recommend that future mariners keep seven leagues off shore before turning into the channel.

We should, however, note that Celi easily spotted the deep water entrances while three and a half leagues away; and that there was plenty of depth for safe sailing once the channel was found. The whole process of finding and entering the harbor took only three and a half hours.

The wide, deep-water entrances, easily found, are characteristics which have made Tampa Bay one of the best ports on the Gulf. Yet, these features would preclude the difficulties en-countered by Soto. His fleet required two days of close search to find the harbor entrance, and three more days of nerve wracking pilotage to pass through shoals.

During the three weeks Celi was in Tampa Bay, he sounded the two southernmost channels and the main body of the harbor. He mapped the entrance islands but made only visual sketches of Boca Ciega, Old Tampa Bay and Hillsborough Bay. Nevertheless, he did a remarkably good job of judging the size and shape of shore lines.

While Celi was busy with his sighting-staff and sounding-lead, a scouting party ascended the Hillsborough River 20 miles to El Salto (The Water Fall). The river was encumbered with many shoals requiring the men to get out and drag their boats. On his map, Celi named the stream Rio De San Julian Y Arriaga.

During these activities, several Indian parties came to the ship. They were given presents of tobacco, honey and rum. Despite a show of mutual respect, both Indians and whites remained cautious. The chief of the area would not visit the ship, and a Spanish fire-wood detail hurriedly returned to the ship empty handed when an Indian hunting party was encountered.

Perhaps because of this apparent nervousness, Celi hurried to finish his assignment. He made several attempts to sound the north channel, but each time was thwarted by heavy sea and wind. Without waiting for a return of good weather, Celi left that part of his job unfinished and weighed anchor. On his map, however, he cautiously drew a menacing bar across the channel to discourage future sailors from using that route until it was properly charted.

Celi was an excellent artist as well as a cartographer, for he filled the blank places on his map with pictures of the Indians, animals and plants indigenious to the area.

Of particular interest is the Indian camp on the east shore of Tampa Bay where the well known Indian Hill settlement was located. The huge bon-fire in full blaze probably was a slash-and-burn technique used to clear new corn land.

Wild life depicted on the map are alligators, turkeys and other animals that might be rabbits, foxes, cattle and a deer standing on its hind legs eating fruit off a tree. Center stage of the map is occupied by a panther that has captured an indigo snake which is harmless but of huge proportions.

The background is comprised of a few palm trees and a forest of the tall-trunked, long-needled Florida pines which grow typically to a height of 60 feet, with some reaching 100 feet. This size was just right for ship masts, a fact that impressed many explorers of the day. Celi brought back a specimen of the great pines to show naval authorities.

Finally a drawing of the xebec is included in a lower corner. It heads home over a triumphant notation, "Mission completed."

CELI'S DESIGNATIONS

Curiously Celi felt it appropriate to name every geographical feature of any prominence.

On his trip north, Celi identified many outer islands and passes by the names they still possess today. He even gave channel depths of some inlets. These must have come from prior knowledge or an existing chart. It is not likely he had time to stop frequently to make soundings during the three-day passage.

Nothing in Tampa, on the other hand, seems to have had an existing name known to the Spanish. Celi named the upper, eastern bay Ensenada de Aguirre, and the western bay Estero Grande de Girior (Large, Shallow Bay For Turning Around).

Celi's descriptive nouns give us a mariner's in-sight as to how these types of shore line features were regarded.

Ensenada is defined as an "indentation" in the coast -- in contrast to a bay which is more nearly enclosed by land. Estero is translated "estuary" and was commonly used to designate a shallow bay suitable only for small boats.

Celi named the middle-entrance island (now Egmont) San Blas y Barreda after his superior officer. It should be noted that the term "San" was used to indicate respect and was shortened to "Sn" on the finished map. This usage apparently was a common one of the time and did not necessarily mean "saint," as some translators render it with