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 Indians, seeing that they had got the victory, took such courage,
that they assaulted them in the brigantines, which they durst not do
before. They came first to that brigantine wherein _Calderon_ went for
captain, and was in the rearward: and at the first volley of arrows they
wounded twenty-five men. There were only four armed men in this
brigantine; these did stand at the brigantine's side to defend it. Those
that were unarmed, seeing how they hurt them, left their oars and went
under the deck: whereupon the brigantine began to cross, and to go where
the current of the stream carried it. One of the armed men seeing this,
without the commandment of the captain, made a footman to take an oar
and steer the brigantine, he standing before him and defending him with
his target. The Indians came no nearer than a bowshot, from whence they
offended and were not offended, receiving no hurt: for in every
brigantine was but one crossbow, and those which we had were very much
out of order. So that the Christians did nothing else but stand for a
butt to receive their arrows. Having left this brigantine they went to
another, and fought with it half an hour; and so from one to another
they fought with them all. The Christians had mats to lay under them,
which were double, and so close and strong, that no arrow went through
them. And as soon as the Indians gave them leisure, they fenced the
brigantines with them. And the Indians seeing that they could not shoot
level, shot their arrows at random up in the air, which fell into the
brigantines, and hurt some of the men: and not therewith contented, they
sought to get to them which were in the canoes with the horses. Those of
the brigantines environed them to defend them, and took them among them.
Thus seeing themselves much vexed by them, and so wearied that they
could no longer endure it, they determined to travel all the night
following, thinking to get beyond the country of _Quigalta_, and that
they would leave them: but when they thought least of it, supposing that
they had now left them, they heard very near them so great outcries,
that they made them deaf, and so they followed us all that night, and
the next day till noon, by which time we were come into the country of
others, whom they desired to use us after the same manner; and so they
did. The men of _Quigalta_ returned home; and the other in fifty canoes
fought with us a whole day and a night; and they entered one of the
brigantines, that came in the rearward, by the canoe which she had at
her stern, and took away a woman which they found in it, and afterwards
hurt some of the men in the brigantines. Those which came with the
horses in the canoes, being wearied with rowing night and day, lingered
behind; and presently the Indians came upon them, and they of the
brigantines tarried for them. The Governor resolved to go on shore and
kill the horses, because of the slow way which they made because of
them.
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