| Summary: | Folder contains 29 pages of former slave narratives compiled for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the late 1930s and general procedures for writing them.I proJoa* , 3610 Federal writers Projeot WPA Page *1.
Noteworthy Ooourrences Among The egroes During
Slaveri In barbour County. .
From, °A Blockade Family'. Their Barbeoues.
,f Then there were the annual barbecues that each and all planters gave
without fail to their slaves when the crops had all been laid by, which semiholiday
weeks embraced the lsst of July and the first of August. I remembrr
in particular one barbecue roast that I wimnessed one night in company with
the household. The 'pits' were some little distance from the mansion, and
were half filled with red-hot ooala of oak and hickory wood, over which the
flesh of whole dressed beef, mutton, and shoats were slowly roasting, lying
a grate made of split staves of oak or hickory wood. A goodlY-sized vessel
containing vinegar, butter, salt. pulverized sago, pepper, and thyme, all
mingled to-~ther With a swab, stood in close proximity to the barcecuing
meat. Every now snd then the roasting flesh would be turned over with long
oak sticks Sharpened smoothly to e point at one end, wbicb answered tbe place
of forks; deep and long incisions would be made in the barbecuing meat, and
with the swab a good basting of the mixed condiments from tbe bowl would be
spread over; the process of turning the roasting flesh over the glowing red
ioals and basting With the seasoning continued till the meat was thought to
e tbOUDUg~y done. It would sometimes be far beyond the hour of midnight
before the barbeouing meat was removed from the 'pits', and I yet tbink that
suoh barbecued meats cannot be surpassed by any other sort of cooked or
roasted meats. When cold and sliced it was certainly delioioua. A nigbt barbeouing
was a weird acene. Blazing pine-torobes beaped on the rude stands
imprOVised for the occasion thrww a ruddy glow out over the dark forest,
giving an uncanny aspect to the long thick moss swaying in tbr night bree~.
Some of the negroes would bs tending tbe rOBsting fleah; some with the swab,
basting witb tbe seasoning; some laughing loud enough to wake the Sleeping
Projeot /I InO Federal Writer.. Projeot WPA Page II 2.
Notewortby Ocourrences Among Tbe ~egroes During
Sleyery In Barbour County•
•·rom, 'A Stockade Family'. Tbe ir B••beeues.
ecboes; some lazily stretcbed out on tbe ground tbinking of to-morrow's feast.
Now and tben some one would 'pat Juba', as tbey called it, wbile tbe dim ligbt
of tbe moon and stars peeping througb tbe beavy foliage, togetber witb tbe
savory smoke rising from tbe pits, enbanced tbe strangeness of tbe fete.
Wben tbe morrow oame, two or three long tables were set in tbe far-reacb-
-
ing abade of grand old oak.., wbose every limb was bang plentifully witb t.e
long gray moss tbat is so common in tbe Soutbern past of tbe Soutbern States,
~d wbicb imparts to tbe trees in~at section an aspect strikingly patriarcbal.
Tbe tables would be weigbted witb tbe flesb of tbe ox, mutton, pork, and
great pans of obicken pie., as well as fruits, vegetables, and ligbt bread and
cakes of our bolted meal. Seats were arranged all around, and old and bonored
negroes, oal~ed to preside at tbe beads of tbe table., would bid tbem all to
seat tbemselves, by firties,it often was, wben, witb bands uplifted, tbey invoked
tbe divine blessing.
Many in Soutbern Alabama yet retain a vivid recollection of tbese regUlar
<:nnual barbecues, given to tbe slaves wben tbe crops bad all been 'laid by'."
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ProJeat. , 3610
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Federal i terB ProJeat WPA Page I 1.
•
"Then tbere
Note"ortlly OaaurrenoeB Among Tile egroeB Dunng--In
~arbour County.
