24 MYTHS OF THE CHKKOKKE [kth.an.n.19 



tiiii(> he hoped also to ol)tiiin more definite infornmtion oonceniiiio- the 

 mines. A.s the chief purpose of tiie expedition was the discovery of 

 the mines, many of the officers regarded this change of plan as a 

 mistake, and favored .staying where they wei"e until the new crop 

 should be ripened, then to go directly into the mountains, but as the 

 general was "a stern 7nan and of few words," none ventured to oppose 

 his resolution.' The province of Cova was the territory of the Creek 

 Indians, called Ani'-Kusa by the Cherokee, from Kusa, or Coosa, their 

 ancient capital, while Chiaha was identical with Chehaw. one of the 

 principal Creek towns on Chattahoochee river. Cotitachi(|ui may 

 have b(>en the capital of the Uchee Indians. 



The outrageous conduct of tlie Spaniards had so angered the Indian 

 cjueen that she now refused to furnish guides and carriers, whereupon 

 De Soto made her a prisoner, with the design of compelling her to act 

 as guide herself, and at the same time to use her as a hostage to com- 

 mand the obedience of her sul)jects. In.stead. however, of conducting 

 the Spaniards by the direct trail toward the west, she led them far 

 out of their course until she tinally managed to make her escape, 

 leaving them totind their way out of the mountains as best they could. 



Departing from Coiitachiqui, they turned first toward the nt)rth, 

 passing through several towns subject to the (pieen, to whom, although 

 a prisoner, the Indians everywhere .showed great respect and obe- 

 dience, furnishing whatever assistance the Spaniards compelled hei- to 

 demand for their own purposes. In a few days they came to "'a 

 province called Chalacjue," the territory of the Cherokee Indians, 

 probably upon the waters of Keowee river, the eastei'u head-stream 

 of the Savannah. It is described as the poorest country for corn that 

 they had yet seen, the inhabitants .subsisting on wild roots and 

 herbs and on game Avhich they killed with bows and ari'ows. They 

 were naked, lean, and unwarlike. The country abounded in wild 

 turkeys (••gallinas"). whitli the people gave very freely to the 

 strangers, one town presenting them with seven hundred. A chief 

 also gave De Soto two deerskins as a great present." (xarcilaso, writ- 

 ing on the authority of an old soldier nearly fifty years afterward, 

 says that the ""Chalaques" deserted their towns on the approach of 

 tlic white men and tied to the mountains, lea\'ing liehind only old men 

 and women and some who were nearly blind.'' Although it was too 

 eaily for the new crop, the poverty of the people may have been 

 moi'c a}iparent than real, due to their unwillingness to give any part 

 of their stored-up provision to the unwelcome strangers. As the 

 Spaniards w'ere greatly in need of corn ft)i' themselves and their 

 horses, they made no stay, but hurried on. In a few days they arrived 



' Gentleman of Eh-as. Piiblicafions of the Hakhiyt Society, i x. pp. .52,5s, &i: London. 1851. 



-Iliirl., p. (iO. 



^Gaix'ilaso, La P^lorida del Inca. p. i:>(i, ed. 1723. 



