202 OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING 



wards the eaft.* The Mexicans, a number of circumftances 

 have induced me to believe, were the anceftors of the na- 

 tions known by the name of Choktah, Chikkalah, &c. 



When Fernando de Soto was at Quaxule in Florida, 

 he was told that " Northwards he would find the Pro- 

 vince of C/.yJla, where they melted Copper, and another 

 metal of the fame colour, but much more lively and per- 

 fed ; that it was a metal that feenried to be more precious 

 than Copper, but yet was not made ufe of, becaufe it was 

 fofter. This relation, continues my author, agreed with 

 what Soto was told in Cutifachiqui^ where we faw fome 

 little Axes of Copper, which they faid was mingled with 

 Gold."t 



The Peruvian hiftorian, Garcillaflb de la Vega, alfo 

 takes particular notice of certain metals, which the Spa- 

 niards found at Cofaciqui. From the account of this hifto- 

 rian (who, I am very forry to lay, is not in every inflance 

 to be confided in), it would feem that the Floridians 

 were acquainted with both copper and tin, with which 

 metals, when united, they may have formed their axes. 

 La Vega, as well as the Portuguefe author, exprefsly 

 mentions copper ; and it is not unlikely (admitting the 

 truth of the rtory) that the white metal was tin. It is faid 

 to have been very light.:): 



* See Clavigero's Hiftory of Mexico. Vol. I. p. 115 and 1 16. 



+ A Relation of the Invafion and Conqueft of Florida by the Spaniards, 

 under the command of Fernando de Soto. Written in Portuguefe by a 

 gentleman of the town of Elvas. Englifh Tranflation : p. 75. London: 



:j: I have not an opportunity of confulting the original work in Spanifti. 

 My information is derived from Richelet's French Tranflation, which was 

 publifhed at Leyden, in the year 1731. See H'lftoire de la conquete Je la 

 Fioride : ou Relation de ce qui s' efl pajfe dans la decouverte de ce Pais par Ferdi- 

 nand de Soto. I (hnll quote as much of this work as relates immediately 

 to my fubjeft- " Durant les courfes d' Amafco, les autres Efpagnols qui efpe- 

 roient tous de faire fortune en Cofaciqui, s' informerent avec foin des richeifes 

 qui s' y rencontroient, & le General commanda d' appeller les deux jeunes 



Indiens 



