portioned, and more ciuill then
any others that were seene in all the countrie of Florida, and all of them
well shod and clothed. The youth told the Gouernour, that hee began now to
enter into the land which hee spake of: and some credit was giuen him that
it was so, because hee vnderstood the language of the Indians: and hee
requested that hee might bee christened, for hee said he desired to become
a Christian: Hee was christened, and named Peter; and the Gouernour
commanded him to be loosed from a chaine, in which vntill that time he had
gone. This countrie, as the Indians reported, had beene much inhabited,
and had the fame of a good countrie. And, as it seemeth, the youth which
was the Gouernours guide, had heard of it, and that which he knew by
heresay, hee affirmed that hee had seene, and augmented at his pleasure.
In this towne was found a dagger, and beades, that had belonged to
Christians. (M624) The Indians reported that Christians had been in the
hauen, which was two daies iourney from this towne, many yeeres agoe. Hee
that came thither was the Gouernour, the Licenciate Lucas Vasquez de
Ayllon, which went to conquer this countrie, and at his comming to the
Port hee died; and there was a diuision, quarrels and slaughters betweene
some principall men which went with him, for the principall gouernment:
And without knowing anything of the countrie they returned home to
Hispaniola. All the company thought it good to inhabite that countrie,
because it was in a temperat climate: And that if it were inhabited, al
the shippes of New Spaine, of Peru, Santa Martha, and Tierra firme in
their returne for Spaine, might well touch there: because it was in their
way; and because it was a good countrie, and sited fit to raise
commoditie. The Gouernour, since it was his intent to seeke another
treasure, like that of Atabalipa Lord of Peru, was not contented with a
good countrie, nor with perles, though many of them were worth their
weight in gold. And if the countrie had been diuided among the Christians,
those which the Indians had fished for afterward, would haue been of more
value; for those which they had, because they burned them in the fire, did
leese their colour. The Gouernour answered them, that vrged him to
inhabit, That in all the countrie there were not victuals to susteine his
men one moneth; and that it was needfull to resort to the Port of Ocus,
where Maldanado was to stay for them: and that if no richer Countrie w