Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 November 1880 — More Spanish Than Skunk. [ARTICLE]

More Spanish Than Skunk.

I have read many articles published in the Chicago papers from various writers trying to prove that Chicago was named after a skunk, none of which did I place any confidence in, for I could at one time speak the Indian language as well or better than I could the English. I came West in 1832. I now find the following on page 34 of the “Pictorial History of the American Revolution,” in regard to Hernando De Soto, in 1540. It appears that he had just had a groat battle with the Indians, at Mobile, destroying 2,000 of them and losing fortytwo of his own men, and that on the 16th of November, same year, he turned his face northward, and in five days he entered the province of Chicazo, where he remained all winter. Had another fight with the Indians and lost forty men more. Then what does this prove ? It proves that as early as 1510 there was a province five days’ march north of Mobile called Chicazo, and I presume it extended as far north as the northern lakes, and that the name of our city Chicago came from it. The word Chicazo is evidently Spanish, and when spelled with the English pronunciation, combined with the Indian, we have Chicago. De Soto was evidently as brave and gallant a gentleman as ever trod American soil. He was always dreaming of finding .gold in the western wilds of America, and also the elixir of life, the El Dorado of perpetual youth. Gold was long since discovered in California, and now, perhaps, this new late groat mineral discovery in Texas is De Soto’s elixir of life. It does appear that Chicago is more Spanish than skunk. — Cor. Chicago Inter Ocean.