means of his interpreter, that he was desirous of peace, and required
nothing from them but provisions for his people. They replied that they
willingly accepted of peace, but were sorry to say that they were very
scarce of provisions in consequence of a pestilence which had lately
raged among them; but they would inform their sovereign of his demands,
who happened to be a young unmarried woman. When they had delivered
their message to the princess, two large canoes covered with awnings
were seen to set out from the town on the other side of the river, into
one of which seven or eight women embarked, and six men in the other.
Among the women was the princess who ruled over the tribe; and
immediately on coming to Soto, she sat down on a stool before him, which
her people brought for her use, and after some complimentary discourse,
she expressed her sorrow for the scarcity which then existed in her
country, but that having two storehouses filled with provisions for
relieving the necessities of her subjects, she would give him one of
these, and hoped he would leave her in possession of the other. She said
likewise that she had two thousand measures of maize at another town,
which she would give him, and would quit her own house and half the town
to accommodate him and his people, and if that did not suffice, that the
whole of the town should be cleared for his use. Soto thanked her in a
courteous manner for her friendly offers, declaring that he would be
perfectly satisfied with whatever she was pleased to give. While he was
speaking, she took off a string of pearls which she wore round her neck,
and gave it to Juan Ortiz the interpreter to present it in her name to
Soto, as she could not deliver it with her own hands without
transgressing the rules of decorum[160]. Soto stood up and received it
with much respect, and presented her in return with a ruby which he wore
on his finger. Thus peace was ratified with this princess, who now
returned to the other side of the river, all the Spaniards admiring her
beautiful appearance and good behaviour.

[Footnote 160: The circumstance of great quantities of pearls being
found in this part of the country tends in some measure to confirm the
idea of Soto being now on the Tenasse River. In the most recent maps of
this part of America, a part of this river near its great bend, where it
sweeps round from a S.W. to a N.N.W. direction, is distinguished by the
appellation of the _Muscle Shoa