governor-general of Florida for life, and also of the 1538. island of Cuba. De Soto soon found himself surrounded by adventurers of all classes, and in April, 1538, sailed for Cuba with a fleet of seven large and three small vessels. ' * 3. In Cuba the new governor was received with great rejoicings;-new accessions were made to his forces; and after completing his preparations, and leaving his wife to govern the island, he embarked for Florida, and early in June, 1539, his fleet anchored in the Bay of Espiritu Santo, or Tampa Bay. His forces consisted of six hundred men, more than two hundred of whom were mounted, both infantry and cavalry being clad in complete armor. 4Besides ample stores of food, a drove of three hundred swine was landed, with which De Soto intended to stock the country where he should settle; and these were driven with the expedition throughout most of the route. 4. After establishing a small garrison in the vicinity of Espiritu Santo, and sending most of his vessels back to Havanna,† he commenced his march into the interior, taking with him, as interpreter, a Spaniard found among the natives, who had remained in captivity since the time of Narvaez. After wandering five months through unexplored and mostly uncultivated regions, exposed to hardships and dangers and an almost continued warfare with the natives, during which several lives were lost, the party arrived, in the c. Nov. 6. month of November, in the more fertile country of the Apallachians, east of the Flint river,‡ and a few leagues north of the Bay of Apalachee, where it was determined to pass the winter. 5. From this place an exploring party discovered 6. What dis the ocean in the very place where the unfortunate Narvaez had embarked. De Soto likewise dispatched thirty horsemen to Espiritu Santo, with orders for the Espiritu Santo, now called Tampa Bay, is on the western coast of Florida, 200 ailes southeast from St. Marks. There is no place of anchorage between the two places. Hananna, the capital of Cuba, a wealthy and populous city, is on the north side of the island. It has the finest harbor in the world, capable of containing a thousand ships. The entrance is so narrow that but one vessel can pass at a time. The Flint river is in the western part of Georgia. It joins the Chattahooche at the northern boundary of Florida, and the two united form the Apalachicola. 1539. garrison to rejoin the army in their present winter quarters. The horsemen arrived with the loss of but two of their number, and the garrison rejoined De Soto, although with some loss, as, during their march, they had several desperate encounters with the natives. Two small vessels that had been retained at Espiritu Santo reached the Bay of Apallachee, and by the aid of these the coast was further explored du 1533-40. ring the winter, and the harbor of Pensacola* dis covered. . In what the Span their first b. March 13. 2. What Course did the Span iards take in the spring? 3. What in 3 De 6. The Spaniards remained five months in winmanner did ter quarters at Apallachee, supplying themselves with iards pass provisions by pillaging the surrounding country; bui winter? they were kept in constant alarm by the never-ceas1540. ing stratagems and assaults of the natives. 2 A1 length, in the month of March, they broke up their camp and set out for a remote country, of which they had heard, to the northeast, governed, it was said, by a woman, and abounding in gold and silver. Soto had previously dispatched his ships to Cuba, with orders to rendezvous in the following October at Pen hau De Soto sacola, where he proposed to meet them, having, in the mean time, explored the country in the interior. 4. What dis- 7. Changing his course now to the northeast, Dr ment did De Soto crossed several streams which flow into the At Soto meet lantic, and probably penetrated near to the Savannah, where he indeed found the territory of the princess of whose wealth he had formed so high expectations; but, to his great disappointment, the fancied gold proved to be copper, and the supposed silver only thin 5. Describe plates of mica. structions given to his ships? appoint with? De Soto the route of 8. His direction was now towards the north, to through the head waters of the Savannah and the Chattahoochee, whence he crossed a branch of Georgia. PENSACOLA AND VICINITY. the Apalachian chain which runs through the northern 1540. part of Georgia, and came upon the southern limits of the territory of the Cherokees. Hearing that there a. Map p. 45. was gold in a region farther north, he dispatched two 1. horsemen, with Indian guides, to visit the country, These, after an absence of ten days, having crossed rugged and precipitous mountains, returned to the camp, bringing with them a few specimens of fine copper or brass, but none of gold or silver. 