_Of how the cacique of Pacaha came in peace, and he of Casqui
having absented himself, returned to excuse his conduct; and how
the Governor made friendship between the chiefs._
On Wednesday, the nineteenth day of June, the Governor entered
Pacaha,[284] and took quarters in the town where the cacique was
accustomed to reside. It was enclosed and very large. In the towers
and the palisade were many loopholes. There was much dry maize, and
the new was in great quantity, throughout the fields. At the distance
of half a league to a league off were large towns, all of them
surrounded with stockades.
[284] It was on Wednesday, June 29, that they entered Pacaha.
This place was probably located in the vicinity of Osceola,
Mississippi County, Arkansas, but not further northward.
Where the Governor stayed was a great lake, near to the enclosure;
and the water entered a ditch that well-nigh went round the town.
From the River Grande to the lake was a canal, through which the
fish came into it, and where the chief kept them for his eating and
pastime. With nets that were found in the place, as many were taken
as need required; and however much might be the casting, there was
never any lack of them. In the many other lakes about were also many
fish, though the flesh was soft, and none of it so good as that
which came from the river. The greater number differ from those in
the fresh water of Spain. There was a fish called bagre, the third
part of which was head, with gills from end to end, and along the
sides were great spines, like very sharp awls. Those of this sort
that lived in the lake were as big as pike; in the river were some
that weighed from one hundred to one hundred and fifty pounds. Many
were taken with the hook. There was one in the shape of barbel;
another like bream, with the head of a hake, having a color between
red and brown, and was the most esteemed. There was likewise a kind
called peel-fish, the snout a cubit in length, the upper lip being
shaped like a shovel. Another fish was like a shad. Except the bagres
and the peel, they were all of scale. There was one, called pereo,
the Indians sometimes brought, the size of a hog, and had rows of
teeth above and below.
The cacique of Casqui many times sent large presents of fish, shawls,
and skins. Having told the Governor that he would deliver into his
hands the cacique of Pacaha, he went to Casqui, and ordered many
canoes to ascend the river, while he should march by land, taking
many of his warriors. The Governor, with forty cavalry and sixty
infantry, was conducted by him up stream; and the Indians who were
in the canoes discovered the cacique of Pacaha on an islet between
two arms of the river. Five Christians entered a canoe, of whom was
Don Antonio Osorio, to go in advance and see what number of people
the cacique had with him. There were five or six thousand souls, of
whom, directly as they saw the people, taking the Indians who went in
the canoes to be Christians also, the cacique and as many as could
get into three canoes that were there, fled to the opposite bank; the
greater part of the rest, in terror and confusion, plunging into the
river to swim, many, mostly women and infants, got drowned. Then the
Governor, who was on land, without knowing what was passing with Don
Antonio and those who accompanied him, ordered the Christians, in
all haste, to enter the canoes with the Indians of Casqui, and they
directly joining Don Antonio on the islet, many men and women were
taken, and much clothing.
Many clothes, which the Indians had in cane hurdles and on rafts to
carry over, floated down stream, the people of Casqui filling their
canoes with them; and, in fear that the Christians might take these
away, their chief went off with them down the river to his territory,
without taking leave. At this the Governor became indignant, and
directly returning to Pacaha, two leagues on the road, he overran the
country of Casqui, capturing twenty or thirty of its men. The horses
being tired, and there remaining no time that day to go farther, he
went on to Pacaha, with the intention of marching in three or four
days upon Casqui, directly letting loose a man of Pacaha, sending
word by him to its chief, that should he wish his friendship he
should come to him, and together they would go to carry war upon
Casqui: and immediately there arrived many people of Pacaha, bringing
as the chief an Indian, who was exposed by a prisoner, brother of
the cacique. The Governor told them that their lord must come; that
he well knew that Indian was not he; for that nothing could be done
without its being known to him before they so much as thought of it.
The cacique came the next day, followed by many Indians, with a large
gift of fish, skins, and shawls. He made a speech, that all were glad
to hear, and concluded by saying, that although his lordship had
causelessly inflicted injury on his country and his subjects, he did
not any the less cease to be his, and was always at his command. The
Governor ordered his brother to be let go, and some principal men he
held captives. That day a messenger arrived from Casqui, saying that
his master would come early on the morrow to excuse the error he had
committed in going away without his licence; to which the Governor
bade him say, in return, to the cacique, that if he did not come
himself in person he would go after him, and inflict the punishment
he deserved.
The chief of Casqui came the next day, and after presenting many
shawls, skins, and fish, he gave the Governor a daughter, saying that
his greatest desire was to unite his blood with that of so great
a lord as he was, begging that he would take her to wife. He made
a long and discreet oration, full of praise of Soto; and concluded
by asking his forgiveness, for the love of that cross he had left,
for having gone off without his permission; that he had done so
because of the shame he felt for what his people had done without his
consent. The Governor said that he had taken a good sponsor; that he
had himself determined, if the cacique had not come to apologize, to
go after him and burn his towns, kill him and his people, and lay
waste his country. To this the chief replied:
MASTER:
I and mine belong to you; and my territory is yours, so that you
will destroy it, if you will, as your own, and your people you
will slay. All that falls from your hand I shall receive as from
my lord's, and as merited chastisement. Know, that the service
you have done me in leaving that cross has been signal, and more
than I have deserved; for, you know, of great droughts the maize
in our fields was perishing, and no sooner had I and mine thrown
ourselves on our knees before it, asking for water, than the
want was supplied.
The Governor made friendship between the chiefs of Casqui and Pacaha,
and placed them at the table, that they should eat with him. They
had a difficulty as to who should sit at his right hand, which the
Governor quieted by telling them that among the Christians the
one seat was as good as the other; that they should so consider
it, and while with him no one should understand otherwise, each
taking the seat he first came to. Thence he sent thirty horsemen
and fifty footmen to the province of Caluça,[285] to see if in that
direction they could turn back towards Chisca, where the Indians
said there was a foundry of gold and copper. They travelled seven
days through desert, and returned in great extremity, eating green
plums (persimmons) and maize-stalks, which they had found in a
poor town of seven or eight houses. The Indians stated that thence
towards the north, the country, being very cold, was very thinly
populated; that cattle were in such plenty, no maize-field could be
protected from them, and the inhabitants lived upon the meat. Seeing
that the country was so poorly off for maize that there could be no
support, the Governor asked the Indians in what direction there were
most inhabitants; and they said that they had knowledge of a large
province and a country of great abundance, called Quiguate, that lay
in the southern direction.
[285] It was from Chicaça that the expedition was sent. This
province was probably located in the northeastern part of
Mississippi, extending from Baldwyn, Prentiss County, to the
Tennessee River, in Tishomingo County.