on be extremely unjust. Perceiving that it was impossible to induce
Guzman to return, and that the cacique was in the right, Soto dismissed
the four chiefs with some presents, and continued his progress.

After five days march through the province of Naguaten, the Spaniards
entered upon a new territory called _Guacane_, inhabited by a fierce and
warlike tribe, who obstinately refused to be at peace with them. In all
the houses of this tribe, _wooden-crosses_ were found; supposed to have
been occasioned by what Cabeza de Vaca and his companions had taught in
their progress through some other provinces of Florida, from whence
these crosses had been conveyed to this province and several
others[183]. Soto, having now lost half of his men and horses, was very
desirous to establish some colony, that the fatigues and dangers which
had been endured by him and his men might turn out to some useful
purpose. With this view he was now anxious to return to the great river,
repenting that he had not built a town at _Achusi_, as he once designed.
He had now a strong inclination to found a colony in some convenient
situation near the great river; where he could build two brigantines to
send down to the sea, to give notice of the large and fertile provinces
he had discovered, considering that if he should happen to die, all the
fruits of his labours would be lost. Having marched eight days through
the hostile province of _Guacane_, he proceeded by long marches in
search of the great river through seven extensive provinces, some of
which were fertile. In some of these the Spaniards were received in a
friendly manner, as they used every possible means to avoid war, because
their numbers were so much diminished, and they feared the summer might
pass away before they could reach the great river. Having entered the
province of _Anilco_, they marched thirty leagues through it to a town
of four hundred houses, having a large square in which the residence of
the cacique stood on an artificial mount on the bank of the river, which
was as large as the Guadalquiver at Seville. On their approach to this
place, the cacique drew out 1500 warriors to combat the Spaniards; yet
as soon as they drew near, all the Indians fled without shooting a
single arrow, and crossed the river in canoes and on floats, carrying
off their women and children, only a small number being taken by the
Spaniards. Soto sent several messages to the cacique requesting peace,
but