Sottus’s farther Journey very remarkable.
The City Mavilla.
Cruel Fight.
Sottus dies.
Strange Fight.
After this miserable Adventure, the Business of Florida lay dead for eleven years, till Ferdinandus Sottus, chosen Governor of Cuba, obtain’d so much of the Emperor Charles the Fifth, that he ventur’d one Expedition more for Florida: Besides Seamen he carried five hundred Foot, and three hundred and fifty Horse; with which Landing in the Bay Del Espirito Santo, he march’d against the Casique Vitacucho, whom he took Prisoner, with a thousand of the Natives, whom he either put to the Sword, or caus’d them to be torn in pieces by Dogs; and staying all the Winter in Apalache, fortifi’d that place, and furnish’d himself with Provisions; he was inform’d, that thirteen days Journey from thence lay the Kingdom of Cofachiqui, abounding with Gold, Silver, and Pearls, which made every one of the Spaniards very desirous to go thither, notwithstanding the Way was very dangerous; for the valiant Floridans lying in Ambuscade in the Corn-Fields, wounded and kill’d many of them by Shooting from thence. Sottus, so soon as March approached, set forward on his Way. In the poor Province of Achalaqui he found a few young People, and the old most of them blind. From Cofachiqui he was follow’d by four thousand Natives, who carried the Spaniards Luggage, and serv’d them as Guides through Woods and Wildernesses. The seventh day they stopp’d at a great River, whither Sottus sent four Companies to seek out a Passage over, whereof three return’d without any effect, but the fourth, Commanded by Captain Annasio, and a Colonel of a thousand Cofachiquians, came to a Village built along the River; in which they made a miserable Rout, killing all they lighted on, and hanging the Sculls of the Dead by their sides: this done, they march’d back. Sottus at last espying a Village on the other side of the River, beckned to the Natives to come over to him; whereupon six came immediately; who understanding that he desir’d their friendly Assistance and Trade, promis’d to acquaint their Governess, being a young Maiden: who soon after came over to Sottus, and presented him with a String of Pearl: he complain’d to her for Provisions, which she promis’d in part to store him with. Crossing the River he found a brave Countrey, where were Pearls as big as gray Pease, Copper of a golden colour, but no Gold. Out of the Tombs of their Princes the Spanish Officers, with the leave of the fore-mention’d Maid their Governess, got an incredible Treasure in Pearls. In the Village Tolomeco they did the like. But here their Provisions growing scarce, the Army was divided into two Bodies, Balthasar de Gallegos leading one, and Sottus the other; yet the Design of them both was on the Province of Chalaque; whither marching, they were surpris’d by such a violent Storm, that few would have been left to relate their Adventures, had not the Trees bore it off from them; for it not onely Thundred and Lightned as if Heaven and Earth would have met, but also Hail-stones fell down as big as Eggs, which beat down the Boughs of Trees. In the pleasant Valley Xualu, belonging to the Kingdom of Cofachiqui, they rested fifteen days, and then march’d through Countreys of Guaxale, Acostes, and Coza, where above a thousand Indians, adorn’d with Plumes of Feathers and rich Furr Cloaks, came to meet and welcom them, and to desire them from the Casique to stay there all the Winter; but Sottus resolving to go to the Haven Achusi, refus’d the same. After this he view’d Talisse, fortifi’d with woodden and earthen Bulwarks; where the Casique Tascalusa, a Man as big again as an ordinary Spaniard, receiv’d Sottus with great civility, and conducted him to Mavilla, lying in a pleasant place. The City, surrounded with double Pallisado’s, fill’d up with Earth between, (where also at eighty Paces distant from one another, stands a Tower to contain eighty Soldiers) hath two Gates, eighty Houses, in every one of which dwell a thousand Men, and a large Market-place in the middle; where whilst the Spaniards were in the midst of their Mirth, they on a sudden heard a great cry of Arms; the first Assault was made by seven thousand, which still increased by fresh Supplies; but the Spaniards at last setting the City on fire, broke through them, and left above eleven thousand slain, either by the Smoak and Flame, or by their Bullets, Swords, Horses Heels and Dogs; the Spaniards also lost eighty three Men and forty three Horses. Thence going to Chicora they were stopt by the Natives before a deep River with high Banks, which at last crossing, not without great trouble and blood-shedding, they Winter’d in the Village Chicora, where the Inhabitants let them rest very quietly for two Moneths; at the end of which, joyning together in the Night, they shot fire into the Straw Roofs, and maintain’d a Fight of two hours long, in which the Spaniards lost forty Men, fifty