VOLUME I THE EXPEDITION OF HERNANDO VOLUME I 1539-1543 DE SOTO TO NORTH AMERICA IN EDITED BY LAWRE CE A. CLAYTON VERNON JAMES KNIGHT, JR. EDWARD C. MOORE THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA PRESS ~ TUSCALOOSA Copyright © 1993 The University of Alabama Press Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487-0380 All rights reserved Manufactured in the United States of America designed by Paula C. Dennis Illustrations on cover and title page from The Conquistadores by Terence Wise, copyright 1980, reprinted 1990, courtesy of Osprey Publishing, London. First Paperback Edition 1995 00 The paper on which this book is printed meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Science-Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data The De Soto chronicles: the expedition of Hernando de Soto to North America in 1539-1543 I edited by Lawrence A. Clayton, Vernon James Knight, Jr., Edward C. Moore. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-8173-0824-7 (pbk. : alk. paper) ISBN 978-0-8173-8461-6 (electronic) 1. Soto, Hernando de, ca. 1500-1542. 2. Southern States -Discovery and exploration-Spanish-Sources. 3. Indians of North America-Southern States-History-16th century-Sources. 4- Spaniards-Southern States-History-16th century-Sources. I. Clayton, Lawrence A. II. Knight, Vernon J. III. Moore, Edward C. (Edward Carter), 1917- E125·S7D38 1993 To DOUGLAS E. JONES Chairman of the Alabama De Soto Commission and of The De Soto Trail Commission with many thanks. i&Mcatiotz,oji/zis ~ Aa-s hOt .wj~d //l jJart &(~/lft cmd doaat:io~fom tlzffill~ Cfge/lcie4, vutituLiO/u, {l/u/ /fid"otLiLla/s.· ALABAMA DE SOTO COMMISSION ANONYMOUS DONOR HISTORIC CHATTAHOOCHEE COMMISSION J. CONRAD DUNAGAN NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES PANAMERICAN CONSULTANTS, INC. THE PROGRAM FOR CULTURAL COOPERATION BETWEEN SPAIN'S MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND UNITED STATES' UNIVERSITIES SOUTHEASTERN ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONFERENCE THE DE SOTO TRAIL COMMISSION Hernando de Soto, ca. 1495-I 542 (From the Library of Congress copy of Retratos de los Espanoles ilustres con un epitome de sus vidas [Madrid, 179 I]) ILLUSTRATIONS XIV BOARD OF ADVISERS XV CONTRIBUTORS XVll FOREWORD XIX by Lawrence A. Clayton PREFACE XXI ACKNOWLEDGMENTS XXlll NOTES ON TRANSLATIONS AND NAMES XXVll INTRODUCTION: THE DE SOTO EXPEDITION, A CULTURAL CROSSROADS by Paul E. Hoffman THE ACCOUNT BY A GENTLEMAN FROM ELVAS 19 Translated and Edited by James Alexander Robertson With Footnotes and Updates to Robertson's Notes by John H. Hann