would consider them as friends. Capafi, not being-
able to walk, was borne in the arms of his attend
ants to kiss the hands of the Governor, who. well
pleased to have him in his power, treated him with
the utmost urbanity and kindness.*
*The Inca. P. 2, L. 2, c. 10.
16*
186
CHAPTER XXX.
Singular escape of the Cacique Capafi.
1539. DE SOTO returned well pleased to the vil
lage of Anhayea, flattering himself that the moles
tation from the savages would now be at an end,
since he held their Cacique a captive. His hopes,
however, were vain, for the Indians, freed from the
charge of protecting their chieftain, now devoted
themselves to molesting the Christians. The Gene
ral considered this, a base instance of ingratitude,
seeing that he had refrained from ravaging the
country, and he threatened Capafi to commence a
war of extermination against his people.
The Cacique expressed much grief at their con
duct, and informed De Soto that the most eminent
of them were concealed in a thick forest, five or six
leagues from the camp. He offered to go there,
guarded by a body of Spaniards, and persuade them
to submit, adding, that no messages would avail, as
they would not be convinced that he was not a
prisoner in irons, and badly treated. De Soto, ac
cordingly, ordered a company of horse and foot to
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 187
escort him, charging them to watch him closely,
and not allow him to escape. They left the village
before morning, and, directing their inarch in a
southerly direction, reached the forest about sunset.
Here the Cacique sent some Indians of his train
to his warriors, who were concealed in the forest,
with orders for them to assemble before him on the
following morning. Trusting that the order of Ca-
pafi would be punctually obeyed, the Spaniards be
took themselves to rest for the night, having first
placed sentinels at the out-posts, and a strong guard
around the Cacique ; whose unwieldy bulk, in fact,
seemed a sufficient guarantee for his safety. Partly
through negligence, however, and partly through
weariness from three days journey, sentinels and
all fell asleep. Upon this, the wily Cacique, watch
ing his opportunity, crawled on all fours through the
drowsy camp, and soon fell in with a prowling
party of his subjects, who raised him on their shoul
ders, and bore him off to the forest.
When morning came, and the Spaniards awoke
from sleep, the Cacique was not to be seen. They
beat up the surrounding forest, but without success.
Each one wondered, and questioned the other, how
so unwieldy a man had escaped without being seen
or heard. The sentinels all swore that they had been
exceedingly vigilant on their parts ; it was unani-
188 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA.
mously agreed, therefore, that the Indians must
have conjured up some demon to carry him off
through the air. They set off on their return, deep
ly mortified; followed by the Indians at a distance,
taunting and jeering them, but offering no other mo
lestation. They arrived in the camp much crest
fallen, and invented a thousand fables to account to
the Governor and his officors for the escape of the
prisoner. They all certified that they had witness
ed strange sights that night, and insisted that the
Cacique could not have escaped unless he had been
spirited away by devils, so vigilant had been their
watchfulness.
The Governor, though aware that they had ne
glected their duty, knew that there was no remedy,
and, not to displease his soldiers, pretended to be
convinced of the truth of what they had represent
ed. He increased their satisfaction by saying that
the Indians were such notorious necromancers that
they might have performed even more wonderful
feats.
189
CHAPTER XXXI.
Continuation of the expedition of Juan de Anasco
and his thirty lances, and what further befell them.
1539. WE must now return to the thirty cavaliers
whom we left preparing to cross the river Ocali.
Those who were employed in felling the timber, in
a short time had finished the raft ; for they were
provided for such emergencies with hatchets and
cords ; they fastened two large ropes to it under
the water, by which it was to be drawn, backwards
and forwards, from bank to bank.
Two good swimmers carried one of the ropes to
the opposite shore. They had but just accomplish
ed this, when the Indians of Ocali rushed down to
the river to assail them. The eleven cavaliers who
had crossed to the opposite bank, closed with them,
killed some and put the rest to flight, and remained
masters of the field, excepting that flights of arrows
were discharged at them from a distance.
The combat ceased, they called out lustily for their
cloaks to be sent over on the first raft, as a north
wind had risen, and being dripping wet, with no
190 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA.
other covering but shirts and coats of mail, they
were suffering from the cold.
