went about to pacify him with fair words; to which he gave no answer,
but rather with much pride and disdain, withdrew himself where the
Governor might not see him nor speak with him. As a principal Indian
passed that way, the Governor called him, to send him word that he might
remain at his pleasure in his country, and that it would please him to
give him a guide, and men for carriages, to see if he could pacify him
with mild words. The Indians answered with great pride, that he would
not hearken unto him. _Baltasar de Gallegos_, which stood by, took hold
of a gown of marterns which he had on, and he cast it over his head, and
left it in his hands: and because all of them immediately began to stir,
_Baltasar de Gallegos_ gave him such a wound with his cutlass, that he
opened him down the back, and presently all the Indians with a great cry
came out of the houses shooting their arrows. The Governor considering
that if he tarried there, he could not escape, and if he commanded his
men to come in, which were without the town, the Indians within the
houses might kill their horses, and do much hurt, ran out of the town,
and before he came out, he fell twice or thrice, and those that were
with him did help him up again; and he and those that were with him were
sore wounded; and in a moment there were five Christians slain in the
town. The Governor came running out of the town, crying out that every
man should stand farther off, because from the wall they did them much
hurt. The Indians seeing that the Christians retired, and some of them,
or the most part, more than an ordinary pace, shot with great boldness
at them, and struck down such as they could overtake. The Indians which
the Christians did lead with them in chains, had laid down their burdens
near unto the walls; and as soon as the Governor and his men were
retired, the men of _Mavilla_ laid them on the Indians' backs again, and
took them into the town, and loosed them presently from their chains,
and gave them bows and arrows to fight withal. Thus they possessed
themselves of all the clothes and pearls, and all that the Christians
had, which their slaves carried. And because the Indians had been always
peaceable until we came to this place, some of our men had their weapons
in their fardels, and remained unarmed. And from others that had entered
the town with the Governor they had taken swords and halberds, and
fought with them. When the Governor was gotten into the field, he called
for a horse, and with some that accompanied him, he returned and slew
two or three Indians. All the rest retired themselves to the town, and
shot with their bows from the wall. And those which presumed of their
nimbleness, sallied forth to fight a stone's cast from the wall. And
when the Christians charged them, they retired themselves at their
leisure into the town. At the time that the broil began, there were in
the town a friar and a priest, and a servant of the Governor, with a
woman slave; and they had no time to come out of the town, and they took
a house, and so remained in the town. The Indians being become masters
of the place, they shut the door with a field gate; and among them was
one sword which the Governor's servant had, and with it he set himself
behind the door, thrusting at the Indians which sought to come into
them; and the friar and the priest stood on the other side, each of them
with a bar in their hands to beat him down that first came in. The
Indians seeing they could not get in by the door, began to uncover the
house top. By this time all the horsemen and footmen which were behind,
were come to _Mavilla_. Here there were sundry opinions, whether they
should charge the Indians to enter the town, or whether they should
leave it, because it was hard to enter; and in the end it was resolved
to set upon them.
As soon as the battle and the rereward were come to _Mavilla_, the
Governor commanded all those that were best armed to alight, and made
four squadrons of footmen. The Indians, seeing how he was setting his
men in order, concluded with the cacique, that he should go his way,
saying unto him, as after it was known by certain women that were taken
there, that he was but one man, and could fight but for one man, and
that they had there among them many principal Indians, very valiant and
expert in feats of arms, that any one of them was able to order the
people there; and forasmuch as matters of war were subject to casualty,
and it was uncertain which part should overcome, they wished him to save
himself, to the end, that if it fell out that they should end their days
there, as they determined rather than to be overcome, there might remain
one to govern the country. For all this he would not have gone away; but
they urged him so much, that with fifteen or twenty Indians of his own,
he went out of the town, and carried away a scarlet cloak, and other
things of the Christians' goods, as much as he was able to carry, and
seemed best unto him. The Governor was informed how there went men out
of the town, and he commanded the horsemen to beset it, and sent in
every squadron of footmen one soldier with a firebrand to set fire on
the houses, that the Indians might have no defence; all his men being
set in order, he commanded an arquebuss to be shot off. The sign being
given, the four squadrons, every one by itself with great fury, gave the
onset, and with great hurt on both sides they entered the town. The
