bwanton] EARLY HISTORY OF THE CREEK IXMAXS 147 
Penicaut, us usual, "improves upon the truth." He says: 
We were very much frightened, on Landing there, to find such a prodigious number 
of bones of the dead thai they formed a mountain, so many there were. We learned 
afterward thai ii was a numerous nation, which being pursued and having retired 
into the country, bad almoel all died there of sickness, and as it is the custom of 
savages to collect together all the hones of the dead, they had brought them to this 
place. Tins nation is named Movila, of which there still remain a small number. 1 
Penicaut 's conclusion was probably due to his knowledge that it 
was customary among the Choctaw, and probably some of the neigh- 
boring uations as well, to treat the bones of the dead asjie describes, 
but his explanation is not borne out by the descriptions of Iberville 
and his colleague, who are much more worthy of credence. Of course, 
there is no certainty to what tribe the bones in question belonged, 
but 1 make the suggestion that they were from some band of the 
ancient coast people of whom I am speaking. It is possible that, 
instead of being members of the Mobile tribe, the people killed here 
had been the victims of the Mobile. Perhaps these sinister relics 
and the mysterious disappearance of the Pensacola may have been 
due to causes set in motion by De Soto, 20 years after the time of 
Cabeza de Vaca, when he overthrew the Mobile Indians. At that 
period it is not improbable that they pushed down toward the coast 
and were instrumental in destroying the aboriginal inhabitants of the 
region. 
In November, 1539, while De Soto was in the Province of Apalachee, 
Maldonado was despatched westward in the brigantines. He 
returned reporting that he had discovered an excellent harbor. He 
"brought an Indian from the province adjacent to this coast, which 
was called Achuse, and he brought a good blanket of sable fur. They 
had seen others in Apalache, but none like that." This is from 
Ranjel's account. 2 The Fidalgo of Elvas says that this province, 
which he calls "Ochus," was "sixty leagues from Apalache" and that 
Maldonado had "found a sheltered port with a good depth of water." 3 
Biedma states that Maldonado "coasted along the country, and 
entered all the coves, creeks, and rivers he discovered, until he ar- 
rived at a river having a good entrance and harbour, with an Indian 
town on the seaboard. Some inhabitants approaching to traffic, he 
took one of them, and directly turned back with him to join us." 
He adds that he was absent on this voyage two months. 4 Later the 
bay in which the De Luna colonists established themselves is called the 
"Bay of Ichuse," or "Ychuse," but it is uncertain whether this was 
1 Margry, D6c, v, p. 383. » Ibid., I, p. 50. 
• Bourne, Narr. of De Soto, II, p. 81. * Ibid., II, pp. 8-9. 
