On This, Gabota Thought It More Prudent To Return To His Fort,
After Having Penetrated 200 Leagues Or 800 Miles Up This River.
He took
on board the people he had left at the fort, and returning to the ships
at the bar, sailed back to Seville in 1530.
He reported that the Rio
Plata was navigable for a great way, and that it rises from a lake named
_Bombo_[60] in the kingdom of Peru, whence, flowing through the valleys
of Xauxa, it receives the rivers Parso, Bulcasban, Cay, Parima, Hiacax,
and several others, by which its waters are greatly increased. It is also
said that the river of San Francesco comes from the same lake, which
likewise is very great; because rivers that flow from lakes are larger
than those which proceed from springs.
In the year 1527, Panfilo de Narvaez sailed from St Lucar de Barameda
with five ships, having 600 soldiers, 100 horses, and great abundance of
provisions, ammunition, and all other necessaries, to take possession of
Florida, as far as the river Palmas, of which he was appointed governor.
Not being able to land at the place he wished, he went on shore with 300
of his soldiers, some horses, and a supply of provisions, nearer Cape
Florida, ordering the ships to proceed to the river Palmas, in which
voyage they were nearly all lost Those who escaped shipwreck, suffered
extreme hardships from hunger and thirst on a dry barren island, called
Xamo by the natives, and which the Spaniards named _Malhada_. In this
island they were attacked by the natives, and many, both of the Spaniards
and natives, were slain.
Narvaez, and his people, saw some gold among the Indians of Florida, who
said they had it from _Apalachen_. He therefore went to that town in
search of gold, where they found abundance of bay trees, and others of
many different kinds, and plenty of beasts and birds, but neither gold
nor silver. From Apalachen, he went to a town called Aute, and from:
thence to Xamo, a poor and barren country. In this place, the natives
requested the Spaniards to cure their sick, of whom they had great
numbers; and the Spaniards being in extreme poverty and distress, prayed
for the sick, and used such endeavours as were in their power, towards
their relief: And it pleased God that many, both of the sick, and those
who were ill from wounds, recovered; nay, even one that was supposed to
be dead, was, by them, restored to life. Owing to this, the Spaniards
were greatly esteemed, and even reputed as gods, so that the people
offered them no injury, and even gave them such things as they had. By
these means, they passed through many countries, and many strange nations,
differing from each other in language, customs, and dress, and came at
length among a people that lived continually among their flocks and herds,
like the Arabs. Many of the tribes through which they travelled were so
poor as to feed on snakes, lizards, spiders, ants, and all kinds of
vermin, yet were well contented with their hard fore, and were much given
to singing and dancing.
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