bwaston] i \i:i.Y HISTORY OF THE CREEK INDIANS 155 
Willi ihr blow they all began to shoot arrows a1 us, some from within the bouses 
through the many loopholes they had arranged, and some from without. As we were 
bo wholly unprepared, having considered ourselves on a footing orf peace, we were 
obliged, from the great injuries we were sustaining, to (lee from the town, leaving 
behind all that the carriers had brought for us, as I hey had there set down their burdens. 
When the Indians saw that we, had gone out, they closed the gates, and beating their 
drums, they raised flags, with great shouting; then, emptying our knapsacks and 
bundles, showed up above the palisades all we had brought, as much as to say that they 
had those things in possession. Directly as we retired, we bestrode our horses and 
completely encircled the town, that none might thence anywhere escape. The 
governor directed that sixty of us should dismount, and that eighty of the best 
accoutred should form in four parties, to assail the place on as many sides, and the 
first of us getting in should set fire to the houses, that no more harm should come to 
us; so we handed over our horses to other soldiers who were not in armour, that if 
any of the Indians should come running out of the town they might overtake them. 
We entered the town and set it on fire, whereby a number of Indians were burned, 
and all that we had was consumed, so that there remained not a thing. We fought 
that day until nightfall, without a single Indian having surrendered to us, they 
fighting bravely on like lions. We killed them all, either with fire or the sword, or, 
such of them as came out, with the lance, so that when it was nearly dark there re- 
mained only three abive; and these, taking the women that had been brought to 
dance, placed the twenty in front, who, crossing their hands, made signs to us that 
we should come for them. The Christians advancing toward the women, these 
turned aside, and the three men behind them shot their arrows at us, w T hen we killed 
two of them. The last Indian, not to surrender, climbed a tree that was in the fence, 
and taking the cord from his bow, tied it about his neck, and from a limb hanged him- 
self. 
This day the Indians slew more than twenty of our men, and those of us who escaped 
only hurt were two hundred and fifty, bearing upon our bodies seven hundred and 
sixty injuries from their shafts. At night we dressed our wounds with the fat of the 
dead Indians, as there was no medicine left, all that belonged to us having been 
burned. We tarried twenty-seven or twenty-eight days to take care of ourselves, and 
God be praised that we were all relieved. The women were divided as servants 
among those who were suffering most. We learned from the Indians that we were as 
many as forty leagues from the sea. It was much the desire that the governor should 
go to the coast, for we had tidings of the brigantines; but he dared not venture thither, 
as it was already the middle of November, the season very cold; and he found it neces- 
sary to go in quest of a country where subsistence might be had for the winter: here 
there was none, the region being one of little food. 1 
The Elvas narrative parallels that of Ranjel in most particulars 
but adds interesting details. It confirms the Ranjel narrative in 
stating that the first messenger from Tascaluca reached De Soto at 
the Talsi town. From what he tells us a little farther on it would 
seem that the village called Caxa by Ranjel was the first belonging 
to the Province of Tascaluca, or Tastaluca as Elvas has it. "The 
following night," he goes on to say, "he [De Soto] rested in a wood, 
two leagues from the town where the cacique resided, and where he 
was then present. He sent the field marshal, Luis de Moscoso, with 
fifteen cavalry, to inform him of his approach. " 
1 Bourne, Narr. of De Soto, n, pp. 16-21. 
