(seq. 189)

East Florida

Name continuded on that part of the Continent, where it orignially
took its Rise, and as far as the Name of Florida was carried by the
Track of the first Conquerors in the Reign of Charles the 5th. King of
Spain, by whose Order in 1539 Ferdinando Soto (a) the 12th of May set
Sail from the Havannah on Cuba with an Army of 1000 foot and
250 Calvarists in all 1250 Men, which he landed the 31st of May
in the Haven of Tampo, or Spiritu Santo, one degree and twenty
Minutes North from the Middle of Chatham (perhaps even at
that time called Ponce) Bayl the Haven of Spiritu Santo was
then settled by Hirragas Indians, of whose prinicipal town
Hirrhiquira six miles up the River, now known by the Name of
little Haloosa, Soto took Possession, and leaving a Garrison of 120
Men, marched 1130 to the Northward through the Muksos Nation
(making alliance with some and conquering others) led with
the utmost Difficulty his Army through the famous Okanphanoko
Swamp, at that time bordered on its South by the Urribarakaxes, and
on its North by the Ahuheiras, marched through the Opachiles, Vita=
=chikos, and Chalekes to Apalache, the principal Town of the Apalache
Indians on the East side of Apalachicosa River; Apalache is situated
upon the Gulf of [?] mnow Apalache Bay or rather Gluf, where Soto
rested his Army in Winter Quarters, and was joined by the Garrison
he left at Hirrehiguira.
4th. The latter End of March 1540 Soto broke up, and moved to
the Hofasiki Nation, which was settled on the West Side of Apalachi=
-cola Stream, discharging itself into the Gulf of Mexico to the East
of Cape Escondido, at that time bearing the Name of St Helena, ever
since a Company of seven rich Inhabitants in S Dominque fitted out
two Vessels (which was about three years after Juan Ponce's Discovery
of Florida) in Expectation of finding out Gold and Silver Mines, and
to be the first Adventurers. These two Vessels made this Cape Land
on the day of St Helene; one Jordan on board of one of the two Vessels
was the first, who spied the Mouth of Apalachicola Stream, for
which they stood in and went up, from this time they called the
Strem Jordan, in Honor of its Discoverer, the Savages inha=
=biting

(a) one of the twelve Conquerors of Perou, who had share in taking of the last Inka Instituti
Hirallpa.