taining the immediate command of one, and
confiding the other to the charge of Baltasar de Gallegos. In this order
they moved on to the province of Chalaqui; and next day were exposed to
such a storm of wind, lightning, and hail, that many of them must have
perished, but for the shelter afforded by the trees, as the hail-stones
were as large as pigeons eggs. On the sixth day of this new march, they
came to the valley of Xaula, a pleasant country to the N.N.E. The
sailors who accompanied the army believed the river which flowed past
Cofachiqui to be the same which is known on the coast under the name of
_Santa Ellena_; and computing their marches at four leagues a-day, it
appeared that the forces had come two hundred leagues from Apalache to
Xaula[163]; which, with an hundred and fifty leagues from the Bay of the
Holy Ghost to Apalache, made four hundred and ten leagues in all[164].

[Footnote 163: Two hundred Spanish leagues would amount to near 800
English miles. But as the march, was entirely in an uncertain and
probably changing direction, this estimate does not assist in
determining any thing of its extent Eight hundred miles would reach,
even from Espiritu Santo Bay, to beyond the Ohio.--E.]

[Footnote 164: The numbers in the text are obviously corrupt, as the
particulars do not agree with the sum; but it is impossible to correct
or reconcile them, neither indeed is it of much consequence, as no
establishment was made in Florida by Soto, and the names of the places
he visited are now unknown and uninteresting. Four hundred and ten
Spanish leagues, or 1640 English miles, would carry us into Upper
Canada.--E.]

The Spanish forces rested a fortnight in the vale of Xaula, which was
subject to the princess of Cofachiqui, though a separate province, being
induced to this delay by finding abundance of all things, and on purpose
to recruit their horses. Leaving this place, they marched one day
through an agreeable country, and then five days over an unpeopled
mountain[165], though not disagreeable, as it had many fine groves,
waters, and pasture-grounds, the way over being about twenty leagues.
Four Indian chiefs who accompanied them by order of the princess of
Cofachiqui, sent to require the cacique of _Guanale_ to receive the
Spaniards with kindness, or otherwise to declare war against him. While
on the march, a foot-soldier named Juan Terron pulled a little bag from
his wallet full of large well-coloured pearls not pi