_The Dreadful Battle of Mobila._ The Army in Alabama.--Barbaric Pageant.--The Chief of Tuscaloosa.--Native Dignity.--Suspected Treachery of the Chief.--Mobila, its Location and Importance.--Cunning of the Chief.--The Spaniards Attacked.--Incidents of the Battle.--Disastrous Results. 259 CHAPTER XVI. _Days of Darkness._ The Melancholy Encampment.--The Fleet at Pensacola.--Singular Resolve of De Soto.--Hostility of the Natives.--Beautiful Scenery.--Winter Quarters on the Yazoo.--Feigned Friendship of the Cacique.--Trickery of Juan Ortiz.--The Terrible Battle of Chickasaw.--Dreadful Loss of the Spaniards. 276 CHAPTER XVII. _The Discovery of the Mississippi._ The Fortress of Hostile Indians.--Its Capture.--The Disastrous Conflict.--The Advance of the Army.--Discovery of the Mississippi River.--Preparations for Crossing.--Extraordinary Pageants.--Unjustifiable Attack.--The passage of the River.--Friendly Reception by Casquin.--Extraordinary Religious Festival. 296 CHAPTER XVIII. _Vagrant Wanderings._ Trickery of Casquin.--The March to Capaha.--The Battle and its Results.--Friendly Relations with Capaha.--The Return Journey.--The March Southward.--Salt Springs.--The Savages of Tula.--Their Ferocity.--Anecdote.--Despondency of De Soto. 315 CHAPTER XIX. _Death of De Soto._ Ascent of the Mississippi.--Revenge of Guachoya.--Sickness of De Soto.--Affecting Leave-taking.--His Death and Burial.--The March for Mexico.--Return to the Mississippi.--Descent of the River.--Dispersion of the Expedition.--Death of Isabella. 334 CHAPTER I. _Childhood and Youth._ Birthplace of Ferdinand De Soto.--Spanish Colony at Darien.--Don Pedro de Avila, Governor of Darien.--Vasco Nunez.--Famine.--Love in the Spanish Castle.--Character of Isabella.--Embarrassment of De Soto.--Isabella's Parting Counsel. In the interior of Spain, about one hundred and thirty miles southwest of Madrid, there is the small walled town of Xeres. It is remote from all great routes of travel, and contains about nine thousand inhabitants, living very frugally, and in a state of primitive simplicity. There are several rude castles of the ancient nobility here, and numerous gloomy, monastic institutions. In one of these dilapidated castles, there was born, in the year 1500, a boy, who received the name of Ferdinand de Soto. His parents were Spanish nobles, perhaps the most haughty class of nobility which has ever existed. It was, however, a decayed family, so impoverished as to find it difficult to maintain the position of gentility. The parents were not able to give their son a liberal education. Their rank did not allow them to introduce him to any of the pursuits of industry; and so far as can now be learned, the years of his early youth were spent in idleness.