USA > Louisiana > Historical collections of Louisiana : embracing translations of many rare and valuable documents relating to the natural, civil and political history of that state > Part 18
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By that time the Indian returned with this answer, the Governor had betaken himself to bed, being evil handled with fevers, and was much aggrieved that he was not in case to pass presently the river and to seek him, to see if he could abate that pride of his, consider- ing the river went now very strongly in those parts; for it was ncar half a league broad, and sixteen fathoms deep, and very furious, and ran with a great current ; and on both sides there were many Indians, and his power was not now so great, but that he had need to help himself rather by slights than by force. The Indians of Guachoya came every day with fish in such numbers, that the town was full of them. The cacique said, that on a certain night he of Quigalta would come to give battle to the Governor. Which the Governor imagined that he had devised, to drive him out of his country, and commanded him to be put in hold: and that night and all the rest, there was good watch kept. He asked him wherefore Quigalta came not ? He said that he came, but that he saw him prepared, and therefore durst not give the attempt : and he was carnest with him to send his captains over the river, and that he would aid him with many men to set upon Quigalta. - The Governor told him that as soon as he was recovered, himself would seek him out. And seeing how many Indians came daily to the town, and what store of people was in that country, fearing they should all conspire together and plot some treason against him ; and because the town had some open gaps which were not made an end of inclosing, besides the gates which they went in and out by : because the Indians should not think he feared them, he let them all alone unrepaired; and commanded the horse- men to be appointed to them, and to the gates : and all night the horsemen went the round ; and two and two of every squadron rode about, and'visited the seouts that were without the town in their stand- ings by the passages, and the crossbowmen that kept the canoes in the river. And because the Indians should stand in fear of them, he determined to send a captain to Nilco, for those of Guachoya had told him that it was inhabited; that by using them cruelly, neither
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the one nor the other should presume to assail him; and he sent Nuñez de Touar with fifteen horsemen, and John de Guzman cap- tain of the footmen, with his company in canoes up the river. The Cacique of Guachoya sent for many canoes and many warlike Indians to go with the Christians : and the captain of the Christians, called Nuñez de Touar went by land with his horsemen, and two leagues before he came to Nilco he stayed for John de Guzman, and in that place they passed the river by night : the horsemen came first, and in the morning by break of day in sight of the town they lighted upon a spy; which as soon as he perceived the Christians, crying out amain fled to the town to give warning. Nuñez de Touar and his com- pany made such speed, that before the Indians of the town could fully come out, they were upon them : it was champaign ground that was inhabited, which was about a quarter of a league. There were about five or six thousand people in the town : and, as many people came out of the houses, and fled from one house to another, and many In- dians came flocking together from all parts, there was never a horse- man that was not alone among many. The captain had commanded that they should not spare the life of any male. Their disorder was so great, that there was no Indian that shot an arrow at any Christian. The shrieks of women and children were so great, that they made the ears deaf of those that followed them. There were slain a hundred Indians, little more or less : and many were wounded with great wounds, whom they suffered to escape to strike a terror in the rest that were not there. There were some so cruel and butcherlike, that .they killed old and young, and all that they met, though they made no resistance: and those which presumed of themselves for their valor, and were taken for such, broke through the Indians, bearing down many with their stirrups and breasts of their horses ; and some they wounded with their lances, and so let them go: and when they saw any' youth or woman they took them, and delivered them to the foot- men. These men's sins by God's permission, lighted on their own. heads : who, because they would seem valiant, became cruel; showing themselves extreme coward's in the sight of all men when as most need of valor was required, and afterwards they came to a shameful death. Of the Indians of Nilco were taken prisoners, fourscore women and children, and much spoil. The Indians of Guachoya kept back before they came at the town, and stayed without, beholding the suc- cess of the Christians with the men of Nilco. And when they saw them put to flight, and the horsemen busy in killing of them, they
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hastened to the houses to rob, and filled their canoes with the spoil of the goods ; and returned to Guachoya before the Christians; and wondering much at the sharp dealing which they had seen them use toward the Indians of Nilco, they told their cacique all that had passed with great astonishment.
The Governor felt in himself that the hour approached wherein he was to leave this present life, and called for the king's officers, cap- tains, and principal persons, to whom he made a speech, saying :- .
