De Soto and ,11oscoso Beyond the Mississippi, 1537-1543
127
The Spaniards waited eight days to cross. On the opposite bank they found houses but no people. It is to be remembered that it was now July and that the Indians in all probability were gone to hunt buffalo on the plains, although there is a possibility that they had abandoned their homes upon learning of the approach of the Spaniards. A messenger was sent in search of the chief but to no avail. Moscoso then sent two captains with instructions to forage freely, burn the towns and bring back captives. This policy produced the desired effect. The chief sent five warriors, three of whom were to serve as guides and inter- preters in leading the Spaniards into the country beyond, whither they wished to go. Moscoso immediately set out and three days later reached a hamlet of four or five houses which belonged to the chief of a poor province called Nissohone, thinly populated and with but scanty supplies of maize. The Spaniards noticed that the guides changed the course and instead of going west at times seemed to go east or north, leading them through heavy thickets. The party suspected treachery and the deceptive guides were summarily hanged on trees and a squaw from Nissohone led them back to their road. Two days later they entered another province called Lacane. Here an Indian prisoner told them that Nondacao was a very populous country where there was plenty of maize. They lost no time, therefore, in going to this province where they were received kindly by the chief who gave them a quantity of fish. Learning of a country called Soacatino, where it was said the Indians had seen other Christians, they asked for a guide to that province. "We were all delighted," declares the Gentleman from Elvas, "thinking it might be true, and that they [ the Christians l could have come by the way of New Spain. If it were so, having found nothing of value in Florida, we would be able to leave it." 24 Filled with new hope, the wearied travelers set out from Nondacao for Soacatino. Five days later they came to a province called Aays. "The inhabitants had never heard of the Christians. As soon as they observed them entering the territory, the people were called out, who, as fast as they could get together, came by fifties and hundreds on the road, to give battle. While some encountered us, others fell upon our rear; and when we followed them up, these [in front] pursued us." After a hard
24 Gentleman of Elvas, n'{>. rit., 176-177.
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