Horses, and all their Hogs, which were burnt in the Houses. From thence going to Chicacolla they were resisted in most places, and in the Fort Alibamo Engag’d by four thousand Floridans, who waited for their coming; but those were so shrewdly handled, that half of them were slain, and Sottus became Master of the Fort, as also of Chisca, which he Storm’d and took unawares. With no less trouble and danger did he get over the River El Grande, where he discover’d a Village that contain’d above four hundred Houses, and many delightful Fruit-Trees. The Casique Casquin, maintain’d the Spanish Army six days in this place, and taking five thousand of his Subjects, march’d with them to Capaha, which hath a deep and broad Moat on three sides thereof: the fourth was fortifi’d with strong Pallisado’s, through which the Spaniards breaking, made way for Casquin, who put all to the Sword, the Governor onely escaping in a Canoo to a neighboring Isle. The Entrance being thus taken by the Spaniards, Casquin return’d home. After which Sottus concluded a Peace with Capahaes the Governor, and took up his Quarters in the Village Vitangue, where he receiv’d continual Sallies; but taking fifteen Casiques Prisoners, threatned to burn them alive, unless they would procure them some Gold; yet not being able to get any, they had only their Hands cut off and were sent away. Moreover, Sottus help’d the Guachacoya’s, to ruine those of Anilco; which Design prov’d successful, yet not according to Sottus’s desire, for he found not the Gold-Mines which he expected, but spent in this five years Progress the great Treasure which he took out of Atibaliba’s Palace; and the Pearls which he got in Florida, for the Oysters being open’d against the Fire, and the Pearls drill’d through with a hot Iron, lost much of their lustre, neither would his People consent to build a City in the Haven Achusi. In the midst of these Transitions Sottus died of the Bloody-flux, and his Body was Interr’d in the River El Grande. After which his Successor Ludovicus de Alvarado had worse success, for half of the Army being wasted by the excessive heat, the rest resolv’d to desert Florida, utterly despairing to be ever able to resist the valiant Natives. In the Province of Auche they procur’d a Guide, whom, because he mis-led them in their Way, they caus’d to be torn in pieces by their Dogs: after which they march’d without a Guide through such bad Ways, that they lost a hundred of their Men and eighty Horses, besides many Floridans that carried their Luggage: At last coming to the River El Grande they conquer’d two Villages; which fortifying, they took up their Winter Quarters in them. But this being the fourteenth year, in which the River us’d generally to overflow and drown all the adjacent Countreys, on a sudden, to their great amazement, the Wood which they had gather’d for the building of Barques to carry them home, was wash’d away, their Provisions spoil’d, and their Habitations drown’d: and to this Inconvenience was added another yet greater; for the Governors round about rais’d all the Forces they could possibly, to revenge themselves on the Spaniards for their great oppression. But Alvarado being inform’d of this Design by the Casique Anilco, caus’d thirty of the Abettors of the Plot to have their Hands cut off. Not long after this the Spaniards set Sail, when a thousand Canoos that came to Engage them lay sixteen days amongst them, killing and wounding several of the Seamen, and sunk a Barque with forty eight Men, and also kill’d many Horses which were yet on the Shore; the Prisoners they took were strappado’d to death, and the Horses shot: yet some of them got safe from Panuco to Mexico.
Expedition of Ahumada and Samano.
These above-mention’d Expeditions to Florida, notwithstanding they fell out unfortunately, nevertheless by the permission of Philip the Second, King of Spain, Peter Ahumada and Julius Samano, with five Dominican Monks, made another Attempt, and Landed with several great Crosses, that thereby they might reduce the Floridans, whose Language they understood not, to their Faith: But they fearing treachery, resisted them, and kill’d the Monks with Clubs, flay’d them, and hung their Skins in their Temples.
The Expedition of Menendez.
Notwithstanding these and many worse Accidents that hapned, yet the Spanish King ventur’d once more, and sent Peter Menendez to Florida; whither he was follow’d by three Jesuits from Rome, viz. Peter Martinius, Joan Roger, and Francis Villaregius: The Master of the Ship in which they went being ignorant where he was, judg’d it convenient to Land; whereupon nine Netherlanders and four Spaniards, amongst which was Martinius, went ashore on Florida, whilst a Storm arising drove the Ship to Cuba; by which means those that were Landed were left in a miserable condition, having no Food but wild Herbs, on which they fed twelve days: so that this Expedition also came to nothing.