Believing
This Land To Be An Island, And Because It Appeared Beautiful, Being All
Level, With Many Pleasant Groves, He Named It The Island Of Florida,
Also Because Discovered At Easter, Which The Spaniards Call Pascha De
Flores.
De Leon went on shore at this place to take formal possession of
the country.
He sailed thence on the 8th of April, and came to a place on
the 20th, where some Indians were seen on the shore. He here anchored and
went ashore, when the Indians endeavoured to get possession of the boat,
with the oars and arms. This was not at first resented, till one of the
natives knocked down a sailor with a blow on the head, on which the
Spaniards were obliged to fight in their own defence, and had two men
wounded by arrows or darts pointed with sharp bones. The Indians were
repulsed with some difficulty, and received little damage; and at night De
Leon got his men on board and sailed to the mouth of a river, where he
took in wood and water. They were here ineffectually opposed by sixty
natives, one of whom was made prisoner to give them some information of
the country, and to learn Spanish. They called this river Rio de la Cruz,
as they left in this place a stone cross with an inscription. On the 8th
of May they doubled Cape Florida, which was named Cabo de las Corrientes,
or the Cape of Currents, because they found the currents here stronger
than the winds; and they came to an anchor near a town called Abacoa.
All this coast, from Cape Arracaifes to Cape Corrientes, or Cape
Florida, lies north and south, one point east, and is all quite free of
shoals and rocks, with six fathoms water. They found Cape Florida to be in
lat. 18 deg. 15' N. Sailing on to the southward, till in lat. 27 deg., they met
with two islands, one of which, about a league in circuit, they named
Santa Monta[1].
On the 15th of May, they proceeded 10 leagues along a line of small
islands, as far as two white ones, and called the whole group los
Martyres, or the Martyrs, because the high rocks at a distance had the
appearance of men upon crosses. This name has been since considered as
prophetic, on account of the great numbers of seamen who have been lost on
these rocks. They held on their course, sometimes north, and sometimes
north-east, and on the 24th were as far to the southwards as some small
islands lying out to sea, yet never perceived that they were going along
the continent. Finding a convenient place for wood and water, they
remained here to the 3d of June, careening one of their ships called the
St Christopher. Here the Indians came out in canoes to see the Christians,
as the Spaniards declined going on shore, though often invited by signs.
One day, being about to weigh an anchor, only to remove it to fresh ground,
the Indians supposing the Christians were going away, came off in their
canoes and laid hold of the cable, meaning to draw the ship away; on which
some men were sent in the long-boat to drive them away, and following the
Indians to the shore, took four women, and destroyed two old canoes. At
times while here, they bartered with the Indians for some skins, and a
small quantity of indifferent gold. On the 4th of June, while waiting for
a wind to go in search of a cacique named Carlos, who was said to have
gold, by some Indians on board, a canoe came off having an Indian on board
who understood Spanish, and was supposed to be a native of Hispaniola, or
some of the islands inhabited by Christians. This man desired them to wait,
as the cacique would send gold to barter. They accordingly waited, and
soon saw twenty canoes coming towards them, some of which were made fast
two and two together. A part of these went to the anchors, and others to
the ships, and began to fight. As those at the anchors were unable to
weigh them, they attempted to cut the cables; but a long-boat was sent out
against them, which obliged them to fly, taking four men and killing
several others. De Leon sent two of his prisoners to the cacique, saying
that although he had killed a Spaniard, he was willing to treat of peace
and friendship. Next day the boats went to sound the harbour, and some of
the men landed. Some Indians brought a message from the cacique, saying
that he would come next day on purpose to trade: But this was merely a
feint to gain time, that they might collect their power; as at eleven
o'clock, eighty canoes full of armed men attacked the nearest ship, and
fought till night without doing the Spaniards any harm, all their arrows
falling short, as they durst not come near, for fear of the cross-bows and
artillery. At night the Indians retired. Having remained here nine days,
they began to think of returning to Hispaniola and Porto Rico, and
discovered some islands by the way, of which they received intelligence
from the Indian prisoners they had on board. They sailed among islands
till the 21st, when they arrived at some small islands which they called
las Tortugas, or the Tortoises, as they took 170 of these creatures in a
very short time in one of these islands, and might have had many more if
they would. On the 28th, seeing land, they came to an anchor to overhaul
their sails and tackle, but could not tell whereabout they were. Most of
them thought it was the island of Cuba, because they found canoes and dogs,
with some knives and other tools of iron. On the 25th of July they were
among a parcel of low islands, still ignorant of their situation, till De
Leon sent to examine an island which he believed to be Bahama, in which he
was confirmed by an old woman who was found alone in another island.
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