, m."A Blookade mily·. Tileir ~arbeoueB. / 13~:..--
were~lle annUAl barbecues tllat eacb and all planterB gave
witbout tail t tbeir Blaves wilen the crops bad all been laid b~ Bemi-holiday
weeks embraced tbe laBt at July and tbe first of August. I rememb«r
in particular one barbecue roast tllat I "i.neBsed one nigbt in COBp&QY "itb
tile bouBellold. TIle ·pitB· were Bome little diBtance frOB tile manBion. and
were balf tilled witb red-bot coalB of oak and biokory "ood, over wb10ll tbe
fleBb of wbole dreBBed beet, mutton, and BbostB were Blo"11 roasting. lying
~ a grate made ot aplit BtaveB of oak or bickOry wo04. A goo41y-Bized vessel
oontUni vinegar, butter, Balt, pulverized 88ge, pepper, nd tllyme, all
81ngled to-estber witb a Bwab, stood in olose proximity to tbe baroecuing
eat. Kvery no and tben tbe roaBting fleBb would be turned over witb long
oak BtiokB sbarpened smoothly to a point at one end, wbich answered tbe place
of torkB; deep and long incisions wo d be made in tbe barbeouing meat, and
witb tbe swab a good basti of tbe mixed condiBente from tbe bOWl ould be
Bpread oveJtPl J;l!e process ot turning tbe roasting flasb over tbe glowing red
~oslB snd basting w tb tbe BeaBoning continued till tbe meat waB tbougbt to
be tbovougbly done.~It would BO etiBeB be fsr beyond tbe bour of midnigbt
betore tbe barbeouina meat was removed trom tbe ·pits·, and I yet think tbat
Buob barbeoued meats oa ot be su sBsed by aIJIV other sort ot oocnd or
roasted Beat•• en cold and sliced it "aB oertaiDlY delioiouB. A night bar-beoutng
waB a weird scene. Blazing pine-torohes beaped on the rude Btands
i~roV1sed tor tbe occaBion tb a ruddy glow out over tbe dark tcrest,
giV1ng an unoaDD\V aBpeot to tte long tbick moss Bwaying in tbr nigbt bree...
Sorne at
b Bting
tbe negroes "aUld be
witb tbe Bea oning;
tending tbe roasting fleBb; sorne "itb
Bome laughing loud enough to wake tbe
IIbe 91Iab,
Bleeping
proJeot. , 1610
• • •
Fed ral
ro
~
• Their B
•
eoboes; so e lazily atretched out on tbe ground thinking of to-morrow's f.ast.
Now and tben some one would 'pat Juba', as they called it, wbile tbe dim light
of tbe moon an stars peeping tbrough tbe beayY foliage, togetber witb tbe
savory smoke rising rro~ tb pits, enhanoed tbe strangeness of tbe fete.
lI.ben tbe morrow oa e, t 0 or tbre. long table. were set in tbe fal'-reaob- - ing sluid. of g n old oaks, "boae .very 11mb was bung plentifully wi tb t ...
long gray moaa tbat is so oommon in tbe Soutbern paEt of tbe Soutbern Stat•• ,
~'nd wbiob impart to tbe trees in at seotlon an aspeot strikin y patriarohal
Tbe tables ould be weigbted witb tbe flesb of the oz, mutton, pork, and
great pans of oh1oken pie., as well as fruits, veset.ble., and light bread and
o ke. of Qur bolted ea1. Sa.t••ere arranged all around, and old and honored
negroe., oal\ed to preside at the beads of tbe table., would bid tbem all to
.i?=
.eat tbe .elves, by riftie.,it often ".', ~n, "ith bands uplifted, tbey in-yoked
tbe dlVine blesslng.
II 'aD,)' in Soutbern Alabama yet retain a vi 1'14 reoolleotion of tbe.e
c ual barbeoues, given to tbe sla
- -
Al Gel"tha 00\11'10,
J:utllll&, Alab...
