A Narrative of the expedition of Hernando de Soto into Florida published at Evora in 1557 — John Shaqi
A Narrative of the expedition of Hernando de Soto into Florida published at Evora in 1557Knight of Elvas
History
A Narrative of the expedition of Hernando de Soto into Florida published at Evora in 1557
Knight of Elvas
America -- Discovery and exploration; Florida -- History -- To 1565; Soto, Hernando de, approximately 1500-1542
The next day _Luys de Moscoso_, master of the camp, set the men in
order, the horsemen in three squadrons, the vanguard, the battalion, and
the rereward; and so they marched that day and the day following,
compassing great creeks which came out of the bay. They came to the town
of _Ucita_, where the Governor was on Sunday the first of June, being
Trinity Sunday. The town was of seven or eight houses. The lord's house
stood near the shore upon a very high mount, made by hand for strength.
At another end of the town stood the church, and on the top of it stood
a fowl made of wood with gilded eyes. Here were found some pearls of
small value, spoiled with the fire, which the Indians do pierce and
string them like beads, and wear them about their necks and handwrists,
and they esteem them very much. The houses were made of timber, and
covered with palm leaves. The Governor lodged himself in the lord's
houses, and with him _Vasquez Porcallo_, and _Luys de Moscoso_; and in
others that were in the midst of the town, was the chief Alcalde or
justice, _Baltasar de Gallegos_ lodged; and in the same houses was set
in a place by itself all the provision that came in the ships; the other
houses and the church were broken down, and every three or four soldiers
made a little cabin wherein they lodged. The country round about was
very fenny, and encumbered with great and high trees. The Governor
commanded to fell the woods a crossbow shot round about the town, that
the horses might run, and the Christians might have the advantage of the
Indians, if by chance they should set upon them by night. In the ways
and places convenient they had their sentinels of footmen by two and two
in every stand, which did watch by turns, and the horsemen did visit
them, and were ready to assist them if there were any alarm. The
Governor made four captains of the horsemen and two of the footmen. The
captains of the horsemen were one of them _Andrew de Masconcelos_, and
another _Pedro Calderan de Badajoz_; and the other two were his kinsmen,
to wit, _Arias Tinoco_, and _Alfonso Romo_, born likewise in _Badajoz_.
The captains of the footmen, the one was _Francisco Maldonado of
Salamanca_, and the other _Juan Rodriguez Lobillo_. While we were in
this town of _Ucita_, the two Indians which _John Danusco_ had taken on
that coast, and the Governor carried along with him for guides and
interpreters, through carelessness of two men which had the charge of
them escaped away one night; for which the Governor and all the rest
were very sorry, for they had already made some roads, and no Indians
could be taken, because the country was full of marsh grounds, and in
some places full of very high and thick woods.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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