|
Expedition of Hernando de Soto, continued. The Spaniards under De Soto, leaving Apalachee, in the country east of the Apalachicola, turned to the northeast, and came to a town called Yupaha, the sound of which is suggestive of the Alapaha, a tributary of the Suwanee. Here the following notable speech is put into the mouth of an Indian chief, which has a strong smack of Castilian diplomatic grandiloquence: ''Right high, right mightie and excellent lord, those things which seldome happen doe cause admiration: what then may the sight of your lordship and your people doe to me and mine whom we never saw? especially being mounted on such fierce beasts as your horses are, entering with such violence and fury into my country, without any knowledge of your coming. It was a thing so strange, and caused such fear and terror in our minds, that it was not in our power to stay and receive your lordship with the solemnities due to so high and renowned a prince as your lordship is," (a diplomatic way of saying they could not help running away) ''and, trusting in your greatness and singular virtues, I do not only hope to be freed from blame, but also to receive favours, and the first which I demand of your lordship is that you will use me, my country and subjects, as your own ; and the second, that you will tell me who you are, and whence you come, and whither you go, and what you seek, that I the better may serve you thereto." To this courteous speech the governor replied, '' that he was very much obliged to him; that he was the son of the sun, and came from those parts where he is, and sought the greatest lord and richest province in it." De Soto here ''left a very high crosse of wood set up in the middest of the market-place." The populousness of the country he had now entered, upon the Altamaha, maybe inferred from the fact mentioned that a chief sent him "two thousand Indians, with a present, to wit: many conies and partridges, bread of maize, two hens, and many dogs, which last, it is said, were esteemed as if they had been fat wethers; and when they came to any town and found thirty or forty dogs, he that could get one and kill it thought himself no small man; and he that killed it and gave not his captain one quarter, if he knew it, he frowned on him, and made him feele it on the watches." In another tribe four Indians were taken, and none of them would confess anything but that they knew of no other habitation. The governor commanded one of them to be burned, and presently another confessed, and gave the information they desired. Feminine chieftainship is an unfrequent occurrence among savage tribes ; but near the Atlantic coast in South Carolina De Soto came into the territories of an Indian queen, invested with youth, beauty, and loveliness, who is styled by the old chronicles ''the Ladie of the countrie." Upon De Soto's approach, he was met by a lady ambassadress, sister of her Majesty, who delivered a courteous speech of welcome, " and within a little time the Ladie came out of the town in a chaire, whereon certain of the principal Indians brought her to the river. She entered into a barge, which had the sterne tilted over, and on the floor her mat ready laid, with two cushions upon it, one upon another, where she sat her down, and with her came her principal Indians, in other barges, which did wait upon her." She went to the place where the governor was, and at her coming she made this speech: '' Excellent lord, I wish this coming of your lordships into these your countries to be most happy; although my power be not answerable to my will, and my services be not according to my desire, nor such as so high a prince as your lordships deserveth, yet such the good will is rather to be accepted than all the treasures of the world that without it can be offered; with most unfailable and manifest affection I offer you my person, lords, and subjects, and this small service." After this courteous and graceful speech from the throne, to which it maybe inferred that so gallant a cavalier as De Soto must have replied in equally complimentary style, the princess caused to be presented to the Adelantado rich presents of the clothes and skins of the country, and far greater attraction for them - beautiful strings of pearls. Her Majesty, after some maiden coyness, took from her own neck a great cordon of pearls and cast it about the neck of the governor, entertaining him with very gracious speeches of love and courtesy, and as soon as he was lodged in the town she sent him another present, of not quite so delicate and refined a character, but no doubt considered by her of far greater value, namely, some hens. Perceiving that they valued the pearls, she advised the governor to send and search certain graves that were in that town, and that he should find many. They sought the graves, and there found fourteen "measures" of pearls, weighing two hundred and ninety-two pounds, and little babies and birds made of them, reminding one of the recent excavations at Chiriqui. The people were brown, well made and well proportioned, and more civil than any others that were seen