xpended the whole of his substance on the expedition, and was afraid
his men would desert him if he came near the coast, when he was not in a
condition to raise new forces. For these reasons he resolved to
penetrate into the interior of the country; and, being disgusted at
seeing all his projects disappointed, he never succeeded afterwards in
any of his undertakings.

[Footnote 167: It is quite impossible to conjecture even where this
place may have been situated; perhaps it is the same bay or creek
formerly called Auche, and may have been that now called Mobille Bay.
The Mavila of the text may likewise have been on the river now called
Mobille. We know that the _b_ and _v_ are often interchanged in the
Spanish names of places and persons; as for example Baldivia and
Valdivia are both applied to the original Spanish conqueror of Chili. In
the present instance, Mavila may afterwards have been changed to Mabila,
and then by the French to Mobille. All this however is mere
conjecture.--E.]

When the sick and wounded were so far recovered as to be able to travel,
Soto set out from Mavila, and marched through a fine country for three
days, after which they entered the province of _Chioza_, where the
natives refused to receive him in a peaceable manner. They abandoned
their town, and took post to defend the passage of a very deep river in
which were many craggy places. At this pass above eight thousand Indians
collected, some of whom crossed in canoes to attack and harass the
Spaniards: But Soto caused some trenches to be made, in which he
concealed several bodies of musqueteers, targeteers, and crossbow-men,
who fell upon the rear of the Indians, who forbore to repeat these
attempts after having been twice discomfited in this manner. As it was
found impossible to cross over in the face of so large a force of
Indians in the ordinary manner, two very large piraguas were privately
built in the woods, which were got ready in twelve days, and were then
drawn out of the wood on rollers by the Spaniards with the assistance of
their horses and mules. These were launched into the river without being
perceived by the Indians; and forty musqueteers and crossbow-men were
embarked in each with a few horses, and these pushed across the river
with the utmost diligence. They were descried however, by five hundred
Indians who were scouring the country, who with loud cries gave the
alarm to the rest, and all hastened to defend the pass. Most