(
(
'Then th.N ••re \be annual bar 01.1' that .aoh and all
plant.r. sav. wl~ut t&11 to tb.lr .1.,•• When tbe crop. had all
be.n 1&14 b1. 'fb... boUdq ..eJr.. .1Ib1'Ml4 th. lan ot Ju11 and
thl t1r.t ot Ausun. I re• .-bor ln paMloulu on. bubeou. roan
tbat I wUn••1I4 on. n1Bbt ln 00 &n1 wlth tb. hou••hold. !he
'plt.' W'N .... 11ttle 41.tanoo thl .10n, and were halt
tllled wlth l'e4 bot ooal. ot oalr. and oIr.ol"1 wood, oy.r w'h1Clb
tlelb ot "bol. dre••ed beet, Uon, oat. were .1ow17 rout1al,
111 on a • ot epUt .t..,•• ot oak or h 1 l"1 ,.
soo4l1-.1a ......1 oonta1nlnl ...In. u, tt.l', .alt, b.rb
• ,pep '1', tbrae, all .11\81ed toptb.r "Ub a." , .too4
ln 010.. Pl"OX181t1 '0 tbe b oulnS lIIat.....l"1 thin the
rou101nl tl. would be turned oy.r with 10nl oak .UoJr.. lh&l"Pln.4
aoothl1 to • polnt at one .n4, w'h1oh an...re4 the plot torJr..,
, ••p and 10 lnol.lon." 1.114 be ..40 ln tb. b
"Ub tbe IWab a od buti ot tho alxed oon41 nt. tro. tb. boWl
woll14 eprel4 0....1". roo... ot t tho roa.U", n ••
0....1" tbe Ilow1.nl N4 ooal. buU wl thl.. .onlna oontinued
Ull the at. to be
'It would .0..t18•• be tu berond • bour ot a14nlah
beton tb. u oul _at w•• NIIO'Y.4 troa tb. 'pl",' and I ,.t
thi that .uob bub.oued ..at. oannot be IUrpalled b7 an7 othor
,ort ot 00 ed or routed at.. n oold and .Uoed it w••
oen&1n17 4.110101.1.. "nl t barbeoulng "a. a ..lrd .00n.. Bw-lne
pln. 'orobe. b. .d on • rud. It 41 1 ro...l tor •
00 .81on ~ a 47 clow out tONlt, 11...1
unoann7 aopeot to th. 1 thloJr. ...1 ..qua In the nlp, bNlS••
a- ot 'h. "pooel woul4 be ten41nl the .IUne tl.lbl 10 with
(
-1-
awab, wlth the ,eaaoning, a 1 loud nough to wak. \be
al .obo... __ las117 atretobed out on •
th1nk1ag ot 'OlIOl'l'OY'a t ...t. low and then 'OIM waul Ifpat
.ruba, aa he7 oalled 1', wbll. tbe d1a 11 ot the aoon and atarl
p.epln the h.av, toU " to ther w1th aavol'J .au
rUln tro. the pltl, • 'bangen..a ot t t.t••
'fb.n the aorrow 0", two 01' tbre. long "bl....re a.'
ln thl ot lP'ind old oaka, who.. IV' 1 11 w..
~
bunc plenUtull, w1'h the lon &1 aoaa tbat la ao on in the
loutheJ'll part ot • u\bern ta '1, and lob 1IIpart. 0 the
tre•• ln t t ..oUon n 17 patr1archal.
one 1.. would be we1gMed w1 th. tle ot the ox,
IDIt on, pork, at. ot ohio ple., .. wl1 a. t1'u1U,
v. tabl.., t read and oak.I. ot 01.U' bolted ..al. ea I
..re erra ed all arolln , and old honored e oe., oall. to
prell • at head. ot tb tabl.., wO\l.ld bld • all to a..t
I1Ye', '1 tift1.., 11; oft n wa., n, .1th • up11fted,
t ., 1nvok • dlvln. bl••alnc.
in Southern Alab ,It ret&1n a vivld reool1••'loa
ot the • re 1 annual blll'blo .., lT1n to • .laT.. .n he
ero a all bean '1a14 b7. to
- ..Mn 'on CopJ,
fJ/fJ/37.
