Certain  we  are  that  the  circumstances  of  De  Soto's  •

death  and  burial  have  been  very  imperfectly  reported.
83


518  LIFE    OP    FERDINAND    DE    SOTO,


All  our  mformation  on  these  subjects  must  have  come
originally  from  the  survivors  of  his  party,  and  it  was
very  easy  for  them  to  concoct  a  story  to  suit  their  own
purpose.  The  shores  of  the  Mississippi  have  witnessed
many  a  deed  of  fearful  note ;  many  a  gory  corpse  has
reposed  in  the  oozy  bed  of  that  river ;  and  many  a  pro-
found and  terrific  secret  lies  concealed  under  those
gloomy  waters.  The  fate  of  De  Soto  must  now  be
added  to  these  impenetrable  mysteries.
