Los Sobrevivientes de La Florida


additional persons who were active for a short period in Florida
and who returned to Cuba in 1539. They are:

 Porcallo de Figueroa, Vasco. This person was lieutenant
governor of Florida for a brief period before he returned to Havana
in July, 1539. From then on, he became the supplier for de Soto's
army. Porcallo was a man of great experience in the Indies. He
lived in Puerto de Principe in Cuba in 1520, and participated in the
dispute between Governor Diego Velazquez and Hernan Cortes
over the army that was involved in the conquest of Mexico.
Porcallo remained in Cuba but moved to Trinidad where he was
residing in 1522. In that year he testified about his knowledge of
the revolts that took place in Espiritu Santo, Cuba. Through his
answers it is known that he was an encomendero in Cuba, born in
Caceres, Spain around 1496, and that he knew how to sign his
name. In later years Porcallo took part in some of the explorations
of Mexico and his name appears in documents regarding the
accusations made against Cortes in Temistlan in 1529. Through
several surviving letters exchanged between the authorities in
Santo Domingo and Spain in 1539 and 1546, we learn the
following particulars. By 1539 Porcallo was the richest man in
Cuba. He supported the preparation of the ships that would take
the men to the Florida port already selected by Afiasco in
December, 1538. When de Soto departed, Porcallo went along, but
a few months later he returned to Cuba where he wrote to the King
in 1540, announcing the discovery of a gold mine and blue stones
or ores that yielded silver. By 1542, Porcallo arranged marriage for
his two mestizo daughters to distinguished persons of the region.
The following year he went to Hispafiola to console Isabel de
Bobadilla over the loss of her husband.155 Porcallo was mentioned
often by Rangel, Elvas, and Garcilaso de la Vega.

 Tovar, Diego de. Tovar survived the expedition, but for a
 different reason than the others, as he pointed out in making a
 declaration in Madrid in 1546. He claimed to be 25 years old and
 the son of Rodrigo de Tovar, Alguacil in Marchena. He stated that
 he went to Florida with de Soto and joined the initial explorations
 but soon fell sick and was taken back to Havana. He signed his


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