CHAP. XXIIII. How the Cacique of Pacaha came peaceablie to the Gouernour, and the Cacique of Casqui absented himselfe, and came againe to make his excuse, and how the Gouernour made them both friends. Pacaha, a very great towne beset with towers. Great walled townes. Nets found. The diuers Pon Wednesday, the 19. of Iune, the Gouernour entred into Pacaha: He lodged in the towne, where the Cacique vsed to reside, which was very great, walled, and beset with towers, and many loopeholes were in the towers and wall. And in the towne was great store of old Maiz, and great quantitie of new in the fields. Within a league and halfe a league were great townes all walled. Where the Gouernour was lodged, was a great lake, that came neere vnto the wall and it entred into a ditch that went round about the towne, wanting but a little to enuiron it round. From the lake to the great Riuer was made a weare by the which the fish came into it; which the Cacique kept for his recreation and sport: with nets, that were found in the towne, they tooke as much as they would: and tooke they neuer so much, there was no want perceiued. There was also great store of fish in many other lakes that were thereabout, but it was soft, and not so good as that which came from the Riuer, and the most of it was different from the sorts of excel- fresh water fish of Spaine. There was a fish which lent fish in Rio they called Bagres: the third part of it was head, Grande. and it had on both sides the gilles, and along the sides great pricks like very sharpe aules: those of this kind that were in the lakes were as big as pikes: and in the Riuer, there were some of an hundred, and of an hundred and fiftie pounds weight, and many of them were taken with the hooke. There was another fish like barbilles; and another like breames, headed like a delicate fish, called in Spaine besugo, betweene red and gray. This was there of most esteeme. There was another fish called a pele fish it had a snout of a cubit long, and at the end of the vpper lip it was made like a peele. There was another fish like a Westerne shad: And all of them had scales, except the bagres, and the pele fish. There was another fish, which sometimes the Indians brought vs, of the bignes of an hog, they called it the Pereo fish it had rowes of teeth beneath and aboue. The Cacique of Casqui sent many thousand Indians. times great presents of fish, mantles, and skinnes. Hee told the Gouernour, that he would deliuer the Cacique of Pacaha into his hands. He went to Casqui, and sent many canoes vp the Riuer, and came himselfe by land with many of his people. The Gouernour with 40. horsemen, and 60. footemen tooke him along with him vp the Riuer. And his Indians which were in the canoes, discouered where the Cacique of Pacaha was in a little Island, situated betweene two armes of the Riuer. And fiue Christians entred into a canoe, wherein Don Antonio Osorio went before, to see what people the Cacique had with him. There were in the Isle fiue or sixe thousand soules. And assoone as they saw them, supposing Fiue or sixe that the Indians which were in the other canoes were also Christians, the Cacique, and certaine which were in three canoes, which they had there with the, fled in great haste to the other side of the Riuer: The rest with great feare and danger, lept into the Riuer, where much people was drowned, especially women, and little children. Presently the Gouernour which was on land, not knowing what had happened to Don Antonio, and those that went with him, commanded ye Christians with all speed to enter with the Indians of Casqui in the canoes, which were quickly with Don Antonio in the little Island, where they tooke many men and women, and much goods. Great store of goods, which the Indians had laid vpon hurdles of canes, and rafts of timber to carrie ouer to the other side, draue down the riuer, wherewith the Indians of Casqui filled their canoes: and for feare lest the Christians would take it from them, the Cacique went home with them downe the Riuer, without taking his leaue of the Gouernour: whereupon the Gouernour was highly offended with him and presently returning to Pacaha, he ouerran the Countrie of Casqui the space of two leagues, where hee tooke twentie or thirtie of his men. And because his horses were wearie, and he wanted time that day to goe any farther, hee returned to Pacaha, with determination within three or foure daies after to inuade Casqui. And presently he let loose one of the Indians of Pacaha, and sent word by him to the Cacique, that if hee would haue his friendship, he should repaire vnto him, and that both of them. would make warre vpon Casqui. And presently came many Indians that belonged to Pacaha, and brought an Indian, in stead of the Cacique, which was discouered by the Caciques brother which was taken prisoner. The Gouernour wished the Indians that their Master himselfe should come: for hee knew very well that that was not hee, and told them, that they could doe nothing, which he knew not before they thought it. The next of Pacaha commeth to the Gouer nour. The Cacique next day the Cacique came, accompanied with many Indians, and with a present of much fish, skinnes and mantles. He made a speech that all were glad to heare, and concluded saying, That though his Lordship, without his giuing occasion of offence had done him hurt in his Countrie and subiects, yet he would not therefore refuse to bee his, and that he would alwaies be at his commandement. The Gouernour commanded his brother to be loosed, and other principall Indians that were taken prisoners. That day came an Indian from the Cacique of Casqui, and said, that his Lord would come the next day to excuse himselfe of the error which he had committed, in going away without licence of the Gouernour. The Gouernour willed the messenger to signifie vnto him, that if he came not in his owne person, he would seeke him himselfe, and giue him such punishment as he deserued. The next day with all speede came the Cacique of Casqui, and brought a present to the Gouernour of many mantles, skinnes, and fish, and gaue him a daughter of his, saying, that he greatly desired to match his blood with the blood of so great a Lord as he was, and therefore he brought him his daughter, and desired him to