The noble army with which De Soto left Spain but three and a half
years before, had dwindled away to about three hundred and fifty men;
and many of these gained this refuge only to die. Fifty of these
wanderers, exhausted by hunger, toil and sorrow, found repose in the
grave. Soon the survivors commenced building seven brigantines to take
them back to Cuba. They had one ship-carpenter left, and several other
mechanics. Swords, stirrups, chains, cutlasses, and worn out
fire-arms, were wrought into spikes. Ropes were made from grass. The
Indians proved friendly, furnishing them with food, and aiding them in
their labors.

The hostile chief of whom we have before spoken, Quigualtanqui, on the
eastern bank of the river, began to renew his efforts to form a
hostile league against the Spaniards. He was continually sending spies
into the camp. Moscoso was a merciless man. One day thirty Indians
came into the town as spies, but under pretence of bringing presents
of food, and messages of kindness from their Cacique. Moscoso thought
he had ample evidence of their treachery. Cruelly he ordered the right
hand of every one of these chiefs to be chopped off with a hatchet,
and thus mutilated, sent them back to the Cacique as a warning to
others.

Moscoso, conscious of the peril of his situation, made the utmost
haste to complete his fleet. It consisted of seven large barques, open
save at the bows and stern. The bulwarks were mainly composed of
hides. Each barque had seven oars on a side. This frail squadron was
soon afloat, and the Governor and his diminished bands embarked.

It was on the evening of the second of July, just as the sun was
setting, when they commenced their descent of the majestic
Mississippi, leading they knew not where. They had succeeded in
fabricating sails of matting woven from grass. With such sails and
oars, they set out to voyage over unexplored seas, without a chart,
and without a compass. The current of the river was swift and their
descent rapid. They occasionally landed to seize provisions wherever
they were to be found, and to take signal vengeance on any who opposed
them.

It seems that the Indians, during the winter, had been collecting a
fleet, manned with warriors, to cut off the retreat of the Spaniards.
This fleet consisted of a large number of canoes, sufficiently
capacious to hold from thirty to seventy warriors, in addition to
from thirteen to twenty-four men with paddles. They could