companied him, and ordered the one who had been
wounded to be carefully dressed; and sent by them a message to the
cacique Mucozo, thanking him for his kind usage of Ortiz, and offering
his friendship.

Ortiz could give very little account of the country, as his whole
employment under his first master had been to carry wood and water, and
he had never ventured to go out of sight of the other who used him well,
lest he might be suspected of endeavouring to escape; but he had been
told that the interior of the country was pleasant and fertile. Mucozo
came to visit Soto, who entertained him and gave him some Spanish
trinkets to secure his friendship. Soon afterwards the mother of the
cacique came weeping to the Spaniards, demanding to have her son
restored, and begging that he might not be slain. Soto endeavoured to
sooth and reassure her, yet she ate of such victuals as were offered
with much hesitation, asking Ortiz whether she might eat in safety, as
she was fearful of being poisoned, and insisting that Ortiz should taste
every thing in the first place. Mucozo remained a week among the
Spaniards, amusing himself with the novelty of every thing he saw, and
making many inquiries respecting the customs of Spain. During this time
Soto endeavoured to learn some particulars respecting the country,
remaining always with his troops at the town belonging to Harrihiagua,
because near the Bay of the Holy Ghost. At this time he dismissed the
ships, that his men might have no hopes of getting away from the
country, following in this measure the example of many ancient and
modern commanders, and among these Cortes on his invasion of Mexico. He
reserved however four of his ships to serve upon particular occasions.

Soto used every means to acquire the friendship of Harrihiagua, giving
strict charges that no damage should be done in his country, being
extremely unwilling to give the first cause of offence, but nothing
could prevail on that cacique to enter into any friendly connection. As
some of the men were sent out daily, under a strong escort, to bring in
forage for the horses, they were one day suddenly assailed by a
multitude of Indians, making such hideous yells as scared them for some
time. Before the Spaniards could recover from their panic, the Indians
laid hold of a soldier named Grajal, whom they carried off without doing
any other harm. More Spaniards coming out on this alarm, the Indians
were pursued on the track for two