" That now he was to go to give an account before the presence of God of all his life past : and since it pleased him to take him in such a time, and that the time was come that he knew his death, that he his most unworthy servant did yield him many thanks therefor; and desired all that were present and absent (whom he confessed himself to be much beholding unto for their singular virtues, love and loyalty, which himself had well tried in the travels which they had suffered, which always in his mind he did hope to satisfy and reward, when it should please God to give him rest, with more prosperity of his es- tate), that they would pray to God for him, that for his mercy he would forgive him his sins, and receive his soul into eternal glory : and that they would quit and free him of the charge which he had over them, and ought unto them all, and that they would pardon him for some wrongs which they might have received of him. And to avoid some division, which upon his death might fall out upon the choice of his successor, he requested them to elect a principal person, and able to govern, of whom all should like well; and when he was elected, they should swear before him to obey him : and that he would thank them very much in so doing; because the grief that he had, would somewhat be assuaged, and the pain that he felt, because he left them in so great confusion, to wit, in leaving them in a strange country, where they knew not where they were.
Baltasar de Gallegos answered in the name of all the rest. And first of all comforting him, he set before his eyes how short the life of this world was, and with how many troubles and miseries it is ac- companied, and how God showed him a singular favor which soonest left it : telling him many other things fit for such a time. And for the last point, that since it pleased God to take him to himself, al- though his death did justly grieve them much, yet as well he, as all the rest, ought of necessity to conform themselves to the will of God. And touching the Governor which. he commanded they should elect, he besought him, that it would please his Jordship to name him which
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hc thought fit, and him they would obey. And presently he named Luys de Moscoso de Alvarado, his captain-general. And presently he was sworn by all that were present, and elected for governor. The next day, being the 21st of May, 1542, departed out of this life, the valorous, virtuous, and valiant Captain, Don Fernando de Soto, Governor of Cuba, and Adelantado of Florida : whom fortune ad- vanced, as it useth to do others, that he might have the higher fall. He departed in such a place, and at such a time, as in his sickness he had but little comfort : and the danger wherein all his people were of perishing in that country, which appeared before their cyes, was cause sufficient why every one of them had need of comfort, and why they did not visit nor accompany him as they ought to have done. Luys de Moscoso determined to conceal his death from the Indians, because Ferdinando de Soto had made them believe that the Christians were immortal; and also because they took him to be hardy, wise, and valiant : and if they should know that he was dead, they would be bold to set upon the Christians, though they lived peaceably by them. In regard of their disposition, and because they were nothing con- stant, and believed all that was told them, the Adelantado made them believe, that he knew some things that passed in secret among them- selves, without their knowledge, how, or in what manner he came by them : and that the figure which appeared in a glass, which he showed them, did tell him whatsoever they practiced and went about : and therefore neither in word nor deed durst they attempt anything that might be prejudicial unto him.
As soon as he was dead, Luys de Moscoso commanded to put him secretly in the house, where he remained three days; and removing him from thence, commanded him to be buried in the night at one of the gates of the town within the wall. And as the Indiaus had seen him sick, and missed him, so did they suspect what might be. And passing by the place where he was buried, seeing the carth moved, they looked and spake one to another. Luys de Moscoso understanding of it, commanded him to be taken up by night, and to cast a great deal of sand into the mantles, wherein he was wound up, wherein he was carried in a canoe, and thrown into the midst of the river. The Cacique of Guachoya inquired for him, demanding what was become of his brother and lord, the Governor : Luys de Moscoso told him that he was gone to heaven, as many other times he did : and because he was to stay there certain days he had left him in his place. The cacique thought with himself that he was dead; and commanded two young
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and well-proportioned Indians to be brought thither ; and said, that the use of that country was, when any lord died, to kill Indians to wait upon him, and serve him by the way, and for that purpose by his commandment were those come thither : and prayed Luys de Mos- coso to command them to be beheaded, that they might attend and serve his lord and brother. Luys de Moscoso told him, that the Go- vernor was not dead, but gone to heaven, and that of his own Chris- tian soldiers, he had taken such as he needed to serve him, and prayed him to command those Indians to be loosed, and not to use any such bad custom from thenceforth : straightway he commanded them to be loosed, and to get them home to their houses. And one of them would not go ; saying, that he would not serve him, that without de- sert had judged him to death, but that he would serve him as long as he lived, which had saved his life.
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 inherit- ance. 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 cat no flesh, and whensoever they could come by it, they did cat it.