The rafts made several voyages to and fro, before
all the baggage, and such of the Spaniards as could
not swim, were ferried across. As fast as they
landed they hastened to join their comrades, who
were keeping the thickening host of savages at bay :
two only remained to unload the raft.
The four horsemen who had been posted as a rear
guard, to protect the men as they embarked, had
succeeded in covering them from assault. Two of
them, Hernando Athanasio and Gonzalo Silvestre,
remained for the last crossing of the raft ; which, as
there would be no one left behind to keep back the
savages, would be the most perilous. When the
raft was laden and ready for the traverse, Athanasio
sprang upon it, leading his horse into the water to
swim along side. Silvestre then charged upon the
savages, drove them to a distance from the shore,
returned at full speed, leaped from his horse, urged
him into the water, cast loose the fastening of the
raft, and, springing upon it, gave signal for it to be
hauled over to the opposite bank.
All this was accomplished with such promptness
and activity, that they were already half way across
the river, and out of danger, before the Indians
could reach the shore.
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 191
In all this crossing, the horses performed their
part to admiration. They required no spur nor
scourge, and scarce any leading ; they never flinch
ed nor hesitated, but seemed to comprehend their
real danger that an enemy was hovering near, and
that their safety depended upon their docility and
their perfect obedience to their masters.
It was two o clock in the afternoon when they
had all crossed the river, neither man nor horse
having received a wound. They made for the vil
lage, where they purposed resting, as Juan Lopez
Cacho had been so long in the cold water that he
was completely chilled, and appeared like a statue,
without the power of moving hand or foot.
The Indians opposed them on their approach to
the village, until their wives and children had time
to fly to the woods ; when they thought them in
safety they abandoned the place. The Spaniards
entered and halted in the middle of the public
square, fearing to quarter in the dwellings, lest, be
ing separated, the Indians might surround and make
them prisoners.
They built four huge fires in the square, near
which they laid poor Juan Lopez and covered him
with the cloaks of his comrades. One of his friends
gave him a dry shirt which he chanced to have with
him, at this time a most acceptable gift.
192 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA.
They remained in the village the rest of the day,
in a state of anxiety. The situation of Juari Lopez
rendered* it impossible for him to travel this night,
yet they feared the delay might give the natives
time to spread the alarm, and, gathering in numbers,
to barricade the road. They generously resolved,
however, that come what might, they would place
the health of their companion before any other con
sideration. Accordingly, they tethered one half the
horses, and fed them with maize, while the remain
der walked the rounds. Some occupied themselves
in drying their saddles and the clothes which had
been soaked in the water, and others in replenish
ing the saddlebags with maize ; for, notwithstanding
there was an abundance of dried grapes and plums,
and various other fruits, they took nothing but In
dian corn, which answered as food both for them
selves and horses.
As night closed in, mounted sentinels patrolled
round the village and its vicinity, to give warning
in case of the approach of an enemy. About the
mid watch, two of the horsemen, while going the
rounds, heard a low murmuring noise, as of men ap
proaching. One started off to put his comrades on
their guard, while the other remained to reconnoitre
and ascertain the meaning of the sound. In the
brightness of the starlight he descried a large
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 193
and obscure cloud of savages moving towards the
village, and hastened to give the alarm. The Span
iards, finding that Juan Lopez was somewhat re
covered, threw the cloaks cf his companions over
him, and seating him on a horse, fastened him in
the saddle, while one of his comrades led his horse
by the reins. In this manner they left the village
in deep silence, before the enemy arrived, and so
expeditiously did they travel, that at daybreak they
were six leagues from Ocali.
With the same expedition they continued their
journey, running post haste through the populous
country, that the rumour of their approach might
not precede them, and killing all the Indians they
encountered near the road, lest they should give the
alarm. Through the uninhabited tracts they slack
ened their pace, that the horses might rest and
breathe, to be ready to run when it should be ne
cessary. Thus passed this day, which was the sixth
of their wayfaring, having journeyed almost twenty
leagues, a part of the distance through the province
of Acuera, a country peopled with very warlike
savages.
