injury to themselves, instead of
roving about the world, committing robberies and murders, having
neither the shame of men nor the fear of God before them. Warn them
not to enter into my dominions. Valiant as they may be, if they dare
to put foot upon my soil, they shall never go out of my land alive."

De Soto and his army remained eight days at Ochile. By unwearied
kindness, he so won the confidence of the two brother chiefs, that
they went in person to Vitachuco to endeavor by their united
representations to win him to friendly relations with the Spaniards.
Apparently they succeeded. Vitachuco either became really convinced
that he had misjudged the strangers, or feigned reconciliation. He
invited De Soto and his army to visit his territory, assigning to them
an encampment in a rich and blooming valley. On an appointed day the
chief advanced to meet them, accompanied by his two brothers and five
hundred warriors, in the richest decorations and best armament of
military art as then understood by the Floridians.

De Soto and Vitachuco were about of the same age and alike magnificent
specimens of physical manhood. The meeting between them was as cordial
as if they had always been friends. The Indian warriors escorted their
guests from their encampment to the capital. It consisted of two
hundred spacious edifices, strongly built of hewn timber. Several days
were passed in feasting and rejoicing, when Juan Ortiz informed the
governor that some friendly Indians had revealed to him that a plot
had been formed, by Vitachuco, for the entire destruction of the
Spanish army.

The chief was to assemble his warriors, to the number of about ten
thousand, upon an extensive plain, just outside the city, ostensibly
to gratify De Soto with the splendors of a peaceable parade. To disarm
all suspicion, they were to appear without any weapons of war, which
weapons were however previously to be concealed in the long grass of
the prairie. De Soto was to be invited to walk out with the chief to
witness the spectacle. Twelve very powerful Indians, with concealed
arms, were to accompany the chief or to be near at hand. It was
supposed that the pageant would call out nearly all the Spaniards, and
that they would be carelessly sauntering over the plain. At a given
signal, the twelve Indians were to rush upon De Soto, and take him
captive if possible, or if it were inevitable, put him to death.

At the same moment the whole band of native wa