Catawba -- Saponi -- Melungeon: Ch 1: Spanish Explorers

CHAPTER 1 – SPANISH EXPLORERS

One of the most interesting things about the history of the Iswa/Yesaw/Esaw peoples of the Carolinas and Virginia is that it goes back to the dawn of written history in the Americas. Christopher Columbus landed on islands of the Caribbean Sea in 1492. By 1521, less than three decades later, there are records of Spanish Conquistadores visiting them along the Atlantic coastline.

De Soto's Expedition, 1539-1540 

Hudson speaks of four Spanish expeditions – Panfilo de Narvaez, Hernando de Soto, Tristan de Luna, and Juan Pardo. These expeditions occurred between 1521 when a raid for slaves was made on the Chicora coast and 1569 when the Spanish established a settlement at Santa Elena and hoped the Indian farmers could provide them with a permanent food supply. It seems the Spanish raided the area for slaves only rarely. Hudson says "these slave raids caused some of the Indians to move up river for safety.". There was a “Shakori” Band of these hill tribes a little inland that could correspond to the “Chicori” mentioned by the Spanish. (1) These Spanish intruders stayed a century or so and then left. Hudson says these American Indians built square or rectangular buildings and built mounds with ceremonial grounds on top. He goes on to say the original Piedmont peoples were more primitive. However, that’s true anywhere on earth – earlier generations are always more primitive than their more recent counterparts.

Consider the following: The English language looks like it also has dual origins, part Germanic and part Latin. Once the Romans conquered the Britons (who spoke a Celtic language), they introduced the Latin language. Later they were conquered by the Germanic Angles, Saxons, Jutes, and probably Frisians, as well. The Normans, who had been, it was said, Scandinavian Vikings who were thus called “Northmen/Norsemen” which was shortened to “Norman”. But once in France they took the local Latin language which became modern French. They brought the French language to Britain when they conquered it in 1066. Oh, and the original Britons, as well as the original Gaulic people of France, were neither Latin nor Germanic at all – they were both Celtic speaking peoples, but little of the original Celtic language remains in either the French or the English language. There was also a Danish invasion of Britain which introduced more Danish and Viking words and they were similar to German, but still different. 

See how complicated it can get? And this is just from the history we know – we know little about what happened before the Romans wrote it down. There is a lot we don’t know and that we might never know. If you want to know about what happened before history was written down in America – remember British history. If it wasn’t written down, would you suspect that it took all those invasions to produce the modern English language and people? Remember that, when you go around making claims about the various tribes found in the America’s. We must admit that to assume we understand which tribe invaded or conquered another just from a few broken pottery sherds or a few words found in their language might be a bit arrogant of us. The best we can accomplish is to make educated guesses, and they might or might not be correct. We should only begin our studies of pre-history once we realize this.

Returning to recorded history, we have other tales to tell. The Indians first saw Spanish ships in 1521. These ships were owned by Vasquez de Ayllon, and they were on a slave gathering mission, at a place the Spanish called Chicora. The Spanish tricked some of the local Indians on board, then took off with them. They went back to the Caribbean where they were sold as slaves. One of the slave ships sank killing everyone, and many on the other ship later died. (2)

Between Ayllon's expedition and De Soto's later, they started calling this land “Cofitachique”. Cofitachique is a word of Muskogean origin. Now the Muskogean and Catawba peoples were enemies. The Muskogean peoples held sway from the Mississippi River to much of Georgia, and from the Tennessee River south to the Gulf of Mexico. The Creek/Muskogean people, like many others, were a confederation of many bands often warring amongst themselves as well as their neighbors. They did not want the Spaniards in Florida to remain on their lands, so they started telling the Spaniards of a fabled land called “Cofitachique” which they said was a land of great wealth.  The people called themselves Yesaw, or Esaw. Sort of reminds me of Yuchi, or Euchee. Wonder why? We’ll never know. On De Soto's route to discover what his Muskogean guides called Cofitachique, he came across the Creek/Muskogean village of Cofaque. The citizens of Cofitachique called their home city “Yupaha”, not Cofitachique. (3) The Muskogean war captain of the city of Cofaque was named Patofa. When they knew what De Soto wanted to do, they were eager to join the expedition. The Cofaque brought a great supply of food with them. They were eager to obtain vengeance on the people of what they called “Cofitachique”, but the Spaniards were ignorant of their ambitions. (4)