in all the country of Florida, and all of them went shod and clothed. The Spaniards, wearied with their long and fruitless travel, and worn down by their hardships, urged upon their leader that it was a good country to inhabit, and in a temperate climate, and that ships going and coming from Spain might touch there, and that it was a productive country. But the governor, it is said, "since his intent was to seek another treasure like that of Atahualpa, Lord of Peru, was not contented with a good country, nor with pearls, though many of them were worth their weight in gold. And being a stern man, and of few words, though he was glad to sift and know the opinion of all men, yet after he had delivered his own he would not be contraried, and always did what he liked himself, and so it is said all men did condescend unto his will, and though it seems an errour to leave that country, yet there was none that would say anything against him after they knew his resolution." The fair princess seems to have been ill requited for her hospitable reception of the Spaniards. Held as a hostage (for the good behavior of the Indians, it is to be presumed), De Soto insisted upon her accompanying him, which she did for many days, until one day, turning aside into the forest upon some slight pretext, she disappeared, not without suspicion of design, as there happened to be missing at the same time one of the Spaniards, who report said had joined the fair princess for weal or for woe, and had returned with her to her tribe. Upon this meagre incident, the romance-writer of the South, VV. Gilmore Simms, has woven an ingenious and pleasant tale in his story of Andres Vasconselos. The journey of De Soto was thence to the borders of the Tennessee, meeting no opposition in his march. By one tribe he was met with a present of seven hundred hens, and by another with twenty baskets of mulberries, and on one occasion three hundred dogs were brought to him. Led on by the indefinite stories of the Indians, whose motive was probably to mislead him, he traveled through the upper parts of South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama, until he changed his course to the southwest, and arrived at a town called Mauvilla. The tribes through which they had passed in the upper country seem to have offered no opposition, and were probably of a more peaceable disposition than those along the gulf. Mauvilla was the scene of a bitter and sanguinary conflict. The pearls and baggage which the Spaniards had borne thus far were left in the hands of the Indian slaves, who were suddenly surprised by the Mauvillians and carried into the town. De Soto, determined to strike a blow which should carry terror to the natives, attacked the place with great impetuosity, and set fire to the buildings, consuming alike the stores of the Indians and his own baggage, and what they seem to have most regretted their stores of pearls. The number of Indians slain in this encounter is stated to have been twenty-five hundred, while of the Spaniards eighteen men were killed and one hundred and fifty wounded. After this battle De Soto learned that Francisco Maldonado, who had been sent by him from Apalachicola with the brigantines to look for a port to the westward, awaited him at the port of Ochuse - (Pensacola), six days journey from Mauvilla. This Mauvilla is supposed to have been on the Alabama River, and the name of Mobile is derived from it. It might naturally be that De Soto, having now traveled several hundred leagues through the country, and finding his hopes ever disappointed, would, at the end of these eighteen months of travel, gladly embrace the means of extrication afforded by this opportune arrival of his vessels. But the pride of the noble cavalier would not permit him to turn back while a glimmering hope remained of accomplishing his designs. He instructed Juan Ortiz to keep Maldonado's arrival a secret, because, it is quaintly said, "he had not accomplished that which he determined to do, and because the pearls were burnt there which he meant to have sent to Cuba for a show, that the people hearing the news might be desirous to come to that country." He feared also ''that if they should have news of him, without seeing from Florida either gold or silver or anything of value, the country would get such a name that no man would seek to go thither when he should have need of people; and so he determined to send no news of himself until he had found some rich country." And thus he deliberately turned his face forever from the shores of his native land, and from all the wealth and distinction of his viceroyalty in Cuba, intent on carrying out to its full solution the problem of the wealth and riches of Florida. Maldonado long awaited the arrival of De Soto at Ochuse, and at last, despairing of ever again meeting him, turned his sails sorrowfully to bear to the Lady Isabella the report of the probable fate which had befallen the expedition. De Soto changed his course thence to the northwest, sore in body and sore in spirit, and was met at every step with demonstrations of enmity; the towns were