Some were glad of the death of Don Ferdinando de Soto, holding for certain that Luys de Moscoso (which was given to his case), 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, secing 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 be- yond Quigaliu was uninhabited, and had little store of food. ITc desired them all, that every one would give his opinion in writing,
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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 España, 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 for- tune in their travel by land to find some rich country, where they might do themselves good. The Governor, although he desired to get out of Florida in shorter time, secing the inconveniences they laid before him, in traveling by sea, determined to follow that which secmed good to them all. On Monday, the fifth day of June, he de- parted from Guachoya. The cacique gave him a guide to Chaguate, and stayed at home in his own town. They passed through a pro- vince called Catalte: and having passed a wilderness of six days' journey, the twentieth day of the month he came to Chaguate. The cacique of this province had visited the Governor Don Ferdinando de Soto at Autiomque, whither he brought him presents of skins, and mantles, and salt. Aud a day before Luys de Moscoso came to his town, we lost a Christian that was sick; which he suspected that the Indians had slain. He sent the cacique word, that he should com- mand his people to seek him up, and send him unto him, and that he would hold him, as he did, for his friend; and if he did not, that neither he, nor his, should escape his hands, and that he would set his country on fire. Presently the cacique came unto him, and brought a great present of mantles and skins, and the Christian that was lost, and made this speech following :
" Right excellent lord, I would not deserve that conceit which you had of me, for all the treasure of the world. What enforced me to go to visit and serve the excellent Lord Governor your father in: Autiamque, which you should have remembered, where I offered my-
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self with all loyalty, faith and love, during my life to serve and obey him? What then could be the cause, I having received favors of him, and neither you nor he having done me any wrong, that should move me to do the thing which I ought not? Believe this of me, that neither wrong, nor any worldly interest, was able to make me to have done it, nor shall be able to blind me. But as in this life it is a natural course, that after one pleasure many sorrows do follow: so by your indignation, fortune would moderate the joy, which my heart conceiveth with your presence ; and that I should err, where I thought surest to have hit the mark; in harboring this Christian which was lost, and using him in such manner, as he may tell himself, thinking that herein I did you service, with purpose to deliver him unto you in Chaguate, and to serve you to the uttermost of my power. If I deserve punishment for this, I will receive it at your hands, as from ,my lord, as if it were a favor. For the love which I did bear to the excellent Governor, and which I bear to you hath no limit. And like as you give me chastisement, so will you also show me favor. And that which now I crave of you is this, to declare your will unto me, and those things wherein I may be able to do you the most and best service."
The Governor answered him, that because he did not find him in that town, he was incensed against him, thinking he had absented himself, as others had done : but seeing he now knew his loyalty and love, he would always hold him as a brother, and favor him in all his affairs. The cacique went with him to the town where he resided, which was a day's journey from thence. They passed through a small town, where there was a lake, where the Indians made salt : and the Chris- tians made some one day while they rested there, of a brackish water, which sprang near the town in ponds like fountains. The Governor stayed in Chequate six days. There he was informed of the habita- tion towards the west. They tell him, that three days' journey from thenee was a province called Aguaroy. The day that he departed from Choguate, a Christian, called Francisco de Guzman, the base son of a gentleman of Seville, stayed behind, and went to the Indians, with an Indian woman which he kept as his concubine, for fear he should be punished for gaming debts that he did owe. The Governor had traveled two days before he missed him; he sent the cacique word to seek him up, and to send him to Agnaray, whither he traveled : which he did not perform. From the Cacique of Aguacay, before they came into the country, there met him on the way fifteen Indians with a present of skins, fish, and roasted venison. The Governor
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came to this town on Wednesday, the fourth of July. He found the town without people, and lodged in it : he stayed there about a day; during which, he made some roads, and took many men and women. There they had knowledge of the South Sea. Here there was great store of salt made of sand, which they gather in a vein of ground like pebble stones. And it was made as they made salt in Cayas.
