somewhat
discolored by the fire and smoke. The Indians were apt also to further
injure pearls thus obtained by boring them with a heated copper
instrument.
"De
Soto, having gratified his curiosity, returned to his quarters to
partake of his morning meal. While thus engaged a soldier entered with
a large pearl in his hand. He had stewed some oysters, and in eating
them, felt the pearl between his teeth. Not having been injured by fire
or smoke, it retained its beautiful whiteness, and was so large and
perfect in its form that several Spaniards, who pretended to be skilled
in those matters, declared it would be worth 400 ducats. The soldier
would have given it to the governor to present to his wife, Dofia
Isabel de Bobadilla, but De Soto declined the generous offer, advising
him to preserve it until he should arrive at Havana, when he could
purchase horses and other necessaries with it; moreover, as a reward
for his liberality, De Soto insisted upon paying the fifth of the
value due the Crown."1
During
the course of the weary march of the expedition through the mountains
of Upper Georgia, the following circumstance is related by the same
historian.
"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 sepulchers. These he offered as a gift
to his comrade, being heartily tired of carrying them on his 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, when you can
forward these presents and have them sold, and obtain three or four
horses with the proceeds, so that you need no longer go 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.' So saying, he untied the bag, and whirling it around, as
if he were sowing seed,
1
The foregoing is taken from Theodore Irving's Conquest of Florida under
Hernando De Soto (London, 1835), Vol. 2, p. 14, and is from Pierre
Richelet's translation made in 1831. De la Vega's entire work,
translated from the same source, appears in the History of Hernando De
Soto and Florida, by Barnard Shipp (Philadelphia, 1881).
