THE CONQUEST OF FLORIDA.

THE reader of ROBERTSON is acquainted with the fact of the ac- cidental discovery of Florida by PONCE DE LEON, whilst the veteran enthusiast was sailing in search of the Fountain of Youth, which was to restore to him a blessing his gold could not purchase ; and a brief allusion is made by the same historian to the adventures of ALVAR NUGNEZ in that country. But, we believe, no full and popular account has yet appeared of the different disastrous expeditions undertaken by Spanish adven- turers to colonize the regions that now form the most Southern part of the United States. Various causes have contributed to this neglect ; but the principal ones may be ascribed to the character of the people, the poverty of their country, and the ill- success of the attempts. CORTES and Pizmuto arrived in extensive empires, amongst a half-civilized people, and in gold-pro- ducing lands ; where, by a succession of daring exploits and of treacheries which historians have not been ashamed to denominate policy, they succeeded, according to the indignant boast of CORTES to CHARLES the Fifth, " in giving him more kingdoms than his father left him provinces ;" besides amassing no slight amount of

riches for themselves, and showing others a ready way to

wealth. On the other hand, HERNANDO DE SOTO and his pre- decessor were unfortunate; and their failure laid the foundation for no immediate success and no ultimate results. Hence, whilst the exploits of the conquerors of Mexico and Peru are the themes of historians, novelists, and poets, the adventures of the first dis- coverers uf the Mississippi and of its fertile valley have been un- noticed, save in the pages of contemporary chroniclers, though their courage and capacity were equally great and the hardships they underwent very probably greater. The aim of Mr. THEODORE IRVING'S Conquest of Florida (a misnomer, by the by, for Florida was not conquered. but overrun), is to do justice to the memory of these ill-starred adventurers,— more especially to HERNANDO DE SOTO. The circumstance which incited him to undertake the task was an accidental meeting with GARCILASO DE LA VEGA'S "Chronicle,- whilst studying Spanish at Madrid. " As I read," says Mr. lust NG, "I became insensibly engrossed by the extraordinary enterprise therein narrated. I

dwelt with intense interest upon the hair-brained adventures and

daring exploits of steel-clad warriors, and the no less valiant anti chivalrous deeds of savage chieftains, which entitle this narrative to the high praise bestowed upon it by Mr. SOUTHEY, of being one of the most delightful works in the Spanish language."

This admiration, and probably a spice of family enthusiasm, led our author to inquire further, and he met with an account by a Por- tuguese adventurer who served in the expedition. These two works are the chief authorities of Mr. InviNo : he has added some- thing to the exploits from contemporary authors, he has en- deavoured to throw some light on the route of the expedition from the researches or conjectures of later writers, and he has tested the whole by collating authorities, or weighing the pos- sibilities of the case. The result of his labours is not a history, but a sublimated chronicle. He has preserved the simplicity, the minuteness, the old-wife-like gossiping style, and the abundant anecdotes of individual adventure, that give such a charm to the old writers ; whilst to these qualities he has super- added a connexion which they never sought for, an eloquence which they could not have conceived, and an occasional pleasantry which their faith would not have allowed them to indulge. Some- thing perhaps of life and vigour may have been lost in the pro- cess of throwing off grossness and impurity, but as we have never read the originals, we cannot decide upon the point. Notwithstanding this deficiency, the Conquest of Florida is both agreeable and interesting. Had it possessed animation and variety, it would have been a most extraordinary production—a kmd.of tragic Odyssey, with a spice of the Iliad, divested of their continuity of action. Bating the descent into Hell, and the tranformations of Circe, the sights seen by DE SOTO'S band were as wonderful as any beheld by Ulysses; their sufferings were certainly greater, their ad- ventures and expedients equally strange ; whilst the battles and single combats interspersed throughout the work may vie in nums her and detail with those before Troy. Nor is the Conquest tuft).- gether devoid of higher interest : the leader has much that Is c.11!- valrous in his character, with something that is heroic, and It is not presented to us without those minute traits that mark the individual. His principal followers, too, have their person.al characteristics, which distinguish them from one another ; and in the laboured descriptions of their chroniclers we not only learn to recognize the men, but have the customs and manners of the tim. e brought up before us, more especially that pride of pedigree which operated in the wastes of Florida as strongly as in Spain, and that lofty though formal courtesy which has been . deemed pe- culiar to the Spanish cavalier, and was not wanting in these marauders when their Passions slumbered. There is also the germ of a connected story in the leading incidents of those unfor- tunate explorers. The beginning dates from their first setting forth, radiant in all the purple and panoply which the spoils of Mexico and Peru or the sale of their Spanish properties could procure. The middle might he dated from the disastrous battle of Mauvila, in which a victory was gained, although with the loss of spoil and stores ; but we rather incline to fix it at the moment when DE SOTO, wandering in disguise through the camp, overhears a confirmation of the reports,that Wile led his army to the sea, with the idea of founding a city and colonizing the country, the ma- jority, sick of their toils and ill-success, would return to Spain : for from this time he became a changed roan, moody, melancholy, and severe, guiding his conduct not so much by policy as by a desire to prevent his men from having ar. opportunity to disband, and leading them on a desperate adventure to the interior on a forlorn hope to discover gold. The death of DE SoTo, from a fever brought on by fatigue, anxiety, and the climate, is the catastrophe; and the Enal event it gives rise to is the return to Panuco, after innumerable hardships, of the remnant of the most gallant and well-appointed band that had ever set out to colonize or confiner the New World.

