The army drifted down the Great River, gathering food along their way. At Greenville, Mississippi, awaiting natives in large war canoes attacked them, forcing the Spaniards to use different strategies. It would take them 17 days to reach the end of the river, averaging about 40 miles per day.

As with the Union Army 300 years later, Vicksburg proved to be the worst obstacle on the river. 600 Indians attacked, 11 soldiers were killed, 25 were wounded. A "Red Skin" with a headdress, tail and tri-forked spear was seen as they left. That Indian's figure, forsaking all others prior to DeSoto's legendary defeat, became Europe's image of the Devil.

Having spent 4 years in America, 320 Spaniards on 7 barges made their way along the Louisiana and Texas coasts toward Mexico. That trip would take 2 months. Stopping to patch their vessels on the tides, the army gathered what it could of food and water. They sighted Mexico's mountains under the Full Moon of September 10, 1543.

The River of Panuco, a Spanish possession, was sighted breaking over sandy shoals. Some put in before the shoals, others overshot them and had to return overland. All found friendly Spanish speaking natives. They were safe at last. Their writings would effect Western ideology forever.