great many people in a very large Country on the other side of the River That they were come in his Name to acquaint his Lordship that their Master would come to-morrow and wait upon him The Cacique did indeed come followed by two hundred Canoes full of armed Indians painted after their way and adorned with feathers of all colours having shields in their hands wherewith they covered the Rowers the rest with their Bows and Arrows stood fore and after in the Canoe The Cacique's Canoe had a Pavillion in the poop under which he sat there were others also trimmed up in the same manner for the chief Indians who sitting under their Pavillions gave their orders to those who guided the Canoe They put themselves in order and advanced within a stones throw of the River-side from thence the Cacique spake to the Governour who stood on the shoar well attended and told him That he was come to offer him his services and assure him of his obedience because he had been informed that he was the most Potent Lord of the whole Earth Soto thanked him and prayed him to come ashoar where they might discourse more commodiously together to which the Indian made no answer but ordred three Canoes to put in which were loaded with fish and bread made of paste of Prunes or of the kernels of that fruit and of the shape and bigness of a tile The Governour accepted the Present and importuned the Cacique to come ashoar But seeing the design of the Indians was onely to watch for an occasion to surprize us when they perceived that the Governour had put his men into very good order they stood off from the shoar and at the same time the Cross-bow-men who were all in a readiness shot at them with loud shouting and made five or six to fall They retired in very good order covered with their shields and no man leaving his Oar though he saw his Companion fall by his side They landed several times afterwards to attack us but so soon as we charged them they hastned back to their Canoes It was a very pleasant sight to see them in their Canoes which were most neatly made and very large with their Pavillions Feathers Shields and Standards that looked like a Fleet of Galleys In the mean time our four Boats being finished in thirty days time the Governour chose three of them which three hours before day he manned with twelve Troopers of tried Courage who he was certain would die rather than turn their backs to their Enemies Each Canoe contained four defended by Cross-bow-men with good Rowers to carry them over to the other side of the River Iohn Guzman who commanded Maldonado's Company was in the other Boat with his men and because the current of the water was very swift he made them go a quarter of a League higher than the place where we encamped so they passed over and landed just over-against the Camp When they were within two stones throw of the shoar the Troopers took the water on horseback and landed in a place where the sand was firm Finding no Enemies there they easily landed and made themselves masters of the passage The Boats immediately returned back to the other side where the Governour was who past over with the whole Army two hours before Sun-set The River in that place was half a League over so that a man could not be distinguished from one side to the other it was very deep and very rapid and being always full of trees and timber that was carried down by the force of the stream the water was thick and very muddy It abounded with fish most of which differed much from those that are taken in the Rivers of Spain as we shall etll you hereafter CHAP. XXIII The Governour goes from thence to Casqui and from thence to Pacaha where he finds a Country different from the other parts of Florida WHen we had passed that River the greatest of all Florida the Army marched a League and a half to a Town in the Province of Aquixo the Indians had abandoned it nevertheless the Cacique sent thirty to learn intelligence of our march and design As soon as they appeared in sight of the Camp the Horse made towards them and the Indians dispersed and fled but the Country being open and level they were so hotly pursued that two of them were killed and fifteen taken who were brought to the Governour He had sent a Captain with Souldiers to bring our Boats up to this Town which stood upon the River but seeing the course of it was not streight and that it behoved us to turn a great many reaches before we could get to the Camp the Indians who were acquainted with all the turnings and windings and expert in that Navigation many times attacked the Boats and reduced us to great extremities for we durst not venture out into the stream which was too rapid and standing in to the shoar they skulked by the River-side and shot at us No sooner was the Governour got to the Town but he sent off all the Cross-bow-men who came very seasonably to our assistance When the Boats were come to the Town he caused them to be broken up and all the Iron-work to be kept for other occasions The Army rested a night in this Town and parted next day to go into the Province of Pacaha which according to the relation of the Indians bordered upon the Country of Chisca where that Metal was found which the Governour took to be Gold On our march we found several great Villages abandoned by the Indians nevertherless we took some who told the Governour That three days journey from the place where we were he would find a powerful Cacique called Casqui This made him hasten our march to a little River which we crossed upon a bridge but seeing the waters were out the men marched till Sun-set up to the middle in water At length we saw dry land to our great satisfaction because we feared we should have been forced to pass the whole night in the water and our joy hereupon adding to our strength next day about noon we found the first habitation of the Province of Casqui The Indians expected us not which cost many of them their dear liberty That Village we plundered with another half a League distant whither the Horse had advanced The Land of this Country was the highest driest and evenest of any that we had found before we came to the great River the fields were covered with Nut-trees whose fruit was of the shape of an Acorn and we found store of them every-where in the houses which the Indians had laid up for their Provisions These Walnut-trees differed nothing from those of Spain nor from those which we had seen elsewhere in that Country but that their leaves were somewhat smaller We found also a great many Mulberry-trees and Plum-trees whereof some bore red Plums like those of Spain and others Plums of a violet-colour
habitation where they might disâ—…urse together and confirm a sincere peace and friendship which he desired to enter into with him The Indians carried these words to the Cacique who sent them back to acquaint Gallegos that he was indisposed which hindred him from coming The Serjeant Major asked them if they knew of any Province where there was Gold or Silver They assured him that there was one to the Westward called Cale the Inhabitants whereof were in War with the people of another Province where the Spring lasted all the year long and where Gold was to be found in abundance because they make War against those of Cale with Head-pieces of Gold So Gallegos finding that the Cacique did not come and that he only fed him with these false hopes that he might have time to provide for his own security and fearing besides that if he let these Indians go he would see them no more he caused them to be put in Irons and sent eight Troopers to acquaint the General with what he had done Soto and all the Camp were overjoy'd at this thinking that the report of the Indians might be true The General left for the Guard of the Port Captain Caldeiran with thirty Horse and threescore and ten Foot-souldiers and marched with all the rest to joyn Gallegos at Paracoxi from whence without making any stop he took his march to Cale He found two small Villages upon the rode Acela and Iocaste from whence he marched before streight to Cale with fifty Foot and thirty Horse Some Indians having retreated into Marish or Swamp near to a place unpeopled that lay upon the rode Soto sent his Interpreter to them who perswaded them