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
_Luys de Moscoso_ caused all the goods of the Governor to be sold at an
outcry: to wit, two men slaves and two women slaves, and three horses,
and seven hundred hogs. For every slave or horse, they gave two or three
thousand ducats: which were to be paid at the first melting of gold or
silver, or at the division of their portion of inheritance. And they
entered into bonds, though in the country there was not wherewith, to
pay it within a year after, and put in sureties for the same. Such as in
_Spain_ had no goods to bind, gave two hundred ducats for a hog, giving
assurance after the same manner. Those which had any goods in _Spain_,
bought with more fear, and bought the less. From that time forward, most
of the company had swine, and brought them up, and fed upon them; and
observed Fridays and Saturdays, and the evenings of feasts, which before
they did not. For some times in two or three months they did eat no
flesh, and whensoever they could come by it, they did eat it.
Some were glad of the death of _Don Ferdinando de Soto_, holding for
certain that _Luys de Moscoso_ (which was given to his ease), would
rather desire to be among the Christians at rest, than to continue the
labors of the war in subduing and discovering of countries; whereof they
were already weary, seeing the small profit that ensued thereof. The
Governor commanded the captains and principal persons to meet to consult
and determine what they should do. And being informed what peopled
habitation was round about, he understood that to the west, the country
was most inhabited, and that down the river beyond _Quigalta_ was
uninhabited, and had little store of food. He desired them all, that
every one would give his opinion in writing, and set his hand to it:
that they might resolve by general consent, whether they should go down
the river, or enter into the main land. All were of opinion, that it was
best to go by land toward the west, because _Nueva Espana_ was that way;
holding the voyage by sea more dangerous, and of greater hazard, because
they could make no ship of any strength to abide a storm, neither had
they master, nor pilot, compass, nor chart, neither knew they how far
the sea was off, nor had any notice of it; nor whether the river did
make any great turning into the land, or had any great fall from the
rocks, where all of them might be cast away. And some which had seen the
sea-chart, did find, that from the place where they were by the
sea-coast to _Nueva Espana_, might be four hundred leagues, little more
or less; and said, that though they went somewhat about by land in
seeking a peopled country, if some great wilderness which they could not
pass did hinder them, by spending that summer in travel, finding
provision to pass the winter in some peopled country, that the next
summer after they might come to some Christian land, and that it might
fortune in their travel by land to find some rich country, where they
might do themselves good.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account