The Survivors of the De Soto Expedition


port previously selected by Afiasco. He witnessed many of
Afiasco's services during that expedition, especially on an
occasion when Afiasco saved the army from hunger by finding the
town of Aymay which contained large stores of grain. He
witnessed, as well, the diligence and effective participation of
Afiasco in the construction of the ships that were to take the
Florida survivors to Panuco in New Spain. He was in one of the
five ships which sailed upriver to reach that port. He saw too, that
the only possession that Afiasco was able to save from the Florida
experience was one slave. He signed his deposition.137 Tinoco was
a son of Gutierre Garcia Cardenosa and Maria Romo, citizens of
Badajoz, SR-281. He is listed among the survivors of Florida, as
son of Cardenosa, from Badajoz, Smith-293. It should be noted
that the complete name of the Adelantado of Florida was
Hernando Mendez de Soto y Gutierrez Cardenosa. Tinoco's
parents last names suggest a kinship with the Adelantado. Arias
Tinoco, who was a captain of cavalry, was accompanied by two
brothers who survived the expedition as well, Alonso Romo and
Diego Tinoco, considered here in their proper order.

 Tinoco, Diego. Son of Gutierre Garcia Cardenosa and Maria
Romo, citizens of Badajoz, SR-281. He was a brother of Arias
Tinoco and survived the Florida expedition, Smith-293.

 Tolosa. A survivor from Vizcaya, Smith-297.


 Torre, Alvaro de la. On October 25th, 1559, Mexican
Viceroy Luis de Velasco wrote to Florida explorer, Tristan de
Luna y Arellano. He informed Luna that he was sending a memoir
written by Alvaro de la Torre, "the cleric who was with de Soto in
Florida."138 It is clear from the content of this message that the
Viceroy was writing about someone he and Luna knew well.
Alvaro de la Torre could be the sixth chronicler of the de Soto
expedition after the Gentleman of Elvas, Rodrigo Rangel, Luis
Hemandez de Biedma, Garcilaso de la Vega, and Cafiete. This
cleric appears distinct from Fray Francisco de la Torre described
later. While Alvaro gave his memoir to the Viceroy, most likely in


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