to come back and give a Guide who led the General to a River that ran with a most rapid stream We were obliged to make a little Bridge upon the trunk of a tree which stood in the middle of the River to pass over the Foot The Horse swam over by the help of a Cable that led them from the one side to the other because one who had taken the water first was drowned for want of that invention From thence the General sent two Troopers to the rest of his men who were coming after to bid them make haste because the way was longer than had been believed and that they wanted Provisions When he came to Cale he found the Town abandoned by all except three or four Indian Spies who were taken In this place Soto stayed for the rest of the Army who were extreamly tired out by fasting and the badness of the way for the Country was poor and not much cultivated by reason that the Land is low and in many places overflow'd or covered with very thick Woods And all the Provisions that were taken out of the Ships were spent so that they ran to the habitations of the Indians where they found some leaves of Beets which the more diligent pluckt and eat with water and salt Such as could get none of them went to the fields of Maes and seeing the Corn was not as yet ripe they pulled up stalks and eat and fed on all together The stalks of Palm-sprouts were a great relief unto them and they found a great many when they came to the River which the General had passed with so much trouble These sprouts grow upon the Palm-trees as low as those of Andalousia In this place two other Troopers met them from the General and assured them that there was plenty of Maes at Cale this news put life into them again and whilst they were upon their march to Cale Soto caused all the Maes which was ripe in the fields to be cut down and laid up a store of it for three months When the Christians were a reaping the Indians killed three of them but one of those who were taken told the General that seven Leagues from that Town there was a very large Province fruitful in Maes which was called Palache Whereupon he immediately parted from Cale with sixty Foot and fifty Horse he left the Camp-Master-General Louis de Moscoso with the rest of his men and express orders not to decamp from thence without a warrant under his hand Seeing no body had any Servants or Slaves every one pilled the Maes his own self which they pounded in a Mortar or Trough of hollowed wood with a pestle or pounder made of the end of a beam and some boulted the flour through their Coats of Mail. They baked the bread in pot-lids which they set upon the fire in the same manner as they practise in Cuba That way of grinding was so tiresome thâ—…t several Souldiers chose rather to eat no bread than to grind in that manner but they roasted or boyled the Maes and eat it in the grain CHAP. XI The General comes to Caliquen and carries the Cacique thereof to Napetaca with him The Indians resolve to take him from him by force many are killed upon that occasion DOn Fernando de Soto parted from Cale the Eleventh of August 1540. and came to lodge at Itara from thence at Potano the third day at Utimama and then at an habitation which the Spaniards call de Mala paz bad Peace they called it so because an Indian came who called himself the Cacique and offered himself and all his Subjects to the Generals service provided he would be pleased to set at liberty twenty Indians men and women who had been taken the night before that as an acknowledgment for that favour he would furnish him with Provisions and good Guides The General caused them to be sat at liberty and put the Indian under guard Next day several Indians appeared and drew up round a little Village near to a Wood the Indian desired to be had near to them that he would speak to them and re-assure them and that they would do whatever he should command them When he was got pretty near he made his escape out of the hands of those that guarded him and ran away so swiftly that no man was able to overtake him and at the same time all the Indians fled into the Wood. The General let slip a Hound which had already fleshed upon some Indians and that Dog passing through all the rest went and seized the counterfeit Cacique and held him till some came and took him From thence the General went to Cholupaba which the Spaniards called Villa Farta fat Town by reason of the plenty of Maes that they found there They made a wooden-bridge to pass the River which is near to that habitation and having marched two days over a desart Country they arrived at Caliquen the Seventeenth of August In that place when Soto informed himself about the Province of Palache he was told that Narvaez had advanced no farther in than the place where then they were and that he had embarked there because there was no way to go farther and that there were no more habitations to be met with It was urged to the
pierced them We found also in that Town Bucklers of the raw hides of Cows which the Troopers made use of for their defence CHAP. XXIV The Cacique of Pacaha comes and offers his service Casqui withdraws but comes again to excuse himself The Governour makes them friends WEdnesday the Nineteenth of Iune the Governour entred the Town of Pacaha and lodged in the Cacique's house which was very large and fortified with a Palissado and Turrets wherein holes were made to shoot through The Town was provided with old Maes the fields covered with green and in the compass of a League about the Town there were a great many other very large ones and all fortified The Town where we quartered had a great Lake near its enclosure the water whereof fell into a ditch drawn round the same close or sence which encompassed it almost all round And the Indians had also made a Canal from the great River to the Lake by that means the River-fish came into it in great plenty and the Cacique usually diverted himself at fishing What quantity soever were taken they were never missed as we tried it with Nets that were in the Town Several Lakes thereabouts were every whit as well furnished but they were a softer kind of fish than the fish that came from the River and nothing near so good they all differed from the fish of Spain The fish which they call Bagres is of an extraordinary shape the head of it is one third of its bulk and about its sins and belly it hath great bones as sharp as a needle Those which we took in the Lake were about the bigness of a large Pike but in the great River there were some that weighed from an hundred to an hundred and fifty pound weight of which many were catched with the Hook There are other fish that resemble a Barbel and others again a Carp with scales like a Roach but of a colour somewhat browner these they esteemed most We caught another sort of fish also called Pexe-palla the Palat-fish the head of it is covered with a kind of an elbow-hood the upper point whereof is shaped like a Palet or Lingel others again resemble the Alose and all had scales except the Bagres and Palat-fish The Indians sometimes caught fish as big as a hog which they called Pexe perco and had several ranks of teeth above and below The Cacique of Casqui sent the Governour Presents often and told him one day that he would deliver up to him the Cacique of Patacha He went to Casqui from whence he sent up a great many Canoes by water and came himself by land attended by several of his Subjects Soto led them himself accompanied with forty Horse and sixty Foot to a place where the Indians in the Canoes discovered Pacaha and his men who were retreated into a little Isle Five Spaniards went in a Canoe under the Command of Don Antonio Osorio to view the Indians of Pacaha and judge what number of men they mightbe They were about five or six thousand who taking all those that came in the Canoes for Spaniards were so frighted that the Cacique and Indians who were in three Canoes fled to the other side of the River and the rest cast themselves into the water with so much fear and precipitation that though they could swim yet many of them were drowned especially Women and Children The Governour who was on shoar not knowing what hapned on Don Antonio's side put on board the Canoes of Casqui Souldiers to go into the Island where