, at the Port de Spirito Santo receiued great
comfort, supposing, that that which the Indians reported, might be true.
Hee left Captaine Calderan at the Port, with thirtie horsemen, and
seuentie footemen, with prouision for two yeeres, and himselfe with all
the rest marched into the maine land, and came to the Paracossi, at whose
towne Baltasar de Gallegos was: and from thence with all his men tooke the
way to Cale. He passed by a little towne called Acela, and came to another
called Tocaste: and from thence he went before with 30 horsemen, and 50
footemen toward Cale. And passing by a towne, whence the people were fled,
they saw Indians a little from thence in a lake; to whom the Interpreter
spake. They came vnto them and gaue them an Indian for a guide: and hee
came to a Riuer with a great current, and vpon a tree, which was in the
midst of it, was made a bridge, whereon the men passed: the horses swam
ouer by a hawser, that they were pulled by from the otherside: for one,
which they droue in without it, was drowned. From thence the Gouernour
sent two horsemen to his people that were behind, to make haste after him;
because the way grew long and their victuals short. Hee came to Cale, and
found the towne without people. He tooke three Indians, which were spies,
and tarried there for his people that came after, which were sore vexed
with hunger and euill waies, because the Countrie was very barren of Maiz,
low, and full of water, bogs, and thicke woods; and the victuals, which
they brought with them from the Port de Spirito Santo, were spent.
Whersoeuer any towne was found, there were some beetes, and hee that came
first gathered them, and sodden with water and salt, did eate them without
any other thing: and such as could not get them, gathered the stalkes of
Maiz and eate them, which because they were young, had no Maiz in them.
When they came to the Riuer which the Gouernour had passed, they found
palmitos vpon lowe Palmetrees like those of Andaluzia. There they met with
the two horsemen which the Gouernour sent vnto them, and they brought
newes that in Cale there was plentie of Maiz: at which newes they all
reioyced. Assoone as they came to Cale, the Gouernour commanded them to
gather all the Maiz that was ripe in the field, which was sufficient for
three moneths. At the gathering of it the Indians killed three Christians
and one of them which were taken told the Gouernour that within seuen
dayes iournie, there was a