discover a harbor, if one were near, whence to ascertain by exploring the coast if any thing could be found inland. Francisco Maldonado, a gentleman of Salamanca, had the command. He coasted along the country and entered all the coves, creeks and rivers he discovered. Finally he arrived at a river having a good entrance and harbor, with an Indian town on the seaboard.

Some inhabitants approaching to traffic, Maldonado took one of them and directly turned back with him to join us. On this voyage he was absent two months. It appeared to us all to be a thou-sand years inasmuch as it detained us so long from advancing to what we understood was to found in the interior.

After Maldonado got back, the Governor told him that we were about to set off in quest of the country which that Indian (captured by Maldonado) stated to be on another sea. Therefore he must return with the brigantines to Cuba where remained Dona Ysabel de Bobadilla, his wife. If within six months' time he heard nothing of us he should come with the brigantines and run the shore as far as the River Espiritu Santo (Mississippi) to which we should have to resort.

The vessels went to the Island (of Cuba), and we took our way again northward, going to seek after what the Indians had told us of.

THE SETTING SUN

Though all other chroniclers call the bay of landing Holy Spirit, Biedma designates it Honda. The latter word is generally considered to mean "deep," but it also means "profound" and "difficult." In light of the keel-scraping and kedging experienced by Soto's fleet, it may be more correct to translate Baya Honda as "Difficult Bay."

Smith's interpretation of Biedma's statement that the expedition started marching west has baffled scholars. Many supposed that the direction meant was east; and that there was an error in the writing, copying, printing or translating the Spanish este (east) and oeste or ueste (west).

Certainly a casual reading of Soto history would lead one to believe that a person on the west coast could not go farther west without drowning.

Through the courtesy of the Library of Congress we have the court-transcribed copy of Biedma's narrative to examine. In it we find that he used the word "poniente" to indicate the starting direction -- not a compass term which could lead to possible errors of transcription.

Poniente means "setting" in the sense of what the sun does, hence "sunset." There is no way in which the careless stroke of a pen

can transform this synonym for west into east. An initial march "toward the sunset" echoes Elvas.

We may, therefore, rely on Biedma's assertion that the expedition started toward the sunset -- a perfectly plausible route when starting well inland.

From Biedma's directional statement we can deduce some specific points of departure.

The shore of southwest Florida tends 25 degrees west of north -- an orientation not fully grasped by the first explorers. Early maps usually depict the axis of Florida due north and south. Also, the sun by July 15 sets several degrees north of west. Thus, a camp on the northeast shore of either Charlotte Harbor or Tampa Bay would re-quire a day or so of marching somewhat northwest before approaching the Gulf and having to turn northward.

It is easy to imagine how Biedma would vividly recall trudging along an Indian path late in a tiring day with the sun shining into his face.

Biedma's statement that Apalache was 110 leagues from the starting port also is hard to comprehend. This distance by land is too much for Tampa Bay but not enough for Charlotte Harbor. However, the statement is closely associated with Anasco's return to Apalache via boat from the starting port. Perhaps the king's Factor was recording the distance as related by Anasco. The distance of 110 leagues south by sea from Achuse (St. Marks) brings us to Charlotte Harbor.

All statements of distance by Soto chroniclers, of course, are only estimates. There is no indication that a pacer was appointed to count his steps, as later became standard practice among Spanish explorers. If Soto had such an official estimator we could be sure that Secretary Ranjel would have given us more details of distances than he did.

Other parts of Biedma's account need explaining. He says Etocale was 20 leagues from the coast, but other witnesses say it was much farther. His assertion that the expedition kept 10 or 12 leagues from the coast fits the topography well for the first half of the journey. However, this proximity to the coast beyond Suwanee River would have led them into the impassable Mallory Swamp.

It is likely that the last contact of Soto's scouts with the coast was at the Great Swamp where knowledge of Narvaez' earlier route was obtained. From this point the Florida gulf coast turns sharply