reat Britain,
together with Canada her possessions east of the Mississippi,
excepting only the island of New Orleans--this and her territory on
the west bank of that river were transferred to Spain.

The title of Spain to the valley of the Mississippi, if made to depend
on priority of discovery, would perhaps, to say the least, be as good
as that of either of the other powers. Ferdinand de Soto, governor of
Cuba, was most probably the first white man who saw that majestic
stream.

The Spaniards had early visited and given name to Florida. In 1528
Pamphilo de Narvaez obtained a grant of it, and fitting out an
armament, proceeded with four or five hundred men to explore and
settle the country. He marched to the Indian village of Appalachas,
when he was attacked and defeated by the natives. The most of
those who escaped death from the hands of the savages, perished in a
storm, by which they were overtaken on their voyage home. Narvaez
himself perished in the wreck, and was succeeded in his attempt at
colonization by de Soto.

Ferdinand de Soto, then governor of Cuba, was a man of chivalrous and
enterprising spirit, and of cool, deliberate courage. In his
expedition to Florida, although attacked by the Indians, immediately
on his landing, yet, rather seeking than shunning danger, he
penetrated the interior, and crossing the Mississippi, sickened and
died on Red river. So frequent and signal had been the victories which
he had obtained over the Indians, that his name alone had become an
object of terror to them; and his followers, at once to preserve his
remains from violation, and prevent the natives from acquiring a
knowledge of his death, enclosed his body in a hollow tree, sunk it in
the Red river and returned to Florida.

Thus, it is said, were different parts of this continent discovered;
and by virtue of the settlements thus effected, by [9] those three
great powers of Europe, the greater portion of it was claimed as
belonging to them respectively, in utter disregard of the rights of
the Aborigines. And while the historian records the colonization of
America as an event tending to meliorate the condition of Europe, and
as having extended the blessings of civil and religious liberty,
humanity must drop the tear of regret, that it has likewise forced the
natives of the new, and the inhabitants of a portion of the old world,
to drink so deeply from the cup of bitterness.

The cruelties which have been exercised on