they arrived at the same time Don Antonio did and took several Indians men and women with a great deal of booty These Indians had loaded much of their Goods in Paniers of Canes upon floats to carry them to the other side but fear making them forsake them the floats carried down by the current of the water fell into the hands of Casqui's men who filled their Canoes with them and fearing that the Spaniards might take their booty from them went away with their Cacique without taking leave of the Governour Soto was extreamly incensed at that and returned immediately to Pacaha from whence he made an incursion into the Territories of Casqui and took twenty or thirty Indians having done so he returned to the Town because the horses were quite weary but with a resolution to go and attack Casqui within four days He set at liberty a Subject of Pacaha and sent him to tell his Cacique that he desired to be his friend that he should come to him and that they should go together and make War against Casqui Pacaha immediately sent back several Indians who brought one with them whom they called the Cacique but the cheat was discovered by one of Pacaha's Brothers who was Prisoner The Governour told these Indians that they should bring their Master since he knew very well that he who usurped his Name was not and that no resolution could be taken unless they took their measures together So that the Cacique came accompanied with many of his Subjects and made the usual Present to the Governour This he seconded by a very fine discourse which he concluded That though his Lordship had done him so many injuries in wasting his Country and killing his Subjects without any provocation ever given by him yet he could not forbear to be his most humble Servant Soto set his Brother and the most considerable of his Subjects at liberty and the same day the Cacique of Casqui sent an Indian to assure the Governour that his Master would come next day and beg his pardon for the fault he had committed in retiring without his leave To which he made answer That if the Cacique did not come in person he himself would fetch him and punish him as he deserved Casqui failed not to come and began with a present of Mantles Skins and Fish besides one of his Daughters whom he offered to Soto saying that it was his greatest ambition to Allie his Bloud with so great a Lord and that for that end he had brought his Daughter whom he prayed him to take for Wife thereupon he made a very long and judicious speech full of the praises of the Governour and concluded by begging his pardon for the sake of that Cross which he had left in that he had gone away without his orders being ashamed at what his Subjects had done without his consent Soto answered that he had chosen a very good Patron and that if he had not come to excuse himself he resolved to have gone and put him his Subjects and Country to fire and sword To which the Indian replied My Lord I and my Subjects are yours and my Country belongs to you in doing so then you would have destroyed your own Country and killed your Subjects as for my self I am ready to accept of any thing from your hands whether it be punishment or favour What I have already received from you in leaving me the Cross is
Marish where we were oblig'd to sleep amidst water It was indeed very low and so full of fish that we killed them with our sticks and when our Indian slaves stirred onely the water and made it muddy they came up to the brim as if they had been giddy and stunn'd so that they took as many as they pleased with their hands The people of Coligoa had no intelligence of our march and were so surprized to see us in the first Town that they threw themselves in a crowd into a little River that past by that Habitation but seeing the Christians came on both the sides many of them were taken with their Wives and the Cacique himself Three days after the chief of his Subjects came to wait on the Governour with Mantles Stags skins and Cows hides which they presented him with They told us that five or six Leagues from thence Northwards there were great herds of these Cows but that the Country was not much inhabited because of the cold and that they knew no Province more plentiful and better peopled than that of Cayas towards the South From Quigate to Coligoa it is almost forty Leagues and this last Town lies at the foot of a mountain and upon a River as big as the River of Coya in Estramadura the Soil is fat and bears so great plenty of Maes that they are fain to throw away the old that they may have-store room for the new it likewise produces Pease or small Beans and Cucumbers bigger and better than those of Spain and which being roasted on the hearth taste like Chestnuts The Cacique of Coligoa gave us a Guide to conduct us to Cayas and abode still in his Town We marched five days to Palisema where the Cacique's house was hung with Bucks skins so well died and wrought that one would have taken them for good Tapistry the floor also being covered with the same The Cacique left all the furniture to accommodate the Governour and to shew that he was inclined to peace nevertheless he durst not stay for us himself which obliged Soto to send a Captain in search of him He met with a great many Indians but it being a rough Country could not apprehend any but women and children Seeing there were but a few separated Habitations there the Army made no long stay but advanced to Tafalicoya Soto took the Cacique of this Town to serve him for a Guide towards the Province of Cayas which was four days journey distant When he came there and found the Habitations at a distance one from another in the Country the Cacique having assured him that it was a very populous Country he imagined that he had put a trick upon him he threatned him sharply asking what place they were in but the Cacique and all the Indians affirmed constantly that we were in the Province of Cayas that that was the best and most populous Town of all the Province and that though the Habitations were scattered in that manner yet there were many Inhabitants and large fields sowed with Maes That Town was called Tanico and we encamped in the pleasantest place on the River-side the Governour advanced a League farther with his Horse and met with no Indians but a great many Skins which the Cacique had left as a sign that he was not our Enemy for that 's the custom in that Country CHAP. XXVI The Governour goes to see the Province of Tulla what happens to him upon the way THe Army rested a Month in the Province of Cayas during which time our horses grew so fat that they never were in so good case since the beginning of our Expedition The Maes there being excellent good and the straw better they eat a great deal of it without any danger but the water of a Lake contributed also much to the fatning of them which was so good and wholesome that they could not get their bellies full on 't and fatned them to the eye We had had no Salt till we came to that place where a great deal was made and where the Souldiers did not forget to make Provision Indians trade in it with their Neighbours and barter it for Mantles and Skins They make it in cakes along the River-side which leaves a great deal upon the sand when it overflows and seeing they cannot make these cakes so long as it is mixed with the sand they put altogether into baskets that are made for the purpose wide above and narrow below which they hang in the air upon a pole and throw water upon the sand that drops down into a vessel set under the basket which afterwards they boyl and the water being evaporated the Salt remains at the bottom of the pot There was a great deal of Maes sowed in the fields upon the sides of the River But the Indians were afraid to appear at length some ventured to come near the Camp and were called to by the Souldiers which gave them the boldness to cross the River and come to see the Governour attended by his Souldiers Soto asked them news of their Cacique they told him that he desired to live in peace with him but that he was afraid to present himself The Governour sent him word that he might come securely and that if he would shew himself to be his friend he should give him Guides and an Interpreter otherwise that he