"The delineation of the southern boundary of Timucua territory as the north and northeast side of Charlotte Harbor would suggest that De Soto did not land farther south," says Bullen. "This would eliminate the San Carlos Bay-Caloosahatchee River-Fort Myers area as a possible landing site, but it would not discard the Charlotte Harbor-Peace River-Punta Gorda location as a possible landing point."

It should not surprise us that an expanse of open water would be a mutually respected dividing line between competing tribes. Another, more famous, example is that lake in Massachusetts with the impossibly long Nipmuc Indian name of
Chargoggagoggmanchaugg goggchaubunagungamaugg,
meaning "You fish on your side, I fish on my side, and nobody fish in the middle."

If Bullen's conclusion is correct we have additional evidence that Ponce landed south of Charlotte Harbor, and that Soto could have landed anywhere north of the Calusa boundary.

It is not necessary that Soto's landing be placed in Timucua territory. Eyewitness reports stress that the people of Ocita -- where Soto made his base camp -- fled ahead of the Castilians and never made contact with them. The Elvas account reveals that Ocita Indians spoke a different dialect than that of their neighbors immediately north. Thus, Soto could have landed in the northernmost limit of Calusa territory while his first contacts were with southern Timucua tribes such as the Mogoso.

Cultural boundaries tend to be diffused. It is possible, therefore, that early suppositions of Calusa territory could be correct though conclusions about Soto's landing wrong.

FONTENADA'S MEMOIR

The best first-hand account we have of the Calusa is a "memoir" written by Hernando Escalante Fontenada. He was 13 years old and one of 200 Spaniards when shipwrecked on the Florida west coast in 1548. All the adults were killed or sacrificed by the Indians to the Sun God. Only Fontenada was spared because of his youth. He lived among his captors for 17 years until rescued by Pedro Menendez in 1566.

Fontenada served as a messenger for Calusa chiefs, thereby traveling over much of Florida. His account, here translated by Buckingham Smith, gives us a fascinating look at the American aborigine. The geographical excerpts provide several clues important to our investigation:

Very Powerful Lord:

Memoir of the things, the shore, and the Indians of Florida --- to describe which, none of the many persons who have coasted that country know how.

The islands of Yucayo and of Ahite fall on one side of the channel of the Bahama. There are no Indians on them, and they lie between Havana and Florida.

There are yet other islands nearer to the mainland, stretching between the west and east, called the Martieres; for the reason that many men have suffered on them, and also because certain rocks rise there from beneath the sea which, at a distance, look like men in distress.

Indians are on these islands who are of a large size. The women are well proportioned and have good countenances. On these islands there are two Indian towns. One of them is called Guarugunbe, which in Spanish is Pueblo de Llanto (the town of weeping). The name of the other little town, Cuchiyago, means the place where there has been suffering.

To the west of these islands is a great channel which no pilot dares go through with a large vessel; because, as I have said, of some islands that are on the opposite side towards the west. They are without trees and are formed of sand. At some time they have been the foundations of cays and must have been eaten away by the currents of the sea, which have left them thus bare, plain sand. They are seven leagues in circumference and are called the Islands of the Tortugas for turtle are there. Many come at night to lay their eggs in the sand. The animal is of the size of a shield and has as much flesh as a cow, and yet is fish.

Running from south to north between Havana and Florida, the distance to the Tortugas and the Martires is 40 leagues -- 20 leagues to the Martires, and thence another 20 to Florida -- to the territory of Carlos, which in their language signifies a fierce people. They are so-called for being brave and skillful, as in truth they are.

They are masters of a large district of country, as far as a town they call Guacata on the Lake of Mayaimi, which is called Mayaimi because it is very large. Around it are many little villages which I will speak about hereafter. The distance in going from Havana to the farthest islands, which are beyond the Cape of the Martires and almost adjoin Florida, is 60 leagues because those islands are near 70 leagues in extent and run from west to east.