friar and the priest, and those that were with them in the house were
saved, which cost the lives of two men of account, and valiant, which
came thither to succor them. The Indians fought with such courage, that
many times they drove our men out of the town. The fight lasted so long,
that for weariness and great thirst many of the Christians went to a
pool that was near the wall, to drink, which was all stained with the
blood of the dead, and then came again to fight. The Governor seeing
this, entered among the footmen into the town on horseback, with certain
that accompanied them, and was a mean that the Christians came to set
fire on the houses, and broke and overcame the Indians, who running out
of the town from the footmen, the horsemen without drove in at the gates
again, where being without all hope of life, they fought valiantly, and
after the Christians came among them to handy blows, seeing themselves
in great distress, without any succor, many of them fled into the
burning houses, where one upon another they were smothered and burnt in
the fire. The whole number of the Indians that died in this town, were
two thousand and five hundred, little more or less. Of the Christians
there died eighteen; of which one was _Don Carlos_, brother-in-law to
the Governor, and a nephew of his, and one _John de Gamez_, and _Men
Rodriguez_, Portuguese, and _John Vasquez de Villanova de Barca Rota_,
all men of honor, and of much valor; the rest were footmen. Besides
those that were slain, there were a hundred and fifty wounded, with
seven hundred wounds of their arrows: and it pleased God that of very
dangerous wounds they were quickly healed. Moreover there were twelve
horses slain, and seventy hurt. All the clothes which the Christians
carried with them to clothe themselves withal, and the ornaments to say
mass, and the pearls, were all burnt there; and the Christians did set
them on fire themselves; because they held for a greater inconvenience,
the hurt which the Indians might do them from those houses, where they
had gathered all those goods together, than the loss of them. Here the
Governor understood that _Francisco Maldonado_ waited for him at the
Port of _Ochuse_, and that it was six days' journey from thence
(_Mavilla_), and he dealt with _John Ortiz_ to keep it secret, because
he had not accomplished that which he determined to do; and because the
pearls were burnt there, which he meant to have sent to _Cuba_ for a
show, that the people hearing the news, might be desirous to come to
that country. He feared also, that if they should have news of him
without seeing from _Florida_ neither gold nor silver, nor anything of
value, it would get such a name, that no man would seek to go thither,
when he should have need of people. And so he determined to send no news
of himself until he had found some rich country.
From the time that the Governor entered into _Florida_, until his
departure from _Mavilla_, there died a hundred and two Christians, some
of sickness, and others which the Indians slew. He stayed in _Mavilla_,
because of the wounded men, eight-and-twenty days; all which time he lay
in the field. It was a well inhabited and a fat country, there were some
great and walled towns, and many houses scattered all about the fields,
to wit, a crossbow shot or two, the one from the other. Upon Sunday, the
eighteenth of November (1540), when the hurt men were known to be
healed, the Governor departed from _Mavilla_. Every one furnished
himself with maize for two days, and they traveled five days through a
desert: they came to a province called _Pafallaya_, unto a town named
_Taliepatava_: and from thence they went to another, called _Cabusto_:
near unto it ran a great river. The Indians on the other side cried out,
threatening the Christians to kill them, if they sought to pass it. The
Governor commanded his men to make a barge within the town, because the
Indians should not perceive it: it was finished in four days, and being
ended, he commanded it to be carried one night upon sleds half a league
up the river. In the morning there entered into it thirteen men well
armed. The Indians perceived what was attempted, and those which were
nearest, came to defend the passage. They resisted what they could, till
the Christians came near them; and seeing that the barge came to the
shore, they fled away into the groves of canes. The Christians mounted
on horseback, and went up the river to make good the passage, whereby
the Governor and his company passed the river. There were along the
river some towns well stored with maize and French beans. From thence to
_Chicaca_ the Governor traveled five days through a desert. He came to a
river, where on the other side were Indians to defend the passage. He
made another barge in two days; and when it was finished, the Governor
sent an Indian to request the cacique to accept of his friendship, and
peaceably to expect his coming: whom the Indians that were on the other
side the river slew before his face, and presently making a great shout
went their way. Having passed the river, the next day, being the 17th of
December, the Governor came to _Chicaca_, a small town of twenty houses.
And after they were come to _Chicaca_, they were much troubled with
cold, because it was now winter and it snowed, while most of them were
lodged in the field, before they had time to make themselves houses.