would come and find him out which would be to his ruine Soto waited three days for his Answer and seeing he came not he went himself and took him with an hundred and fifty of his Subjects Soto put the ordinary questions to him If he knew of any good Country and any great Lord The Indian made answer That the best Country thereabouts was the Province of Tulla a day and a halfs journey distant towards the South that he would give him a Guide to conduct him but that he could not furnish him with an Interpreter because the Language of the Indians of Tulla differed much from the Language of his Subjects and that seeing his Predecessors and he had always been in War with the Caciques of that Province they had no communication together and understood not one another Upon that information the Governour set out with some Horse and fifty Foot-souldiers to see if he could pass through Tulla with the Army but so soon as they had intelligence of his march the whole Country rose and when fifteen or twenty Indians were got together they set upon the Governour but being paid off by the Horse they got up to the roof of the houses shooting Arrows from thence and though they were driven from one post yet they got upon another and attacked the Spaniards on all hands That way of fighting lasted so long that the horses could not make one step forwards they killed one and wounded some Christians leaving fifteen of their own upon the place We could not take any but about forty women and children for the Indians that fought had no
heart and since the day I came to hear of your Lordship I have had so great a desire to serve you and it would be so pleasant and satisfactory to me to do so that all I can express here is nothing to what I feel nor no way comparable to it This you may be assured of that the Empire of the whole World would not so rejoyce me nor make me in my opinion so happy Expect not that I should offer you what is your own that 's to say my Person my Country and Subjects I will onely make it my business to command my Servants that with all the care and respect that is due to you they divert you by singing and playing upon Instruments till you arrive in the Town There your Lordship shall be lodged and served by me and my Subjects and shall dispose of all I have as of that which be longs to your self wherein your Lordship will do me a singular favour The Governour thanked him and so they entred the Town with extraordinary joy The Cacique lodged the Governour and all the Spaniards in the houses of the chief persons of the Town The Granaries were full of Maes and small Beans and the Country was so populous that the Villages and fields sow'd with Maes touched one another It is very pleasant because of several little Rivers which make most lovely Meadows and in the fields there are a great many Spanish Plum-trees as well as of those of the Country with plenty of Vines upon the sides of the Rivers whose stocks rise as high as the trees There are others distant from the Rivers side whose stock is low and carry very large sweet Grapes but seeing there is no pains taken about them there stones are of an extraordinary bigness The Governour most commonly set guards over the Caciques to hinder them from running away and he carried them along with him till he was gone out of their Jurisdiction because their Subjects waited for them in the Villages and furnished Guides and Indians for service but when he was about to enter into another Province he sent them back again as he did likewise the Indians who of their own accord carried the Baggage when he was come into the Territories of another Cacique that supplied him with new ones In the mean time the Indians of Cosa could not endure that their Cacique should be kept under restraint they made an Insurrection and fled into the Woods not onely those of the Town but also the Subjects of the other Indian Cacique's who payed Homage to the Cacique of Cosa Soto sent four Captains to attack them in four several places they took several Indian men nay and women also whom they put in Chains so that these people finding how little advantage they had by flying came back and told the Governour that they were ready to serve him in whatever he pleased to command whereupon at the entreaty of the Cacique some of the chief were set at liberty the rest were kept as slaves by those who had taken them no more to return again into their own Country Nor indeed did any of those who were put in Chains ever return again if Fortune and the pains they took neatly to file off their Chain did not restore them to liberty or unless upon a march through the negligence of their guards they straggled away Chain Baggage and all together CHAP. XVII The Governour leaves Cosa and goes to Tascaluca AUgust the Twentieth we parted from Cosa after twenty days stay there and the Governour according to his usual way took the Cacique along with him as far as the Province of Tascaluca whither he intended to go Our first quarter was at Tallimuchase a place abandoned and next to Itava depending on Cosa where we sojourned six days by reason that the River which past by that Village was extream high When the water was a little fallen we continued our march to Ullibali whence ten or twelve Indians were come in name of the Cacique to offer obedience to the Governour All of them had Bows and Arrows with a great many Feathers about them and they waited on the Governour to the Town which he entred attended by twelve Horse and some foot The Indians were all in Arms and the Governour judged by their countenance that they had some bad design we were informed afterward that they were resolved to rescue the Cacique of Cosa by force from the Governour if he had seemed to approve their design The Governour made the rest of his men to march into the Town which was fenced in It is a little Town upon a small River very well pallissado'd round as all the rest were which we found farther up in the Country The Palissado was of great stakes driven deep into the Earth with poles of the bigness of ones arm cross-ways both in the outside and inside which were fastned with pins to knit all the work together that was about the height of a Lance but the Cacique was in a Town on the other side of the River Soto sent for him and he came without any resistance so that after some reciprocal Compliments he furnished us with Indians for service whom we stood in need of and thirty Indian women There we lost a Spaniard called Mancano of a Noble Family of Salamanca who strayed in the Woods whilst he was a looking for Grapes which that Country produces in great plenty Leaving that Town we found another subject to the same Cacique and from thence the Governour went to Toasi where we also took Indians for service and thirty women Our march was commonly five or six Leagues a day in Countriâ—… inhabited but in the desart we marched as far as we could go that we might not be streightned in provisions From Toasi we marched five days in the Territories of the Cacique of Tallise where we arrived the Eighteenth of September This is a great Town lying upon a very rapid River on the other side whereof the fields were well cultivated and covered with Maes which that Country is plentifully furnished with But seeing the Indians had abandoned their Habitations the Governour sent word to the Cacique that he should come to him which he did and after many offers of his Services gave forty Indians In this Town one of the chief Indians of Tascaluca came to salute the Governour in name of the Cacique and made him this discourse Most mighty and most virtuous Lord the great Cacique of Tascaluca my Master hath sent me to kiss your Lordships hand and to let you know that he is informed you gain the affection of all men by your Perfections Power and Merit and that all the people of the Countries through which your Lordship hath passed serve and obey you This he acknowledges to be your due and desires more than life it self to see you and serve you and for that reason he hath sent to offer you his Person Country and Subjects So that when
