been a frontier Cherokee settlement, and. according to
the old chronicler, its chief and Language ruled much good country.
From here a trail went northward to Cuatari. Sauxpa. and L'si. i. e.,
the Wateree, Waxhaw (or Sissipahaw 'i. and l-'nerv or Catawba.
Leaving Otariyatiqui, they went on to Quinahaqui, and then, turn
ing to the Left, to [ssa, where they found mines of crystal (mica;).
Thev came nexl to Ae'uai'lliri (the Gruaquili of the De Solo chronicle).
and then to Joara, "near to the mountain, where Juan Pardo arrived
i Narrative of Panto's expedition by Martinez, about IS68, Uruuks manuscripts.
mooney] SPANISH MINING OPERATION'S 29
with his sergeant on his first trip." This, us has been noted, was the
Xuala of the De Soto chronicle, the territory of the Sara Indians, in
the foothills of the Blue ridge, southeast fromthe present Asheville,
North Carolina. Vandera makes it one hundred leagues from Santa
Elena, while Martinez, already quoted, makes the distance one hundred
and twenty leagues. The difference is not important, as both state-
ments were only estimates. From there they followed "along the
mountains" to Tocax (Toxaway?), Cauchi (Nacoochee?), and Tanas-
qui — apparently Cherokee towns, although the forms can not be iden-
tified — and after resting three days at the last-named place went on
"to Solameco, otherwise called Chiaha." where the sergeant met them.
The combined forces afterward went on, through Cpssa (Kusa), Tas-
quiqui (Taskigi). and other Creek towns, as far as Tascaluza, in the
Alabama country, and returned thence to Santa Elena, having appar-
ently met with a friendly reception everywhere along the route.
From Cofitachiqui to Tascaluza they went over about the same road
traversed by