9. During several months the Spaniards wanered through the valleys of Alabama, obliging the chieftains, through whose territories they passed, to march with them as hostages for the good conduct of their subjects. In October they arrived at Mauville,† a fortified Indian town near the junction of the Alabama and the Tombeckbee. Here was fought one of the most bloody battles known in Indian warfare. 'During a contest of nine hours several thousand Indians were slain and their village laid in ashes. 10. The loss of the Spaniards was also great. near Mobile Many fell in battle, others died of their wounds,-they lost many of their horses, and all their baggage was consumed in the flames. "The situation of the 5. What was Spaniards after the battle was truly deplorable, for nearly all were wounded, and, with their baggage, they had lost their supplies of food and medicine; but, fortunately for them, the Indian power had been so completely broken that their enemies were unable to offer then any farther molestation. 11. While at Mauville, De Soto learned from the natives that the ships he had ordered had arrived at Pensacola. But, fearing that his disheartened soldiers would desert him as soon as they had an opportunity of leaving the country, and mortified at his losses, he determined to send no tidings of himself c. Note p. 28 *The Apalachian or Alleghany Mountains extend from the northern part of Georgia to the State of New York, at a distance of about 250 miles from the coast, and nearly paralel to it. They divide the waters which flow into the Atlantic from those which flow into the Mississippi. † Pronounced Mo-veel, whence Mobile derives its name. The Alabama river rises in the N.W. part of Georgia, and through most of its course is called the Coosa. The Tombeckbee rises in the N.E. part of Mississippi. The two unite 35 miles north from Mobilc, in the State of Alabama, and through several channels empty into Mobile Bay. 1540. until he had crowned his enterprise with success by discovering new regions of wealth. He therefore a. Nov. 8. turned from the coast and again advanced into the interion. His followers, accustomed to implicit obedience, obeyed the command of their leader without b. 1540-4. 1541. 1. What was tion of the during their ter, and what losses did they sufferi remonstrance. 12. The following winter he passed in the country of the Chickasaws, probably on the western bank the situa of the Yazoo,* occupying an Indian village which Spaniards had been deserted on his approach. Here the InBecond win dians attacked him at night, in the dead of winter, and burned the village; yet they were finally repulsed, but not till several Spaniards had fallen. In the burning of the village the Spaniards lost many of their horses, most of their swine, and the few remaining clothes which they had saved from the fires of Mauville. During the remainder of the winter they suffered much from the cold, and were almost constantly harassed by the savages. 2. When and where did they cross the Missis c. May 5. sippi? 13. At the opening of spring the Spaniards resumed their march, continuing their course to the northwest until they came to the Mississippi,† which they crossed, probably at the lowest Chickasaw bluff, one of the ancient crossing places, between the thirtyfourth and the thirty-fifth parallel of latitude. Thence, after reaching the St. Francis, they continued north they spend until they arrived in the vicinity of New Madrid, in and where the southern part of the State of Missouri. 3. What course did they then take? 4. How did the summer did they pass their third winter? 14. After traversing the country, during the sum mer, to the distance of two or three hundred miles d. 1541-2. west of the Mississippi, they passed the winterd on the 1542. banks of the Wachita. In the spring they passed * The Yazoo river rises in the northern part of the State of Mississippi, and running southwest, enters the Mississippi river 65 miles north from Natchez. The Mississippi river, which, in the Indian language, signifies the Father of Waters, rises 160 miles west from Lake Superior. Its source is Itasca Lake, in Iowa Ter ritory. After a winding course of more than 3000 miles, in a southerly direction, it discharges its vast flood of turbid waters into the Gulf of Mexico. It is navigable for steam-boats to the Falls of St. Anthony, more than 2000 miles from its mouth by the river's course. The Mississippi and its tributary streams drain a vast valley, ex tending from the Alleghanies to the Rocky Mountains, containing more than a million of square miles of the richest country in the world;-a territory six times greater than the whole kingdom of France. The St. Francis river rises in Missouri, and running south, enters the Mississippi 60 miles north from the mouth of the Arkansas. The Wachita river rises in the western part of the State of Arkansas, and run |