submissively and told us that two days journey from the place where we were we should find upon the side of the great River two Towns which we had not as yet discovered that was the Country of Minoya which was extraordinarily fruitful The Indians added that they knew not then whether there was Maes there or not because they were at War with that people and that they would be very glad to joyn with the Spaniards and fight against them Moscoso commanded out a Captain with some Horse and Foot and accompanied by the Forces of Nilco they went to Minoya and found two great Towns distant from each other half a League in an open Champion Country there they took several Indians and found Maes in abundance The Captain fortified himself in one of the Towns and sent advice to the Governour of what he had done Great was the joy all over the Camp and instantly we parted It was the beginning of December and that proved as hard a march as any we had made since we left Cilano because of the swamps we met with and of the rains that fell with a North wind so that we were wet above and below and had great cause to give thanks to God when we found a little dry place to rest in at our journeys end These fatigues killed all our Indian Servants and several Spaniards also after we arrived at Minoya few of those who survived escaping dangerous diseases which degenerated into Lethargies That Country sickness was fatal to Andrew de Vasconcelos who died of it and to two other Portuguese of the City of Elvas who attended him they were Brothers and went by the name of the Sotis The Army quartered in the better of the two Towns which was senced with a Palissado a quarter of a League from the great River Thither we brought all the Maes from the other Town which amounted in all to six thousand bushels In this place we found the fittest Timber for building of Vessels that we had hitherto seen in all Florida for which we all thanked God as for a singular mercy and some glimpse of hopes of getting once more into a Christian Country began to appear among us CHAP. XXXVI Seven Brigantines are built the Army departs from Minoya SO soon as our Quarters were setled at Minoya the Governour ordered all the Chains of the Indians who were in the Camp to be knockt off and all the Iron that was kept for a reserve to be brought out We set up a Forge for making the Iron-work of the Vessels and felled wood to build them of A Portuguese of Ceuta who being a slave at Fez had learned to sawe taught some Souldiers the use of the Sawe and a Geneose whom God had purposely preserved to save us for he alone knew the Art of building Ships and had it not been for that man we had been still in Florida that Geneose I say being assisted by four or five Carpenters of Biscaye who prepared and fitted the Timber undertook to build Brigantines Another Genoese and a Catalonian of the County of Cerdagne took care to cawlk them with that Herb I told you of which resembles Hemp and is called Enequen and when that failed them they supplied the want with the thread of Mantles which they purposely undid and mingled it with fat Earth We had with us a Cooper but he was sick to extremity and he being the onely man of his Trade that we had we were obliged to wait till it pleased God to restore him to his health and though he was still very weak yet fifteen days before our departure he made two large Casks for each Brigantine such as the Sea-men call Hogsheads The Indians of Taguanate which is a Province two days journey from Nilco up the River and those of Nilco also and Guachoya seeing that the Brigantines went forward were perswaded that we made them for carrying away their crop which they put into the water nevertheless they still brought us Fish and Mantles which the Governour exacted from them for making of Sails God was so gracious at that time as to continue to us the marks of his protection by moving the Indians to bring us in Mantles for we had no means left to go and fetch them because in the beginning of Winter the water had surrounded the Town leaving but one League of dry Land around us so that we could not go out on horseback and without that it was impossible to reduce the Indians for they were very numerous and feared our foot so little that they made no scruple to fight them hand to hand either by land or by water because they are more dexterous in shooting and nimbler than the Christians the ground also being more proper for their way of fighting They also brought some Ropes of which we made Cables and when those failed we made others of the rinds of Mulberry-trees The Troopers made wooden stirrups and gave â—…heir Iron ones to make Anchors of In March â—…hough it had not rain'd for above a month before â—…he River swelled so prodigiously that it reached â—…o Nilco which is nine Leagues off on 't and the â—…ndians said that it spread as far on the other â—…ide The Town where we were stood on a â—…eight nevertheless in the highest places the â—…ater reached the stirrups of a Trooper We â—…uilt high sheads of great pieces of Timber coveâ—…ed with boughs for stabling our horses and the â—…ke was done in the houses But these not holâ—…ing out the water we were obliged to get up â—…o the Garrets and never went out of doors but â—…n Canoes or on horseback where the ground was high We spent two Months before the River returned into its Channel in the mean time we kept a good guard about our Brigantines â—…nd no Indians were any more suffered to come â—…ear them in their Canoes for the Governour â—…egan to have some suspicions not without ground that the Indians had a mind to rise so â—…hat he ordered that without any noise one of â—…hose who came to the Town should be seized and â—…rought to him when all the rest were gone The â—…rders were put in execution and finding that â—…he Indian would not confess any thing he commanded him to be rackt Then the Indian confessed that the Caciques of Nilco Guachoya anâ—… Taguante accompanied with other Caciques tâ—… the number of twenty had resolved to attacâ—… the Camp with a very great Army that tâ—… mask their Treachery they were to send him 〈◊〉 great Present of Fish three days before the Attack and another Present the same day they haâ—… pitched upon for the Enterprize That the Indians who brought the Fish combining witâ—… those who served in the Camp were to set fire tâ—… the houses of the Town having first made themselves Masters of the Lances and other Arms thaâ—… stood before the Souldiers doors That at the sight of the fire the Caciques who were to be iâ—… ambush would fall upon
us with all their men and surprize us in that disorder The Governouâ—… ordered the Indian to be kept in Chains and oâ—… the day he pitched upon thirty Indians loadeâ—… with Fish came to the Town They were presently apprehended and Moscoso ordered the noses and right arms of all of them to be cut off and in that condition sent them back to Guachoya whose Subjects they were with orders to tell him that he and all his confederated Caciques might come that he impatiently expected them and that he should know the Governour was informed of all even to his most secret thoughts This example put them all into a strange fright so that Nilco and Taguante came with great submission to justifie themselves and some days after Guachoya brought another Cacique a Vassal of â—…is who had learnt of a certain that Nilco and â—…aguante had really combined against the Chriâ—…ians whereupon Moscoso caused some of the â—…ndians of Nilco to be apprehended who confessed â—…he truth They were delivered over to this Cacique who put them to death without the Town and next day Moscoso punished likewise â—…ome Subjects of Taguante who also confessed the Treachery of their Cacique to whom he sent them home without nose or hands This piece of justice comforted and fully satisfied the Indians of Guachoya and from that time they came daily â—…ringing with them Mantles Fish and Hogs of which they had got a breed by the Swine which â—…tray'd when we passed through that Country before Nay they egg'd on the Governour to make War with Taguante as soon as the waters were fallen and offered to accompany him and serve him as Guides He sent thither some Foot whom the Indians carried down the River in their Canoes and a Captain with Horse by Land who attacked the Town They made a great many Prisoners of both Sexes and good booty of