burned over their heads, and night attacks were frequent. In the province of Quinague he was waited upon by six principal chiefs, who made this remarkable declaration: "That they came to see what people they were, and that long ago they had been informed by their forefathers that a white people should subdue them, and that therefore they would return to their cacique, and bid him come presently and serve the governour." The Spaniards were then near to the Father of Waters, which they called the Great River - Rio Grande. They described the river as ''about half a league broad. If a man stood still on the other side, it could not be discerned whether he were a man or no. The river was of great depth, and of a strong current ; the water was always muddy; there came down the river, continually, many trees and timber, which the force of the water and stream brought down. There was a great store of fish in it of sundrie sorts, and the most of it differing from the fresh- water fish of Spain." From the cottonwood-trees on its banks, De Soto constructed boats large enough to carry three horses at a time, and crossed over at night without interruption from the natives. He spent the summer and autumn in exploring the regions beyond the Mississippi, and wintered, it is supposed, upon the White River. He here concluded that in the spring he would go to the seacoast, and dispatch a vessel to Cuba and another to Mexico, with the view of sending to his wife, the Lady Isabella, who '"as in Cuba, intelligence of himself, and for another outfit to enable him further to prosecute his expedition. Up to this time he had lost two hundred and fifty men and one hundred and fifty horses. About the middle of April he returned to the banks of the Mississippi, with the view of going to the coast, and at once began to make inquiries about the country, but could get little intelligence. He then sent out an expedition to the southward, but it could make no progress on account of the numerous creeks and canebrakes. The gallant chief, who had so long borne up under every species of discouragement, who had ever responded with alacrity to the call to battle, who bore himself always as a prudent and brave commander, now began to sink into despondency; and visions of the past, and a certain home sickness, it may well be imagined, came upon him. A slow and wearing fever daily detracted from his strength, and he soon felt that the hour approached wherein he was to leave this present life. He called his followers around him to receive his parting words, and said to them, '' that now he was to go to give an account before the presence of God of all his life past, and since it pleased God to take him in such a time, and that the time was come; that he knew his death drew near, and that he. His most unworthy servant, did yield to 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 prosperities of his estate) 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 that they would pardon him for some wrongs which they might have received of him; and, to avoid some divisions 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, in leaving them in a strange country where they knew not where they were." Baltazar 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 accompanied, and how God showed him a singular favor which soonest left it, and many other things proper for the occasion; and besought that he would himself appoint his successor." He therefore named Luis Muscoza de Alvarado his captain-general. The next day, being the 21st of May, 1542, ''departed out of this life the valorous, virtuous, and valiant Captaine Don Fernando de Soto, Governour of Cuba and Adelantado of Florida," whom, says the chronicler, "fortune advanced as it useth to do others, that he might have the higher fall. He departed in such a place and such a time, and in his sickness he had but little comfort." They attempted to conceal De Soto's death, but, the Indians suspecting the place of his burial, he was taken up at a late hour of a dark night, and, wrapped in his mantle, was conveyed by the dim light of the stars to the middle of the Mississippi, and buried beneath its stream, in sorrow and silence, with a low whispered De Profundis from noble and saddened hearts, who seemed to bury with their chief beneath those dark waters almost the last ray of hope, and to look forward to the future with heavy forebodings. The choice of a successor made by De Soto was ratified without dissent by his followers, and their first and only aim was to escape as soon as possible from a country which had disappointed all their hopes, and given not even the barren rewards of honorable fame. They endeavored at first, to follow the supposed route of Cabeca de Vaca, and reach Mexico, then called New Spain, by land ; but after traveling to the southwest for some time they became discouraged, and concluded to build boats and attempt to coast along the shore. Finding a suitable place, called Minoya, the governor commanded them " to gather all the chaines which they had to lead the Indians," and collect the timber and material necessary for