Of the details of their route no particulars can be furnished, for none are correctly ascertained ; but there is little question that the explorers reached those Prairies of the far-off West with which the works of our author's relations have made us so well ac- quainted; came in sight of the Rocky Mountains • and discovered the Arkansas ; from near the embouchure of which river they de- scended the Mississippi to the sea. The reader who has followed us in our notice must not imagine that the points we have alluded to are very distinctly marked, nor expect that the elements of heroic action are brought out with the strength of heroic song. A few miscellaneous extracts will at once give him an idea of the author's style, and of the sort of reading lie will meet with. Here are some disjointed bits from an episodical adventure of JUAN DE ANASCO and his thirty lancers, who were sent on an exploring expedition. They have been travelling for six successive days through a hostile country, con- tinually depending for their safety on the swiftness of their horses, and the bridge of which the reader bears is formed of felled trees sunk under the water.

On the seventh day, Pedro de Atienza declared himself to be ill. They made light of his declaration, and, not to lose time, urged him forward. He continued from time to time to complain, but without being attended to, until having ridden in this way for several hours, he fell dead beside his horse. his com- rades were shocked at his sudden death, and at their own *ant of sympathy in his sufferings. There was no time to be lost, however, in ceremonials. They dug a grave with their hatchets upon the spot, buried him by the way-side, and then rode on, deploring the loss of a brave soldier and well-tried comrade. That night, after travelling twenty leagues, they encamped on the border of the great morass. It was so extremely cold, in consequence of a keen North wind, that they were compelled to kindle fires, at the risk of warning the Indians of

their vicinity. Twenty resolute men would have been sufficient to dispute this pass and massacre every one of them; as the savages would possess great advan- tage in their canoes over the Spaniards, who could not avail themselves of their horses, and bad neither archers nor cross-bows to dislodge the enemy. Thus troublcd and anxious, one-third of their number kept watch at a time while the others slept, in order to recruit their strength for the fatigues of the coming day.

The Spaniards had slept but a few hours when they were awakened by the sufferings of Juan de Soto, who had been the companion of Pedro Atienza, and who died almost as suddenly, being overcome by excessive fatigue.

Some of the troops fled from the neighbourhood of the corpse, declaring that the plague had broken out among them and caused these sudden deaths. Go- mez Arias, vexed at their panic, cried out, "If you fly from us, whither will you go? You are not on the river-banks of Seville, nor in its olive groves." Ashamed of their alarms, the fugitives returned and joined in prayers for the dead, but would not aid in interring the body, insisting that their companion had died of the dreaded pestilence.

