name has fitted them well on account of the many that have since been cast away there. They lie in 26 degrees 15 minutes.

THE WEST COAST

When Ponce had doubled the keys, he turned north to find the continent again. Upon sighting land he reversed course -- once more that puzzling persistence to carefully inspect southern shores.

They held on, sometimes north and sometimes northeast, til the 23rd of May. On the 24th they ran along the coast to the southward as far as some small islands that lay out to sea and yet did not perceive that was the continent. A way appearing to be between them and the coast for the ships to take wood and water, they continued there til the 3rd of June. There they careened one of the ships called San Cristobal.

Here the Indians came out in canoes to view the Christians, being the first time they did so, for the Spaniards, though called by them, would not go ashore. When they went about to weigh an anchor only to remove it, those people thinking they were going away, came out in their canoes and laid hold of the cable to draw the ship away. With this, the long boat was sent after them, and the men going ashore took four women and broke two old canoes. At other times when they came, there was no calling out, as finding no opportunity. On the contrary they bartered some skins and low gold.

Friday the 4th of June, whilst they were waiting for a wind to go in quest of the Cazique Carlos, who the Indians that were aboard said had gold, a canoe came to the ships with an Indian who understood the Spaniards. The Indian was supposed to be a native of Hispaniola or some of the islands inhabited by Christians. He bid them stay, for the Cazique would send gold to barter.

Waiting accordingly they saw 20 canoes, part of them made fast two-and-two together. Some of them went to the anchors, others to the ships, and began to fight. Those at the anchors, not being able to weigh them, attempted to cut the cables. A long boat was sent out which put them to flight, taking four and killing some Indians. Juan Ponce sent two of them to tell the Cazique that though he had killed a Spaniard, Ponce would make peace with him.

The next day the boat went to sound the harbor, and the men landed. Some Indians came and told them that the Cazique would come the next day to trade. However, it was an imposition to gain

time and draw men and canoes together, as it appeared. At 11 of the clock, 80 canoes, well equipped, attacked the nearest ship and fought from morning til night without doing the Spaniards any harm. The arrows fell short because they durst not come near for the fear of the cross bows and great guns. At length they drew off.

The Spaniards, having stayed there nine days, resolved on Monday the 14th to return to Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. They discovered some islands in the way, of which the Indians they had with them gave an account.

Though the gold the Calusa bartered was mixed with copper, it was enough to whet the appetites of the Spaniards. This one taste of yellow metal brought back Ponce and others despite the certainty of hardships and battle.

Ponce hung around upon a promise of more gold. He even passed off the killing of one of his men, in expectation of profit.

It is surprising to note that among the Indians was one having previous contact with the Spaniards and their reputation for abusing natives. No wonder the fierce Calusa were hostile.

HOMEWARD BOUND

Still other discoveries awaited Ponce, said Herrera:

They sailed among the islands til Tuesday the 21st when they arrived at the small islands (note several) they called Las Tortugas (The Tortoises) because they took 170 of them in a short time one night in one of them and might have taken more if they would. They also took 14 dog fishes (seals) and killed many sea gulls and as many other sorts of birds as made 5, 000.

Friday the 24th they steered southwest and by west. On Sunday they saw land, sailed along it all Monday, and on Wednesday they came to an anchor to trim their yards and sails. They could not tell what country it was. Most of them took it for Cuba because they found canoes, dogs, cuts of knives and other iron tools. Yet, none of them knew it to be that island.

The 25th of July they were among a parcel of low islands without knowing any thing of that place til Juan Ponce sent to view an island which appeared to be Bahama -- or so an old Indian woman they had found alone in another island told them, as did Diego Miruelo, a pilot who happened to be there with a boat from Hispaniola.