We have already seen that Juan Ponce de Leon had been restored to the government of Porto Rico by the interest of his friend Obando, and had sent his predecessors, Cerron and Diaz, prisoners into Spain.  This circumstance, which he thought a bold stroke in politics, turned much against himself; for these men presented a petition against him to the court of Spain, and being strongly supported by the interest of the admiral, they were sent back to resume their former employments.  By this reverse, De Leon was reduced to a private condition; but he had made good use of his time, and had acquired a large fortune, which induced him to attempt recovering his power and credit by means of discoveries.  He accordingly sailed from the port of St German on the 1st of March 1512, with two stout ships which he had fitted out at his own expence; and steering through among the Lucayos islands, he discovered land on the 2d April, in lat. 30 deg. 8’ N. till then unknown to the Spaniards.  Elated by this good fortune, he ran along the coast in search of some good harbour, and anchored at night near the shore in eight fathoms water.  Believing this land to be an island, and because it appeared beautiful, being all level, with many pleasant groves, he named it the island of Florida, also because discovered at Easter, which the Spaniards call Pascha de Flores.  De Leon went on shore at this place to take formal possession of the country.  He sailed thence on the 8th of April, and came to a place on the 20th, where some Indians were seen on the shore.  He here anchored and went ashore, when the Indians endeavoured to get possession of the boat, with the oars and arms.  This was not at first resented, till one of the natives knocked down a sailor with a blow on the head, on which the Spaniards were obliged to fight in their own defence, and had two men wounded by arrows or darts pointed with sharp bones.  The Indians were repulsed with some difficulty, and received little damage; and at night De Leon got his men on board and sailed to the mouth of a river, where he took in wood and water.  They were here ineffectually opposed by sixty natives, one of whom was made prisoner to give them some information of the country, and to learn Spanish.  They called this river Rio de la Cruz, as they left in this place a stone cross with an inscription.  On the 8th of May they doubled Cape Florida, which was named Cabo de las Corrientes, or the Cape of Currents, because they found the currents here stronger than the winds; and they came to an anchor near a town called Abacoa.  All this coast, from Cape Arracaifes to Cape Corrientes, or Cape Florida, lies north and south, one point east, and is all quite free of shoals and rocks, with six fathoms water.  They found Cape Florida to be in lat. 18 deg. 15’ N. Sailing on to the southward, till in lat. 27 deg., they met with two islands, one of which, about a league in circuit, they named Santa Monta[1].