The seventh day after they had left the village ,
Pedro de Atienza complained of being suddenly ill.
They made light of his complaint, and, not to lose
time on the road, urged him forward. He continu-
17
194 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA.
ed from time to time to complain, but without being
attended to, until having ridden in this way for se
veral hours, he fell dead beside his horse. His
comrades were shocked at his sudden fate, and at
their own want of sympathy in his sufferings.
There was no time to be lost, however, in ceremoni
als. They silently dug a grave on the spot with
their hatchets, buried him by the way side, and then
rode on, ruminating on the loss of a brave soldier
and a well tried comrade.
That night they encamped on the border of the
great morass, after travelling twenty leagues. It
was bitter cold, in consequence of a keen north
wind, and they were compelled to build huge fires
at the risk of warning the Indians. Twenty of these
would have been sufficient to dispute this pass, and
massacre every one of them, as they would possess
a great advantage in their canoes, while the Span
iards could not avail themselves of their horses,
neither had they archers nor cross-bows to dislodge
the enemy. Thus troubled and anxious, one third
of their number kept watch at a time, while the
others slept, to gain strength for the fatigues of the
coming day.
195
CHAPTER XXXII.
Passage of t/ie great morass. The troopers suffer
from extreme cold. The vexation of Gomez Arias.
1539. THE Spaniards had slept but a few hours
when they were awakened by the sufferings of Juan
de Soto, who had been companion of Pedro Atien-
za, and who died almost as suddenly as his comrade,
being overcome by excessive fatigue.
Some of the troop fled from the neighborhood of
the corpse, crying that the plague had broken out
among them and caused these sudden deaths. The
old soldier, Gomez Arias, was vexed at their panic
and their clamour. " Plague enough have you,"
said he, " in your journey, from which you cannot
fly, do what you may. If you fly from us, whither
will you go ? You are not on the river banks of
Seville, nor in its olive groves." Upon this, the fu
gitives returned and joined in the prayers for the
dead, but would not aid in interring the body, insist
ing that he had died of the dreaded pestilence.
When the day dawned, they prepared to pass the
morass. Eight of the Spaniards, who could not
196 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA.
swim, made for the bridge over the deepest part of
the morass, and having replaced its railing, they car
ried over the saddles of the horses and the clothes
of their companions. The remainder, perfectly na
ked, vaulted upon their horses, and endeavoured to
force them into the water ; but it was so very cold
that they shrunk back. They then attached ropes
to the halters, and four or five of them swam to the
middle of the current to drag the horses after them,
while others struck them behind with long poles.
The horses, however, planted their feet firmly in the
ground, and could not be moved.
Two or three were at length urged into the stream
a short distance, but when they came to the deep
water, the cold was so great that they turned back,
dragging the swimmers after them. For more than
three hours they thus laboured in vain. At length
they succeeded in forcing two horses over, one of
which belonged to the leader Juan de Anasco, the
other to Gonzalo de Silvestre. Both of these cava
liers, being of the number of those who could not
swim, had already passed by the bridge. As soon
as their horses were brought over, they saddled and
mounted them, to be ready for action should any
enemy approach.
Notwithstanding two horses had thus led the way,
none other could be prevailed upon, either by coaxing
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 197
or cudgelling, to follow* Gomez Arias, the hardy and
weather beaten soldier, was chief of the nineteen
companions who, entirely naked, were labouring up
to their waists in water, to compel the horses to
cross ; and Arias had toiled more than all the rest.
They had now been in the water for more than four
hours, exposed to the keen north wind, and so tho
roughly chilled that their naked bodies were almost
black. They were wearied in flesh, and vexed in
spirit ; and seeing all their exertions useless, were
almost driven to despair.
At this juncture, Juan de Afiasco, having saddled
and mounted his horse, as has been stated, advanced,
on the opposite side, as far as he could ford, until
he reached the edge of the deep channel. He was
enraged that no more horses had been made to
cross over ; and, without inquiring the reason, or
regarding the comfortless plight cf Gomez Arias
and his comrades, attributed it to a want of respect
and obedience to him as leader. In great dudgeon
at the idea, he cried out in a loud and choleric voice,
" Gomez Arias, bad luck to you ! why do you not
pass those horses over ?"
