has many vassals, and is an independent king. He lives inland on the last cape of the river. There are more than 40 leagues of distance, following up the stream, to where Hernando de Soto thought to colonize; but he did not do so in consequence of his death.

We will now leave Tocobaga, Abalachi, Olagale and Mogoso, which are separate kingdoms; and I will name over the villages and towns of the deceased cacique Carlos who was put to death by sentence of the Captain Reynoso.

First a place called Tampa, a large town; and another town which is called Tomo; another, Tuchi; and another, Soco; another, Sinaesta; and another, Metamapo; and another Sacaspada; and another, Calaobe; and another, Estame; another, Yagua; another, Guevu; another, Muspa; another, Jutun; another, Tequemapo; and another with the name of Comachica; also, Quisiyove; and two other towns of that territory, the names of which I do not recollect for it has been six years since I came from there.

Besides, there are others inland on the Lake of Mayaimi. The first is Cutespa; another, Tavaquemue; another, Tomsobe; another, Enempa; and 20 more towns there are of which I do not remember the names. There are also two towns more which are on the islands of the Yucayos, subject to Carlos, the Indian before mentioned. The one is called Guarungunve, and the other Cuchiyaga.

Carlos, after his father, was lord of these 50 towns until the time of his execution, as I have said. Now Don Pedro reigns, the son of Sebastian. These two were brought to Havana by Pedro Menendez (adelantado of Florida 1565-1574) that he might gratify them. He directed that they should be so named, but they became worse than they were before he made them gifts.

I wish only to say this more of Carlos: it is a large country, is rich in pearls and possesses little gold because it is far from the mines of Onagatano. These are distant on the snowy mountains of Onagatano, who is the farthest vassal of Abalachi and Olagatano. It is far from Olagale, Mogoso and the people of Canogacola.

These last, the Indians say, are numerous and are great warriors. They go naked although some of them are clothed in skins. They are great painters, and whatever they see they paint. They are called Canogacola, which means a people without respect, skillful with the bow.

Midway up the river San Mateo, 60 leagues in-land, is another cacique having an independent sovereignty, and being lord of his land, whose name is Utina. Saravai, and Moloa and many others are his vassals, until coming to Mayaguaca, in the land of Ais, which lies towards Canaberal, so called by our pilots who sail thither. With these two caciques, Menendez made treaties of friendship.

By way of this River San Mateo, one may go to Tocobaga on the other side of Florida, to the west. I do not mean all the way by the river, but in this manner: Enter over the bar of the San Mateo and arrive at Zaravay, which is 50 or 60 leagues in the interior up the river, or at the province of Utina. There disembark, keeping a westerly course from town to town until coming upon the country of Tocobaga itself, which lies within on another large river where Soto was and where he died.

With this I will end and say no more; for, if the conquest of that country were about to be undertaken, I would give no further account of it than I have rendered. Its subjugation is befitting His majesty, for the security of His armadas that go to Peru, New Spain and other parts of the Indies.

So I conclude, and as this account may become important, I sign it:

Hernando D'Escalante Fontenada

After escaping from the Indians and the French, Fontenada served as guide and interpreter to the adelantado Pedro Menendez. It was Menendez who finally established a permanent Spanish presence in Florida by building a number of forts and missions in 1565. One of them, St. Augustine, survives as the first and oldest city in the United States.

Menendez had lost his son in a shipwreck on the Florida coast and obtained permission to "advance" the Crown's interest while conducting a search, sadly unsuccessful.

In a history of Menendez by Barcia we find another significant description by Fontenada:

The guide and interpreter the Adelantado had brought with him had been a slave of a Cacique of Ays whom they called Perucho who lived 20 leagues up the river (San Mateo, St. Johns) and knew this Macoya. He told the Adelantado that he ought to return for there were many and warlike Indians in the land, and that they told him the river became very narrow from there inland for more than 30 leagues until it emptied into a large lagoon they call the Maymi. This, they said, has a circuit