Ferdinand De Soto, The Discoverer of the Mississippi

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Abbott John Stevens Cabot. Ferdinand De Soto, The Discoverer of the Mississippi

PREFACE

CHAPTER I. Childhood and Youth

CHAPTER II. The Spanish Colony

CHAPTER III. Life at Darien

CHAPTER IV. Demoniac Reign

CHAPTER V. The Invasion of Peru

CHAPTER VI. The Atrocities of Pizarro

CHAPTER VII. The Execution of the Inca, and Embarrassments of De Soto

CHAPTER VIII. De Soto Returns to Spain

CHAPTER IX. The Landing in Florida

CHAPTER X. The March to Ochile

CHAPTER XI. The Conspiracy and its Consequences

CHAPTER XII. Winter Quarters

CHAPTER XIII. Lost in the Wilderness

CHAPTER XIV. The Indian Princess

CHAPTER XV. The Dreadful Battle of Mobila

CHAPTER XVI. Days of Darkness

CHAPTER XVII. The Discovery of the Mississippi

CHAPTER XVIII. Vagrant Wanderings

CHAPTER XIX. Death of De Soto

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In the interior of Spain, about one hundred and thirty miles southwest of Madrid, there is the small walled town of Xeres. It is remote from all great routes of travel, and contains about nine thousand inhabitants, living very frugally, and in a state of primitive simplicity. There are several rude castles of the ancient nobility here, and numerous gloomy, monastic institutions. In one of these dilapidated castles, there was born, in the year 1500, a boy, who received the name of Ferdinand de Soto. His parents were Spanish nobles, perhaps the most haughty class of nobility which has ever existed. It was, however, a decayed family, so impoverished as to find it difficult to maintain the position of gentility. The parents were not able to give their son a liberal education. Their rank did not allow them to introduce him to any of the pursuits of industry; and so far as can now be learned, the years of his early youth were spent in idleness.

Ferdinand was an unusually handsome boy. He grew up tall, well formed, and with remarkable muscular strength and agility. He greatly excelled in fencing, horseback riding, and all those manly exercises which were then deemed far more essential for a Spanish gentleman than literary culture. He was fearless, energetic, self-reliant; and it was manifest that he was endowed with mental powers of much native strength.

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"Señor Espinosa, the governor did not place me under your command, and you have no claim to my obedience. I now give you notice, that if you retain these prisoners so cruelly and unjustly captured, you must do so at your own risk. If these Indian warriors choose to make any attempt to recover their wives and their children, I declare to you upon my solemn oath, and by all that I hold most sacred, that they shall meet with no opposition from me. Consider, therefore, whether you have the power to defend yourself and secure your prey, when I and my companions have withdrawn from this spot."

Pizarro does not seem to have taken any active part in this dispute, though he advised the headstrong Espinosa to give up his captives. While these scenes were transpiring, about one hundred of the men of the village returned. Most earnestly they entreated the release of their wives and children. If not peacefully released, it was pretty evident that they would fight desperately for their rescue. It was quite apparent that the Indian runners had gone in all directions to summon others to their aid. The withdrawal of De Soto left Espinosa so weakened that he could hardly hope successfully to repel such forces. Indeed he was so situated that, destitute of provisions and ammunition, he did not dare to undertake a march back through the wilderness to Darien. He therefore very ungraciously consented to surrender his captives.

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