Mantles which came very seasonably considering the want we had of Sails At length in the Month of Iune the Brigantines were finished and though the Indians had told us that the great River overflow'd but once a year when the Snow melted which had already happen'd and that it was then Summer when no rain lâ—…a fallen for a very long time yet it was the will 〈◊〉 God that it swelled again all of a sudden at neâ—… Moon and as I may say came to find our Brâ—… gantines which so were very easily launched whereas had we been necessitated to carry theâ—… over-land they would have been in danger 〈◊〉 breaking or bulging by the Keel or somewherâ—… else the nails for want of Iron were so short anâ—… the planks so thin The Indians of Minoya camâ—… daily to serve us not so much out of inclinatioâ—… as necessity that they might gain somewhat tâ—… live on for the Souldiers had seized all theiâ—… Maes And seeing their Country was very fruitful in that and that they made most of theiâ—… food of it they being so numerous knew noâ—… what to get to eat Those who came to thâ—… Town were so famished that they were reduceâ—… to skin and bones and many died for meer wanâ—… The Governour had severally discharged any Maes to be given to them but the Christians seeing that even the Hogs had their bellies full and that these poor Indians who came and took so much pains to serve them and whose extream misery they could not but pity charitably gave them of the Maes they had nevertheless through their charitableness we had not Maes enough to put on board for the use of the Army All that remained was put into the Brigantines and twelve great Canoes that were fastned two and two together First we put on board two and â—…wenty of the best Horses and then killed all the â—…est whose flesh with that of the Hogs were dried â—…o the Spaniards parted from Minoya the second â—…f Iuly 1543. CHAP. XXXVII The Indians of Quigaltan attack the Spaniards upon the River and the success of that Engagement ONE day before we went on board it was resolved that all the Indian Men and Women who followed the Army should be dismissed except an hundred whom the Governour allowed to be kept and Embarked But there being a great many persons of Quality whom he durst not refuse what he granted to others he was obliged to come off with this Fetch that every one might keep Indians so long as we were upon the River but that they must all be sent back when we come to the Sea because we had not Casks enough to hold fresh Water for so many people In the mean time he gave notice privately to his Friends that they should retain those whom they had and carry them with them into New Spain So they who were in bad terms with him and who were nâ—… a few sent back about five hundred Indians 〈◊〉 all Age and Sex amongst whom there weâ—… some young ones that spake and understooâ—… Spanish already For being ignorant of the Mystery which time discovered to them afterward they thought it would be cruelty to take theâ—… along with them and leave them so far froâ—… their own Country in danger of being madâ—… Slaves by other Indians and for the advantagâ—… of a few dayes service to reward them so ill â—…o all the services they had rendered them Moâ—… of these poor Indians went away weeping whicâ—… wrought a great deal of compassion in us seeing so many Souls lost without remedy thaâ—… might have been saved by instructing them iâ—… the Christian Faith which with all their heart they would have received The Spaniards whâ—… parted from Minoya were in all three hundreâ—… and twenty two in seven Brigantines pretty well built save that the Planks were a little toâ—… thin because of the weakness of the Iron work that they were not well caulked and that they were open without any Deck Some boardâ—… were laid a-cross to serve for a Deck that the Seamen might have convenience to Sail and work the Vessel and that the Souldiers also mighâ—… walk and take the air Moscoso appointed a Captain for every Brigantine and made them take an Oath to obey him till we were come into a Christian Country He chose the best of all for himself and so we fell down to Guachoya The Indians expected us there in their Canoes and had made a kind of a Hall covered with branches of Trees where they intreated the Governour to come a shoar and refresh himself but he excused himself and continued his course The Indians waited upon us in their Canoes as far as a branch of the River which broke off to the right hand They told Moscoso that the Province of Quigaltan was not far from thence and they pressed much to land and make War against that Cacique promising to assist us with all their force but seeing they had told us before that that Province was three dayes Journey distant the Governour thought they had a mind to betray him and therefore dismissed them So we continued our
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
to guide us into a place where we might consecrate our Services to him with more zeal and tranquility CHAP. XLI The Spaniards arrive at the Town of Panico FResh water is to be found by digging in the sand every-where on that Coast which was a great convenience to us for filling our Casks So after we had ended our Procession we went on board and run along in sight of land six days Danhusco persisted still in his first Opinion saying that he had seen Maps and remembred that that Coast bore North and South so soon as one was past the River of Palms that hitherto we had steered from East to West and that so according to his judgment that River could not be far off The Fleet stood a little out to Sea and next day early in the morning we perceived at a distance some Palm-trees which seemed to rise above the surface of the water and we observed that that Coast lay North and South At noon we began to discover very high mountains which we had not seen before because from the Port of the Holy Ghost to that place the Land is low and level so that it cannot be seen but very near These remarks made us believe that we had pass'd the River of Palms in the night-time and we knew very well that it was but threescore Leagues from the River of Panico But others alleadged that we ought not to lose so good weather and that Panico could not be so near that we should fear to pass it in one nights sailing However we resolved at length to spare sail and keep on our course all the Fleet did so except two Brigantines which making what sail they could were by break of day got beyond Panico without seeing it but the Captains of the five other Brigantines that were in the reer were wiser and more fortunate The first Brigantine that discovered the River was Captain Caldeiran's they were within a quarter of a League without discovering it when perceiving the water thick they tasted it and found it to be fresh then they advanced towards the mouth of the River where the water broke upon a bank of sand at the entry into it No body knowing what River it was they consulted together what was best to be done if they should put in or keep on their course forwards at length they resolved to enter in rowing close by the shoar to avoid the Current and so they found a Harbour As they put into it they observed some Indians cloathed after the Spanish fashion which gave them the boldness to ask them what Country they were in The Indians answered in Spanish that they were in the River of Panico and that the Town was fifteen Leagues off It is not to be exprest with what joy they received those glad tidings their Birth day seemed not to them so happy a day as that was They leaped ashoar and kist it a thousand times lifting up their eyes and hands to Heaven to thank God for the favour he had bestowed upon them The Souldiers of the Brigantines that followed Caldeiran's perceiving that he entered the River steered the same course and arrived at the Harbour but those who were on board the other two Brigantines had not the same fortune When they found that the rest did not follow they tackt about to look after them but the wind was contrary and the Sea so rough that they were forced to come to an Anchor near the shoar In that place they were tossed with so furious a storm that finding they could not weather it neither at Sea nor in that station they