he south of Apalache, while
Calderon was to go by land. Accordingly, every thing being in readiness,
seven days after the arrival of Anasco, Calderon set out by land for
Apalache with seventy horse and fifty foot soldiers, all the rest going
by sea along with Anasco.

On the second day of his march, Calderon came to the town of Mucozo, and
was hospitably entertained by that friendly chief. Nothing remarkable
happened during this march till they came to the great swamp, except
that one horse was killed by an arrow which penetrated through his
breast to his bowels. These Indians are such powerful archers that they
have been known to shoot through four folds of mail; for which reason
the Spaniards laid aside their European armour, and used a kind which is
stuffed with cotton, called _escaupiles_, to defend both themselves and
their horses. Calderon travelled with very little opposition or
difficulty all the way to the swamp of Apalache, where the Indians
attacked him desperately and killed one of his horses. Next day he was
again attacked, and disturbed all the ensuing night, the Indians
constantly upbraiding the Spaniards as vagabonds and robbers, and
threatening to quarter them. On the following day Calderon and his men
reached Apalache, where ten or twelve of his people died of their
wounds. Anasco arrived safe with the remainder of the Spaniards at the
Bay of Aute[153], whence he marched by land to Apalache. Having now
collected his whole force at Apalache, Ferdinand de Soto sent Diego
Maldonado with the brigantines to explore the coast to the westwards,
ordering him to return in two months with a particular description of
all the ports, creeks, and headlands he might fall in with. Maldonado
executed these orders; and on his return reported that he had discovered
a very excellent harbour, called _Achusi_, sixty leagues to the
westwards of Aute[154], whence he brought two Indian prisoners. Soto
then sent Maldonado with the brigantines to the Havannah, carrying
letters to his lady, and directed him to inform the colonists of Cuba
that he had found an excellent harbour in Florida, and that the country
was pleasant and fertile, by way of encouraging settlers to come over.

[Footnote 153: No bay is now known of this name, but it may possibly
have been that now known by the name of Mobille.--E.]

[Footnote 154: This distance from Mobille Bay would lead us considerably
to the west of the Missisippi, perhaps to Ascension Bay