Ponce De Leon
|
This Site:
|
It was on the morning of Easter Sunday when he landed on the site of the present St. Augustine, in Florida, and he took possession of the country in the name of the Spanish monarch. Because of its wealth of flowers, or because of the holy day when he first saw the land (Pascua de Flores), he gave the name of Florida to the great island (as he supposed) he had discovered. There he sought the fountain of youth in vain Sailing along the coast southward, he discovered and named the Tortugas (Turtle) islands. At another group he found a single inhabitant - a wrinkled old Indian woman - not one of the beautiful maidens he expected to find. Abandoning the search himself, but leaving one of his vessels to continue it, he returned to Porto Rico a wiser and an older man, but bearing the honor of discovering an important portion of the continent of America. In 1514 Ponce returned to Spain and received permission from Ferdinand to colonize the "Island of Florida," and was appointed its governor; but he did not proceed to take possession until 1521, having in the mean time conducted an unsuccessful expedition against the Caribs. On going to Florida with two ships and many followers, he met the determined hostilities of the natives, and after a sharp conflict he was driven back to his ships mortally wounded, and died in Cuba in July, 1521. Upon his tomb was placed this inscription: "In this Sepulchre rest the Bones of a Man who was Leon by Name and still more by Nature."
|
|
||
|
Site Copyright 2003-2018 Son of the South. For Questions or comments about this collection, contact: paul@sonofthesouth.net |
|
Are you Scared and Confused? Read My Snake Story, a story of hope and encouragement, to help you face your fears. |