took the course to run ashoar And seeing the Brigantines were light and drew little water and that that shoar was low and of a soft sand the wind drove them on dry ground without any hurt to the Vessels or to those that were in them So that whilst the Spaniards who were in the Harbour tasted pleasures which cannot be exprest these were over-whelmed with grief and trouble seeing they knew not what was become of their Companions nor whether Fortune had cast them into a Country where they should meet with savage people and Enemies to the Spaniards They were shipwrackt two Leagues below the Harbour and so soon as they found themselves out of danger every one packed up what he was able to carry and so advanced up into the Country at length they met with Indians who told them where they were which turned their sadness into extraordinary joy and they thanked God as it was their duty for delivering them out of so many miseries and dangers CHAP. XLII The Spaniards go to Panico and in what manner the Inhabitants received them OUr Voyage lasted fifty days from the mouth of the great River in Florida to the mouth of the River of Panico into which we entred the Tenth of September 1543. We spent four days ingoing up the River with our Brigantines but the wind being low and not very useful to us because of the compasses which that River fetches so that we were many times obliged to tow them up the passage was so tedious and toilsome that we left the Brigantines to the care of the Seamen and went by Land to Panico being impatient to get as soon as we could into a Christian Country and to be present at Divine Service which for a very long time we had not been We were all cloathed in Buck-skins died black and so soon as we entred the Town we went streight to the Church to offer up our Prayers to God and most humbly to thank him for the Miracles he had wrought in saving us The Burghers who were informed by the Indians of our arrival came to the Church from whence they took home with them such of us as they could know or who belonged to their Relations or Friends The Governour of the place offered his House to Moscoso and ordered the other Spaniards to be quartered by sixes or even more according to the convenience of the Inhabitants who kindly entertained their Guests with Pullets and Bread of Maes and the fruits of the Country which are the same that are in the Isle of Cuba The Town of Panico contains about threescore and ten Families their Houses for most part are built of Stone and Lime except some few that are only wooden and they are all thatched The Country is not Rich because it produces neither Gold nor Silver but on the other hand the Inhabitants have plenty of all that is necessary for life The wealthiest have not above five hundred Crowns of yearly Rent and their Revenue consists in Cotton Poultry and Maes which the Indians who are their Vassals pay them as quit-Rent We were in all three hundred and eleven Gentlemen and Souldiers remaining of above six hundred who followed Soto into Florida when we entered this Town The Governour of the place forthwith dispatched a Burgher to give advice to Don Antonio de Mendosa Viceroy of Mexico that three hundred
Emperour chose out three thousand of his Life-guard armed with Arrows and Javelins Those he dispersed several ways so that they took up a great compass of ground about the Hills which they environed on all hands This made a kind of circle three thousand paces diameter then drawing nearer and nearer together in a regular march without leaving their Rank what impediment soever they found in their way for the Emperour had put Captains and some Grandees also among them to make them keep their order they brought that great circumference into a circle of far less compass which had about three hundred paces in diameter so that all the Beasts who were enclosed within the former were caught in this as in a Toyl because all alighting they joyned so close together that they left no space for them to get out at Then were they so hotly pursued within that narrow compass that the poor Creatures quite spent with running fell down at the Huntsmens feet and were taken up without any trouble In this manner I saw two or three hundred Hairs taken in less than a days time besides a great many Wolves and Foxes I have seen the same thing several times in that part of Tartary which is beyond the Province of Leaotum where at one time I remember I saw above a thousand head of Deer enclosed within such Toils which came and cast themselves into the Huntimens hands finding no way to make their escape We killed also Bears wild Boars and above sixty Tygers but for killing of them they take another course and make use of other Weapons It was the Emperours pleasure that I should be present at all these different ways of Hunting and he recommended it to his Father-in-Law in a very obliging manner that he should have a special care of me and see that I were not exposed to any danger in the hunting of Tygers and other fierce Beasts Of all the Mandarius I was the onely person near the Emperour without Arms. Though I had been enured to fatigue from the time we set out upon our progress yet I was so weary every Evening when I returned to my Tent that I had much ado to stand upon my legs and many times I would have spared my self the labour of following the Emperour if my friends had not advised me the contrary and if I had not been afraid he would have taken it ill if he had perceived it After about four hundred miles of continua Hunting in this manner we arrived at length at Xyn-yam the Capital City of the Province where we staid four days The Inhabitants of Coree came and presented the Emperour with a Seal or Sea-calf which they had taken the Emperour shew'd it me and asked me if that Fish was mentioned in our Books of Europe I told him that we had a Book in our Library at Pekin which explain'd the Nature and had a Cut of it He said he would be glad to see it and immediately dispatched a Courier to our Fathers at Pekin who within a few days brought it to me The Emperour was pleased to see that what was observed concerning that Fish in the Book agreed with what he saw He ordered it afterwards to be carried to Pekin to be carefully preserved there During our stay in that City the Emperour with the Queens went to visit the Tombs of his Ancestors which are not far distant from whence he sent them back to Xyn-yam that he might continue his Journey towards East-Tartary After several days marching and hunting he came to Kirin four hundred miles distant from Xyn-yam That Town lies along the great River Songoro which has its source in Mount-Champé distant from thence four hundred miles towards the South That Mountain so famous in the East for having been the ancient Habitation of our Tartars is always covered with Snow from whence it hath taken its Name for Champé signifies the White Mountain So soon as the Emperour perceived it he alighted from his horse kneeled down on the River-side and bowed three times to the ground to salute it then he gave orders that he should be carried on a Throne glittering with Gold and in that manner made his entry into the Town All the people flocked out to meet him shewing by their tears the joy they had to see him And that Prince was extreamly pleased with the testimonies of their Affection and as a mark of his good-will he shew'd himself publickly to all and discharged his Guards from hindring the people to come near him as they do at Pekin In this Town they build Barks of a singular shape and the Inhabitants have a great many always in a readiness to beat off the Muscovites who come often upon that River to contend with them about the Pearl-fishing The Emperour rested two days there and then went down the River with some Lords accompanied with above an hundred Boats as far as the Town of Ula which is the fairest of all the Country and was heretofore the Seat of the Empire of the Tartars A little below that Town which is above thirty miles from Kirin the River is full of a certain kind of Fish which looks much like the Plaice of Europe and it was chiefly to divert himself at Fishing that the Emperour went to Ula but the Rains falling all of a sudden so swelled the