Tianto which is the first Town of the Province of Nilco there we took thirty Indians and among the rest two of the greatest note The Governour sent before two Captains with Horse and Foot to hinder those of Nilco from carrying away the Provisions out of their Habitations and they past by four great Towns before they came to that where the Cacique had his Residence though it was but two Leagues from the Camp where we were Upon their coming they found the Indians in Arms as if they prepared to fight nevertheless when they perceived that the Christians came marching up very fiercely towards them they set fire to the Cacique's house and fled away over a Lake near to the Town the day following being Wednesday the Fifteenth of March Soto came to Nilco with the rest of the Army which he quartered in the Town That Country which is very even is so populous that in the compass of a League about this Town there are a great many very large Villages full of Maes small Beans Nuts and Prunes so that except Cosa and Palache it was the most fruitful and populous Country that we had hitherto found in Florida An Indian attended by some others came to wait on the Governour in name of the Cacique and presented him with a Mantle of Martin-skins and a string of large Pearls and Soto requited him with a Collar of Mother of Pearl which is much esteemed by the Indians of Peru and some other trifles wherewith the Indian seemed much satisfied He came back two days after but from that time forward we saw no more of him on the contrary the Indians came in the night-time and carried away the Maes in their Canoes which they conveyed into Hovels built in a very thick wood on the other side of the River The Governour seeing that the Indian came no more as he promised laid an Ambuscade near to some Granaries of Maes close by the Lake where the Indians came to steal the Corn two were taken who told us that the Indian who came to the Camp was not the Cacique but a Spie whom he had sent to discover our force and to learn whether Soto had a design to make any stay in his Country or if he intended to advance farther in Immediately the Governour commanded out a Captain to cross the River but as the Indians perceived us in our passage they forsook their Hovels so that we could take but twelve who were brought to the Camp The same River that passes by Nilco runs by Cayas and Autiamque and it discharges it self into the great River that runs by Pacaha and Aquixo they joyn near to Guachoya the Cacique whereof came up the River to Nilco to make War with the Indians of that Country This Cacique sent an Indian to the Governour to offer him his service and to acquaint him that within two days he would come and kiss his hand He came at the appointed time accompanied with many Indians and presented the Governour with Mantles and Stag-skins in very civil and submissive terms Soto entertained him and shew'd him much honour but having askt him what Countries lay lower upon the River he made answer That he knew no other Town but his own but that on the other side there was a Province governed by a Cacique called Quigaltan After this Conference he took leave of Soto and returned home to his own Country Some days after the Governour resolved to go to Guachoya to know if the Sea was far off or if he might not find some habitations where we might stay commodiously till he had got the two Brigantines built which he intended to send for recruits The Indians of Guachoya who were coming up the River in their Canoes perceived us passing it and imagining that we had a design to attack them they returned and acquainted the Cacique that the Spaniards were coming to his Town This put him into so great a fright that in the night-time he carried away all that he could and fled with all his Subjects to the other side of the great River In the mean time Soto sent before a Captain with fifty Souldiers in six Canoes and kept on marching with the rest of his men He arrived at Guachoya the Seventeenth of April and he lodged in the Town which was fenced being a Cross-bow-shot from the River In that place the great River is called Tamaliseu at Nilco Tapatu at Cosa Mico and at the Haven that 's to say it 's mouth at the Sea Ri. CHAP. XXIX Which treats of a Message the Governour sent to Quigaltan of the Answer he received and of what happened thereupon AS soon as the Governour was come to Guachoya he commanded Danhusco to mount up the River in Canoes because he had observed on the other side Hovels lately built Danhusco returned from the Expedition with his Canoes loaded with Maes small Beans Prunes and Bread made of Prune-paste The same day an Indian came from the Cacique of Guachoya to tell the Governour that his Master would come next day The truth is we saw a great many Canoes coming down the little River which went ashoar on the side of the great River opposite to where we were there the Indians held Council the space of an hour to deliberate whether they should come or not at length all the Canoes came over to our side Guachoya was there with many of his Subjects carrying Fish Hides Mantles and Dogs which they brought along with them They came to the Town where they offer'd all these Presents to the Governour and the Cacique spoke to him in these terms Potent and excellent Lord I beg your Lordships pardon for the fault I committed in withdrawing and not waiting for you in this Town that I might receive and serve you seeing the occasion of doing so was and it is still more acceptable to me than if I had obtained a great Victory I was afraid where there was no cause of fear and therefore it was that I did which I ought not to have done but seeing precipitation always produces bad effects and I retired without knowing what I did I am resolved not to follow the opinion of Fools which is to persevere in their errour but to imitate the wise who take the best Council I come to receive your Lordships Commands that I may serve you to the utmost of my power Soto having thanked him for his Presents and Offers asked him if he knew any thing of the Sea the Cacique said that he knew nothing of it nor of any other Habitation lower down the River except the Village of an Indian Vassal of his and three days journey further down the other side the Province of Quigaltan the Cacique whereof was the greatest Lord in all these Quarters The Governour thought that Guachoya disguised the truth to make him leave his Country which obliged him to send out Danhusco with eight Troopers to make discoveries down along the side of the River and
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
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