for the Spaniards to cross in their advance. De Soto,
accompanied by Ocali and several of his subjects, was walking on the
banks of this stream to select a spot for crossing, by means of a
bridge or raft, when a large number of Indians sprang up from the
bushes on the opposite side, and assailing them with insulting and
reproachful language, discharged a volley of arrows upon them, by
which one of the Spaniards was wounded.

Upon De Soto's demanding of the chief the meaning of this hostile
movement, Ocali replied, that they were a collection of his mutinous
subjects, who had renounced their allegiance to him, in consequence of
his friendship for the Spaniards. The bloodhound, to which we have
alluded, that had so sagaciously captured the four Floridians, was in
the company held in a leash by one of the servants of the governor.
The moment the ferocious animal heard the yells of the Indians, and
witnessed their hostile actions, by a desperate struggle he broke from
his keeper and plunged into the river. In vain the Spaniards
endeavored to call him back. The Indians eagerly watched his approach,
and as he drew near they showered upon him such a volley of arrows,
that more than fifty pierced his head and shoulders. He barely reached
the land, when he fell dead. The army mourned the loss of the
sagacious, fearless and merciless brute as if he had been one of the
most valiant of their warriors.

It soon became evident that Ocali had but slight influence over his
tribe. De Soto, apprehensive that it might be thought that he detained
him against his will, advised him to return to his people, assuring
him that he would always be a welcome guest in the Spanish camp. He
left, and they saw him no more.

Crossing the river by a rude bridge constructed by the Spanish
engineers, De Soto took the lead with a hundred horse and a hundred
foot. After a monotonous march of three days over a flat country, they
came to a very extensive province called Vitachuco, which was governed
in common by three brothers. The principal village, Ochile, was rather
a fortress than a village, consisting of fifty large buildings
strongly constructed of timber. It was a frontier military post; for
it seems that this powerful tribe was continually embroiled in war
with the adjacent provinces. Mr. Williams, in his History of Florida,
locates Ochile just south of what is called the Allachua prairie.

There are two sources of information upon which we are d