_How the Governor went from Aquixo to Casqui, and thence to
Pacaha; and how this country differs from the other._
The Rio Grande being crossed, the Governor marched a league and a
half, to a large town of Aquixo, which was abandoned before his
arrival. Over a plain thirty Indians were seen to draw nigh, sent
by the cacique to discover what the Christians intended to do, but
who fled directly as they saw them. The cavalry pursued, killed ten,
and captured fifteen. As the town toward which the Governor marched
was near the river, he sent a captain, with the force he thought
sufficient, to take the piraguas up the stream. As they frequently
wound about through the country, having to go round the bays that
swell out of the river, the Indians had opportunity to attack those
in the piraguas, placing them in great peril, being shot at with bows
from the ravines, while they dared not leave the shore, because of
the swiftness of the current; so that, as soon as the Governor got
to the town, he directly sent crossbowmen to them down the stream,
for their protection. When the piraguas arrived, he ordered them to
be taken to pieces, and the spikes kept for making others, when they
should be needed.
The Governor slept at the town one night, and the day following he
went in quest of a province called Pacaha, which he had been informed
was nigh Chisca, where the Indians said there was gold. He passed
through large towns in Aquixo, which the people had left for fear
of the Christians. From some Indians that were taken, he heard that
three days' journey thence resided a great cacique, called Casqui.
He came to a small river, over which a bridge was made, whereby he
crossed.[281] All that day, until sunset, he marched through water,
in places coming to the knees; in others, as high as the waist.
They were greatly rejoiced on reaching the dry land; because it had
appeared to them that they should travel about, lost, all night in
the water. At mid-day they came to the first town of Casqui, where
they found the Indians off their guard, never having heard of them.
Many men and women were taken, much clothing, blankets, and skins;
such they likewise took in another town in sight of the first, half a
league off in the field, whither the horsemen had run.
[281] This was Fifteen-Mile Bayou, and the crossing-place was
probably near the southeast corner of St. Francis County,
Arkansas.
This land is higher, drier, and more level than any other along
the river that had been seen until then. In the fields were many
walnut-trees, bearing tender-shelled nuts in the shape of acorns,
many being found stored in the houses. The tree did not differ in any
thing from that of Spain, nor from the one seen before, except the
leaf was smaller. There were many mulberry-trees, and trees of plums
(persimmons), having fruit of vermilion hue, like one of Spain, while
others were gray, differing, but far better. All the trees, the year
round, were as green as if they stood in orchards, and the woods were
open.
The Governor marched two days through the country of Casqui, before
coming to the town[282] where the cacique was, the greater part of
the way lying through fields thickly set with great towns, two or
three of them to be seen from one. He sent word by an Indian to the
cacique, that he was coming to obtain his friendship and to consider
him as a brother; to which he received for answer, that he would be
welcomed; that he would be received with special good-will, and all
that his lordship required of him should be done; and the chief sent
him on the road a present of skins, shawls, and fish. After these
gifts were made, all the towns into which the Governor came were
found occupied; and the inhabitants awaited him in peace, offering
him skins, shawls, and fish.
[282] This place was probably located near the mouth of Tyronza
River.
Accompanied by many persons, the cacique came half a league on the
road from the town where he dwelt to receive the Governor, and,
drawing nigh to him, thus spoke:
VERY HIGH, POWERFUL, AND RENOWNED MASTER:
I greet your coming. So soon as I had notice of you, your power
and perfections, although you entered my territory capturing
and killing the dwellers upon it, who are my vassals, I
determined to conform my wishes to your will, and hold as right
all that you might do, believing that it should be so for a good
reason, providing against some future event, to you perceptible
but from me concealed; since an evil may well be permitted to
avoid another greater, that good can arise, which I trust will
be so; for from so excellent a prince, no bad motive is to
be suspected. My ability is so small to serve you, according
to your great merit, that though you should consider even my
abundant will and humility in proffering you all manner of
services, I must still deserve little in your sight. If this
ability can with reason be valued, I pray you receive it, and
with it my country and my vassals, of me and them disposing at
your pleasure; for though you were lord of the earth, with no
more good-will would you be received, served, and obeyed.
The Governor responded appropriately in a few words which satisfied
the chief. Directly they fell to making each other great proffers,
using much courtesy, the cacique inviting the Governor to go and take
lodging in his houses. He excused himself, the better to preserve
peace, saying that he wished to lie in the field; and, because the
heat was excessive, he pitched the camp among some trees, quarter of
a league from the town. The cacique went to his town, and returned
with many Indians singing, who, when they had come to where the
Governor was, all prostrated themselves. Among them were two blind
men. The cacique made an address, of which, as it was long, I will
give the substance in a few words. He said, that inasmuch as the
Governor was son of the Sun, he begged him to restore sight to those
Indians: whereupon the blind men arose, and they very earnestly
entreated him to do so. Soto answered them, that in the heavens above
there was One who had the power to make them whole, and do whatever
they could ask of Him, whose servant he was; that this great Lord
made the sky and the earth, and man after His image; that He had
suffered on the tree of the true cross to save the human race, and
risen from the grave on the third day,--what of man there was of Him
dying, what of divinity being immortal; and that, having ascended
into heaven, He was there with open arms to receive all that would
be converted to Him. He then directed a lofty cross of wood to be
made and set up in the highest part of the town, declaring to the
cacique that the Christians worshipped that, in the form and memory
of the one on which Christ suffered. He placed himself with his
people before it, on their knees, which the Indians did likewise; and
he told them that from that time thenceforth they should thus worship
the Lord, of whom he had spoken to them, that was in the skies,
asking Him for whatsoever they stood in need of.
The chief being asked what was the distance to Pacaha, he answered
that it was one day's journey, and said that on the extreme of his
territory there was a lake, like an estuary, that entered into the
Rio Grande, to which he would send persons in advance to build a
bridge, whereby they might pass over it. The night of the day the
Governor left, he slept at a town of Casqui; and the next day he
passed in sight of two other towns, and arrived at the lake, which
was half a crossbow-shot over, of great depth and swiftness of
current.[283] The Indians had just got the bridge done as he came up.
It was built of wood, in the manner of timber thrown across from tree
to tree; on one side there being a rail of poles, higher than the
rest, as a support for those who should pass. The cacique of Casqui
having come with his people, the Governor sent word by an Indian
to the cacique of Pacaha, that though he might be at enmity with
him of Casqui, and that chief be present, he should receive neither
injury nor insult, provided that he attended in peace and desired his
friendship, for as a brother would he treat him. The Indian went as
he was bid, and returned, stating that the cacique took no notice of
the message, but that he fled out of the town, from the back part,
with all his people. Then the Governor entered there, and with the
cavalry charged in the direction the Indians were running, and at
another town, a quarter of a league off, many were taken. As fast
as they were captured, the horsemen delivered them to the Indians
of Casqui, who, from being their enemies, brought them with great
heed and pleasure to the town where the Christians were, greatly
regretting that they had not the liberty to kill them. Many shawls,
deer-skins, lion and bear-skins, and many cat-skins were found in the
town. Numbers who had been a long time badly covered, there clothed
themselves. Of the shawls they made mantles and cassocks; some made
gowns and lined them with cat-skins, as they also did the cassocks.
Of the deer-skins were made jerkins, shirts, stockings, and shoes:
and from the bear-skins they made very good cloaks, such as no water
could get through. They found shields of raw cowhide out of which
armor was made for the horses.
[283] Tyronza River.