Note 974 — Chapter IV · (continued 2)

[Theodore Irving, The Conquest of Florida by Hernando de Soto, New York, 1851. The first edition appeared in 1835, and there were editions printed in London in 1835 and 1850. The book is a clever popularizing of the original sources, with main dependence on Garcilasso (cf. Field, Indian Bibliography, no. 765), whom its author believes he can better trust, especially as regards the purposes of De Soto, wherein he differs most from the Gentleman of Elvas. Irving’s championship of the Inca has not been unchallenged; cf. Rye’s Introduction to the Hakluyt Society’s volume. The Inca’s account is more than twice as long as that of the Gentleman of Elvas, while Biedma’s is very brief,—a dozen pages or so. Davis (Conquest of New Mexico, p. 25) is in error in saying that Garcilasso accompanied De Soto.—Ed.]