Chapter Index

× Proem 1. Which Tells When the Fleet Sailed, and of the Officers and People Who Went with It 2. How the Governor Came to the Port of Xagua and Brought a Pilot with Him 3. How We Arrived in Florida 4. How We Entered the Land 5. How the Governor Left the Ships 6. How We Entered Apalachee 7. What the Land is Like 8. How We Left Aute 9. How We Left the Bay of Horses 10. Of Our Skirmish with the Indians 11. What Happened to Lope de Oviedo with Some Indians 12. How the Indians Brought Us Food 13. How We Found Out about Other Christians 14. How Four Christians Departed 15. What Happened to Us in the Village of Misfortune 16. How Some Christians Left the Isle of Misfortune 17. How the Indians Came and Brought Andrés Dorantes and Castillo and Estebanico 18. How He Told Esquivel's Story 19. How the Indians Left Us 20. How We Escaped 21. How We Cured Some Sick People 22. How They Brought Other Sick People to Us the Following Day 23. How We Left after Having Eaten the Dogs 24. About the Customs of the Indians of That Land 25. How the Indians Are Skilled with a Weapon 26. About the Peoples and Languages 27. How We Moved On and Were Welcomed 28. About Another New Custom 29. How They Stole from One Another 30. How the Custom of Welcoming Us Changed 31. How We Followed the Corn Route 32. How They Gave Us Deer Hearts 33. How We Saw Traces of Christians 34. How I Sent for the Christians 35. How the Mayor Received Us Well the Night We Arrived 36. How We Had Them Build Churches in That Land 37. What Happened When I Wanted to Leave 38. What Happened to the Others Who Went to the Indies
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Proem

Holy, Imperial, Catholic Majesty:

Among all the princes we know to have existed in the world, I think that none could be found whom men have endeavored to serve with such great diligence and desire as we see that they serve Your Majesty today. Very clearly one can recognize that this is not without great cause and reason, for men are not so blind that all would follow this path without a purpose. For we see that not only native countrymen obligated by faith and loyalty do so, but even foreigners make an effort to serve you because it is to their advantage. But although the desire and will to serve makes them all alike, there is a great difference, caused not by their own fault, but rather by fortune, or more correctly, through no one's fault, but only by the will and wisdom of God. Thus it happens that one does more distinguished deeds than he expected, and things are so reversed for another that the only thing he can show of his purpose is diligence. And even this diligence is sometimes so hidden that it cannot be noticed.

For myself I can say that, regarding the journey I made to the Spanish Main by order of Your Majesty, in truth I thought that my deeds and service would be as distinguished and manifest as those of my ancestors, and that I would have no need to speak in order to be reckoned among those who administer and deal with Your Majesty's charges with complete faith and great care and are therefore honored.