first settlers dug a shallow "haul over" across the outer island. The southern inlet was cemented shut in 1892 upon request of 100 Stuart residents and a new inlet dug by government dredge across Gilberts Bar.

Supporting this theory is an account of a scouting trip in 1566 by Menendez seeking a camp site for his men at Ays, i.e. Indian River Inlet. He "went south down a river to view the land without going out to sea and reached a small harbor about 15 leagues (39 miles) from Ays." The land did not satisfy Menendez so he returned and quartered his army three leagues by boat from the port of Ays. He wanted to make sure there would be no friction between his men and the natives. He named the camp Santa Lucia.

A distance of 39 miles south of Indian River Inlet places Menendez' small harbor which did not satisfy him about halfway between the present St. Lucie and Jupiter inlets. Perhaps this was the Hobe Sound described by Williams.

"Hobe Sound is a handsome sheet of water," says Williams, "from a quarter to a half mile wide and extends from the Narrows to Jupiter Inlet about eight miles farther. Before St. Lucie broke the chain, Indian River and Hobe Sound formed one great lagoon near two hundred miles long (now part of the Inland Waterway). This great lagoon undergoes frequent changes. Jupiter Inlet has opened and closed three times within 70 years.

"There is at this time, three inlets: the old Indian River Inlet 40 miles below Cape Canaveral, St. Lucie Inlet and Jupiter Inlet. All of these are shoal and appear to be closing up. When one or more of these shall close, it is to be expected that the force of the tide will render the others deeper."

After due consideration, we would choose St. Lucie as the most likely site of Ponce's River of the Cross. It has the largest bay and rivers, thus a greater discharge to force an inlet to the ocean. The odds are better that it was open in Ponce's day. Also, its sand dunes and stone outcropping would be the first visible for seamen going south and therefore obvious landmarks to attract the attention of the brigantine far behind. The stone could have provided material for the cross. The dunes would have been perfect for lookouts to display a smoke signal, flag and/or the cross.

The description by Herrera of Ponce's next landmark, the Cape of Currents, is exact in bearing "one point eastward," a fact overlooked by subsequent mariners for more than a decade. Today,

Palm Beach occupies this most easterly bulge of Florida.

Upon doubling the Cape of Currents, Ponce came to anchor near the Indian town of Abaioa. We are given no hints to help in its identity, but we can reasonably assume the fleet spent a full day strugglíngs around the cape and welcomed the first suitable anchorage.

There are three inlets between the cape and Biscayne Bay: Boca Raton, Hillsboro and New River. Romans alludes to them but gives no names or details, implying they were inadequate for navigation at that time.

Williams, however, has more to say about them: "The Potomac River leaves the Glades about 15 miles from the coast and enters Hillsboro Inlet where it is joined by the waters of Boca Raton which has for several years been closed up. There is six feet water at the mouth of the inlet, which is narrow and rocky." Williams here appends a foot-note, "Since writing the above, Hillsboro Inlet has closed, and Boca Raton is again open.

"New River has a longer course than the Miami and Raton rivers. The Glades here recedes farther from the coast. It has six feet water on the bar, and it may be navigated several miles into the country."

This evidence singles out New River Inlet (Ft. Lauderdale) as the best place for Ponce to rest his crews. The other inlets were either too shallow or too narrow and rocky. In addition, they appeared subject to frequent closings. New River, on the other hand was navigable for several miles once a vessel eased over the bar on a rising tide.

Recent excavations at New River Inlet by archeologist Robert Carr have turned up a metal blade-cut in a shell carbon-dated 1440-1540. If this slim evidence is confirmed by additional artifacts during another investigation planned as this book goes to press, the implication of a Ponce visit would be exciting.

THE MARTIRES

Santa Marta could be either Key Biscayne or Elliott Key. Both guard the entrance to Biscayne Bay whose shores are blessed with copious overflows of fresh Everglades water.

The large Indian town of Tequesta was located on the shore of Biscayne Bay about where the city of Miami is today. It is interesting that Herrera, in the first edition of his work on which we rely, does not mention the Tequesta Indians who were notably hospitable to sailors. The Spanish