourable eye that he is liberal unto them and makes use of them to keep the Tartars in due obedience though inwardly he despises them looking upon them as a dull and blockish sort of men who have not the least tincture of Arts and Sciences wherein that Prince doubtless shews a great deal of Wisdom and Policy in disguising so his real thoughts by those external marks of esteem and kindness He hath divided that vast extent of Land into forty eight Provinces which are subject and tributary unto him Hence it is that the Emperour who at present Reigns in China and in both the Tartaries may justly be called the greatest and most powerful Monarch of Asia having so many vast Countries under him united and not intercepted by the Lands of any forreign Prince and he alone being as the Soul which gives life and motion to all the Members of so great a Body For since he hath taken the Government upon him he hath never entrusted the care of it to any of the Colaos or the great men of his Court nor hath he ever suffered any of the Eunuchs of the Palace any of his Pages or any of those young Lords that have been bred with him to dispose of any thing within his house or regulate any matter by themselves This will appear very strange especially if one consider how his Predecessours were wont to act on such occasions With wonderful equity he punishes the great as well as the small he turns them out of their Places and degrades them from their Dignity always proportionating the punishment to the heinousness of their Crime He himself takes cognizance of the Affairs that are handled in the Royal Council and in the other Tribunals requiring an exact account of the Judgments and Sentences that have been past therein In a word he disposes of all and orders every thing by himself And that absolute Authority which he hath thus taken to himself is the cause that the greatest Lords of the Court and those of the highest Quality in the Empire even the Princes of the Bloud themselves never apâ—…r in his presence but with profound respect and reverence After all the Lamas or Tartarian Priests of whom we have been speaking are not onely esteemed by the people but also by the Lords and Princes of their Nation who for politick reasons shew them a great deal of friendship and that makes us fear that the Christian Religion will not find so easie an entry into West-Tartary They have a great power also upon the Mind of the Queen-Mother who is of their Country and at present seventy years of age They have often told her that the Sect whereof she makes profession hath none more declared Enemies than us And it is a kind of Miracle or at least a special protection of God that notwithstanding this the Emperour who hath a great deal of respect and esteem for her hath still heaped honour and favours upon us always considering us in another-guess manner than he does the Lamas During our progress the Princes and chief Officers of the Army going often to make their Court to the Queen and we being advised to do the like also we thought fit first to consult a Courtier that has a great kindness for us and who speaks in our favours to the Emperour when we have any business This Lord going into the Princes Tent told him what passed and immediately coming out again said to us The Emperour hath given me to understand that it is not necessary you should attend the Queen as others do Which convinced us that that Princess had no kindness for us The third reason that engaged the Emperour into this progress was his Health for he hath found by a pretty long experience that when he stays too long at Pekin he never fails to fall into some sickness which he prevents by means of such progresses For all the while they continue he keeps no company with women and which may seem very strange there was not a woman in all that great Army except those who attended the Queen-Mother and that 's a new thing too that she accompanied the King this year the like being never practised before but once when he took the three Queens with him to the Capital City of the Province of Leaotum to visit the Sepulchres of their Ancestours The Emperour and Queen Mother intended also by that Journey to avoid the excessive heat that is at Pekin during the Dog-days for in that part of Tartary there blows so cold a wind in the Months of Iuly and August especially in the night-time that people are obliged to wear thick cloaths and furs The reason that may be given for so extraordinary a cold is that that Region lies very high and is full of Mountains Amongst others there is one on which for five or six days march we were always going upwards The Emperour being desirous to know how much it surpassed in height the plains of Pekin which are about three hundred miles distant from it having upon our return measured above an hundred Mountains that are upon the Rode we found that it was elevated three thousand Geometrical paces above the Sea that is nearest to Pekin The Salt-petre wherewith these Countries abound may likewise contribute to that great
