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
Neither did any
return, but some few, whose fortune helped them with the good diligence
which they used to file off their chains by night, or such as in their
traveling could slip aside out of the way, seeing any negligence in them
that kept them; some escaped away with the chains, and with the burdens
and clothes which they carried.
The Governor rested in _Coca_ twenty-five days. He departed from thence
the twentieth of August, to seek a province called _Tascaluca_; he
carried with him the cacique of _Coca_. He passed that day by a great
town called _Tallimuchase_; the people were fled; he lodged half a
league further, near a brook. The next day he came to a town called
_Ytaua_, subject to _Coca_. He staid there six days, because of a river
that passed by it, which at that time was very high; and as soon as the
river suffered him to pass, he set forward, and lodged at a town named
_Ullibahali_. There came to him on the way, of the caciques in behalf of
that province, ten or twelve principal Indians to offer him their
service; all of them had their plumes of feathers, and bows and arrows.
The Governor coming to the town with twelve horsemen, and some footmen
of his guard, leaving his people a crossbow shot from the town, entered
into it; he found all the Indians with their weapons, and as far as he
could guess, they seemed to have some evil meaning. It was known
afterwards that they were determined to take the cacique of _Coca_ from
the Governor, if he had requested it. The Governor commanded all his
people to enter the town, which was walled about, and near unto it
passed a small river. The wall, as well of that as of others, which
afterwards we saw, was of great posts thrust deep into the ground, and
very rough; and many long rails, as big as one's arm, laid across
between them, and the wall was about the height of a lance, and it was
daubed within and without with clay, and had loopholes. On the other
side of the river was a town, where at that present the cacique was. The
Governor sent to call him, and he came presently. After he had passed
with the Governor some words of offering his services, he gave him such
men for his carriages as he needed, and thirty women for slaves. In that
place was a Christian lost, called _Mancano_, born in _Salamanca_, of
noble parentage, which went astray to seek for grapes, whereof there is
great store, and those very good. The day that the Governor departed
from thence, he lodged at a town, subject to the lord of _Ullibahali_;
and the next day he came to another town called _Toasi_. The Indians
gave the Governor thirty women, and such men for his carriages as he
needed. He traveled ordinarily five or six leagues a day, when he
traveled through peopled countries; and going through deserts, he
marched as fast as he could, to eschew the want of maize. From _Toasi_,
passing through some towns subject to a cacique, which was lord of a
province called _Tallise_, he traveled five days. He came to _Tallise_
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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