Interestingly, Hudson mentions a great buffer between the Creek and Siouan speakers. He said it took two weeks to pass through this "no man's land" where no people lived. What many don’t understand is that from the Atlantic to the Pacific, is that most American Indian Societies were like this. The people would live in a certain region. Between nations was usually a great "hunting grounds" which was used by both nations. There was always a great region where no or few people lived. Consider the modern cattle ranch as an example. The owner of the land lives in one place, but the cattle live in a vast area that is virtually uninhabited by humans, for the most part. This is something we sometimes forget. But it has to be understood and explained in any research of American Indian peoples. 

For another example, say your home was almost wiped out by an enemy, and you become unable to defend yourself from an enemy of vastly superior numbers. You try to get a neighbor to adopt your people. Often what they’d tell you is sure, you can live on our land and we’ll adopt you -- so long as you live in or near a certain place, and that place might be at th edge of the hunting grounds as a protection against a surprise attack. You become their buffer. Stronger tribes/nations adopting weaker tribes has a long-standing history on the American continent. ALL tribes had a great parcel of land that was called “the hunting grounds” that remained largely uninhabited. It was left alone for the livestock, which to the American Indian peoples meant the deer, the turkey, the bear and bison. That is where the tribal animal herds were. It isn't true that the Indians didn't “own” their herds, they just had a different concept of “ownership”. They considered the local fish and birds, the bison, deer, turkey, the rabbit and smaller game as food for them and their families. If a neighboring tribe was caught on their hunting grounds, a war might result. Since more than one tribe used the same hunting grounds, inter-tribal warfare was common. But it was also possible for groups of rival hunters to meet year after year, and bond as friends. It was complicated. 

De Soto’s expedition throughout the American Southeastern states was well documented. He travelled up from Florida through Georgia, the Carolinas, then westward. I am going to discuss mostly the Carolinas and parts of Virginia because that’s where the Siouan speaking people lived, the ones I want to discuss. De Soto and his Muskogean speaking Cofaque allies reached a village loyal to Cofitachique. Immediately the Cofitaque war chief Patofa and his warriors started massacring the villagers, and they took many scalps.  Hudson goes on to say after Patofa had destroyed several other villages he returned to Cofaque. Meanwhile De Soto was happy to see them go away, and he continued on to Cofitachique.

On 1 May 1540, De Soto's men came to a large river. De Soto remained there until 13 May, 1540. Cofitachique was ruled by a woman. Despite being treated with great respect; the Spanish took her as a hostage. Hudson said "The main town of Cofitachequi is thought to have been located at Silver Bluff, near Augusta, Georgia, on the South Carolina side of the Savannah River." We now know he was wrong. (4) Blumer said “Today we know the site of Cofitachique as modern Camden, [South Carolina]. The Catawba did not abandon its ceremonial center until after the treaty of Augusta in 1763.” Cofitachequi is a Muskogean word. Blumer says "In the language of the Catawban speakers who lived there, the place was called Yupaha." (5)

MAP 1. Four early Spanish expeditions

Map (2). The Eastern half of De Soto's Journey 

Above is a map from 'The Juan Pardo Expedition”, Hudson, page 9. It shows the route taken earlier by De Soto. east and north of the line from Hymahi to Cofitachequi to Xuala to Guasili, we have the Eastern Suasion peoples. To the west of Cofaqui in the south to Chiaha to the north, we have what appear to be Muskogean speaking peoples. Remember De Soto’s guides were Muskogean speakers, so they used words of their first language, which were of Muskogean origin. Later we see the Spanish used Siouan words. Then they revert back to using Muskogean words. The word 'Coosa' is of definitely of Creek origin – these communities either are not Cherokee, or non-Cherokees provided the Muskogean names for these Cherokee communities. Just because the Spanish were told the names of these places, and those names were of Muscogeean origin, doesn’t mean the people living there were of Muscogeean origin.