When the (lay dawned they prepared to pass the morass. Eight Spaniards who could not swim proceeded to the bridge, and having replaced its railing carried over the saddles of their horses and the clothes of their companions. The remainder, perfectly naked, vaulted upon their horses, and endeavoured to force them into the water ; but it was so cold that they shrank back. The soldiers then attached ropes to their halters, and four or five swam to the mid- dle of the current, attempting to drag the horses after then* others struck them behind with long poles. • The animals, however, planted their feet firmly in the ground, and could not be moved.

Two or three were at length urged into the stream ; but when they came to the deep water the cold was so great that they turned back, dragging the swimmers after them. For more than three hours the latter thus laboured in 'Vain. At length they succeeded in forcing two horses over, one of which be- longed to the leader, Juan (le Anasco, the other to Gonzalo de Silvestre. Both of these cavaliers being among the number of those who could not swim, had already passed by the bridge. As soon as their horses had landed they saddled and mounted them, in order to be ready for action, should an enemy appr oach. Notwithstanding two horses had thus led the way, no other, either by coax- ing or cudgelling, eould he prevailed upon to follow Gomez Arias, the hardy chief of nineteen companions who, entirely naked, had been labouring up to their waists in water more than four hours, exposed to the keen North wind, and so thoroughly chilled that their naked bodies were almost black. They trereweatied in body and vexed in spirit ; and seeing all their exertions use- ess were almest driven to despair.

AN INDIAN'S EXPLOIT.

At another time a party of twenty horse and fifty foot sallied out on a fo- raging expedition to gathermaize. After they had collected an ample supply, they placed themselves in an ambush iu a hamlet about a league from their quar- ters; in hopes of entrapping some of the natives. In the upper part of what ttiprred to be a temple they placed a sentry ; who after some time descried an I an moving stealthily across the public square, casting furtive glances, as if he dreaded a concealed foe.

_ The sentinel giving the alarm, Diego de Soto, nephew to the Governor, one of the best soldiers in the army, and an excellent horseman, spurred into the square to capture him. Diego Velasquez, Master of the Horse to the Gover- nor, followed at a hand-gallop, to aid be Soto in case of need. _ The Indian seeing them approach trusted for safety to that fleetness of foot for is (Cu his countrymen were remarkable. Finding, however, that the horse

gained upon him, he took refuge under a tree, as the natives were accustomed to do when they had no lances to defend themselves from the horses. Here, fixing an arrow in his bow, he awaited the approach of his enemy. Diego de Soto galloped up to the tree, but not being able to ride under it, wheeled close beside it, and made a thrust with his lance over his left arm at the Indian as he dasher! by. The latter evaded the blow, and drawing his arrow to the head discharged it the moment the horse was abreast of him. The shaft entered just between the girth and the stirrup-leather, the wounded animal went sturnbling forward fifteen or twenty paces and fell dead. Diego Velasquez spurred to the relief of his comrade, and passing the tree, made a lunge with his lance as De Soto had done. The same event followed. The Indian dodged the lance, discharged another arrow just behind the stir- rup-leather, and sent the horse tumbling to take its place beside its companion. The two cavaliers sprang upon their feet and advanced upon the Indian lance in hand. The savage, however, contented himself with his good fortune, and made off for the woods.

IN.IDIAN ARCHERY.

Some few days after the misfortune of these two horsemen, Simon Rodriguez and Roque de 'Yelves set out on horseback to gather some fruit that grew in a wood skirting the village. Not satisfied with plucking it from the lower branches, seated in their saddles, they climbed the tree to gather it front the topmost boughs, fancying it of better flavour. While thus employed, Roque de Yelves gave the alarm of Indians at hand, and throwing himself from the tree, ran to recover his horse ; but an arrow with a barb of flint entered between his shoulders and came out at his breast—he fell forward and lay stretched upon the earth. Rodriguez was [00 much terrified to descend. They shot at him like a wild beast, and he fell dead, pierced by three arrows. Scarcely had he touched the ground when they scalped him and bore off the trophy in triumph. The arrival of his comrades saved the scalp of poor Roque de Yelves. Ile re- lated the event in few words, and making confession, immediately expired. The horses of the slain Spaniards had fled towards the camp. Upon the thigh of one of thetn was perceived a drop of blood. Ile was taken to a farrier, who, seeing that the wound was no greater than that made by the puncture of a lan- cet, said there was nothing to cure. On the following morning the horse died. The Spaniards suspecting that he had been struck by an arrow, opened the body at the wound, and tracing it, found a shaft which had passed through the thigh and entrails Lod lodged in the hollow of the breast. They were perfectly amazed at the result of the examination, for an arquebuse could scarcely have sent a ball so far.

