NATIONAL FISHERY CONGRESS. 151 



Her loving heart told her that Ortez would be safe in Mucoso's keeping. At the dead hour of 

 night she accompanied him beyond danger, and placed in his hands such tokens as Mucoso would 

 recognize. She acted none too soon. As the sun rose over this spot its rays fell upon the maddened 

 chief, calling in vain for the intended victim of his revenge. His rage* was such that it dried up the 

 wellsprings of parental aft'ection, and he refused the marriage of his daughter unless Ortez was 

 surrendered. But that Indian girl, although it broke the heartstrings of hope, sacrificed her 

 love to humanity ; and Mucoso sacrificed his bride upon the altar of honor. Ortez lived to welcome 

 De Soto. 



Tell me, aye, tell the world, where a brighter example of noble virtue was ever recorded. Where 

 in history do you find more genuine and more touching illustrations of "love, charity, and forgive- 

 ness" the very trinity of earthly virtues and the brightest jewels of the Christian heaven? What a 

 captivating theme this Florida Pocahontas should present to the pen of imagination picturing this 

 spot, then and to-day associated with romance rich in historic lore ! 



But I am here to welcome you to this National Fisheries Congress ; and what location more fitting 

 for such a congress than the shores of this western Mediterranean, the Gulf of Mexico. 



Mathew Maury, that great intellect and writer on the currents of the oceans, that great map- 

 maker of the air that circles above Old Ocean's waves, states it as a physico-coramercial fact that " the 

 area of all the valleys which are drained by the rivers of Europe that empty into the Atlantic, of all 

 the valleys that are drained by the rivers of Asia that empty into the Indian Ocean, of all the valleys 

 that are drained by the rivers of Africa and Europe that empty into the Mediterranean, does not cover 

 an extent of territory as great or as fertile as that included in the valleys drained by the American 

 rivers alone, which discharge themselves into this our central sea." 



Those vast valleys furnish waste organic matter that is brought into this inland sea, furnishing 

 abundant food for animal life. The temperature of the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Carib- 

 bean Sea is most favorable to the development of the lower orders of animal life ; and the animalcula 

 and small fish feed upon this abundant supply of food, and in turn become food for larger fish. The 

 Gulf Stream, originating in the Caribbean Sea, sweeping through the Gulf of Mexico and around the 

 entire coast of Florida, helps to bring to our very doors this vast food supply, and gives us the best 

 of feeding-grounds, many times the area of our State. 



What State, then, more suitable in which to organize a national fishery congress than Florida? 

 Stimulated by the erroneous sentiment that America's fishery resources, on account of the great area 

 and capabilities of her waters, are practically inexhaustible, improvidence has led, in many States, to 

 useless and wasteful destruction that tends strongly to the depletion of their waters. 



The valleys drained into the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea range through all the pro- 

 ducing latitudes of the world and embrace every agricultural climate under the sun. Upon their 

 green bosom rests the throne of the vegetable kingdom ; and in the near future, when the waters of 

 the Atlantic and Pacific shall be allowed to commingle through a canal across Central America, the 

 commerce of the world will here hold its court. 



Public sentiment is becoming largely directed and educated up to a full comprehension of the 

 importance of the industry, and the General Government is lending its powerful aid to the dissemina- 

 tion of information and the propagation of valuable species of food-fish. With such earnest and 

 intelligent workers as are now in the Government employ and at the head of this great work, with the 

 various States cooperating, we may confidently look to a cessation of useless improvidence and an 

 increase in the supply of desirable food-producing fish. And what efforts more commanding and 

 deserving greater consideration than the suggesting of new fields of labor looking to increasing the 

 food supply of mankind? And where can we look more confidently for such increase than in the 

 water farms of America? 



This Congress is really in the interest of the highest civilization, for no questions are of more 

 moment than the increase or diminution of a wholesome food supply for mankind. 



But, Mr. Chairman, I am not here to discuss any of the phases of the many questions that may 

 be brought to the attention of this Congress. That will be the work of specialists and experts. I 

 am here simply to give you a cordial welcome, and in the name and on behalf of the good people of 

 Florida, 



"I will welcome thee and wish thee long." 



