PEARLS AND PEARL FISHERIES. 
387 
of pearls, and, throwing it around his neck, exchanged with him gracious words of 
friendship and courtesy. Observing that the Christians valued these pearls, the 
cacica told the governor that if he would order the search of some sepulchers in 
the village he would find many pearls, and if he chose to send to the sepulchers in 
the uninhabited towns he might load all his horses with them. The Spaniards did 
examine and rifle of their contents the sepulchers in Cutifachiqui, and upon the 
authority of the Knight of Elvas obtained from them 350 pounds’ weight of pearls, 
some of which were formed after the similitude of babies and birds (baroques). If the 
truth were known, or if an Indian had written this account, we should probably find 
that DeSoto and his companions, in their eager quest for treasures, violated the graves 
without permission and plundered the receptacles wherein were gathered the most 
costly possessions of the natives. As a proof that the Indians did not willingly part 
with these ornaments, but suffered pillage through fear of these strange and wanton 
men, we are informed that when the cacica, whom DeSoto compelled to accompany 
him with the intention of taking her to Guaxule, which was the farthest limit of her 
territory, succeeded in making her escape, she carried back with her a cane box filled 
with unbored pearls, the most precious of all her jewels. 
Luys Hernandez de Biedma says that the governor, while at this town, opened a 
“mosque” in which were interred the chief personages of that country. 
From it we took a quantity of pearls of the weight of as many as or 7 arrobas, though they 
were injured from lying in the earth and in the adipose substance of the dead. 
In the estimate of the relator, one of the saddest losses encountered by the expe- 
dition in the bloody affair at Mauilla was the destruction of the pearls which the 
Spaniards bad been sedulously collecting during their wanderings in this strange 
land. 
The most minute and interesting description of the manner in which the Indians 
obtained pearls and converted them into beads is furnished by Garcilasso Inca de la 
Vega. While De Soto was in the town of Ichiaha, which was probably located at or 
near the confluence of the Etowah and Oostanaula rivers, possibly on the very spot 
now occupied by the city of Borne, Georgia, the following circumstance occurred : 
The cacique came one day to the governor, bringing him a present of a string of pearls 5 feet in 
length. These pearls were as large as filberts, and had they not heen hored by means of fire, which 
had discolored them, would have heen of immense value. De Soto thankfully received them, and in 
return presented the Indian chief with pieces of velvet and cloth of various colors and other Spanish 
trifles held iu much esteem by the natives. In reply to the demand of De Soto, the cacique stated 
that the pearls had been obtained in the neighborhood. He further told him that in the sepulcher of 
his ancestors was amassed a prodigious quantity, of which the Spaniards were welcome to carry away 
as many as they pleased. The Adelantado thanked him for his good will, but replied that, much as 
he wished for pearls, he never would insult the sanctuaries of the dead to obtain them, adding that 
he only accepted the string from the chieftain’s hands. 
De Soto having expressed a curiosity to see the manner of extracting pearls from the shells, the 
cacique instantly dispatched 40 canoes to fish for oysters during the night. At an early hour next 
morning a quantity of wood was gathered and piled upon the river bank, and being set on fire was 
speedily reduced to glowing embers. As soon as the canoes arrived the oysters were laid upon the 
hot coals. They quickly opened with the heat, and from some of the first thus opened the Indians 
obtained 10 or 12 pearls as large as peas, which they brought to the governor and the cacique, who 
were standing together looking on. They were of a fine quality, but somewhat discolored by the fire 
and smoke. The Indians were apt also to further injure pearls thus obtained by boring them with a 
heated copper instrument. 
De Soto, having gratified his curiosity, returned to his quarters to partake of his morning meal. 
While thus engaged a soldier entered with a large pearl in his hand. He had stewed some oysters, 
