h other. The adventurers remained in this village for
six days, finding abundant food for themselves and their horses, and
experiencing, in the friendship and hospitality of the natives, joys
which certainly never were found in the horrors of war. The province was
called by the name of Kaski, and was probably the same as that occupied
by the Kaskaskia Indians.

Upon commencing anew their march they passed through a populous and
well-cultivated country, where peace, prosperity, and abundance seemed
to reign. In two days, having journeyed about twenty miles up the
western bank of the Mississippi, they approached the chief town of the
province, where the cacique lived. It was situated, as is supposed, in
the region now called Little Prairie, in the extreme southern part of
the State of Missouri, not far from New Madrid. Here they found the
hospitable hands of the cacique and his people extended to greet them.

The residence of the chief stood upon a broad artificial mound,
sufficiently capacious for twelve or thirteen houses, which were
occupied by his numerous family and attendants. He made De Soto a
present of a rich fur mantle, and invited him, with his suite, to occupy
the royal dwellings for their residence. De Soto politely declined this
offer, as he was unwilling thus to incommode his kind entertainer. He,
however, accepted the accommodation of several houses in the village.
The remainder of the army were lodged in exceedingly pleasant bowers,
skilfully and very expeditiously constructed by the natives of bark and
the green boughs of trees, outside the village.

It was now the month of May. The weather was intensely hot, and these
rustic bowers were found to be refreshingly cool and grateful. The name
of the friendly chief was Casquin. Here the army remained for three
days, without a ripple of unfriendly feeling arising between the
Spaniards and the natives.

It was a season of unusual drouth in the country, and, on the fourth day
following, an extraordinary incident occurred. Casquin, accompanied by
quite an imposing retinue of his most distinguished men, came into the
presence of De Soto, and, stepping forward with great solemnity of
manner, said to him: "Senor, as you are superior to us in prowess and
surpass us in arms, we likewise believe that your God is better than our
God. These you behold before you are the chief warriors of my dominions.
We supplicate you to pray to your God to send us rain, for our fie