of it that it had raged in the Country two years before our coming which had obliged the Inhabitants of these Villages to seek out other Habitations In their Store-houses were still to be seen a great many Mantles made of stuff of the bark of a tree or of white green red and blew feathers very convenient for the Winter and very neat according to their fashion Besides these there were a great many Deers skins rarely well dyed and cut into breeches hose and shooes Seeing the Cacique observed that the Spaniards highly esteemed Pearls she bid the Governour send and search in some Tombs that were in her Town telling him that he would find abundance there and that if he caused those also of the other Villages to be searched they would furnish Pearls enough to load all the horses of the Army The Tombs of the Town were indeed searched where we got fourteen bushels of Pearls and the figures of Children and Birds made also of Pearl The people are tawny well shaped and more polite than any we had as yet seen in Florida They all wear Cloaths and Breeches after their own fashion The young Indian told the Governour that they began to enter into the Country he told him of and seeing there was some probability in it he understanding the Language of the Inhabitants Soto suffered himself to be perswaded which made the Indian desire of him that he might be Baptized and had it granted he was named Pâ—…dro or Perico and the Governour ordered the Chain which he had hitherto carried to be taken off That Country according to the relation of the Indians had been well peopled it was reckoned plentiful and probably the young Indian who led us thither might have heard of it though he affirmed that he had seen it having devised all the rest of his story according to the best of his imagination We found in the Town a Dagger and some Coats of Mail whereupon the Indians told us that many years before the Christians had landed in a Port two days journey from thence this was certainly Aylhan who undertook the Conquest of Florida that the Governour died upon his landing which had occasioned great factions divisions and slaughter amongst the chief Gentlemen that had followed him evâ—…ry one pretending to the supream Command so that at length they left the Port and returned to Spain without discovering the Country It was thought fit by all that we should stop here and people this place which was so advantageously scituated that all the Captains of ships of new Spain Peru S. Marte and of the Continent would be over-joy'd to come and Trade in this Port since it lay in their way to Spain That the Country was exceeding good and that it might afford a good Trade and very considerable profit But since nothing run in the Governours mind but the Treasure of Atabalipa and that he hoped to find the like the fertility of that Country and the abundance of Pearls could not satisfie him though in reality a great many of them were worth no less than Gold and those which they might have made the Indians fish would have been of another-guess value if the Country had been peopled because they spoil their lustre by piercing them in the fire Nevertheless though the Governour was much prest to comply in that with the desire of all his men he answered That that Country could not supply us with Provisions enough for one Month that we could not excuse our selves from going to the Port Oâ—…se where Maldonado was to wait for us and that in fine that Country would be always open to us and we might retreat thither if we found none richer That in the mean time the Indians would sow their Land and so we should find Maes in greater plenty He always informed himself of the Indians whether they had not heard talk of some great Lord and rich Country and the Indians telling him that twelve days journey from Cutifachiqui there was a Province called Chiaha subject to the Lord of Cosa he immediately resolved to go in quest of that Country and as he was a dry and severe man though he took pleasure to hear the opinions of all yet so soon as he had declared his own he could not endure to be contradicted but did what he judged best himself Thus all were feign to obey insomuch that though the leaving of this Country appeared to be a great fault seeing we could have got Provisions from the Neighbours about until the Indians had sown their Land and the Maes been ripe yet none durst oppose the decision of Soto CHAP. XV. The Governour departs from Cutifachiqui to go to Cosa What hapned to him during his march WE left Cutifachiqui the Third of May The Indians were up in arms and the Queen shew'd some indifferency towards us nay and some design of flying without giving us Guides or Indian Servants to carry our Baggage Her disgust was occasioned by the bad usage which the Indians had received from some of the Christians amongst whom as generally in all great Companies there were some of a low and base mind who for a little interest committed such actions as exposed themselves and those that were with them These broyls obliged the Governour to command the Cacique to be arrested and carried away in a manner unsuitable to the kindness she had shew'd him and of the reception he had had she was forced to walk on foot with her Maids In the mean time that she might deserve a little consideration to be had for her still she caused Indians to come out of all the Habitations by which the Governour past to carry the Baggage from one place to another We marched an hundred Leagues in her Territories and every-where we perceived the marks of the reverence and obedience which were rendred to her in the promtitude and zeal wherewith all the Indians executed her orders However Perico told us that she was not the Lady of the Land but the Cacique's Cousin who had sent her to that Town to do Justice upon some Lords who had revolted but he had lost all manner of credit by the lies he had told however he was born with because he was useful to us as an Interpreter During seven days march till we came to Chalaque we past through the most wretched Country in all Florida the Indians there â—…eed on Roots which they search for in the fields and Fowl they kill They are a peaceable people go naked and are extreamly feeble their Cacique brought the Governour two Stags skins as a very considerable present There is such plenty of wild Herns in that Country that one Habitation presented the Governour with seven hundred and indeed in all the rest they offer'd him what they had That Province is five days journey distant from the Province of Xualla In this last we found very little Maes and that made us after six days stay to leave it though both