LOUISIANA, EMBRACING TRANSLATIONS OF MANY RARE AND VALUABLE DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE NATURAL, CIVIL AND POLITICAL HISTORY OF THAT STATE. COMPILED WITH HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES, AND AN INTRODUCTION, BY B. F. FRENCH, Member of the Louisiana Historical Society; of the American Association for the PART II. SECOND EDITION. PHILADELPHIA: DANIELS AND SMITH. New York, G. P. PUTNAM; Boston, LITTLE AND BROWN; New Orleans, B. M. PREFACE. IN preparing this volume for the press, it has been my object to clear up as much as possible, by the publication of important narratives, all doubts respecting the claim of Spain to the first discovery, and of France to the first settlement and exploration of the Mississippi River. In the sixteenth century, the name of Florida was given to all that country lying south of Virginia, and extending westward to the Spanish possessions in Mexico, including, of course, the present State of Louisiana. It was inhabited by several powerful tribes of warlike Indians, who subsequently resisted every attempt of England, France and Spain, to subjugate them. In 1512, Ponce de Leon, a companion of Columbus, sailed for Florida, and effected a landing near the present town of St. Augustine. He was attacked by the natives, and driven back with severe loss to his ships, mortally wounded. He returned with the wreck of his expedition to Cuba, where he shortly afterwards died. In 1520, Vasquez de Ayllon fitted out another expedition to take possession of Florida, but he was slain by the Indians, and his fleet returned to Cuba. In 1528, Pamfilo de Narvaez sailed from Cuba with four ships and a strong military force to conquer the country. He arrived in the Bay of Espiritu Santo (Tampa Bay), on the 12th of April, where he landed his army! After penetrating the country some hundreds of miles, and suffering severe loss and incredible hardships, he returned to the sea-coast, and embarked the miserable remnant of his army in five frail vessels for Cuba. During his voyage a severe storm arose, in which he suffered shipwreck, and only a portion of his army ultimately reached Mexico in 1537. In 1539, Hernando de Soto, the companion of Pizarro in the conquest of Peru, obtained permission of Charles the Fifth to conquer the country, and the title of governor and captain-general was conferred upon him. After nearly fourteen months spent in preparation, he set sail from Spain on the 6th of April, 1538, and on the 31st May, 1539, he arrived in the bay of Espiritu Santo, where he landed his army. He penetrated the interior of the country, and passed down the valley of the Coosa River. He marched from thence to Alabama river, where he fought a great battle with the Indians. Leaving Mauvila, he marched northward and westward, and spent the second winter in Mississippi, where he lost a part of his army in a battle with the Chickasaws. Thence he bent his course to the Mississippi River, which he crossed in the latitude of the Chickasaw Bluffs, and |