TIMUCUA INDIAN PRINCESS, here portrayed by LeMoyne being carried to her wedding, was scantily clad, heavily tattooed. Ortiz' savior probably resembled her. ("America," New York Public Library)

THE COMPASSIONATE PRINCESS

In the Ortiz experiences we find the original story of an Indian princess saving a young white man from death at the hands of her chieftain father -- 78 years before the famous Pocahontas supposedly performed the same feat of mercy for Captain John Smith at Jamestown. The English tale appears to have been lifted in-tact from the Elvas account by the Rev. Richard Hakluyt who was an admirer of Captain Smith and a promoter in several published tracts of British colonization. It was such a good story -- in character with the swash-buckling adventures of the military commander of the first, permanent English settlement -- that Smith let it stand.

Pocahontas was a true friend of the English colonists and married one of them, John Rolfe. Yet, neither she nor her husband ever mentioned a romantic rescue. To the Florida maid, therefore, belongs the compassion that played an important part in the European settlement of America.

Ironically Ortiz survived the tortures of Ucita and the dangers of Soto's march only to die of fever in the wilds of the New World.

PRINCIPAL CLUES FROM ORTIZ

1. From Ortiz we glean several pieces of information relating to the Narvaez and Soto landings:
2. Both explorers are said to have gone ashore in the same general area of Ucita, perhaps the identical spot if the sea-side Ucita where Ortiz was captured was also where Narvaez landed.
3. Chief Ucita had two towns, each in different sea ports. Another chief named Mococo, lived two day's journey from the port and town of Ucita.
4. Mococo and Ucita were enemies who spoke different languages.
5. Chief Mococo lived well inland but close enough to the sea that his people fished in the Gulf.
6. Chief Paracoxi -- to whom Mococo, Ucita and all that dwelt along the coast paid tribute -- was 30 leagues distant.