WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES — VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 10/ 



word of the death of Don Pedro de Mendoza, and having no news of 

 Juan de Ayolas, who was engaged in his expeditions and campaigns 

 along the Rio de la Plata, appreciating the courage and Christian 

 character of this noble gentleman, Cabeza de Vaca, entrusted to him 

 that expedition and administration in the year 1541 ; and he went 

 there and carried out extended explorations of provinces which by 

 his wisdom and excellent skill he converted to the Faith, knowing well 

 how to do it. In these he suffered great hardships and especially from 

 the Royal Ofificials, who, with treasonable and arbitrary action, 

 arrested him for having been zealous in the service of God and of 

 His Majesty, as is related in the histories; and in the year 1545 he 

 returned to Spain, where his innocence was recognized and he was 

 set free. 



306. In the year 1539 Commander Hernando de Soto set out to 

 explore Florida, and sailed into the Bay of Espiritu Santo the last 

 day of May with 900 well-armed Spanish soldiers and 350 horses. 

 The first districts he explored were those of the chiefs Hirrihiagua, 

 Mucozo, and Urribarracu. Inland there are many trees of Spanish va- 

 rieties, like walnuts, mulberries, plums, oaks, wild grape vines, pines, 

 and others similar. He continued exploring large provinces and settle- 

 ments of powerful and warlike Indians, great archers ; and since the 

 Spaniards did not establish themselves at once, they kept wasting 

 away, between those who were killed by the Indians and others who 

 succumbed to the great hardships they underwent, and to ailments. 

 And after traveling inland and exploring great provinces and various 

 tribes, in the year 1543 he died in the Province of Quigualtagui like 

 a good Christian, leaving as Governor General in his place Luis de 

 Moscoso Alvarado. They buried him by night in a very deep grave 

 so that the savages should not disinter him and make a mock of him ; 

 but having realized that they could not keep it hidden from the 

 Indians, they took out his body and put it in a hollow tree trunk 

 which served as a cofifin, plugging it up with a plank, each end heavily 

 weighted, and cast it into the deep current of the great river, with 

 profound grief and sorrow on the part of all. 



307. Although the new General was well liked by everyone, they 

 began quarreling at once and abandoning what had cost them such 

 hardships ; so, starting out from this point westward for New Spain 

 and traveling many leagues with no success, indeed, with the loss and 

 the death of many of their comrades, both in fights with the warlike 

 savages and from ailments caused by their great hardships, they faced 

 about toward their starting point and reached the provinces of the 

 chiefs Guachacoya and Anilco, who were waging bloody warfare 