L. •
projeot II 2322
• '--""
r'l:ederal riters Projeall
Ex-Slaves.
Theodore Fontaine Stewart.
A Page ,f 1.
" Unale Stewart", as he is called in Eufaula has lived here for the past
thirty years, an expert gardner and sextcn lor the Episcopal 0huroh until the
last fe~ years, when he had to give up his job, becoming too feeble to keep
it. he was born on "Marse Theodoee ontaine's" plantation, six miles abova
Florence, Gecrgia, "in de !lli:ldle lace". Theodore Fontaine wae one of the
largest land owners in Georgia and owned hundreds of slaves. He never married
and his name is written in the book of the aristocrats. "Fontaine" and his
hospitality was noted throughout the entire Southland and a 3entle~an of the
old scbocl.
uncle Stewart says be was just a little nigger during "slavery tine",
but "atter surrender" bis Ma and ~a stayed ri ht on the plentation and never
left "Marse" Theodore. "N , Mistis~ he was tcc good to hie niggers, and atter
freedom he paid 'em good wages and us all stayed right dar til "Old "arster"
tuk him up dar. You know istis, de white fol.s called de name Fontaine but
us ni33ers called it Fountain. ;:.y ~a "as" 1ed Jsrah Fontaine and my pa \"las
naced Edwar Stewart, case ~arss hedore buyed him from ~. Baker 3tewart's
Pa. ~ sieters names were 3ill Anne, ~sura, Camilla, Eliza, ~cnnie, twin gals,
( lla,&Ella, and three brothers, Eli, Cato and Hillard, Yes Maa ,my Va had ten
he9d of chillun, and none ob dem ever went to jail. Jhs sbo reieed us 8ightl
Carse heodore'e plantation was so big he bad to bave three overseers, one
and one on de "Low Place"
on de "Up-er Place', one on de "Mid le Place", and istis tbey wuz so mean
two ob dec ~ilt each otber. Tbree slaves ran away but they came back, case
•
»BBster was good".
ge said the na",ee of T,bese Slaves -'Iere Cbarlie ,iley, ~arey Atkins and
Hirum • ellborn. His Pa was a field nigger, but hie ~a was one of 'arsters
cooks, and all hs ramembers mucb about 31svery was 'eating~ always sra lng
caKas and cbicke hen his 'a wasn't looking, but oh, if she cau3ht him
•
sbe
Eufaula 6. ; ....... .Q')
D.A. Oden
Jack Kytle
(,-;-71
•
US G".vINE 'ER WALK DE GOLD STREETS
"De years are mlghty long wldout Lottle, assa.
She done one on to de promlse; but I knows she wld Jesus. And
-
• us gwlne 'er walI dem golden streets together holdln' hands."
L-Uncle Theodore ontalne stewart/llves alone in
a weather-beaten, one-room Eufaula shanty. It ls clean and
surrounded by flowers. In the rear ls a s all garden; and there
"Lottle been gone away nlgh onto 22 year now,
assa. Her was a good~oman; one of de best de Lord ever sont
to de earth."
you wll1 flnd Uncle stewart when the dawn ls fresh or the dusk
t.- ls cooly approaching.
1\
He paused to think when the intervlewer asked
•
hls age.
"It bard fer me to tell 'bout dat,' he sald,
'but I knows I'ss wsll past de nlnety mark. I guess I'se gwlne
on a hun d, caze I was borned'fore de war an' was a rlght
peart boy at de surrender."
'What about slavery times, Uncle stewart?"
He mused a momsnt, his black fingers gently
car esslng the buttons on hls rust-colored old vest.
"I 'mecbers all 'bout
de .Lord l:now dey was better times den
dem times," he sald, "an' 1; ./ -./
\'ie got now,!\whi te
-
2-
black. Nobody was hongry den, ssa, and peoples d1dn't g1t 1n
de llev1lment dey gjlt~ 1n now. Folks went to de church an'
'hayed demselves 1n dose days.