The same day that the Governor departed from Aguacay, he lodged in a small town subject to the lord of that province. The camp was pitched hard by a lake of salt water; and that evening they made some salt there. The day following he lodged between two moun- tains in a thin grove of wood. The next day he came to a small town called Pato. The fourth day after his departure from Aguacey he came to the first habitation of a province called Amaye. There an Indian was taken, which said that from thence to Naguatec was a day and a half's journey; which they traveled, finding all the way inhabited places. Having passed the peopled country of Amage, on Saturday, the twentieth of July, they pitched their camp at noon be- tween Amaye and Naguatex along the corner of a grove of very fair trees. In the same place certain Indians were discovered, that came to view them. The horsemen went out to them, and killed six, and took two, whom the Governor asked, wherefore they came ? They said, to know what people he had, and what order they kept; and that the Cacique of Naguatex, their lord, had sent them, and that he, with other caciques which came to aid him, determined that day to bid him battle. While they were occupied in these questions and answers, there came many Indians by two ways in two squadrons : and when they saw they were descried, giving a great cry they assaulted the Christians each squadron by itself; but seeing what resistance the Christians made them, they turned their backs and betook themselves to flight, in which many of them lost their lives; and most of the horsemen following them in chase, careless of the camp, other two squadrons of Indians, which lay in ambush, set upon the Christian; that were in the camp, which also they resisted, who also had their reward as the first. After the flight of the Indians, and that the Christians were retired, they heard a great noise a crossbow shot from the place where they were. The Governor sent twelve horsemen to see what it was. They found six Christians, four footmen and two horsemen, among many Indians ; the horsemen defending the font- men with great labor. These being of them that chased the first two squadrons, had lost themselves, and coming to recover the camp foll among those with whom they were fighting : and so they, and those
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that came to succor them, slew many of the Indians, and brought one alive to the camp: whom the Governor examined, who they were that came to bid him battle. He told him, that they were the Cacique of Naguates, and of Amaye, and another of a province called Hacanuc, a lord of great countries and many subjects; and that the Cacique of Naguatex came for captain and chief of them all. The Governor commanded his right arm and nose to be cut off, and sent him to the Cacique of Naguatex, charging him to tell him, that the next day he would be in his country to destroy him ; and if he would withstand his entrance, he should stay for him. That night he lodged there ; and the next day he came to the habitation of Naguatex, which was very scattering : he inquired where the cacique's chief town was ? They told him that it was on the other side of a river, that passed thereby : he traveled thitherward, and came unto it: and on the other side he saw many Indians, that tarried for him, making show as though they would defend the passage. And because he knew not whether it could be waded, nor where the passage was, and that some Christians and horses were hurt, that they might have time to recover, he determined to rest certain days in the town where he was. So he pitched his camp a quarter of a league from the river, because the weather was very hot, near unto the town, in a thin grove of very fair and high trees near a brook's side : and in that place were certain Indians taken ; whom he examined, whether the river were wadeable or no ? They said yea, at some times, and in some places. Within ten days after he sent two captains with fifteen horsemen a piece upward and down the river with Indians to show them where they should go over, to see what habitation was on the other side. And the Indians withstood them both, defending the passage of the river as far as they were able, but they passed in despite of them : and on the other side of the river they saw great habitation, and great store of victuals; and with these news returned to the camp.
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The Governor sent an Indian from Naguatex where he lay, to com- mand the cacique to come to serve and obey him, and that he would forgive him all that was past; that if he came not, that he would seek him, and give him such punishment as he had deserved for that which he had done against him. Within two days the Indian re- turned, and said that the cacique would come the next day; which, the same day when he came, sent many Indians before him, among whom there were some principal men : he sent them to see what coun- tenance they found in the Governor, to resolve with himself whether he should go or not. The Indians let him understand, that he was
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coming, and went away presently : and the cacique came within two hours accompanied with many of his men: they came all in a rank one before another on both sides, leaving a lane in the midst where he came. They came where the Governor was, all of them weeping after the manner of Tulla, which was not far from thence toward the cast. The cacique made his due obedience, and the speech fol- lowing :
" Right high and mighty lord, whom all the world ought to serve and obey, I was bold to appear before your lordship, having committed so beinous and abominable an act, as only for me to have imagined, deserved to be punished ; trusting in your greatness, that although I deserve to obtain no pardon, yet for your own sake only you will use clemency toward me, considering how small I am in comparison of your lordship ; and not to think upon my weaknesses, which, to my grief and for my greater good, I have known. And I believe that you and yours are innmortal; and that your lordship is lord of the land of nature, seeing that you subdue all things, and they obey you, even the very hearts of men. For when I beheld the slaughter aml destruction of my men in the battle, which, through mine ignorance, and the counsel of a brother of mine, which died in the same, I gave your lordship, presently I repented me in my heart of the error, which I had committed ; and desired to serve and obey you : and to this end I come, that your lordship may chastise and command me as your own."
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