The spleen of honest Gomez, who was a rough
soldier, was already sufficiently roused by the toils,
and sufferings, and vexations he had endured, and
this speech of his commander nettled him to the
17*
198 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA.
quick. Casting a grim and surly glance at Anasco,
" Bad luck to you? cried he, " and to the drab of a
cur that bore you. There you sit on your horse,
comfortably clad and wrapped up in your cloak,
and never think that we have been here for more
than four hours, in the water, half frozen with cold,
and doing all in our power. Dismount with a
curse to you ! and come here, and w r e shall see how
much better you can do than we have done."
Juan de Anasco, though prone to be passionate,
recollected himself in his anger, and restrained his
tongue. The companions of Gomez Arias told him
the true state of the case : he saw that he had been
wrong in speaking so abruptly to the veteran, whose
rough reply was incited by his vexatious situation,
rather than by any personal disrespect.
Juan de Anasco often drew upon himself like re
buffs in this and other expeditions, by the hastiness
of his tongue and temper ; for there is nothing of
which a partisan commander, in these rough adven
turous scouting parties, ought to be more observant,
than to treat his comrades with kindness and civility.
When any toils and hardships are to be encounter
ed, he should excite them by words ; and when it
becomes necessary to use the latter, they should be
kind and temperate, as they do not cost more than
harsh ones, and are infinitely more effectual.
199
CHAPTER XXXIII.
They capture some of the natives. Perplexed with
fears for the safety of the garrison at Hirrihigua.
Their arrival there.
1539. WHEN the discord was appeased the Span
iards renewed their efforts, and the noontide sun
having somewhat tempered the coldness of the wa
ter, the horses were slowly forced across, so that
by three in the afternoon all had passed over.
They were, indeed, in a wretched plight, drench
ed with water, worn out with excessive toil, be
numbed with cold, exhausted with hunger, and
what was worse, they had but scanty provisions
wherewith to recruit their strength and spirits.
They uttered no complaint or repinings, however,
but rejoiced to have crossed this much dreaded pass,
and that no enemy had opposed them ; for, had
but fifty of the savages hemmed them in, where
would have been these brave cavaliers ? The ne
glect of the Indians in attacking them was, most
probably, owing to the distance of the morass from
200 CONQUEST OP FLORIDA.
any hamlet or village, and it was now the winter
season, during which time the natives, as they went
naked, seldom left their houses.
The Spaniards agreed to pass this night in an ex
tensive plain near the morass, for they and their
horses were so much fatigued that they could not
travel a step. They made large fires, therefore, to
warm themselves, and found consolation in the re
flection, that from this place unto Hirrihigua, whither
they were journeying, they would encounter no dif
ficult passes.
When night came they slept with the same pre
cautions as before, and resumed their march before
daybreak. In this way they travelled two days
without meeting any thing worthy of note. The
horses of the two companions who had died, went
free, saddled and bridled, sometimes following the
others, sometimes taking the lead and keeping as
regularly to the route as if they had riders to guide
them. The night of the tenth day of their journey
was passed within three leagues of the village of
Mucozo.
A little past midnight they were again in the sad
dle. They had not gone far before Pedro Moron,
the half-blood, so noted for the quickness of his
scent, suddenly cried out " take heed ! I smell fire
at no great distance." They looked about them
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 201
but could see nothing of the kind, nor could they
perceive the smell of tire.
After proceeding about a league further, Moron
again came to a halt. " I am certain," said he,
" that there is a fire somewhere, close at hand."
They now proceeded warily, keeping a sharp look
out, and after a little while discovered a fire in a
forest hard by. Drawing silently near, they per
ceived a number of Indians, with their wives and
children, seated round it, cooking and eating fish.
Though they supposed them to be subjects to the
friendly Cacique Mucozo, they resolved to capture
as many as they could, and ascertain whether this
chieftain continued at peace with Pedro Calderon.
