dropped two leagues from shore in four fathoms of water. This would be directly off Point Ybel where a lighthouse has been maintained since the last century to warn north-bound mariners.

By now the fleet had sailed more than the 80 leagues estimated by Pilot Anasco, but the large bay before them was not familiar to him. Undoubtedly exasperated, Soto boarded a small sail boat to reconnoiter. A brisk south wind enabled him to cover the water speedily.

San Carlos Bay was too shallow for the fleet, as was Pine Island Sound just beyond. North of that, finally, was the "nearest suitable port" Anasco had found the previous winter. We know it today as Charlotte Harbor; but Soto, in gratitude, named it the Bay of the Holy Spirit. Biedma called it Baya Honda which can be translated as Deep Bay or Difficult Bay.

Departing the harbor through Boca Grande Pass between the barrier islands, Soto tried to turn south to rejoin his ships. Unfortunately the south wind that followed him on the inbound trip now headed him to a stand-still. There was nothing to do but circle back to the lee of one of the islands flanking the pass.

In all likelihood the island chosen was Gasparilla because the south wind gave better steerage for a turn north. In addition, the south end of Gasparilla Island was free of forest that might provide cover for an Indian ambush. LaCosta Island, according to Williams, supported a pine woods rare for an outer island.

Soto and his men took shelter in one of the cabins of a deserted fishing camp, possibly on six mounds shown by the map of 1868. The men learned later that the camp belonged to the same Indian chief whose main village they were seeking on the north shore of the harbor. Inasmuch as Boca Grande Pass is believed by Bullen and others to have been the boundary between the Calusa to the south and the Timucua to the north, same owner-ship of the two Ocita towns supports a conclusion that both were north of the harbor entrance.

In the meantime, the fleet commanders grew worried. The wind which had increased to such force it prevented Soto's return now strained the anchor cables. With stern to the beach, a stiff on-shore wind and scant bottom the captains prudently weighed anchor and veered due west to open sea.

The point of Soto's entrance into the Charlotte Harbor complex, his exit, the direction of the wind, and movements of the fleet can be

fairly deduced from Ranjel's statement that the scouting party was seen next morning "far to the leeward labouring (tacking) to come up."

Both Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay are oriented with their heads north of their entrances. Thus a stiff south or southwest wind would be necessary to permit a sail northward and prohibit a return southward. Of the two, configuration points to Charlotte Harbor as Soto's landing place. Only it has a widely separated southern entrance (San Carlos Bay) and a northern mouth (Boca Grande Pass) that would enable the scouting party to disappear unexpectedly 4 or 5 leagues away.

Ranjel says the ships were in "sore travail." There can be no doubt, therefore, that the captains moved their vessels to safe water where they could stand off-and-on safely during the night. The inability of square-rigged ships to sail very much into the wind -- and the closeness of the shore on both north and east hands -- left only one escape. As it was, there had to be anxious moments as the fleet skirted the corner of Sanibel Island in shallow water and with a pressing wind.

Had the fleet remained at anchor, their view leeward (that is, north) would take in only large surf pounding on dangerously near beaches. By moving farther out into the Gulf, lookouts were able to monitor open sea to the north and thus spot Soto far leeward from where he started.

A ship was dispatched to sail down-wind to Soto. Then, on his signal all came on. A small vessel was stationed on each tip of the flying bars flanking the channel to guide the rest of the fleet. The vessels navigated the pass "under sail," a difficult maneuver running off-wind in restricted water. Two ships scraped bottom, either by drawing heavy over the outer bar of 13 or 14 feet, or by nudging the flying bars on the way in.

THE LANDING

The fleet worked its way into Charlotte Harbor by constantly measuring depth, even so, sometimes touching mud. Before modern dredging, the best passage over the mid-harbor shoals gave 13 1/2 feet in high tide. Once past, deeper water prevailed almost up to Live Oak Point.

The smaller ships were able to proceed to within two leagues of Ocita Village on Live Oak Point, but the heavier vessels had to go slowly and drop anchor four leagues back. The rowboats were busy unloading for several days.

Men and horses were put ashore immediately, partly to relieve them of their cramped quarters,