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De Soto and 1Jtloscoso Beyond tlee 111ississippi, 1537-1543
great compassion, as they were all Christians of their own free will, and were now to remain lost." We cannot but wonder at the attachment of these Indians to their masters. A great number of them, no doubt, had accompanied the Spaniards in many of their wanderings and in spite of the reputed cruelty of the conquistadors, had received kind treatment and had been drawn to them. The work of the missionaries is eloquently revealed in the silent tears of the natives as they watched the boats glide away down the river.• 6 By the middle of July they reached the mouth of the Mississippi. The question arose as to whether they should follow the coast or try to steer a straight course to Panuco by going out to sea. Juan de Aiiasco, who claimed he had seen a map of the coast, said that the Rio de las Palmas was due west, but that the coast turned to the south from Las Palmas to Panuco and that by sailing out to sea they would shorten the distance by several hundred miles. The majority favored following the coast, how- ever, and this course was followed. On September 10, 1543, after sailing along the coast of Texas for almost fifty-two days, during which they landed on the shore several times, the little fleet of seven vessels entered the Panuco, having passed the mouth of the Rio de las Palmas ( the present Rio Grande) during the night. Meeting some natives, they asked in what country they were and were amazed to hear the Indians reply in Spanish that they were in Panuco and that the town of the Spaniards was fifteen leagues inland. "The pleasure that all received at this news cannot be sufficiently expressed," declares the Gentleman of Elvas. "They felt as though a life had been newly given them. Many, leaping on shore, kissed the ground; and all, on bended knees, with hands raised above them, and their eyes to heaven, remained untiring in giving thanks to God ... After having sailed four days [ up the Panuco] , the people, discovering themselves greatly retarded in the desire to get among Christians, and of taking part in the divine offices, which for a long season had not been listened to by them, they gave up the brigantines to the sailors, and went on by land ... Just as the Christians arrived at the town, in their clothing of deerskin, dressed and dyed black, consisting of frock, hose, and shoes, they all went directly to the church, to pray and return thanks for their miraculous preservation." • 6 The facts summarized here are from the narrative of the Gentleman of Elvas (Lewis, ed.), 250-254. The concluding paragraphs that follow are a summary of this account.
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