"Who was oy 01' ster1" He looked at the 1nterv1ewer
couldn't
( He moved
a moment, answered proudly, "Why, he was de r1ches' man 1n
Georgy. I knows you has heard of arse Theodore Fonta1ne. He
had three b1g plantat10ns and mo' n1ggers dan he could count.
clos,t ~..lorence, an' h1s three" laces was so b1g you see crost de 11ttlest f1eld.
"01' 'arster he 11b 1n a b1g f1ne house, b1gger dan
any mel!t1n'-house 1n Eufaula. He had a gang of f1ne horses, an'
when company was dar he had horse races on h1s own track. H1s
horses could beat all de horses brought dar, an' dats de direct
Uncle stewart f111ed a blackened old cornoob p1pe w1th
tobacoo, cont1nued:
"01' arster, he d1dn't go to de war. He too 01' to
go, so he stay home an' make corn an' fodder an' oats an' sen'
dem to de soldiers what k1111n' Yankees. One day de Yankees
cOlDe along an' burnt up everyth1ng on de place, 'cept de n1gger
cab1ns. Dey took all de horses and everyth1ng us had to eat.
"01' Uarster went off somewhar when dey come; I don't
I ember where; an' when he come baok he had to 11ve 1n one of de
n1gger cab1ns twel he could bu11d a house. But dO new one wasn't
b1g lak de old one.
"lly pappy was a f1el'
? han' twel one t1me 01' arster
,
put him on a horse to ride in a race, an' pappy beat e other
horse SO far 01 'arster as tickled pink. He said a nigger
what could ride 18k dat had no bizness in de fiel', SO he oade
a stable boy outen pappy.
I
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"01' arster didn't have no l' 'istus. He say h•e SO big
all de little ladies look funny) lde of h1m. When co pany was dar
his sisters, lstus 'ary an' 'lstus D~c~, come an' kep~ouee; but ,
dey lef' when de company dld.
"Uy pappy was name Ed stewart, caze 01' ~arster buy him
from a Stewart. Atter de war dey call pappy's chilluns Stewart;
but Us is Fontaines by right, bet yo' life on dat.
"01' arster was good to de niggers, but his overseers
.aa ean. 01' 'arster fired dem atter awhile an' got sooe good
overseers. He didn't 'low deo to whip a nigger 'cept when he
• say, an' he didn't say so much.
"Uy Mlamoy was name sarah, an' her an' pappy stayed right
wid 01' '£rster when de eurrender come. Dey was right in de room
when l' i arster died, an' dey cried eo:nething aWful. _ all staye:l
?
dar twel pappy an' oammy die; den us chillun s spli t up an' went
everywhere.
"llla:J!l\}' an' pappy had ten head 0 1 chilluns eide s oe, but
I a.on' know whar dey at now. :,;ammy raiee all her chilluns right,
an'/long as I knowed dem, none of deo ever got in a Jailhouse.
"~~ny didn't 'low her chilluns to steal. Her was 01'
arster's house COOk, an' when she kotch any of us t8kin' things
COLLOQUIALISMS
(Regional or local dialect expressions)
"$~uatterS"f tr~ -lance aet~lers,aea untsvl11e p-2 par-l
••
" Ulltin nee~, mal< in
ot in , no ch no, at all
a ne. qUilt, nel~hborB helping; !olklor,"Ru••ell-p-2.
"Dl c
.. eo1dl~ Rin" f pettern tor c;uilt.
i~ ~lty", nl~in h~, p-2 r-l,
"'ib.c..tron ,,,,ese" '111 r ItS in 8 row)
-..troT: t to re.,.r / ~. nelt", blac~ soil in central
'ha.: -4, per 1
rt of" 1'1oom I
• Ie ~ t ", 11 tboqt. pr ellod hy Inn pol•• pushel a inst botto~ of rivor.
