The Survivors of the De Soto Expedition


he mentioned 221 survivors adding, in several instances, the
profession, trade, and/or parentage of the person included. This list
is not complete and, by its numerous folds and how it is ordered,
may have been kept in somebody's pocket for some time. Yet, it is
invaluable, containing not less than 60 names not found in the
passenger register recorded in Sevilla. His additions reflect the
conquerors who joined the expedition in Cuba and those not
registered in Spain, like de Soto's entourage. Other sources of
information about the number of survivors are the very
declarations by some of them appearing in Part II of this study.
Pedro de Arevalo indicated that 350 persons survived, Francisco
Gutierrez lowered the figure to 300, Luis de Moscoso mentioned
350, and Sebastian de Villegas said that half of the 700 who started
the expedition were able to see its end. As will be seen in detail in
Part II, this investigation has revealed the names of 257 survivors
but, the definitive list has yet to be compiled. The figures listed
here are presented in Table 2. It is likely that the Gentleman of
Elvas was quite right about his 311 figure, having witnessed the
events. If so, 54 names await discovery. It may be added that in the
list of de Soto's men compiled by Swanton, 194 persons are
specifically described as survivors, including some possible
duplications acknowledged by the author.13


 Table 2.

 Number of Survivors

 Gentleman of Elvas 311
 Garcilaso de la Vega under 300
 Hernandez de Biedma 221
 Pedro de Arevalo 350
 Francisco Gutierrez 300
 Luis de Moscoso 350
 Sebastian de Villegas 350
 J. R. Swanton 194
 This investigation 257


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