how they returned to nilco, and came to minoya, where they agreed to make ships to depart out of the land of florida.

when that which was determined was published in the campe, there were many that were greatly grieued at it: for they held the sea voyage as doubtfull, for the euill meanes they had, and of as great danger, as the trauelling by land: and they hoped to finde some rich countrie before they came to the land of the christians, by that which cabe?a de vaca had told the emperour: and that was this; gold, siluer, and precious stones in florida. that after hee had found clothes made of cotton wooll, hee saw gold and siluer, and stones of great value. and they had not yet come where hee had been. for vntill that place hee alwaies trauelled by the sea coast: and they trauelled farre within the land; and that going toward the west, of necessitie they should come where hee had been. for he said, that in a certain place he trauelled many daies, and entred into the land toward the north. turkie stones and mantles of cotton wooll found in guasco. and in guasco they had alreadie found some turkie stones, and mantles of cotton wooll: which the indians signified by signes that they had from the west: and that holding that course they should draw neere to the land of the christians. but though they were much discontented with it, and it grieued many to goe backward, which would rather haue aduentured their liues and haue died in the land of florida, then to haue gone poore out of it: yet were they not a sufficient part to hinder that which was determined, because the principall men agreed with the gouernour. and afterward there was one that said, hee would put out one of his owne eyes, to put out another of luis de moscoso; because it would grieue him much to see him prosper: because aswell himself as others of his friends had crossed that which he durst not haue done, seeing that within two daies hee should leaue the gouernment. 150. leagues betweene the riuer of daycao, and rio grande. from daycao, where now they were, to rio grande, or the great riuer, was 150. leagues: which vnto that place they had gone westward. and by the way as they returned backe they had much adoe to find maiz to eate: for where they had passed, the countrey was destroyed: and some little maiz that was left the indians had hidden. the townes which in naguatex they had burned (whereof it repented them) were repaired againe, and the houses full of maiz. fine earthen vessels. this countrie is well inhabited and plentifull. in that place are vessels made of clay, which differ very little from those of estremoz, or monte-mor. in chaguate the indians by commandement of the cacique came peaceably, and said, that the christian which remained there would not come. the gouernour wrote vnto him, and sent him inke and paper that he might answere. the substance of the words of the letter was to declare vnto him his determination, which was, to goe out of the land of florida, and to put him in remembrance that he was a christian, that hee would not remaine in the subiection of infidels, that he pardoned him the fault which he had done in going away to the indians, that hee should come vnto him: and if they did stay him, that hee would aduertise him thereof by writing. the indian went with the letters and came again without any more answere, then, on the back side, his name and his seale, that they might know he was aliue. the gouernour sent twelue horsemen to seeke him: but he, which had his spies, so hid himselfe, that they could not find him. for want of maiz the gouernour could not stay any longer to seeke him. hee departed from chaguate, and passed the riuer by aays; going downe by it hee found a towne called chilano, which as yet they had not seen. they came to nilco, and found so little maiz, as could not suffice till they made their ships; because the christians, being in guachoya in the seede time, the indians for feare of them durst not come to sow the grounds of nilco: and they knew not thereabout any other countrie where any maiz was: and that was the most fruitfull soile that was thereaway, and where they had most hope to finde it. euery one was confounded, and the most part thought it bad counsell to come backe from the riuer of dacayo, and not to haue followed their fortune, going that way that went ouer land. for by sea it seemed impossible to saue themselues, vnlesse god would worke a miracle for them: for there was neither pilot, nor sea-chart, neither did they know where the riuer entred into the sea, neither had they notice of it, neither had they any thing wherewith to make sailes, nor any store of enequem, which is a grasse whereof they make okam, which grew there: and that which they found they saued to calke the pinaces withall, neither had they any thing to pitch them withall: neither could they make ships of such substance, but that any storme would put them in great danger: and they feared much it would fall out with them, as it did with pamphilo de naruaez, which was cast away vpon that coast: and aboue all it troubled them most, that they could find no maiz: for without it they could not bee sustained, nor could doe any thing that they had neede of. all of them were put to great confusion. their chiefe remedy was to commit themselues to god, and to beseech him that he would direct them the way that they might saue their liues. and it pleased him of his goodnesse, that the indians of nilco came peaceablie, and told them, that two daies iourney from thence, neere vnto the great riuer, were two townes, whereof the christians had no notice, and that the prouince was called minoya, and was a fruitfull soile: that, whether at this present there was any maiz or no, they knew not, because they had warre with them: but that they would be very glad with the fauour of the christians to goe and spoyle them. the gouernour sent a captaine thither with horsemen and footmen, and the indians of nilco with him. hee came to minoya, and found two great townes seated in a plaine and open soile, halfe a league distant, one in sight of another, and in them hee tooke many indians, and found great store of maiz. presently he lodged in one of them, and sent word to the gouernour what hee had found: wherewith they were all exceeding glad. they departed from nilco in the beginning of december; and all that way, and before from chilano, they endured much trouble: for they passed through many waters, and many times it rained with a northren winde, and was exceeding cold, so that they were in the open field with water ouer and vnderneath them: and when at the end of their daies iourney they found drie ground to rest vpon, they gaue great thanks to god. with this trouble almost all the indians that serued them died. and after they were in minoya, many christians also died: and the most part were sicke of great and dangerous diseases, which had a spice of the lethargie. at this place died andrew de vasconcelos, and two portugals of eluas, which were very neere him: which were brethren, and by their surname called sotis. the christians lodged in one of the townes, which they liked best: which was fensed about, and distant a quarter of a league from the great riuer. the maiz that was in the other towne was brought thither; and in all it was esteemed to bee 6000. hanegs or bushels. and there was the best timber to make ships, that they had seene in all the land of florida: wherefore all of them gaue god great thankes for so singular a fauour, and hoped that that which they desired would take effect, which was, that they might safely bee conducted into the land of the christians.