That day came an Indian to the governor from the cacique of Guachoya, and said that his lord would come the next day. The next day they saw many canoes come up the river; and on the other side of the great river they assembled together in the space of an hour. They consulted whether they should come or not; and at length concluded to come, and crossed the river. In them came the cacique of Guachoya, and brought with him many Indians, with great store of fish, dogs, deer’s skins, and mantles. And, as soon as they landed, they went to the lodging of the governor, and presented him their gifts. And the cacique uttered these words:—
“Mighty and excellent lord, I beseech your lordship to pardon me the error which I committed in absenting myself, and not tarrying in this town to have received your lordship.… But I feared that which I needed not to have feared, and so did that which was not reason to do.”…
The governor received him with much joy, and gave him thanks for his present and offer. He asked him whether he had any notice of the sea. He answered, No, nor of any towns down the river on that side, save that two leagues from thence was one town of a principal Indian, a subject of his; and on the other side of the river, three days’ journey from thence down theriver, was the province of Quigalta, which was the greatest lord that was in that country.The governor thought that the cacique lied unto him to rid[141] him out of his own towns, and sent John Danusco, with eight horsemen, down the river to see what habitation there was, and to inform himself if there were any notice of the sea. He travelled eight days; and at his return he said, that, in all that time, he was not able to go above fourteen or fifteen leagues, because of the great creeks that came out of the river, and groves of canes and thick woods that were along the banks of the river, and that he had found no habitation.
The governor fell into great dumps to see how hard it was to get to the sea, and worse because his men and horses every day diminished, being without succor to sustain themselves in the country; and with that thought he fell sick. But, before he took his bed, he sent an Indian to the cacique of Quigalta, to tell him that he was the child of the sun; and that, all the way that he came, all men obeyed and served him; that he requested him to accept of his friendship, and come unto him, for he would be very glad to see him; and, in sign of love and obedience, to bring something with him of that which in his country was most esteemed. The cacique answered by the same Indian,—
“That whereas he said he was the child of the sun, if he would dry up the river, he would believe him. And touching the rest, that he was wont to visit none; but, rather, that all those of whom he had notice did visit him, served, obeyed, and paid him tributes, either willingly or perforce: therefore, if he desired to see him,it were best that he should come thither; that, if he came in peace, he would receive him with special goodwill; and, if in war, in like manner he would attend him in the town where he was; and that for him, or any other, he would not shrink one foot back.”
By that time the Indian returned with this answer, the governor had betaken himself to bed,being evil handled[142] with fevers, and was much aggrieved that he was not in case to pass presently the river, and to seek him,to see if he could abate that pride of his,[143] considering the river went now very strongly in those parts; for it was near half a league broad, and sixteen fathoms deep, and very furious, and ran with a great current; and on both sides there were many Indians;and his power[144] was not now so great, but that he had need to help himself rather by sleights than by force. The Indians of Guachoya came every day with fish in such numbers, that the town was full of them. The cacique said, that, on a certain night, he of Quigalta would come to give battle to the governor, which the governor imagined that he had devised to drive him out of his country,and commanded him to be put in hold;[145] and that night, and all the rest, there was good watch kept. He asked him wherefore Quigalta came not. He said that he came; but that he saw him prepared, and therefore durst not give the attempt. And all night the horsemen went the round; and two and two of every squadron rode about, and visited the scouts that were without the town in their standings by the passages, and the crossbow-men that kept the canoes in the rivers.
VI.—Death and Burial of De Soto.
The next day, being the 21st of May, 1542, departed out of this life the valorous, virtuous, and valiant captain, Don Ferdinando de Soto, governor of Cuba, and adelantado of Florida, whom fortune advanced, as it used to do others, that he might have the higher fall. He departed in such a place and at such a time, as [that] in his sickness he had but little comfort; and the danger wherein all his people were of perishing in that country, which appeared before their eyes, was cause sufficient why every one of them had need of comfort, and why they did not visit nor accompany him as they ought to have done. Luys de Moscoso determined to conceal his death from the Indians, because Ferdinando de Soto had made them believe that the Christians were immortal, and also because they took him to be hardy, wise, and valiant; and, if they should know that he was dead,they would be bold to set upon[146] the Christians, though they lived peaceably by them. In regard to their disposition, and because they were nothing constant, and believed all that was told them, the adelantado made them believe that he knew some things that passed in secret among themselves, without their knowledge how or in what manner he came by them;and that the figure which appeared in a glass[147] which he showed them did tell him whatsoever they practised and went about; and therefore neither in word nor deed durst they attempt any thing that might be prejudicial unto him.
