afraid of being carried
beyond her own territories, led the Spaniards by a roundabout route in the hope of
making her escape, as she finally did, or perhaps of leaving them to starve and die in
the mountains, precisely the trick attempted by the Indians upon another Spanish
adventurer, Coronado, entering the great plains from the Pacific coast in search of
golden treasure in the .same year.
Instead therefore of recrossing the river to the westward, the Spaniards, guided
by the captive queen, took the direction of the north ("la vuelta del norte" —
Biedma), and, after passing through several towns subject to the queen, came in
seven days to "the province of Chalaque" (Elvas). Elvas, Garcilaso, and Ranjel
agree upon the spelling, but the last named makes the distance only two days from
Cofltachiqui. Biedma does not mentionthe country at all. . The trifling difference
in statement of live days in seven need not trouble us, as Biedma makes the whole
distance from Cofltachiqui to Xuala eight days, and from Guaxuleto Chiaha four days,
where Elvas makes it, respectively, twelve and seven days. Chalaque is, of course,
Cherokee, as all writers agree, and De Soto was now probably on the waters of
Keowee river, the eastern head stream of Savannah river, where the Lower Chero-
kee had their towns. Finding the country bare of corn, he made no stay.
Proceeding six days farther they came next to Guaquili, where they were kindly
received. This name occurs only in the Ranjel narrative, the other three being
entirely silent in regard to such a halting place. The name has a Cherokee sound
(Wakili), but if we allow