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
_John Ortiz_
persuaded them that seeing they could not escape, they should yield
themselves to the Governor; which they did, enforced thereunto by the
coldness of the water; and one by one, he first whom the cold did first
overcome, cried to _John Ortiz_, desiring that they would not kill him,
for he came to put himself into the hands of the Governor. By the
morning watch they made an end of yielding themselves; only twelve
principal men, being more honorable and valorous than the rest, resolved
rather to die than to come into his hands. And the Indians of
_Paracossi_, which were now loosed out of chains, went swimming to them,
and pulled them out by the hair of their heads, and they were all put in
chains, and the next day were divided among the Christians for their
service. Being thus in captivity, they determined to rebel; and gave in
charge to an Indian which was interpreter, and held to be valiant, that
as soon as the Governor did come to speak with him, he should cast his
hands about his neck, and choke him: who, when he saw opportunity, laid
hands on the Governor, and before he cast his hands about his neck, he
gave him such a blow on the nostrils, that he made them gush out with
blood, and presently all the rest did rise. He that could get any
weapons at hand, or the handle wherewith he did grind the maize, sought
to kill his master, or the first he met before him; and he that could
get a lance or sword at hand, bestirred himself in such sort with it, as
though he had used it all his lifetime. One Indian in the market-place
enclosed between fifteen or twenty footmen, made a way like a bull, with
a sword in his hand, till certain halbardiers of the Governor came,
which killed him. Another got up with a lance to a loft made of canes,
which they build to keep their maize in, which they call a barbacoa, and
there he made such a noise as though ten men had been there defending
the door; they slew him with a partizan. The Indians were in all about
two hundred men. They were all subdued. And some of the youngest the
Governor gave to them which had good chains, and were careful to look to
them that they got not away. All the rest he commanded to be put to
death, being tied to a stake in the midst of the market-place; and the
Indians of the _Paracossi_ did shoot them to death.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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