University of Virginia Library

7. Buried in the Mississippi
BY A PORTUGUESE GENTLEMAN OF ELVAS (1542)

CAPTAIN DE SOTO was the son of a Spanish squire. He went into the Spanish Indies when Peter Arias was governor of the West Indies.[41] There he was without anything of his own save his sword and shield. For his good qualities and valor, Peter Arias made him captain of a troop of horsemen, and by his own command De Soto went with Fernando Pizarro to the conquest of Peru. Afterwards the Spanish Emperor made him governor of the Isle of Cuba and President of Florida, with the title of Marquis over a certain part of the lands which he might conquer.

On Sunday, the eighteenth day of May, in the year 1539, President De Soto departed from Havana in Cuba with his fleet, which consisted of nine vessels, five great ships, two caravels and two brigantines.[42] They sailed for seven days with a prosperous wind. On Friday they landed on the western coast of Florida.

De Soto left Captain Caldero there with thirty horsemen and seventy footmen with provisions for

two years. Then he himself with all the rest of his men marched into the mainland in search of the "Great River"; and after many adventures they found the river; but the natives were hostile and the country was poor.

After many weary and dangerous marches, the governor fell into great dumps to see how hard it was to get down the Mississippi to the sea. It seemed even worse, because the number of his men and horses was every day diminished, as they could not find enough food to sustain them in this country. Discouraged by that thought De Soto fell sick. Before he took his bed, he sent an Indian to the cacique at Quigalta to tell him that he, Fernando De Soto, was the Child of the Sun, and that all the way on his journey thither, all men had obeyed and served him; that he requested him to accept of his friendship, and come to him, for he should be very glad to see him; and in sign of love and obedience to bring something with him of that which in his country was most prized. The cacique answered by the same Indian, saying that whereas De Soto said that he was the Child of the Sun, if he would dry up the Great River he would believe him; and touching the rest, that he was wont to visit none; but rather that all those of whom he had notice did visit him, served, obeyed, and paid him tributes willingly or perforce. Therefore, if De Soto desired to see him, it were best he should come to his place. That if he came in peace, he would receive him with special good will. Or if De Soto came in war, even then the chief told him to come and find the Indians in the town where, they were, adding, that for De Soto or any other person he would not shrink one foot back.

By the time the Indian returned with this answer, the governor had betaken himself to bed, very ill with fever and much grieved that he was not able to pass over the river and seek this cacique to see if he could lessen that pride of his. But the current of the river was very strong in those parts, where it was nearly half a league broad and sixteen fathoms deep.[43] On both sides there were many Indians, and his power was not now so great but that he had need to help himself when he could by flight rather than by force.

Before he could do either, on the twenty-first of May, in the year 1542, Don Fernando De Soto, the valorous, virtuous, and valiant captain, Governor of Cuba, and President of Florida, departed out of this life. He departed in such a place and at such a time that during his sickness he had had but little comfort, and the danger wherein all his people found themselves of perishing in that strange country, is the reason why they did not visit nor stay with him as they ought to have done.

Luys de Moscoso[44] determined to conceal this death from the Indians because Fernando De Soto had made them believe that the Christians were immortal; and, since they had considered him to be hardy, wise, and valiant, Moscoso feared that if they should know that he was dead they would be bold to set upon the Christians, even if the Spaniards tried to live peaceably among them.

As soon as De Soto was dead, therefore, Luys de Moscoso commanded the men to put him in a house secretly. Here he remained for three days. Removing him thence, Moscoso commanded them to bury him in the night at one of the gates of the town

just within the wall. As the Indians had seen De Soto sick and had missed him, they suspected what had happened. Passing by the place where he was buried and seeing the earth disturbed, they looked and spoke one to another. Luys de Moscoso, understanding it, gave the order that De Soto should be taken up by night and a great deal of sand cast into the mantles wherein he was wrapped. Then De Soto was carried in a canoe and thrown into the midst of the Great River.

The cacique of Guachaya inquired for him, demanding what was become of his brother, the governor. Luys de Moscoso told him that he had gone to heaven as he had many other times, and because he was to stay there certain days, he had left him in his place.

The cacique still thought that the governor was dead, and commanded two young and well proportioned Indians to be brought thither, praying Luys to command them to be beheaded that they might attend and serve his lord and brother after his death. Luys told him that the governor was not dead but had gone to heaven and that he had taken such of his own Christian soldiers as he needed away with him; but the Indians believed nothing of what he said.[45]