Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1853-10-07

satisfy th .lr most pressing wants Havlnt al
really lost ouc-third OF their number, the dis
cons0lated a,l,enturerS who yet survived, broken
down by disease, By weary and painful march.
eS, IN By the Necessity of constant watchful
ness, concluded to return To Hispaniola.
Too feeble to prosecute their Journey 10y land
they adopted the scarcely less desperate expe
dient of building few harks, in which they
proposed TO cruise along the shore until they
mel the slaalron from which they had dlsen.
baried ia The spring.
They at once set about their task With
singular il III y they cjhStracted bellows OF
deer skin, and by the aid OF charcoal and Il rude
for re, the iron of their SpurS, cross baws STIR
rups, and SuperluouS arn6r, was SlicediiS con-
vcrled slto nails aud such necessary tools as
their e&i.seiies5s feq.+iresl. frees were ii.llel
and labnrouslv hewn into shape. For ropes
they q! the fl,r,s of the palm tree. strength
ened y .lr from the tails and name; nf their
horses. Their shirts cut open and sewed to-
gether. served for sails: while of the skins of
the hIr:es, which were slain for food. they made
vessels to contain the water required on the Wv
are. In Si& weeks live h,it Ai;fe cob! h!etcd.
into each of which from forty To fifty men were
crowclel.
Fri :htcl 81 Heavily thii tie gunwales of
their blr'ks touched the waters e.lre. Narvaez
ald his followers Quilted the Bay of 81. Marks
On the 22d o e.;e .b alt e,-ug Yts var
sailed for niany davS a'olt tha cpls; lar.int
ccadonaliy to DO battle with the natives for
lJ5l aad water.
the troops, least capable o; endurance, expired
of thirst. Others !;rll bv the hands Of saya res
0rcrtakea by the tempest, two o. the boats
.iri, I
after. The three vet renamed t,.anlercl sub
sequenily. aal ofal that gallant COMPANY, ony
Altar NaneI aud four companions, aiicr culur
ia ten years oi slavery. wandering aud wretch
el''ess, s;cceelel i, rrtarang 10 Mexico.
These Plverty- y-stricilen tu .itives, encoura red
by the patient ,r,dulity of their listeners narra
ted the most mlrycIlouS le g.n,!3 OF the conn
tries through which they had passed; and whea
Alyar Nnaez crossed over to Spain, bearing
with HIM the fast reliable tit'ih - of the Jate {,
Naryaez AMI lis companions, nie,i turned aside
from his tale ot peril ali 5Hf.rine to question
hm coIcern;ag the rcpatel wealth oH lhJst
lands he hal 50 lately traycrscA.
Cpljcciuring from hi, aft.ta;iJH of nrSterei-
onS searesy thlt 'ilr.,ia was another Para, he
assertion of one Of the wanderers that it was the
richest county III tie World, saaed mplcit
creieace, a..d ina ginatiyeS minds became easily
convinced of the existence Of new re-ioa,
where dariag men mi hit yet win goide hr-
vest, aud 4 glorious rorown.
T5e Idcesttui'es Of U3u1adro De- SOB
Foremost anon those who entertained this be-
lief was Hernando De Soto. a native of NereS:
ana gentleman ''hy all f1ur descents" As Il
yOEh.'l soldier OF fortune. 20 ;sessing no prop
cry bevou,l his sworl and ba kler, h.. had Join
el the standard of P;zlrra, under whom h.
SON won a distin tuished military repu;ation.-
ReG,lered famous by tie Courage he DISPLAYED
in the s,nrniny of Cusco, and 40 less admired
for his bJldness in action, than for his prudence
in council, speedily rose to the rank of second
in command. Returning to Spain in the prime
of life, with Il fortune of one hundred and eigh-
tv thousand ducateS, he assumed all the mag
nifcence Of wealthy noble. He had his stew
ard, his Gentleman Of the horse, his ciamtber-
lain, PAGES and usher. Already renowned for
those heroic qualities which women so much
admire, his riches and his noble person gained
for him the hand of Isaba de Bobadia, a lady
of high rank, and connected by blood with
some Of the most powerful families in the king
dem.
Ee"ated ly the these advantages he repair
ed in great state 70 Madid, attended by Luis
Mo5cozo De iyarado, Nuno de Tobar and
=.
whom were gor reously appareled and scattered
their wealth avi5hly Peculiarly open to cred
ulitg from the success which had attended his
career in Peru. De Spto interpreted the asue
replies Of Aivar Nunez according to his own
wishes; All asp:ril, to Increase the fame he
hal Already d l:lif,ti is Snbnrlate, bv the
hJaDrS - he derived from IN iedpednaut com
mlai, he pet.;i,Hi the EnDarpr Charles V
tJr par.nISs - cpnlHnr Florida at his own
expense. Il was not difficult to obtain the rov-
al consent q ils lntcrpri5e which while it occi,-
stoned 10 outlay 70 the government, might be
the means of brH2ing great wealth into the
trna 5urf. De Soto was appointed civil and
military commander Of Florida aud Governor Of
Caba. He was also invested with the ranl, and
title OF marquis, With authority to select for
himself IN eSte thirty len gues long and iif:
teen broad. in and of the Territories to be con.
quered by his arms
1t was sonner made known that fernando
De Soto, PizarrpS famous lieutenant, was or
ganizing an expenitioh f)r the conl quest of
Florida. than many young Spanish and Portu-
CUES mobiles. burning for wealth and distinction,
sold of their possessions and hastened to join
the standard of 50 renowned leader. Men of
AL ranks speedily followed their example, and
of lrouses, ;Tl lands of viicyafdS ani
olive groves, assembled at Seville, in which ci !
ty De Soto had taken up his abode to arrnre !
the details Of his ma rnifccut enterprise. BE !
int joined ut Seville bv the Portu rue5 volun- I
teerS he departed soIn after for the port OF
San Bucar De Birramr'ia, where he ordered /
a muster of the trj1p5 for t'i, P,rpos, of enrD!-
hing such aS were m ISt capable OF cnlurinr the
privaton and EarlShiP3 with which he well
knew the enterprise woi!d be attended. TO
this master the Spaniarli came foppishlY ap-
parreli-l il silks and sltinS, llntilv s'a5hed .
lli enbroil.rtd; Will, tn P)rtl .use made /
their appearance in burn;Sl;.i armur excellent
ly wroa sht; apl with weapons to cores
ppnd. Chagrinedt at h$own countrlmen sho Id
have presented Themselves in attire 50 wholly
liitted for the service in Which they proposed
% enga re, De 500 ordered a second muster. at
which AL were attended IN armor. The dis I
play was Sill in favor Of the Poria- -,lies, whpl,
cauie aitirra with The sam sbli;eriy care aS
before, Will, mJSt Of the Splniaris having cX-
pended the greater part o. their substance upon
heir sillen raads, made their appearance NJ
'as;y anl leFective coats OF mail, ainte1 head
pieces, AMI with llnces neither Wei made nor
Trustworthy. From the choicest o. these, how
ever, De Soto selected six hundred men, with
Fhom he put to sea- in SIX large and tllree small
vessels, or the 9th OF April, 1858. This feet,
having also on board priest, clerzymen and
monks, Cor the conversion of the heatheu; to the
number Of twenty four, reached Gomera, one