below the junction of
the Coosa and Tallapoosa. At Coste they crossed the river ami continued westward
"through many towns subject to the cacique of Coca" (Elvas) until they came to the
great town of Coca itself. This was Kusa or Coosa, the ancient capital of the Upper
Creeks. There were two towns of this name at different periods. One, described by
Adair in 1775 as "the great and old beloved town of refuge, Koosah," was on the east
bank of Coosa river, a few miles southwest of the present Talladega, Alabama. The
muonf.vJ DK SOTO'S ROUTE 201
other, known as "Old < toosa," and probablj of more ancient origin, was on the west
side oi Alabama river, near the present site of Montgomery (see Gatschet, Creek
Migration Legend I. It was probablj the latter \\ bich wasthe Elvas nar-
rative summarizes that portion from the landing at Tampa bay toapoint insouthern
Alabama as follows: " From the Tort de Spirit.. Santo to Apalache, which is about an
hundred leagues, the governor went from east to west; an. 1 from Apalache to ( lutifa-
chiqui, which are 430 leagues, from the southwest to the northeast; ami from Cutifa-
chiqui to Xualla, which are about L'">0 leagues, from the south to the north; anil from
Xuallato Tascaluea, which are 250 leagues more, an hundred and ninety of them he
traveled from east to west, to wit. to the province of Coca; and the other 60, from
Coca to Tascaluca, from the north to the south."
Chisca (Elvas and Ranjel), the mountainous northern region in search of which
men were sent from Chiaha to look for copper