8 TRAVELS through 



tains of Bimini. This ifle now belongs to the 

 Englijli^ and is called the IJle of Providence ; it 

 formerly v/as a retreat for the pirates who have 

 infefled tlie American feas for a confiderable 



time. 



The firfl thing that gave rife to this fable 

 about the fountain is this : the air of Florida is 

 fo temperate, that it is faid there have been men 

 of two hundred and fifty years of age. It is like- 

 wife afTerted, that the handfomeft: women in 

 North Amer'xa lived at Bimbii-y and all the men 

 of the continent, even the old ones, retired to 

 that ifle to foften the miferies of their life \ but 

 all thefe innocent pleafures ended at the arrival 

 of the Europeans^ who difpofTelTed thefe poor 

 people. All the ifles have been fettled by peo- 

 ple who can^e from Cuba, The accounts inform 

 us of the brave refiftance which the Indians of 

 Florida made againft the Spaniards \ when the 

 latter arrived in their cquntry, they tnet them in 

 eleven canoes or piraguas armed with Lows and ar- 

 rows ; they were bold enough to come and cut 

 the cables of J^on Juan Ponce de heon\ yeflel, 

 who was forced to make peace with them : thefe 

 people are governed by Paraufiis or Caciques. 



I fhall add here, being upon the article of this 

 pretended fountain, that the Indians of Darien 



endea- 