take her to his wife. Hee made a long and discreet oration, giuing him great commendations, and concluded, saying, that hee should pardon his going away without licence, for that Crosses sake, which he had left with him: protesting, that hee went away for shame of that which his men had done without his consent. The Gouernour answered him, that hee had chosen a good patrone; and that if he had not come to excuse himselfe, hee had determined to seeke him, to burne his townes, to kill him and his people, and to destroy his Countrie. To which he replied, saying: My Lord, I and mine are yours, and my Countrie likewise is yours: therefore if you had done so, you should haue destroyed your owne Countrie, and haue killed your own people: whatsoever shall come unto me from your hand, I will receiue as from my Lord, aswell punishment as reward: And know you, that the fauour which you did me in leaving me the Crosse, I do acknowledge the same to be a very great one, and greater then I haue euer deserued. For you shall understand, that with great droughts, the fields of Maiz of my Countrie were withered; and assoone as I and my people kneeled before the Crosse, and prayed for raine, presently our necessitie was relieued. The Gouernour made him, and the Cacique of Pacaha friends; and set them with him at his table to dine with him and the Caciques fell at variance about the seates, which of them should sit on his right hand. The Gouernour pacified them; telling them, that among the Christians, all was one to sit on the one side, or on the other, willing them so to behaue themselues, seeing they were with him, that no bodie might heare them, and that euery one should sit in the place that first bee lighted on. From thence he sent thirtie horsemen, and fiftie footemen to the Prouince of Caluça, to see if from thence hee might trauell to Chisca, where the Indians said, Gold and copper in Chisca. there was a worke of gold and copper. They trauelled seuen daies iournie through a desert, and returned verie wearie, eating greene plums and stalkes of Maiz, A poore which they found in a poore towne of sixe or towne. seuen houses. From thence forward toward the North; the Indians said, That the Country was very ill inhabited, because it was very cold: And Great store of that there were such store of Oxen, that they could the North of keepe no corne for them: that the Indians liued Pacaha. vpon their flesh. The Gouernor seeing, that toward This is like that part the Countrie was so poore of Maiz, that in it they could not bee sustained, demanded of the Indians, which way it was most inhabited: and they said, they had notice of a great Prouince, and a very plentifull Countrie, which was called Qaigaute, and that it was toward the South. Oxen toward Quiuera. CHAP. XXV. How the Gouernour departed from Pacaha to Quigaute, and to Coligoa, and came to Cayas. He Gouernour rested in Pacaha fortie daies. In all which time the two Caciques serued him with great store of fish, mantles, and skinnes, and stroue who should doe him greatest seruice. At the time of his departure, the Cacique of Pacaha gaue him two of his sisters, saying, that in signe of loue that he might remember him, he should take them for his wiues: the ones name was Macanoche, and the others Mochila: they were well proportioned, tall of bodie, and well fleshed. Macanoche was of a good countenance, and in her shape and physiognomie looked like a Ladie: the other was strongly made. The Cacique of Casqui commanded the bridge to be repaired, and the Gouernour returned through his Countrey, and lodged in the field neere his towne, whither hee came with great store of fish, and two women, The Caciques towne. A towne of Quigante. The fourth of towne seene in Florida. which hee exchanged with two Christians for two shirts. He gaue vs a guide and men for cariages. The Gouernour lodged at a towne of his, and the next day at another neere a Riuer, whither he caused canoes to be brought for him to passe ouer, and with his leaue returned. The Gouernour tooke his iournie toward Quigaute. The fourth day of August, he came to the towne, where the Cacique vsed to keep his residencie: on the way he sent him a present of many mantles and skinnes, and not daring to stay for him in the towne, he absented himselfe. The The greatest towne was the greatest that was seene in Florida. The Gouernour and his people lodged in the one halfe of it: and within few daies, seeing the Indians became liars, he commanded the other halfe to be burned, because it should not bee a shelter for them, if they came to assault him by night, nor an hindrance to his horsemen for the resisting of them. There came an Indian very well accompanied with many Indians, saying, that hee was the Cacique. He deliuered him ouer to the men of his guard to look vnto him. There went and came many Indians, and brought mantles and skinnes. The counterfeit Cacique, seeing so little opportunitie to execute his euill thought, as hee went one day abroad talking with the Gouernour, he shewed him such a paire of heeles, that there was no Christian that could ouertake him, and he leaped into the Riuer, which was a crossebow shot from the towne and assoone as hee was on the other side, many Indians that were there about making a great crie began to shoote. The Gouernour passed presently ouer to them with horsemen and footemen, but they durst not tarrie for him. Going forward on his way, hee came to a towne where the peoA towne. ple were fled, and a little further to a lake, where the horses could not passe, and on the otherside were many women. The footemen passed, and tooke many of them, and much spoile. The Gouernour came to the Camp: And that night was a spie of the Indians taken by them of the watch. The Gouernour asked him, whether he would bring him where the Cacique was? he said, he would. And he went presently to seeke him with twentie horsemen, and fiftie footemen: and after he had sought him a day, and an halfe, hee found him in a strong wood: And a souldiour not knowing him, gaue him a wound on the head; and he cried out, that he should not kill him, saying, that he was the Cacique: so he was taken, & an hundred and fortie of his men with him. The Gouernour came againe to Quigaute, and willed him to cause his men to come |