~c r t~a ~r", orthern otrice-ho1 ~ r in ~outh 1~rln Reconstruction ( 1 tory r-~O
, 5-ttve .. .. " " .. .. ..
"Loblolly" 1nool". , s "')Ytsbcrt-ler:tC' in, nor I ~ -v, ,ar 2
"Ll~ht ar ~ g" r "Light ar ShllCk", to run 8 .• 1ttly aw'1y from danger or the threat of 1 t.
"Burn th J
"!H ROJid" ,• ttle uol1c road - asp clally, the hlflh y.
...... l rr ouse" , r alienee of o ...ner or averse r on B J1 ntatlon.
cit.:" a t i'Crory c~ "n, .uaHy plec d to other out or 0 U. anl ends ~ , t rhl •
."• ~"( v) , 0 toss r itch,os n st ne.(Ex.~C~u ~ a rock st that ." )
• lpe- (v) • te'!.l or tal! 1- ~t peroni iO~_ rtlcul r r ~~rence to articles or s 11 v IU') #.-/
• y. ,, B leu or bra rt - c t tou.!! te 0 8 .:.!rt'S8:·' y. "
--at-( cod "' :1st ) (v colloqu.al r"r Iio t. ( ck 0 • u 8,:u'lDCi 11y ••
"L n • ( • a 1 UIe!>-l e ti r 17 over
r ed
r /'01 --- 1 •
.tore eevio 1 ,
•
'egro Dialect
(Stories 0
0 not vTite:
_-h for I
Poe for :po' (pour)
iit for it
Tub fer to
luz for res
_L:d for bed
D_id for de_d
Sugcestions
x-Slaves)
Kin' for ihd
Cose for 'cause
'l'ho 't for thought
•
c· Ovah for over
Ouh for
;:!l.h for
U'
•
(
Othllh for other
I
"/he. for IIher (were)
Undah for under
Fuh for for
Yond~ for yonder
.~oster for IllCrster or =sse
~inter for ~Iineter (60in~ tol
omc.n
Ifn for iffen (if)
.iuh or fish for fire
U-z or -uv or -0' for of
-"'.:)0"'''' for poor or :pot ~-
• J'L for jine
CoaRe for cose
Ut for ot.ler
Yot for you
-Gi' for give
Cot for cau3ht
•
-CO- P--Y
QUESTIONS:
•
( Stories from Ex-slaves. )
•. --
1. Where and when were you born'
2. Give the names of your father and mother. Where did they come from'
Give names of your brothers and sisters. Tell about your life with
them and describe your home and the ·quarters.· Describe the beds
and where you slept. Do you remsmber anything about your grandparents
or any stories told you about them?
3. What work did you do in slavery days? Did you ever earn any money'
How? Whet did you buy with this money'
4. What did you eat and how was it cooked? Any possums? Rabbits'
Fish? Whet food di you like best' Did the slaves have their own
garden4'
5. What clothing did you wear in hot weather? Cold weather' On Sun-days?
Any shoes? Describe your wedding clothes.
6. Tell about your master, mistress, their children, the house they
lived in, the overseer or driver, poor white neighbors.
7. How many acres in the plantation' How many slaves on i U How and
what time did the overseer wake up the slaves? Did the:! work hard'
and late at night? How and for what causes were the slaves punishedl
Tell what you saw. Tell some of the stories you hsard.
8. Was thers a Jail for slaves? Did you ever see any slaves sold or
auctioned off? How did groups of slaves travel' Did you ever see
slaves in chains'
9. Did the white folks help.you to learn to read and write'
10. Did the slaves have a church on your plantation? Did they read the
Bible? Who was your favorite preacher? Your favorite spirituals'
Tell about the baptizing; baptizing songs. Funerals and funeral
songs.
11. Did the slaves ever run away to the North? Why? Whet did you hear
about patrollers?
another? Did you
did slaves oarry news f ~ one plantation to
of troubls bstween the blaoks and whites?
