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De Soto began taking hostages to prevent
Indian attacks. In mid-August in the village of
Caliquen, 20 miles northeast of the mouth of
the Suwannee River, de Soto kidnapped the
cacique and his daughter, making it known to
local Indians that he intended to keep the
chief until the expedition had passed safely
into a new territory. On September 15 the
expedition arrived at the Indian town of
Napituca, southeast of the present city of Live
Oak, in northern Florida. Seven Timucua
chiefs appeared and asked to meet de Soto in
an open field to discuss the cacique’s release.
Friendly Paracoxi Indians, however, told Juan
Ortiz that the Timucua were plotting an
ambush. De Soto rode onto the field as(^96) B Discovery of the Americas, 1492–1800
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