This country was very well peopled, and the houses scattered like those
of _Mavilla_, fat and plentiful of maize, and the most part of it was
fielding: they gathered as much as sufficed to pass the winter. Some
Indians were taken, among which was one whom the cacique esteemed
greatly. The Governor sent an Indian to signify to the cacique that he
desired to see him and to have his friendship. The cacique came unto
him, to offer him his person, country and subjects, and told him that he
would cause two other caciques to come to him in peace; who within a few
days after came with him and with their Indians. The one was called
_Alimamu_, the other _Nicalasa_. They gave a present unto the Governor
of a hundred and fifty coneys, and of the country garments, to wit, of
mantles and skins. The Cacique of _Chicaca_ came to visit him many
times; and sometimes the Governor sent to call him, and sent him a horse
to go and come. He complained unto him that a subject of his was risen
against him and deprived him of his tribute, requesting his aid against
him, for he meant to seek him in his country, and to punish him
according to his desert. Which was nothing else but a feigned plot. For
they determined, as soon as the Governor was gone with him, and the camp
was divided into two parts, the one part of them to set upon the
Governor and the other upon them that remained in _Chicaca_. He went to
the town where he used to keep his residence, and brought with him two
hundred Indians with their bows and arrows. The Governor took thirty
horsemen and eighty footmen, and they went to _Saquechuma_ (for so was
the province called of that chief man, which he said had rebelled). They
found a walled town, without any men: and those which went with the
cacique set fire on the houses, to dissemble their treason. But by
reason of the great care and heedfulness, that was as well in the
Governor's people which he carried with him, as of those which remained
in _Chicaca_, they dare not assault them at that time. The Governor
invited the cacique, and certain principal Indians, and gave them hog's
flesh to eat. And though they did not commonly use it, yet they were so
greedy of it, that every night there came Indians to certain houses a
crossbow shot from the camp, where the hogs lay, and killed, and carried
away as many as they could. And three Indians were taken in the manner.
Two of them the Governor commanded to be shot to death with arrows; and
to cut off the hands of the other; and he sent him so handled to the
cacique. Who made as though it grieved him; yet they had offended the
Governor, and that he was glad that he had executed that punishment on
them. He lay in a plain country, half a league from the place where the
Christians lodged. Four horsemen went a straggling thither, to wit,
_Francisco Osorio_, and a servant of the Marquis of _Astorga_, called
_Reynoso_, and two servants of the Governor, the one his page, called
_Ribera_, and the other _Fuentes_, his chamberlain: and these had taken
from the Indians some skins, and some mantles, wherewith they were
offended, and forsook their houses. The Governor knew of it, and
commanded them to be apprehended; and condemned to death _Francisco
Osorio_, and the chamberlain as principals, and all of them to loss of
goods. The friars and priests and other principal persons were earnest
with him to pardon _Francisco Osorio_ his life, and to moderate his
sentence, which he would not grant for any of them. While he was ready
to command them to be drawn to the market-place to cut off their heads,
there came certain Indians from the cacique to complain of them. _John
Ortiz_, at the request of _Baltasar de Gallegos_ and other persons,
changed their words, and told the Governor, that the cacique said, he
had notice how his lordship held those Christians in prison for his
sake, and that they were in no fault, neither had they done him any
wrong, and that if he would do him any favor, he should set them free.
And he told the Indians, that the Governor said he had them in prison,
and that he would punish them in such sort, that they should be an
example to others. Hereupon the Governor commanded the prisoners to be
loosed. As soon as March was come, he determined to depart from
_Chicaca_, and demanded of the cacique two hundred men for carriages. He
sent him answer that he would speak with his principal men. Upon
Tuesday, the eighth of March, 1541, the Governor went to the town where
he was, to ask him for the men: he told him he would send them the next
day. As soon as the Governor was come to _Chicaca_, he told _Luys de
Moscoso_, the camp-master, that he misliked the Indians, and that he
should keep a strong watch that night, which he remembered but a little.
The Indians came at the second watch in four squadrons, every one by
itself, and as soon as they were descried, they sounded a drum, and gave
the assault with a great cry, and with so great celerity, that presently
they entered with the scouts, that were somewhat distant from the camp.
And when they were perceived of them which were in the town, half the
houses were on fire, which they had kindled. That night three horsemen
chanced to be scouts; two of them were of base calling, and the worst
men in all the camp, and the other, which was a nephew of the Governor,
which until then was held for a tall man, showed himself there as great
a coward as any of them: for all of them ran away. And the Indians
without any resistance came and set the town on fire; and tarried
without behind the doors for the Christians, which ran out of the
houses, not having any leisure to arm themselves; and as they ran hither
and thither amazed with the noise, and blinded with the smoke and flame
of the fire, they knew not which way they went, neither could they light
upon their weapons, nor saddle their horses, neither saw they the
Indians that shot at them. Many of the horses were burned in the
stables, and those which could break their halters got loose. The
disorder and flight was such that every man fled which way he could,
without leaving any to resist the Indians. But God (which chastiseth his
according to his pleasure, and in the greatest necessities and dangers
sustaineth them with his hand) so blinded the Indians, that they saw not
what they had done, and thought that the horses which ran loose, were
men on horseback, that gathered themselves together to set upon them.
The Governor only rode on horseback, and with him a soldier called
_Tapia_, and set upon the Indians, and striking the first he met with
his lance, the saddle fell with him, which with haste was evil girded,
and so he fell from his horse. And all the people that were on foot were
fled to a wood out of the town, and there assembled themselves together.