River that all the Nets were broken and carried away by the floud Nevertheless the Emperour tarried five or six days at Ula but finding that the Rains continued he was obliged to come back to Kirin without the pleasure of Fishing As we were returning up the River the Bark wherein I was with the Emperours Father-in-Law was so beaten with the waves that we were forced to go ashoar and to get into a Cart drawn by an Ox which brought us very late to Kirin the Rain continuing all the way At night when they were discoursing with the Emperour about that Adventure he said laughing The Fish have made fools of us At length after two days stay at Kirin the Rains began to abate and we returned to Leaotum I cannot here express the trouble and fatigues we endured throughout this whole Journey in ways broken and made almost impassable by the Rains we went continually over hills and dales and with extream danger crossed the Brooks and Rivers which were much out by the Torrents that run into them from all parts The Bridges were either broken down by the violence of the Currents or covered all over with the overflowing of the waters There were in many places great plashes of water gathered together and such deep dirt that it was hardly possible to get out of it The Camels Horses and other Beasts that carried the Baggage could not get forward they stuck in the mires or died of weakness upon the Rode The men fared no better and all pined away for want of victuals and necessary refreshments for so long a Journey A great many horse-men were forced
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 to the King and another to the Marquess of Seignelay To confirm this we may add what a French-man wrote two months ago from Muscovie that they were actually raising Forces there for making War against the Chinese A NEW DESCENT OF THE SPANIARDS On the Island of Califurnia In the Year 1683. THE great Island of Califurnia hath appeared a Conquest worthy the Spanish Arms ever since Mexico was annexed to that Crown Zeal for Religion and the Salvation of the Islanders with the hopes that those who have failed upon these Coasts have always given us of fishing Pearls there in abundance have made us still desirous to extend the Empire of our Nation unto those vast and rich Countries The famous Don Fernando Cortez Marquess del Vallé was the first that conceived that design and made the Voyage but the fear of troubles wherewith he he was threatned in a new-conquered Country having recalled him to Mexico stifled the hopes that all had of the success of his valour good fortune Many great Captains since his time have renewed that Enterprize but it hath always been crossed by some unexpected accident and all that hath been got by several descents made on that Island was onely some knowledge of the people who inhabit it of Pearls that may be fished and of a kind of Amber that may be found there The glory of succeeding in that Conquest no less important for Religion than advantageous for our Commerce was reserved for our Monarch at whose charge this last Expedition was made from the first success whereof we have ground to expect future prosperity The Marquess of Laguna Viceroy and Captain General of Mexico which we call New-Spain having received orders from his Majesty to spare no cost in those Enterprizes which might give hopes of propagating the Faith amongst barbarous Nations fitted out two men of War with a Billander to serve them for a Pinnace and having manned them well and provided them with all sorts of Amunition sent them upon the Conquest under the conduct of Don Isidore d'Atondo Admiral of New-Spain from whose Letters this Relation hath been taken This little Fleet put out from the Port of Chalaca in New Galicia the 18th day of Ianuary 1683. For the first days the wind was contrary so that they were forced to sail upon a wind and by a storm were driven into the Port of Mazatlan where the two ships entered the Ninth of February March the Eighteenth they arrived at the mouth of the River of Cinaloa where there is a pretty commodious Harbour there they refreshed for some time and then continued there course along the Coast of Cinaloa to the Isles of St. Ignatius where they stood away before the wind that they might sail faster or rather not so slowly as they had done till then Their course was almost from East to West and the weather so good that in one nights sailing they came in sight of Ceralbo and made the Land of Califurnia notwithstanding the great Currents that run in those Streights and impetuously fall into the Pacifick Sea but the wind changing all of a sudden they could not come up with it till three days after From thence they sailed North-West along the shoar and having made eight Leagues more they arrived at length at the entry of the famous Haven of our Lady of Peace Opinions differ much about the scituation of that Port the ordinary Maps place it in 24 degrees some put it in 27 and others betwixt the 25 and 26 degree The Sea Cart of Capt. Francis de Lureville which puts it in the 24 degree in that agrees with those of Ionsonius but Father Eusebius Francis Kino a Jesuite and famous Mathematician who went the Voyage saith that the mouth of that Haven lies in 24 degrees 45 minutes This gave some cause to doubt whether or not that was the real Haven of Peace and the doubt was the more confirmed that the Indians whom they found in the Port understood not one word of what the Jesuits who were on board said to them who spake according to a Dictionary of words made by the Fathers of their Society when the Spaniards made the former Expeditions to the Haven of Peace To which it may be added that the ancient Relations of these Expeditions observed that the Indians of that Port were wont to come out upon floats and in Canoes to meet the Ships with great demonstrations of friendship and at this time no float nor Canoe appeared nor indeed for some days was there any person to be seen The Admiral Don Isidore d' Atondo who had the same doubt thinks to satisfie it by alleadging that the Indians called Guaricures who according to the ancient Relations made War with those of the Haven of Peace might have driven out the ancient Inhabitants and made themselves Masters of the Country because the Land-marks which are given that the Cape of St. Luke is on the point of the Isle of Ceralbo prove that that Port is the ancient Haven of Peace However it be we shall call it by that Name They entered it the Thirtieth of March having first kept the Festival of St. Ioseph for nine days The Bay is very large and much like to that of Cadiz Next day they advanced five or six Leagues farther up and came to an Anchor the Admiral and Captains went ashoar in two Shalloops and landed in a very pleasant place full of Palm-trees where they found a Fountain of excellent fresh water They saw no body but by the tracts they observed they concluded that there were men there They went no farther that day but came back and lay upon the shoar The day following all came ashoar and made a great Cross which they planted upon an Eminence to take possession of the Country in the Name of God and of the Catholick King They had a mind to know whether there might be some Indians hid in the thick woods that cover the Mountain for that end they left some things fit for eating as Indian Corn Bisket and other things amongst which they mingled some Beads of a Chaplet contenting themselves with that discovery and so re-imbarked They landed upon the Third of April and found the things they had left untouched in the same place The Admiral accompanied with a Captain and some Souldiers went up to a little hill from which he could discover nothing but a great Lake and so returned to the Ship On Sunday after Mass they sent out upon discovery a Shalloop into a narrow passage that reaches above three Leagues Father Kino writes that the farther end of that streight lies in 24 degrees 10 minutes In the evening they fell a fishing and took a great many Sea-wolves Soles Thornbacks and several other fish of a prodigious bigness whereof they made provision for three days but amongst these fish some they knew to be poysonous On Munday they came ashoar again in the same place where they landed at