At this place the Spaniards built rafts, striking the fetters from
their captives in order to use the iron for nails, and so crossed the
river. They hoped in this way to escape from their savage foes; but
on the other side of the river they found Indians who were just as
fierce.

So the Spaniards traveled south, hoping by following the course of
the river to reach the sea. This De Soto soon found to be impossible,
as the country was a wilderness of tangled vines and roots, and his
followers could not cross the many creeks and small rivers which flowed
into the Mississippi. The horses traveled through this country with
difficulty, often being up to their girths in water. Each day saw the
little band grow less in numbers.

At length they returned to the banks of the river, being guided back
by their horses. The men lost their way in the dreadful forest, but
the instinct of the noble animals directed them aright.

Food was growing scarce, and De Soto himself was taken ill. He knew
that unless something should be done soon to make the Indians help
them, all would perish. So he sent word to an Indian chief saying that
he was the child of the sun, and that all men obeyed him. He then
declared that he wanted the chief's friendship, and ordered him to
bring him food.

The chief sent back word that if De Soto would cause the river to dry
up he would believe him. This, of course, De Soto could not do.

He was disappointed and discouraged at not being able to get food.
The illness from which he was suffering grew worse, and he died soon
afterwards.

His followers were anxious to hide his death from the natives, who
were very much afraid of him. So they placed his body in the hollow
of a scooped out tree, and sunk it at midnight in the water.

Those of his followers who were left decided to try to reach home by
following the river to its mouth. These men were in a wretched
condition. Their clothing was nearly all gone. Few of them had shoes,
and many had only the skins of animals and mats made of wild vines
to keep them warm. They built seven frail barks and sailed down the
Mississippi, avoiding Indians all the way, and in seventeen days they
came to the Gulf of Mexico.

In fifty days more they succeeded in reaching a Spanish settlement
on the coast of Mexico, where they were received with much joy.

Of the gay company of six hundred and twenty who had set out with such
high hopes, only three hundred and eleven men ret