In case he did not, they would be able to retain
them prisoners of war and send them as slaves to
Havana. They accordingly dashed forward to sur
round them. The savages started up on hearing
the sudden tramp of the horses, and made for the
woods. Many eluded pursuit in the darkness of
the night, and many escaped in the thickets. They
took prisoner about twenty persons, women arid
children ; who continually called out the name of
Ortiz, desiring to remind the Spaniards of the past
kindness of their Cacique. But these availed no
thing ; they were detained prisoners.
The half starved Spaniards, without dismounting,
202 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA.
made a greedy meal on the fish, not waiting to
cleanse them from the sand with which the tramp
ling of the Indians and the horses had covered them.
Refreshed by their hasty repast, they continued
their journey, keeping clear of the village of Mu-
cozo. After travelling five leagues, the horse of
Juan Lopez Cacho gave out ; having never re
covered from his sufferings in crossing the river
Ocali. His rider had fared better, having been re
stored, partly by the sudden alarm in the night, and
chiefly, by the natural vigour of his age, being not
more than twenty years old. Throughout the resi
due of the journey he had been as active as any of
his companions.
Finding it impossible to get the horse on, although
within six leagues of the end of his journey, they
left him in a verdant meadow where there was
abundance of pasturage, and hung his saddle and
bridle in a tree, so that any Indian who should use
him, might have him with his furniture. They
greatly feared, however, that as soon as the Indians
found him they would kill him. After travelling for
"* nearly five leagues, they arrived within a league of
the village of Hirrihigua, where they expected to
find Captain Pedro Calderon, with forty horse and
eighty foot. They examined the ground narrowly
as they rode along, hoping to find some tracks of
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 203
the horses ; for as the village was so near, and the
country free from wood, it seemed to them natural
that their countrymen should have rode out as far
as this, and even further. Discovering, however,
no traces of the kind, they were filled with dismal
forebodings, fearing that Calderon and his men had
been massacred by the natives, or had left the coun
try in the caravels. In either case, what were they
to do ? Isolated as it were, surrounded by ene
mies, with no barque in which to leave the country,
and without the means of building one ! To return
to the Governor, appeared to them impossible, after
what they had suffered in coming. As they had dis
cussed their forlorn situation, they unanimously
agreed, that if they did not find their companions
in Hirrihigua, they would retire into some of the
secret fastnesses of the adjacent forests, where there
was abundance of grass for the horses. The super
fluous horse they would kill, and dry .his flesh for
food for the journey ; and w r hen the other horses
had sufficiently recruited, they would attempt to re
turn to the Governor. Should they be killed by
the road, they would die like true and faithful sol
diers ; if they arrived safe, they would have accom
plished their commander s orders.
With this heroic resolve they pushed on ; the fur
ther they advanced, however, the more were they
204 CONQUEST OF FLORIDA.
confirmed in their fears and suspicions ; for they
discovered no trace of their comrades. At length,
they came to a small lake, which was less than half
a league from the village. Here they found fresh
tracks of horses, and near the water, marks of their
countrymen having made lye and w r ashed their
clothes there.
A joyful shout burst from the lips of every Span
iard. The horses were dragging wearily along,
but the moment they scented the traces of the
others, they threw up their heads, pricked their ears,
and neighed loud and shrill, plunging and leaping
about as if just from the stable: setting off now at a
round rate, they soon accomplished the remainder
of their journey.
The sun was setting as they came in sight of the
village. The night patrole w r ere defiling out two
by two, on horseback, with lance and shield, and
shining armour. Juan de Anasco and his followers
fell into the same order, and, as if they were tilting
in the lists, they advanced at a furious gallop,
rending the air with huzzas and joyous shouts.
Pedro Calderon and his men sallied out to meet
them, and received them with open arms. Instead
of inquiring, however, after the health and welfare
of the army and the Governor, and their particular
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA. 205
friends, they anxiously demanded whether there
was any gold in the country !
Anasco, without delay, inquired of Calderon
whether the natives of this province, and the vassals
of Mucozo, had continued peaceable and friendly ;
and learning that they had, he directed that the
prisoners recently taken should be immediately
liberated, and sent home to their country loaded
with presents. By them he sent an invitation to
Mucozo to make him a visit with a train of attend
ants, to convey to their homes the sea stores and
other articles which, on their departure, they in