The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1898-05-13

uTSU sIsuU VI IHc MiSS'sSIppI hlVcT ny
the eye OF a man OF Europc-for this
river is a river OF the prophecies, and
the path that should lead to it should
be with the acchmpanlments OF battle
and disease and DEATH
In starting on this expedition De
Soto shared in the delusion that pre-
vailcl in Europe III the year 1886, that
Florida was Il land OF unlimited gold,
surprising in this respect any that
had been discovered on this side OF the
Atlantic up to that time! He was
joined by many Spanish and Portu.
guesc caballeros, who enrolled them.
selves among his followers, and in
August, 1888, he sailed from the port
Of San Lucar with 900 soldiers, "a
priests and 20 officers, bound for Ha-
vana. Scverallades accompanied the
expedition, and these De Soto decided
tn leave at Havana until he should
have made sure of the conquest Of
Florida. Departing from Havana
with his little army, he sailed for the
coast Of Florida, and anchored in the
Bay OF Espiritu Santo (now Tampa
Bay, May %, 1880.
For month he marched along a
route inhabited only by hostile In
dians, whose animosity towards the
Spanards was owing to their recollec-
tons Of the cruelty practlced by Mar
vaez, Spanish commander, who pre-
viously had invaded their country.
DWELLING among the Indians as their
slave was a Spaniard, Juan Ortiz, who
had been a follower of Narvaez and
had been captured by the natives.
This man served us interpreter be-
tween De Soto and the Indians. The
latter, perceiving the thirst OF the
Spaniards for gold, and anxious to rid
themselves OF their hated presence,
told De Soto Turing and delusive tales
of countries much farther to the west
and northwest where gold was to be
had in abundance.
Upon the strength Of this false in
telligcnce De Soto determined to seek
this new Eldnrado. lie sent back all
his ships to Havana in July, 1899, and,
marching to the country Of the Ap-
palachians, he spent the winter OF
1880 40 among those people, east OF the
Flint River. The Appalachians as
sured him that the golden land which
he sought was to the northward, and,
still following the fluctuating will-O'.
the wisp Of "A mocking hope. he d.
rected his march to the Ogccchcc;
thence, turning to the southwark, he
proceeded to the C0osa, and finally,
on October ls, 1910, he arrived at the
town of Mauvilla (now Mobile), where
he met the first formidable resistance
that he had so far encountered. The
Mubilians had heard OF the strange,
bearded men with pale faces who were
roaming around the country asking
curious and impOrtunate questions
about gold, whose weapons OF wal
emitted fame and smoke and which
killed from a great distance; whose
heads and bodies were covered with
iron against which the most unerr
ingy directed lance or arrow wat
aimed in vain, and they had fortified
their town against their approach
Dc Soto's army consisted OF about 6Ot
foot soldiers and some $50 horse. Ir
the desperate battle that ensucd Mau
villa was taken, the Spaniards losing
30 men and AZ horses, while the Mo
bilians, according to Spanish reports
lost 1850 warriors.
The policy OF the natives had now
changed from relating marvellous sto
ries of gold to fighting the'invader'
of their country.
De Soto's next experience OF organ
lied hostility was In the Chickasav
country, to which he marched afte
the fall OF Mauvilla. He spent tn
winter there, and In the spring OF tn
following year (l54l) the smolderln'
wrath OF the terrible Chickasaw
broke out against the Spaniards, be
cause De Soto endeavOred to fore
them to carry the baggage Of his arm
when lie was preparing to resume hi
march toward the northwest. Th
Spanish camp was near the village q
the Chickasaws. The Indians made
night attack on the camp and set IT o
fire. In the course Of this attacl
and by reason Of the flames Of tf
burning camp, 40 Spa aniards perishet
As the Russians Of Moscow did nearl
27O years later, the Chickasaws d
stroyed their own town by tre at tt
time they reduced the camp Of I'll
Spaniards to ashes:
De Soto was now between seven an
ten days march to the Mississippi
Shortly after leaving the ChicRasa'
! country o malarial fever broke ou
among his men, which caused t'l
, death Of more than twentykof tl'el
number. lie pressed on, bis undaun'
cd spirit pausing at no obstacles. "a
, seven days his march lay through
, wilderness, forests and marshes altel
mating.
The ''dIscovery" Of the Mississippi
was now at hand. The golden visiUl