Those that were ordered to stay behind with Captain Calderon were heavy in spirit. There were of them 40 horse and 60 foot left in guard of the village and the stuff and the harbour and the brigantines and boats that were left. All the ships had been dispatched to Havana.

The Governor, gratified at this agreement, set out from the village and harbor of Spiritu Sancto -- so called from the day when the governor and his fleet arrived. This departure took place on Tuesday, July 15, 1539. That night they bivouacked on the river of Mococo. They took with them a large drove of pigs which had been brought over in the fleet to meet any emergency. They made two bridges where the army crossed the river.

The next day they were at the Lake of the Rabbit. They gave it this name because a rabbit suddenly started up in the camp and frightened all the horses which ran back over a league, not one remaining. All the Christians scattered to recover the loose horses. If there had been any Indians around, even a few, they would have had the Spaniards at their mercy; and, in return for their lack of caution, a shameful ending of the war would have been prepared for them.

The horses having been recovered, the next day they reached St. John's Lake. The next day under a grievous sun they came to a plain, and the soldiers arrived much exhausted. A steward of the Governor's who was named Prado, died of thirst. Many of the foot soldiers were hard pressed, and others must needs have followed the steward if they had not been helped with the horses.

The next day they came to the plain of Guacoco. The soldiers went into the corn fields and gathered the green corn with which they cheered themselves not a little, for it was the first they had seen in that country.

The next day, early, they came to Luca, a little village. There Baltasar de Gallegos came to meet the Governor. The Monday following, July 21, they were joined by the soldiers that Baltasar de Gallegos had, and the Governor sent a messenger to Urriparacoxi, but no reply was received. On Wednesday, July 23, the Governor set out with his army and came to Vicela and went beyond it to sleep.

On Thursday they slept at another village called Tocaste which was on a large lake. And this same day the Governor went on with some horsemen along the road to Ocale because he had great reports of the riches he expected to find there.

When he saw the roads broad he thought he had his hands already on the spoil.

Soto ordered one of his knights, named Rodrigo Ranjel -- because he had a good horse besides being a good soldier and a man of worth -- to return to the camp for more soldiers to accompany him. This esquire did so, although not without misgiving of what might happen, since for the Governor to stay with only ten horsemen seemed to him too few. He (Soto) sent that gentleman alone and through a land of enemies and bad trails; and where, if any found him, he must die or rush through if he was not to return without response.

Since he felt ashamed to ask for company he bowed his head and obeyed. But I do not praise him for that determination. In matters that are necessary and obvious, it is allowable that with reason one should submit to the prince who provides, in order that he may be well served and his orders best carried into effect.

What befell this messenger horseman on that day he did not wish to say, because what he said would be about himself. Suffice it to say that he well proved his resolution to be brave man, and that he fell upon Indians enough that were on the trail of the Governor and got through. When he arrived at headquarters, the Master of the Camp gave him 14 horse with which the number with the Governor was increased to 26.

The next day they moved the headquarters along the trail of the Governor. On the road they came up with two horsemen whom the Governor had sent to the Master of the Camp, a knight named Luis de Moscoso, to order him not to move.

They returned to where they started from to sleep, because they had a brush, which is the same as a skirmish, with the Indians. The Indians killed a horse belonging to Carlos Enriquez, the husband of the Governor's niece, a native of Xerez de Baldajoz, and wounded some Christians. There was much suffering from hunger so that they ate the ears of corn with the cobs or wood -- which is cassi -- on which the grains grow.

The next day, Saturday, the Governor found the roads broader and the aspect of the country fine. He sent back two horsemen for 30 others and gave orders for the camp to follow him. The Master of the Camp sent Nuno de Tovar with 30 horses and moved the headquarters as the Governor had ordered.

The Governor, with the 26 horse that were with him, on St. Anne's Day reached the river or