And because it was night, and that the Indians thought the horses were
men on horseback which came to set upon them, as I said before, they
fled; and one only remained dead, and that was he whom the Governor slew
with his lance. The town lay all burnt to ashes. There was a woman
burned, who, after she and her husband were both gone out of their
house, went in again for certain pearls which they had forgotten, and
when she would have come out, the fire was so great at the door that she
could not, neither could her husband succor her. Other three Christians
came out of their lodgings so cruelly burned, that one of them died
within three days, and the other two were carried many days each of them
upon a couch between staves, which the Indians carried on their
shoulders, for otherwise they could not travel. There died in this
hurlyburly eleven Christians, and fifty horses; and there remained a
hundred hogs, and four hundred were burned. If any perchance had saved
any clothes from the fire of _Mavilla_, here they were burned, and many
were clad in skins, for they had no leisure to take their coats. They
endured much cold in this place, and the chiefest remedy were great
fires. They spent all night in turnings without sleep: for if they
warmed one side, they freezed on the other. Some invented the weaving of
certain mats of dry ivy, and did wear one beneath, and another above:
many laughed at this device, whom afterward necessity enforced to do the
like. The Christians were so spoiled, and in such want of saddles and
weapons which were burned, that if the Indians had come the second
night, they had overcome them with little labor. They removed thence to
the town where the cacique was wont to lie, because it was in a
champaign country. Within eight days after, there were many lances and
saddles made. There were ash-trees in those parts, whereof they made as
good lances as in Biscay.
Upon Wednesday, the 15th of March, 1541, after the Governor had lodged
eight days in a plain, half a league from the place which he had
wintered in, after he had set up a forge, and tempered the swords which
in _Chicaca_ were burned, and made many targets, saddles, and lances; on
Tuesday night, at the morning watch, many Indians came to assault the
camp in three squadrons, every one by themselves. Those which watched
gave the alarm. The Governor with great speed set his men in order in
other three squadrons, and leaving some to defend the camp, went out to
encounter them. The Indians were overcome and put to flight. The ground
was champaign and fit for the Christians to take the advantage of them;
and it was now break of day. But there happened a disorder, whereby
there were not past thirty or forty Indians slain: and this it was: that
a friar cried out in the camp without any just occasion, "To the camp,
to the camp." Whereupon the Governor and all the rest repaired thither,
and the Indians had time to save themselves. There were some taken, by
whom the Governor informed himself of the country through which he was
to pass. The 25th of April, he departed from _Chicaca_, and lodged at a
small town called _Alimamu_. They had very little maize, and they were
to pass a desert of seven days' journey. The next day, the Governor sent
three captains, every one his way, with horsemen and footmen to seek
provisions to pass the desert. And _John Dannusco_ the Auditor went with
fifteen horsemen and forty footmen that way that the Governor was to go,
and found a strong fort made, where the Indians stayed for him, and many
of them walked on the top of it with their weapons, having their bodies,
thighs, and arms ochred and dyed with black, white, yellow and red,
striped like unto panes, so that they showed as though they went in hose
and doublets: and some of them had plumes, and others had horns on their
heads, and their faces black, and their eyes done round about with
steaks of red, to seem more fierce. As soon as they saw that the
Christians approached, with a great cry sounding two drums with great
fury they sallied forth to receive them. _John Dannusco_ and those that
were with him thought good to avoid them, and to acquaint the Governor
therewith. They retired to a plain place, a crossbow-shot from the fort,
in sight of it: the footmen, the crossbow-men, and targeters placed
themselves before the horsemen, that they might not hurt the horses. The
Indians sallied out by seven and seven, and eight and eight, to shoot
their arrows, and retired again: and in sight of the Christians they
made a fire, and took an Indian, some by the feet, and some by the head,
and made as though they went to cast him into the fire, and gave him
first many knocks on the head: signifying that they meant so to handle
the Christians. _John Dannusco_ sent three horsemen to advertise the
Governor hereof. He came presently: for his intent was to drive them
from thence, saying, that if he did it not, they would be emboldened to
charge him another time, when they might do him more harm. He made the
horsemen to alight, and set his men in four squadrons. The sign being
given, they set upon the Indians, which made resistance till the
Christians came near the fort, and as soon as they saw they could not
defend themselves, by a place where a brook passed near the fort, they
ran away, and from the other side they shot some arrows; and because at
that instant we knew no ford for the horses to pass, they had time
enough to get out of our danger. Three Indians were slain there, and
many Christians were hurt, whereof within few days, there died fifteen
by the way. All men thought the Governor to be in fault, because he sent
not to see the disposition of the place on the other side of the river,
and to know the passage before he set upon them. For with the hope they
had to save themselves by flight that way, when they saw none other
means, they fought till they were broken, and it was an encouragement to
defend themselves until then, and to offend the Christians without any
danger to themselves.