12. What did the slaves do when they went to their quarters after the
day's work was done on the plantation? Did they work on Saturday
- afternoons? What did they do Saturday nights? Sundays? Christmas
mornings? New York's Day? Any other holidays? Cornshuoking?
Cotton Pioking? Danoes? When some of the white master's family
married or died? A wedding or death among the slave.?
•
13. What games did you play ae a ohild? Can you give the words or sing
any of the play songs or ring games of the ohildren? Riddlee?
Charms? Stories about "Raw Head and Bloody Bones" or other "hants·
of ghosts? Stories about animals? What do you think of voodoo?
Can you give the words or sing any lullabies? Work songs? Plantation
hollers? Can you tell a funny story you have heard or something
funny that happened VO you? Tell about the ghoets you have
seen.
14. When slaves beoame siok who looked after them? What medioinee ~id
the dootore give them? What medioine (herbs, leaves, or rootel did
the slaves use for siokness? What oharms did they wear and to keep
off what dieeasee?
15. What do you ~emembeD about the war that brought your freedom? What
happened on the day news oame that you were free? What did your
master say and do? When the Yankees oame what did they do and
say?
16. Tell what work you did and how you lived the first year after the
war and what you saw or heard about the Ku Klux Klan and the Nightriders.
Any sohool then for Negroes? Any land?
Whom did you marry? esoribe the wedding. How many ohildren and
d
grandohildren have you and what are they doing?
17.
lB. What do you think of Abraham Linooln? Jefferson Davis? Booker
Washington? Any other prominent white man or Negro you have known
or heard of?
"
Alabatla
(HISTORICAL SmTCllES OF I'J..A'BfJl.A.)
FIR8T "mRO It IIGR,\lJTS.
Ira S. Jor<lnn,
f!.d1 tor1al IJnp/lrt"ont. "
"
The fa1lure of histor10al narrat1ves to aeree upon the ~outee
taken by the ear11ost, and most remarknhle, Span1eh exped1t1ono 1nto
the oountry that now 1. Alabama may expla1n the orodenoo orten g1ven
the1r var1ants. These had talcen the torm of legend long before the
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f1rst Amer10an gated upon a Beene that had been deoorlbed 1n turn by
Al24r Nunez Cabota de Vaoa, Rodr1go RanJo1 (do Soto'. private sooretary)
and othere of the de 80to exped1tion, a' barren wastee pOPulated
by starv1ng eav/lBes and as a marvelously fertlle land ru10d by a
fr1endly raoe, r10h in all the thinge they needed, but 1aoklng in the
only th1ng the adventurers soulIht. Gold.
!.lost remarkable in manT respeote was the 111 tate' expe41tion
01' the lnoompetent Narvaez, t1rst of the Span1eh exp10rere to touoh
Alablllllll. Whatever ore41t that may be g1ven here must go to those
Itour who surv1ved the hardsh1ps of the overland trip from the Flor1da
oOllat to Uex1co, Cabeza de Vaoa, Andres Doranteo, Alonso Maldonado and
Eatavan the blaok man of Azaroor, slave 01' Oorantoo, tor 1n the taoe
01' hardoh1po the oommander, Narvaez, oouldn't take 1t, and deolared
the rule of evory man tor himself. .
For daTs the boats had been w1thout water, and eT1dent1,y the
orews 11ved in mortal dread of Ind1ans on .hore, for in sp1te 01' the
faot that numoroue r1ver. and smaller .tream8 pour into ~he bays of
west Florida and A1ablllllll theT had not the oourage to Tenture far
enoulIh to obtain a supply 01' fresh water. At last, atter .everal 01'
the orew had died frolll dr1nk1ng salt water, 1n deeperat10n they landed
among some Indians on the ehore of e1ther Perdido Bay or, ~b110 Bay•
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The latter 1. more 1.1ke1y. Here they obtained water trom the Ind1an.
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