286
V O Y A G E S A N D DISCOVERIES OF
Archipelago.
Arriving at the island of Guadaloupe, he cast an
chor, and sent men on shore for wood and water, and women to wash the clothing of the crews, with a party of soldiers to mount guard. Juan Ponce had not been as wary as usual, or he had to deal with savages unusually adroit in warfare.
While the people
were scattered carelessly on the shore, the Caribs rushed forth from an ambuscade, killed the greater part of the men, and car ried off the women to the mountains. This blow at the very onset of his vaunted expedition sank deep into the heart of Juan Ponce, and put an end to all his military excitement.
Humbled and mortified, he set sail for the
island of Porto Rico, where he relinquished all further prosecu tion of the enterprise, under pretext of ill health, and gave the command of the squadron to a captain named Zuniga ; but it is surmised that his malady was not so much of the flesh as of the spirit.
He remained in Porto Rico as governor ; but, having
grown testy and irritable through vexations and disappointments, he gave great offence, and caused much contention on the island by positive and strong-handed measures, in respect to the distri bution of the Indians. He continued for several years in that island, in a state of growling repose, until the brilliant exploits of Hernando Cortez, which threatened to eclipse the achievements of all the veteran discoverers, roused his dormant spirit. Jealous of being cast in the shade in his old days, he deter mined to sally forth on one more expedition.
He had heard that
Florida, which he had discovered, and which he had hitherto con sidered a mere island, was part of Terra Firma, possessing vast and unknown regions in its bosom.
If so, a grand field of enter-