The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-29

mentary way. we must piece out the story of one of the most unique and infinite variety of incident. of far reaching consequence on the future de- velopment and settlement of the Gull region and fixing for generations the stbs,tude Ib,.u or the Indian toward the
 However interesting the story would prove, the details of the preparation TOT the voyage the coming. the toil- gia and perhaps through parts of south Carolina and Tennessee must be passed ovsr with the mere reference Charlotte harbor on Easter Sunday In l5as he pushes on until in July, i5le, we Ind him encamped at tho Indian town of CSvsa. located on the Coosa River in the present Taliadega County. The fndinns Were Barbarse.
 The Indians De- Soto found here were all in the same cultural status ism. Their tribal gove rnment was communal. They were an agricultural people. the yield of their patches sup plemented by hunting. They were houses. Tn religious belief they wero sun worshippers, just as many Of their descendants are known to have been widely extended geographical kpowi- edge of the entire Gulf region. and they doubtless knew of De Soto's com- ing ere he came.
 narrative reveals an interesting tribal organization. as well as q series of Iri- alan contederacfes, the union of which appears to have been brought about we have been slow to appreciate. De Soto found at least the Indian prov inces or confederacies in that part of Alabama through Swhich he passed. which stretched out between the Coosa and Tallapoosa Rivers, and indefinitely to the northeast. South of the juno ton of these rivers snd embracing the country on each side of the Alabama lay the Talisee .Confederacy. On the west it was bounded by the Cahaba, which separated 1t from the Tusea- limits % or or nHa pounds fGntseefas of tSe iSst nameS province are hard 70 work out. and yet 1t seems clear that it included all the lands between ther Cahaba and the Tombigbee, and up the Black Warrior. tributary streams. In the mountain ridges south of the Tennessee. The prineely stream which bore the name whose name we honor. flowed through the entire length of the province. From linguistic evidence the inhabitants of this Confectionery were of Choctaw or. In part at least of the historic choc- taws. The towns first encountered by De Soto, after leaving Tallisee, are said to be new towns showing their border situation. and, further. that they had only been recently incorporated into the Confederacys
 < Leaving Cosa on August 20. 1B40, 2 point apparently fixed without dif- of the narratives or subsequent writ CTS. De Soto continues hia journey. passing Itaba and U1libahaIe. crossing present city of Montgomery on Sep tember s, after which on the same day he reached Toasi, about three miles below the city. Continuing the march Dallas counties. on-fhe southwest side of the Alabama River the town of Tallisee tS reached.
 During his sixteen days stay in Talisee. supposed to have been situated on Old Town Creek in Dallas County, De Soto was visited by son of Tuska- lusa, who came as an ambassador from his father and was accompanied by number of the leading men of his people. As soon as the Maubilians made their appearance in hisl camp, De Soto, to inspire tho Indians with feel ing of awe. ordered his horsemen to mount and charge to the sound of the trumpet. The son UJf Tuskalusa, after being grs ciously received by De Soto, delivered him an invitation from his accS % t b.sit nis pooVincs srs sos2
 
 the party with a number of presents. He sent with them two Spaniards who were instructed to make such obser- yatlons as were needful so as to satis- fy themselves of Tuskaiusa's. inten- tions. On the return of the Spaniards De Soto set out to visit Tuskalusa. He corsseai the Alabama somewhere end of three days arrived within a league of Atahachi, the village of the chief. While not definitely determin- ed. 1t is believed that this. village was Alabama, probably on Big Creek. few miles distant from Greensboro.
 The Great Chief.
 Tt was Sunday morning. the 10th day of December. 1540, A haze hung over the village such 6 dreamy Indian sum- mer as still envelopes our plains and hills in the autumn time. Although we are without information. doubtless masses were said by the deyort span iards, presenting thus the strAnge an- ornaly of profession contrasting with conduct in their daily contact with the impatient for the meeting with the far- famed and much herelded Chief. moves into the town.
 "As tha spaniards come into view. Tuskalusa, who had been sitting in a piazza or covered entrance to one of his houses, moves with dignity and aase to a position of state on a mound in front of the house. Upon the mound
 
 cushions or mats, thrown one upon the other, are On the stage, and upon these TuskaIuRa seats himself. while his war riors arranged themselves around the base of the mound, rne highest of rank being nes rest the chteftain.
 '"Tuskalusa thus seated in state pre- scented an impressive appearance. He was a tall well proportioned man about 40 years of age, a handsome man of proud and noble mien: the best formed and the greatest that the spaniards had seen in Florida" as La Vega writes. The costume of Tuska- iusa was a striking one. He wore an imposing headdress which gave him an air of majesty and authority. He was arrayed in his robe of state-a down to his feet. Before the chief stood a young Indian of graceful car riage. who shielded him from the sun with a circular parasol of deer skin, on which was depicted a white cross in the middle of a black field. Such was the appearance of the chieftain of Maubila on tha. bright Sunday morning October the 10th, 1540.
 Soon after he had thus seated him de Moscoso, rode forward at the head of fifteen horsemen to inform the chief of the approach of De Soto. On coming forward Moscoso saluted the chief, and the Spanish cavaliers. to impress him with an awful sense of their power, dashed their steeds for ward, made them Ieap iron. side to side sometimes towards the chief. but. strange as this sight was to him the cavaliers in their shining armor. and their terrible animals-nothing disturbed the ImperrurbRble gravity of Tuskalusa disdainful look was ali that he bestowed upon these strange visitors ,,,. ,oa1 feruyord dfsuouptad in the public