There are some interesting Eastern Siouan towns mentioned by both De Soto and Pardo. We have Xuala, the origin of the Saura, and Cofitechiqui, a town that awed the Spaniards. But this is the name it was called by their enemies. Per Blumer, we now know the Catawban speakers who lived there called the place "Yupaha". What the Spaniards called Xuala and later Joara on the map of the Juan Pardo expedition below, turns out to be one of the main bands of the Eastern Siouan tribes, and is later called Saura/Cheraw. The Guaquiri/Guateree later move nearer the Catawba and become known as Wateree. The “gua” sound in Spanish language is pronounced “wa” in English. Neither Pardo nor De Soto mention the Cherokee, but today's “Qualla” lies close to, but still west of the “Xualla” of De Soto, or “Joara” of Pardo’s map. Quallah and Xualla differ from one another by a single letter, as does Tejas/Texas and Mejico/Mexico. Joara and Xuala also differ by a X/J, in the Spanish language.

Juan Pardo's Expeditions, 1566-1568

The Spanish began an effort to colonize the vast holdings of Cofitachique/Yupaha and allied bands after the founding of St. Augustine in 1565

Pedro Melendez de Aviles was the man behind the Juan Pardo adventure, and he had the backing of the Spanish crown. Part one of this adventure was the defeat of the French in the area. Part two was the founding of Santa Elena on the South Carolina coastline. The third part of his plan was to gather about 120 men under the command of Captain Juan Pardo. They were to march inland. Menendez hoped they'd find an inland road to what is now Mexico. Pardo was also asked to pacify and evangelize the local Native Americans. He hoped they would become good Catholic Christians under the authority of the Spanish Crown. Pardo's progress was recorded by Juan de la Bandera, Pardo's archivist. Father Sebastian Montero went along with the job of converting the Indians. They travelled through the heart of the Yesaw Nation. According to Blumer, the names of many of the locations Pardo visited still had similar names as the names recorded by De Soto's men earlier, and most of those names were of Catawban origin. Father Montero spent several years amongst the Wateree (called by the Spaniards Guateri) and he had some success in converting them to Catholicism. Some Indians learned Spanish, and several Catholic prayers. (6) Father Montero lived amongst the Catawban peoples until 1572. His health failed him and he returned to Spain. Unfortunately, the Spanish crown did not see to it that he was replaced, and his mission amongst the Yesaw (Catawban speaking peoples) was abandoned.

Please note that Juan Pardo and his men were NEVER lost. They were Spanish, not Portuguese. As we see, there were trade routes, paths and roads that went to and from all the Catawban and Eastern Siouan towns. There is no way a group of Pardo's men could have gotten lost. Had they offended the Indian peoples seriously enough they would have been killed. Had they gotten homesick they would have returned to Florida, where they would have run into other Spaniards. Had they committed a crime against Spain and fled to the Indians for protection and if they succeeded in getting that protection (a big "if") they would have adapted the Indian culture, and in a couple of generations that Spanish heritage would have been forgotten. Here (below) is a map of Pardo's route. But notice the movements of Moyano's men in the interior IS KNOWN! They were NEVER lost in the interior! This could NEVER have happened. Moyano's men built several small forts, one near Joara (called Xuala by de Soto, and later to be known as Saura by the Virginians, and Cheraw by the Carolinians). The smaller dotted line on the map is a raid Sergeant Moyano’s men and Esaw/Yesah allies made over the mountains on the neighboring community of “Olimico”. The end of that name, “mico”, suggests a Muskogean origin. However the Spanish might have used a Muskogean translator, and he would have given the community its Muskogean name. It is difficult to speak in absolutes when dealing with some issues that we will come across, from time to time. This could be Muskogean interpreter telling the Spanish a Muskogean name for a Cherokee village. (7) Remember not to make assumptions you aren't willing to try to verify. If English history wasn’t written down, we might make terrible conclusions about her history, as well.

