102
HISTORICAL COIiLECTIONS OF LOUISIANA.
thin. We continued our march along this river,* until wo arrived in the province of Costelie, where the villages were likewise built on the islands of the river. The province of Coca is one of the best countries wo have seen in Florida. The cacique came to meet us, borne in a litter, and accompanied by a numerous train. But the next morning his followers deserted him. We kept the cacique a prisoner until he agreed to furnish us with Indians to carry our baggage. In this country we found prunes resembling those of Spain, and vines which produced excellent grapes.
Leaving this province we marched west and south-west, for five or six days. We passed a great number of villages, and at the end of that time we entered the province called Italisi. The inhabitants fled in every direction ; but the cacique came soon after, and presented us with twenty-six or seven women, and some deer skins. We then proceeded south, and passing through some villages, we arrived in the province of Tascalusa,J\~ whose cacique was of such a height that we took him for a giant. On arriving at his village we gave him a tournament, and offered him other amusements, of which he took no notice. We requested him to give us some Indians to carry our baggage, which he refused with a sneer. The governor then took him a prisoner, which greatly enraged him, and was the cause of his treachery to us afterwards, lie told us that he could not give us anything here, but we must go to his village, called Mavilu, where he would furnish him with all the provisions we stood in need of. We came to a large river which empties into the bay called Clmse.\ The Indians informed us that Narvae?:'s vessels had touched here for water, and left a Christian called Teodoro, who was still among the Indians. They showed us a poignard which had belonged to him. We took two days to construct a raft to cross the river. In the meantime the Indians killed one of the governor's guard. The governor punished the cacique for it, and threatened to burn him alive if he did not deliver up the murderers. lie then promised to deliver them up at Alavila. This cacique had a number of servants with him. lie had one to brush off the flics, and another to carry a sunshade. V We arrived at Mavilt<§ at nine o'clock in the morning.    It was a
*  Probably the Coosa River.
t This province probably gave name to the River Tuscaloosa in Alabama. J Pensacola Bay, the Achusi of Vega.
§ This town, the Mauvila of Vega, is supposed to have stood on the north side of the Alabama, about the junction of that river with the Tombecbe, about