WANTONNESS OF WEARINESS.

In the course of their weary march throughout this desolate tract, a foot- soldier, calling to a horseman who was his friend, drew forth from his wallet a linen bag, in which were six pounds of pearls, probably filched from one of the Indian sepulchres. These he offered as a gilt to his comrade, being heartily tired of carrying them on Isis back, though he had a pair of broad shoulders, capable of bearing the burden of a mule. The horseman refused to accept so thoughtless an offer. " Keep them yourself," said he ; "you have most need of them. The Governor intends shortly to send messengers to Havana, where you can forward these presents and have them sold, and obtain three or four horses with the proceeds ; so that then you will have no further need to travel on foot."

Juan Terron was piqued at having his offer refused. " Well," said he, " if you will not have them, I swear I will not carry them, and they shall remain here." Su saying, he untied the bag, and whirling it round, as if he were sowing seed, scattered the pearls in all directions among the thickets and herbage. Then putting up the bag in his wallet, as if it was more valuable than the pearls, he marched on, leaving his comrade and other bystanders agonished at his folly. The soldiers made a hasty search for the scattered pearls, and recovered thirty of them. When they beheld their great size and beauty, none of them being bored and discoloured, they lamented that so many had been lost ; for the whole would have sold in Spain for more than six thousand ducats. This egregious folly gave rise to a common proverb in the army, that " there are no pearls for Juan Terron."

We must pass the illness and death of DE SOTO; the account of the precautions adopted by his troops to prevent the discovery of his mortal sickness by the natives, lest they should attack them in consequence; and the "maimed rites" with which he was first buried at midnight in a ready-dug excavation, and then taken up and entombed in the channel of the Mississippi, to render the discovery of his remains impossible. The last extract shall be taken from

THE RETREAT.

The winter now set in with great rigour : it was accompanied with heavy rains, violent ales, and extreme cold ; yet in their eagerness to arrive at the termination of their journey, the troops continued to press forward, travelling all day, and arriving at their place of encampment just before nightfall, drenched with rain and covered with mud. They had then to go in quest of food, and were generally conipelled to obtain it by force of arms, and sometimes at the- expense of many lives. The rivers became swollen by the rain ; even the brooks were no longer fordable, so that almost every day the soldiers were obliged to make rafts io cross them. At solve of the rivers they were detained seven or eight days, by the unceasing oppositiun ot their enemies and the want of sufficient materials for constructing rafts. Often too, at night, they had no place to lie upon—the ground being covered with mud and water. The cavalry passed the night sit- ting upon their horses, and the water was up to the knees of the infantry. For clothing they had merely jackets of chamois and other skins, belted round them, which served for shirt, doublet, and coat, and was almost always wet through. They were in general bare-legged, without shoes or sandals. Both men and horses began to sicken and die under such dreadful privations.- Every day two, three, and at one time, seven Spaniards fell victims to the hardships of this journey, and almost all the Indian servants perished. There were no means of cat lying the sick and dying, for many of the horses were infirm, and those that were well were reserved to repel the constant attacks of a vigilant enemy. The sick, therefore, dragged their steps forward as long as they could, and often died by the way ; while the survivors, in their haste to proceed, scarcely stayed to bury them, but left them half covered with earth, and sometimes entirely unburied. Yet, in spite of sickness and exhaustion, the army never failed to post sentinels and keep up their camp-guard at night in order to prevent surprise.

In an address full of good and grateful feeling, Mr. THEODORE IRVING dedicates his volumes to his uncle WASHINGTON, acknow- ledging, amongst weightier obligations, his assistance in the corn- position of the present work. We have not perceived any marked traces in parts of the author of the Sketch Book; but there is such a general family likeness, that we presume he has, in artist phrase, "gone over it;" a suspicion strengthened by the equality of the composition.