HE Spaniards went before all other nations in their daring enterprises in the New World. Each commander who was sent out by the government was fired with the spirit of adventure, and desirous of surpassing his contemporaries, in the discovery of countries, the acquirement of wealth and the subduing of nations. For all this, America offered a boundless field. The discovery of the country afterwards called Florida, was brought about by circumstances of a romantic nature, which were characteristic of that age.

Juan Ponce de Leon, after distinguishing himself in the wars of Granada, had embarked with Columbus in his second voyage. He then added greatly to his reputation, and being intrusted by Ovando, the governor, with a command in the eastern part of Hispaniola, had an opportunity of observing the rich aspect of the adjacent shores of Porto

Rico. Having proposed to his superior officer to conquer it, he was allowed a body of troops to try his fortune. In this he completely succeeded, and obtained gold, not in the expected abundance, but to a considerable amount; being accused, however, of those cruelties which were much too familiar to the Spanish adventurers. His claims as governor being also considered as conflicting with those of Columbus, he withdrew, and obtained in compensation Bimini, one of the Bahamas which lay nearest to the continent.

ERE an object very different from conquest or plunder engrossed the whole soul of the warlike veteran. In an age of comparative ignorance, and after witnessing so many wonders, his mind was prepared to credit almost any extravagance. Ponce de Leon had somehow imbibed the full belief, that on one of those insular shores there existed a fountain endued with such miraculous virtue, that any man, however worn out with age, who should have once dipped himself into its waters, would rise restored to the full bloom and vigour of youth. In this delusive search, he beat about restlessly from shore to shore, landing at every point, and plunging into every stream, however shallow or muddy, in the vain hope of springing up in this blissful state of renovation. On the contrary, his eager and incessant activity under a burning sun, brought upon him, it is said, all the infirmities of a premature old age; and according to Oviedo, instead of a second youth, he arrived at a second childhood, never after displaying his former energy of thought or action.

Extraordinary exertions, even when misapplied, commonly lead to something. While the Spaniard was sailing in every direction after his miraculous fountain, he came unexpectedly, on the 27th March 1512, in sight of an extensive country, hitherto unknown. Magnificent forests, intermingled with flowering shrubs, exhibited so gay an aspect, that he named it Florida. He landed on the 8th April near the present site of St. Augustine; and notwithstanding the dangers of navigation amid the violent currents produced by the gulf-stream running among the islands, he spent a considerable time in tracing its outline, and finally rounded the southern point. Thus, though still supposing it to be an island, he ascertained that it must be both large and important.

This great discovery seems to have weaned the mind of the Spanish chief from his engrossing chimera. He repaired to Porto Rico, and thence to Spain, laid before the king the particulars of the new country, and obtained permission to conquer and rule it under the pompous title of adelantado. A considerable time, however, was consumed in prepa

rations; and while thus busied, he was obliged to engage in suppressing an insurrection among the Caribs. This contest was attended with reverses, by which he lost much of his reputation; and nine years elapsed before he could conduct two ships to his promised dominion. While planning a site for a colony, he was surprised by a large body of Indians; his men were completely routed, and himself severely wounded by an arrow. As these people were never able afterwards to cope in the field with the Spanish troops, this disaster may lead us to suspect that he really had lost his former military talent. Having regained the ship, he sailed to Cuba, where he soon after died of his wound.

HE fate of Ponce de Leon for a considerable time discouraged all adventures in the same region. But at length, Pamphilo de Narvaez, the valiant rival of Hernando Cortez, who had been defeated and supplanted by the conqueror of Mexico, burning to efface the memory of his disgrace, resolved to apply to Charles V. of Spain, for permission to conquer and rule the beautiful region of Florida. He obtained the title of

Adelantado, and the opportunity he sought.

Having equipped an armament of four barges and a brigantine, with a force of 400 men and forty-five horses, he set sail from St. Lucar, in June, 1527. While waiting at Cuba to take in supplies, the armament suffered severely from a hurricane, which compelled Narvaez to suspend operations for the winter.

On the 20th of February, 1528, the armament put to sea, and after encountering a violent tempest on the coast of Cuba, left the Havanna for the land of promise. Reaching the coast of Florida in the neighborhood of Apalachee Bay, Narvaez took possession of the country with the usual formality; but nothing was found there to sate the cupidity of the Spaniards. When the natives were questioned respecting some golden ornaments seen with them, they all pointed to Apalachee, a country situated in the interior, as the quarter whence these and other commodities. were derived. Narvaez, who had no positive knowledge of the country or the adjoining seas, was disposed to yield himself up to the guidance of hope and imagination; and being at a loss what course he ought in prudence to take, resolved to press forward into the interior and invade Apalachee. The intelligent Alvaro Nunez strongly urged the danger of

commencing an arduous journey without guides or provisions, and before some secure haven had been found for the fleet. But the insinuation that he slunk from difficulties silenced his remonstrances, and made him declare his determination to follow his countryman into every extremity.

N the 1st of May, 1528, the Spaniards commenced their march into the interior. They had little more than a day's provision; when that slender stock was consumed, they were obliged to satisfy their hunger with roots and the fruit of the wild palm tree. For fifteen days they travelled without meeting with a human habitation. At the end of that time they arrived at an Indian village, where they found guides to conduct them to Apalachee. The country which they had to traverse was wild and unequal; sometimes mountainous, but more frequently overspread with deep marshes, rendered nearly impassable by the huge trees blown down and lying across them in every direction. At length, on the 26th of June, the wearied Spaniards arrived in sight of an Indian village, which they were told was Apalachee. They found no difficulty in rendering themselves masters of the place. But they had not remained here many days, when they perceived on what a chimerica! foundation all their plans were reared. In Apalachee they found nothing. The exasperated Indians lurked in the woods, and watched all their