Ani'-Kusa by the Cherokee, from Kusa, or Coosa, their ancient capital,
while Chiaha was identical with Chehaw, one of the principal Creek
towns on Chattahoochee river. Cofitachiqui may have been the capital
of the Uchee Indians.
The outrageous conduct of the Spaniards had so angered the Indian
queen that she now refused to furnish guides and carriers, whereupon
De Soto made her a prisoner, with the design of compelling her to
act as guide herself, and at the same time to use her as a hostage to
command the obedience of her subjects. Instead, however, of conducting
the Spaniards by the direct trail toward the west, she led them far
out of their course until she finally managed to make her escape,
leaving them to find their way out of the mountains as best they could.
Departing from Cofitachiqui, they turned first toward the north,
passing through several towns subject to the queen, to whom, although
a prisoner, the Indians everywhere showed great respect and obedience,
furnishing whatever assistance the Spaniards compelled her to demand
for their own purposes. In a few days they came to "a province called
Chalaque," the territory of the Cherokee Indians, probably upon the
waters of Keowee river, the eastern head-stream of the Savannah. It
is described as the poorest country for corn that they had yet seen,
the inhabitants subsisting on wild roots and herbs and on game
which they killed with bows and arrows. They were naked, lean, and
unwarlike. The country abounded in wild turkeys ("gallinas"), which
the people gave very freely to the strangers, one town presenting
them with seven hundred. A chief also gave De Soto two deerskins
as a great present. [19] Garcilaso, writing on the authority of an
old soldier nearly fifty years afterward, says that the. "Chalaques"
deserted their towns on the approach of the white men and fled to the
mountains, leaving behind only old men and women and some who were
nearly blind. [20] Although it was too early for the new crop, the
poverty of the people may have been more apparent than real, due to
their unwillingness to give any part of their stored-up provision to
the unwelcome strangers. As the Spaniards were greatly in need of corn
for themselves and their horses, they made no stay, but hurried on. In
a few days they arrived at Guaquili, which is mentioned only by Ranjel,
who does not specify whether it was a town or a province--i. e.,
a tribal territory. It was probably a small town. Here they were
welcomed in a friendly manner, the Indians giving them a little corn
and many wild turkeys, together with some dogs of a peculiar small
species, which were bred for eating purposes and did not bark. [21]
They were also supplied with men to help carry the baggage. The name
Guaquili has a Cherokee sound and may be connected with wa'guli',
"whippoorwill," uwâ'gi`li, "foam," or gi`li, "dog."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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