bows and arrows in their
hands. De Soto advanced to the shore to meet them, where he stood
surrounded by his staff. The royal barge containing the chief paddled
within a few rods of the bank. The cacique then rose, and addressed De
Soto in words which, translated by the interpreter, were as follows: "I
am informed that you are the envoy of the most powerful monarch of the
globe. I have come to proffer to you friendship and homage, and to
assure you of my assistance in any way in which I can be of service."

De Soto thanked him heartily for his offer and entreated him to land,
assuring him that he should meet only with the kindest reception. The
boats immediately returned for another load. Rapidly they passed to and
fro, and the whole army was transported to the western bank of the
Mississippi. The point where De Soto and his army crossed, it is
supposed, was at what is called the lowest Chickasaw Bluff.

"The river in this place," says the Portuguese narrative, "was a mile
and a half in breadth, so that a man standing still could scarcely be
discerned from the opposite shore. It was of great depth, of wonderful
rapidity, and very turbid, and was always filled with floating trees and
timber carried down by the force of the current."

The army having all crossed, the boats were broken up, as usual, to
preserve the nails. It would seem that the hostile Indians had all
vanished, for the Spaniards advanced four days in a westerly direction,
through an uninhabited wilderness, encountering no opposition. On the
fifth day they toiled up a heavy swell of land, from whose summit they
discerned, in a valley on the other side, a large village of about four
hundred dwellings. It was situated on the fertile banks of a stream
which is supposed to have been the St. Francis.

The extended valley, watered by this river, presented a lovely view as
far as the eye could reach, with luxuriant fields of Indian corn and
with groves of fruit and trees. The natives had received some intimation
of the approach of the Spaniards, and in friendly crowds gathered around
them, offering food and the occupancy of their houses. Two of the
highest chieftains subordinate to the cacique soon came, with an
imposing train of warriors, bearing a welcome from their chief and the
offer of his services.

De Soto received them with the utmost courtesy, and, in the interchange
of these friendly offices, both Spaniards and natives became alike
pleased with eac