Page:Don Coronado through Kansas.djvu/32

21 THE KOUTE OP THE FOUR. 21 hostile whenever we encountered them. Then food became scarce, and nothing would mduce the na4)i7e8 to rev3al hidden stores of corn or gold. We con- tinued to march for about a month when we arrived at a very large river with a very strong current flow- ing towards the south". ( This must have been the Apalachicola river), and it was about April 19th when they left Tampa and arrived at this river May 15tih or twenty seven days, now it is about 160 miles north from their new starting place to New Troy, Florida, and from there west and a httle north to Tallahassee is another eighty mUes and from thence west to the river he described is about fifty more, so in twenty seven days they traveled, say 300 miles or an average of about eleven miles a day, which considering its be- ing virgin forest, without roads, as weU as being continually annoyed by the natives, makes a very fair average. De Vaca continuing his narration stated: "When we arrived at this large stream our men were very much discouraged, none of them had ever en- countered such woodlands before, and owing to their having no experience in woodcraft, it tried them sorely to transport the baggage and cannon over the pathless wilderness. The day we reached the banks of this river, Narvaez held a council of officers to discuss matters and it was decided to send a party along the banks of this river, untU the sea was reached and your most humble servant had the honor to be se- lected to command the expedition. We arrived at the sea shore and for several days waited to endeavor to sight our three vessels but failed to do so." (Due west of Tallahassee to the river would strilw