building boats. They built seven large boats and floated down the Mississippi, and, after several encounters with the natives, reached the open sea, and coasted along to the westward until they reached the northern Spanish settlements at Panuco, where they were joyfully received and treated with great kindness. Many went on shore "and kissed the ground, and kneeling on their knees, and lifting up their hands and eyes to heaven, they all ceased not to give God thanks." Of those constituting De Soto's expedition who came out of Florida, there arrived at Panuco three hundred and eleven persons, the only survivors of the thousand brave men who, four years before, had landed at the harbor of Espiritu Santo. The main interest of this extraordinary expedition centres in the person of the gallant chief with whom it originated, and who staked his name, his fortune, and his life upon the success of the enterprise; and as long as the great Father of Waters shall roll in resistless flood towards the sea, so long will the name of De Soto be recalled in connection with this expedition, and the sad fate which terminated his life upon its borders will excite a throb of sympathy for one who, at the early age of forty-two, passed from this world, second to none of his day or age in the practice of all manly virtues and deeds of knightly prowess. We can hardly trace this long journey of De Soto through a trackless wilderness without astonishment at the perseverance and hardihood which, under such circumstances, could traverse thousands of miles unprovided with means of subsistence, marching from tribe to tribe and country to country, wherever the information of the hour produced hope for the future. Let us, for a moment, carry ourselves back in imagination three hundred and thirty-one years. From the beautiful pine-glades of Florida we see issuing forth the gallant troops of the Adelantado. Three hundred mounted men, on noble Andalusian steeds, richly caparisoned, lead the advance. These are all gentlemen and noble cavaliers, hidalgos of rank and scions of the noblest families of Spain, officered by brave captains, whose names are emblazoned for their valor under the banner of Pizarro. Following these come six hundred and fifty men-at-arms, on foot, in close and serried ranks, and in their midst several hundred of the natives, bearing the burdens of their masters. These are the slaves, native Indians, whom they have impressed into their service; many are led by chains, and others manacled, to prevent escape. When a sufficient number of some other tribe are taken to supply their place, these will be relieved and allowed to return to their homes, and the others substituted, to be again relieved in like manner. Riding behind the cavaliers appear twelve men in long, black soutaines, who are evidently non-combatants. These are the clericos, priests and friars, and in their train are those who bear the ornaments and plate for celebrating mass. At each encampment an altar is erected, draped with rich altar-cloths, and surmounted with a golden crucifix, while lofty candelabra throw their pale light upon the worshipers. The priests, in their gorgeous vestments, celebrate mass in the sight of the whole army, drawn up in hollow square; and, kneeling amid their Christian masters, the natives of the forest, in mute wonderment, bow their heads in adoration of the Christians' God. So, day by day and week by week, proceeded the march. Wherever an Indian field was found, its harvest was gathered; and wherever an Indian store-house or granary was discovered, its contents were speedily appropriated. For three years and a half this long march proceeded, without reinforcements or additional supplies. This fact of itself speaks volumes for the energy and generalship of this distinguished leader. With but a thousand men, De Soto conquered and over- ran a country containing hundreds of thousands of inhabitants, and for over three years subsisted his troops and maintained the discipline of his forces in a wild and trackless country, without, so far as we know, a single murmur of discontent being raised against him by his devoted followers. For three hundred years the red and white races have fought for supremacy over the countries traversed by De Soto, and now, at the end of more than three hundred years, the descendants of the warlike chiefs of Hirrihigua, Vitachuco, and Ocali still possess, amid the grassy everglades and cypress swamps beyond the Espiritu Santa, the hunting grounds and graves of their ancestors. Three hundred and thirty years ago, the advent of the horses of the adventurers, which the Indians invested with supernatural proportions, first struck with terror the savage races of Florida, and seemed to be the terrible precursors and forerunners of the domination of the white race, ''the children of the sun;" and now the iron horse of an advancing civilization is startling those same pine forests with its shrill scream, indicating the fulfillment of that manifest destiny which was to strike forever from the land of their forefathers the last remains of the aboriginal races.
|
