114 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 102 



seven large provinces before reaching that of Anilco, which was large 

 and thickly settled ; they traveled 30 leagues through it to the capital, 

 which was a town of 400 houses, built on the bank of that mighty 

 river. It contained a large square next the dwelling of Chief Anilco. 

 They crossed the river and journeyed on through uninhabited moun- 

 tainous country to the Province of Gachacoya, mortal enemy of 

 Anilco, with whom he was at war. Here the Spaniards were kindly 

 treated and welcomed by the chief and his underlings ; they rested 

 there and other things happened which for brevity's sake I beg leave 

 to omit. From here they went on to the Province of Quigualtaugui ; 

 the chief town contained 500 houses, built on the bank of the mighty 

 river ; the country is fertile and abounding in food supplies. It was 

 at this spot that Governor de Soto died in the year 1543; with this 

 event began the loss of what had been laboriously accomplished. 



321. Although the soldiers had accepted Luis de Moscoso as their 

 General, they immediately wanted to leave the country for New 

 Spain, and traveled 100 leagues westward to the Province of Auche, 

 and from there through others more sterile, named after the warlike 

 cowboys (Vaqueros) ; there were cows in that country. They traveled 

 20 days through these provinces losing Spaniards every day with the 

 fighting and the hardships. Seeing that they were getting lost, they 

 turned eastward, working ENE. till they arrived in the Provinces of 

 Anilco and Guachacoya. From there in boats or brigantines, as has 

 been told, they made their way out with great trials, pursued by a 

 thousand canoes of Indians, and they succeeded in making port at 

 I*anuco, abandoning so many provinces they might have settled. 



322. On all the Florida coast and on those islands, besides the 

 pearl beds to be found in the rivers inland, of which we have given 

 a brief and succinct account, and oyster beds on the sand bars with 

 fine pearls, there is much ambergris of far finer quality than else- 

 where, and other highly prized and valuable commodities ; but since 

 the country is not settled and explored, it derives no benefit from 

 such great wealth. 



323. The colonists of that Florida country sufifer great need be- 

 cause the Bishop of Havana cannot come over there on account of 

 the risks of storms at sea and of pirates, and so they are yet to be 

 confirmed ; accordingly they desire and pray that His Majesty will 

 take pity on them and since they serve him as loyal subjects, that he 

 will do them the favor to send them a Bishop or Abbot, which will 

 comfort and strengthen them, and will bring many of the heathen 

 who dwell inland, to knowledge of our Holy Faith, for they are well- 

 disposed. Inland there are many churches without priests and though 