Map 3. Juan Pardo's First Expedition and Sergeant Moyano's Raid

Sergeant Moyano made the advance west to Olamico

Juan Pardo departed the area in December 1566 and returned March 7, 1567. The map shows the route of their expedition against the neighboring Indians in the spring of 1567. These men helped the people of Joara attack communities in the mountains. The following is taken from "The Juan Pardo Expeditions" by Charles Hudson. Hudson states, "The next place they came to was Joara, a very important town near resent day Marion, North Carolina. at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains . . . this was the same town De Soto chroniclers called Xuala." (8)  Hudson goes on to say Pardo remained at Joara two weeks, and that he left about 30 men at a Fort they called “San Juan de Joara”. This small fort was under the command of Sergeant Hernando Moyano. It goes on to say he provisioned them with supplies for their matchlock guns. Please note that according to Hudson, Pardo returned to Santa Elena, in part, by a different route than he had taken, and that he had no problem at all getting back to their Spanish base at Santa Elena. And on March 7, 1567 made a return trip to the inland.

They Left No Man Behind

Per Hudson, "Sergeant Moyano did not see Pardo again for about nine months, although the two of them exchanged letters carried by messengers." Does this sound like they got lost and forgotten by the Spanish? In early April, Pardo received a letter from Moyano saying they had fought a battle against the 'Chicsa' Indians. Could that be the 'Chickasaws'? Tribes have been known to make long journeys to battle an enemy. Hudson guesses at the location of the Chicsa town and says Moyano attacked it with 15 men, but he says the exact location is unknown. 

 Hudson writes, "When Juan de Ribas, one of Pardo's soldiers, was questioned in 1602, he said that Moyano had helped an Indian chief defeat a rival.” To have known this, Ribas must have been one of Moyano's men, or one of Moyano’s men would have told him AFTER the event had taken place, meaning they were safely in Spanish Florida. Rivas was living with other Spaniards in 1602. He was NOT lost in Southern Appalachia. 

Hudson provides one more such proof in the next paragraph. He states, "Moyano's involvement in aiding one interior chief against another is confirmed by Jaime Martinez, who served as an accountant in Florida from 1571 to about 1579. During this time, Moyano told Martinez about his exploits . . ." (9). So Moyano too, REAPPEARED in Spanish Florida!  There is no reason to believe he abandoned him men in the interior. 

Sergeant Moyano's Fort Found in Great Smoky Mountains

The remains of this Spanish fortress called “San Juan de Joara”, in Western North Carolina has been discovered. (10)

Archaeologists studying a ceremonial mound at “Joara” discovered an inland fort built by the Spanish near present-day Morganton, North Carolina. Source: University of Michigan archaeology. 

Robin Beck is a University of Michigan archaeologist who works on the team that discovered the fort. I suspect Spain had just over extended their reach.

Below is another map found in “The Expeditions of Juan Pardo”. Many towns listed are from the Spanish era, but the rivers were named later. The caption to the map below is self-explanatory. 

Also notice the town names. Some are interesting. Remember -- I SPECULATE. We see Joara at the top of the map in a location where Xuala was located on the De Soto map. To the east we see Yssa and Yssa the lesser. This is identical to Esaw, Issa, Iswa, Yesa, Yesah, and perhaps more spellings. The Yssa and the Catawba are the same people. Go even further east and you see Guatari. In Spanish the syllable spelled “gua” is pronounced “wa”. So in English we would spell it “wa” ta-ri, or “Wateree”. Also note “Otari”. We’ll talk about it in a few minutes.

