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[77] The third he gave to Capt. Alonzo del Castillo and Andres Dorantes, with forty-eight men; and another he gave to two captains, Tellez and Beñalosa, with forty-seven men. The last he gave to the assessor and me, with forty-nine men. After the provision and clothes had been taken in, there remained not over a span of the gunwales1 above the water; and, more than this, we went so crowded, we could not move. So much can necessity do, which drove us to hazard our lives in this manner, running into a sea so turbulent, with not a single one that went there having a knowledge of navigation. The haven we left has for its name La Baya de Cavallos.2 We passed waist-deep in water through sounds for seven days, without seeing any point of the coast; and at the close of them we came to an island near the land. My boat went first; and from her we saw Indians coming in five canoes, which they abandoned, and left in our hands. The other boats, seeing us go towards them, passed ahead, and stopped at some houses on the island, where we found many mullet and mullet-roes dried,—a great relief to the distress in which we were. After taking these, we went on, and, two leagues thence, we discovered a strait the island makes with the land, which we named San Miguel, from having passed through it on his day.3 Having come out, we went to the coast, where, with
1 The side of the vessel.
2 The Bay of Horses, probably Choctawhatchee Bay, communicating with Pensacola Bay by Santa Rosa Inlet; but some suppose it to have been Appalachicola Bay.
3 St. Michael's Day, Sept. 29.
Boston, 1877. Lee and Shephard.
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