Sunday, November 15, 2009

In the News: Influential local: Juan Ponce de Leon


Influential local: Juan Ponce de Leon
The News-Press - Fort Myers,FL,USA

"November 14, 2009 1:10 AM — Everything changed after Juan Ponce de Leon sailed along the southwest coast of a place he thought was an island and dubbed "La Florida," or land of flowers..."


OK, its not really "News' as such, more of a local interest background story. It's unusual for two things, first that it even mentions Ponce's 1521 colonization attempt, and secondly that it does not mention the "Fountain of Youth " story at all. I've got a couple of minor quibbles with the piece. In particular the 'shot in the butt' line at the end, whist mildly amusing in an otherwise pretty dry account. The historical record, limited though it is might be twisted to imply such an injury occurred, but its a pretty weak basis to make such a statement.


Oviedo:

"and he [PdL] escaped wounded grievously by an arrow;"

Herrera -c. 1601: (Probably echoing and embellishing Oviedo without any additional source)

"and he [PdL] wounded in the thigh..."


From "History of Juan Ponce de Leon's Voyages to Florida Source Records " by T. Fredrick Davis 1935

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