Hernando de Soto and the Indians of Florida

Spurred by a State of Florida effort to establish the route of Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto through the state in 1539-1540, Milanich and Hudson not only reconstruct his route but examine the social geography of the natives he and other Spaniards encountered and often decimated. The detailed narrative is highly technical, as the authors weigh disputed issues regarding de Soto, such as the sites of his landing harbor and his initial camp, and the location of the province of Ocale, which de Soto sought for its riches. The authors examine narratives from both de Soto and later European observers to gain insight about the Florida Indians both within and outside his route; their findings are presented as mini-histories rather than as overarching themes. Milanich is curator of archeology at the Florida Museum of Natural History; Hudson is professor of anthropology at the University of Georgia. Photos not seen by PW. (Feb.)