Chap. IIL 



*J M E %_I C A. 



**i 



CHAP. IIL 

 Florida. 



SOuth-Weft of Virginia lieth the fpacious Countrcy of Florida, remarkable hi- situ ^°^ 

 therto rather by the great pains which the Spaniards have taken, and the ill *"**'' 

 SucceiTes they have met with in the difcovery and fearch of this Province 

 than by anything elfe they have difcover'd in it anfwerableto their defires. On the 

 Eaft it hath the Atlantick Ocean, or Man del Tfyrdt ; on the South, and South- Weft 

 theGulph of Mexico and Mare Vrrginium . and full Weft, part of New GaUicia, and 

 fome other Countreys, not yet perfectly known. 



This Countrey is alfo one of thofe, faid to have been firft of all difcover'd by 

 Sir Sebaftian Cabot, at the Charges of the King of England, about the Year 1 407. but 

 afterwards more throughly fearch'd into by John <Ponce de Leon, a Spaniard, who in ***>*& 

 the Year 1512. fct Sail with three Ships out of the Haven St. German in Tom <%jico, ^^ 

 North. Weft to the Ifles ©*^ Manegua, and Guanabani, 



firft difcover'd by Qhnjlopber Coloms,znd call'd St. Salvador : After that Steer'd North- 

 Weft by a Coaft, which (becaufe of its plealant profpe&) was catfd Florida, or (ac- 

 cording to the more common Opinion) becaufe it was on Talm^Sunday, which the 

 Spaniards call Tafcha de Flores, or fafcba Florida) that he Landed here : And to 

 find out a Haven he kept fight of the Shore, which appear'd South-Weft from 

 him. Here the Ships met with fo ftrong a Tide, that notwithstanding they had a 

 frefli Gale of Wind, yet could they not Item it 5 one of the Ships was driven to Sea 

 out of fight ; the other two calling Anchor, which raking, drove toward the Shore . 

 whither, being beckned by the Indians, they immediately went i when no fooner 

 he Landed, but they ran in great Companies to make themfelves Mafters of the 

 VeiTels, kill'd one Spaniard^nd wounded two more : the Night approaching put an 

 end to the Fight. From hence Sailing to the River La Crutx for Wood and Water, 

 they were refifted by fixty Natives, which they put to flight with their Guns, and 

 took One Prifoner ; after which they erected a Stone Crols. The Promontory, by 

 which glides the ftrong Current, lies in twenty Degrees North-Latitude, and call'd 

 CalodeQorrientes, as the Row of Ifles, before the Main Land Los Martyres, becaufe 

 the Cliffs at a diftance appear like Men ftanding on Poles. Laftly, after fome fmail 

 Encounters with the Flondans, Tonce return'd home, being onely inform'd falfly by 

 the Indians, that in Florida was a River, and on the Ifle Simini a Fountain, whofe ^"oia 

 Waters made old People young. y ^. cIook 



But after this Florida remained not unvifited . for eight years after the foremen- 

 tion'd Voyage, Lucas Vafaue^de Aylom weighed Anchor with two Ships from Hxjpa* SB? 

 niola, to fetch Slaves from the adjacent Ifles for the Goldmines, which Labor the 

 Natives were not able to perform : therefore fleering his Courfe Northwardly, he 

 Sail'd along the Coaft of Cbicoa and Gualdape, by them call'd Cabo de St. Helena, and 

 fyo Jordan, where the Natives look'd upon the Ships as Sea-Monfters, and feeing 

 Bearded Men in them, fled : the Spaniards purfuingthem, overtook one Man and a 

 Woman . who being well Entertained, and Clad in Spanifi? Habits, made the Stran* 

 gers fo acceptable to their Countrey-men, that their King fent fifty Men Aboard of 

 them with Provifions, and to invite the Sea-men to his Dominions. The King fat 



Z with 



pedmon 10 



V 