You see NO “Catawba” on the Spanish maps. However there is the 3 syllables of “Ta-ga-ya” which is close to “Ca-taw-ba”, both in sound and location. Remember the Catawban’s called Cofitachequi by the name of Yupaha. Just to the north of Cofitachequi is Tagaya. Just inland from Santa Elena is Oresta. On a map today Camden, South Carolina, the site of Cofitaquechi, is just to the south of the Catawba. They haven’t changed location in 450 years

Map 4. Towns mentioned on Juan Pardo's Second Expedition

Whatever the reason, the Spanish claim on the eastern North American interior failed. This gave an opening to the English settlers later, to establish their own outposts.  Had they brought in more Spanish soldiers and settlers, history might have been different.

By March 1568 Pardo's work was finished. I am writing this in February 2018, almost 450 years to the day, later. In 1572 Father Montero left the Wateree/Guateri. His mission was abandoned. (10). The Spanish failed in their attempt to turn the Catawba and the bands of Indians associated with them into a Spanish Colony. They were still a strong Indian Nation in the 1570's. By the 1720s they were a rag-tag remnant of that greater nation. What changed in the years between 1570 and the English arrival at Jamestown, Virginia in 1607?

References:

1. “The Catawba Nation”, Charles M. Hudson, University of Georgia Press, © 1970

2. “The Forgotten Centuries, Indians and Europeans in the American, South, 1521-1704”; edited by Charles Hudson and Carmen Chaves Tesser; University of Georgia Press, © 1994

3. “Catawba Nation, Treasures in History”; Thomas J. Blumer; Published by The History Press, Charleston, South Carolina, 29493

4. “The Catawba Nation”, Charles M. Hudson, University of Georgia Press, © 1970
5. “The Forgotten Centuries, Indians and Europeans in the American, South, 1521-1704”; edited by Charles Hudson and Carmen Chaves Tesser; University of Georgia Press, © 1994
6. “The Juan Pardo Expeditions, Explorations of the Carolinas and Tennessee 1566-1568, With Documants Relating to the Pardo Expeditions, Transcribed, Translated, and Annotated by Paul E. Hoffman”; Charles Hudson; University of Alabama Press, Tuscaloosa; © 1990, © 2005, originally published by the Smithsonian Institute Press.
7. Ditto
8. Ditto
9. “The Forgotten Centuries, Indians and Europeans in the American, South, 1521-1704”; edited by Charles Hudson and Carmen Chaves Tesser; University of Georgia Press, © 1994
10. Can be found in several locations online – this is the one I used -- http://www.ibtimes.com/long-lost-fort-san-juan-discovered-appalachian-mountains-oldest-inland-european-fort-built-40-years . Part of what is on Wikipedia is incorrect – I found two references that Also it is on Wikipedia. mentioned survivors of the Spanish forts as being in Florida. Wikipedia gives the impression they were all killed.
11. “The Juan Pardo Expeditions, Explorations of the Carolinas and Tennessee 1566-1568, With Documants Relating to the Pardo Expeditions, Transcribed, Translated, and Annotated by Paul E. Hoffman”; Charles Hudson; University of Alabama Press, Tuscaloosa; © 1990, © 2005, originally published by the Smithsonian Institute Press.

Maps:

Map 1. Early Spanish Expeditions of North America. “The Juan Pardo Expeditions”; Charles Hudson; University of Alabama Press, Tuscaloosa.

Map 2. Eastern portions of the Route of the Hernan De Soto (1539-1540), and the route of Tristan De Luna (1559-1561). “The Juan Pardo Expeditions”; Charles Hudson; University of Alabama Press, Tuscaloosa.

Map 3. Juan Pardo’s first expedition (December 1566- 7 March 1567) and Hernan Moyano’s foray Spring 1567. “The Juan Pardo Expeditions”; Charles Hudson; University of Alabama Press, Tuscaloosa.

Map 4. Towns and locations of Juan Pardo’s second expedition (1 Sep 1567 – 2 Mar 1568. “The Juan Pardo Expeditions”; Charles Hudson; University of Alabama Press, Tuscaloosa.