On the 17th day of June, 1527, Pamphilo de Narvaez left Spain with five ships and six hundred men, being authorized by the Spanish Government to explore and take possession of "all the lands between Rio de las Palmas and Cape Florida." The fleet was much damaged by a hurricane, and was obliged to remain at Cuba for more than six months to be refitted. In February, 1528, Pamphilo again embarked; and after a short and prosperous voyage, landed his army at the bay of Santa Cruz, Florida. Having formally taken possession of the country, and proved that he was in earnest by pillaging some of the villages, Pamphilo began to interrogate the natives respecting the precise locality of that immense deposit of gold which he expected to find in Florida. In their answers to these inquiries, the Indians, wishing to hasten the departure of their unwelcome guests, directed the gold-hunters to a distant region called Apalacha, assuring them that the shining metal could there be obtained in the greatest abundance. After a wearisome march, the Spaniards reached the designated place on the 26th day of June. The ungrateful behavior of the Spaniards soon provoked the hostility of the natives, and before they had an opportunity to make any mineralogical researches Pamphilo was compelled to retreat. While endeavoring to make his escape to the seashore, he was closely pursued by the natives, who killed two hundred of his men--about one-third of the whole number. The whole country being aroused, Pamphilo found it impossible to return to his ships, which were probably destroyed by the Indians. The Spaniards, therefore, took the shortest route to the coast, and came to the bay now known as St. Marks. The Apalachian Indians being satisfied with driving the intruders from their territory, abandoned the pursuit when that object was gained. They arrived at St. Marks in a starving condition, their only food being horse-flesh. All their ingenuity was now employed to effect some means of escape from the country. They erected a forge on the beach, and, with great toil and difficulty, converted their swords, lance-heads, stirrups, and bridle-bits into nails, saws, and hatchets. Having thus provided themselves with the proper instruments, they felled trees, shaped the timber, and finally constructed several very inelegant specimens of marine architecture. In the meanwhile all their horses were consumed for food; and when they embarked in their rude batteaux, their thin, ghastly, Tanner-like appearance might have reminded a spectator of that shadowy boat-load of "magnanimous heroes" so graphically described by Virgil in the Sixth Book of his celebrated Epic. All the boats were subsequently wrecked near the mouth of the Mississippi, and all on board perished, except Cabeca de Vaca, the treasurer of the expedition, and four common soldiers. The survivors, after enduring many toils and sufferings, finally reached Spain in August, 1537.