The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-27
FLoRnDA's PoCAHoNTAs.
The Romantic story of the Daughter
of am Indian Chief.
New York Times.

New York Times.
Governor w B. Bloxham incidentally re-
lated the following legend in his address
welcoming the delegates of the National
Fishery Society to Tampa, Fla, on Thurs
day, JAN 20:
You meet here upon this historic ground,
where the footprints of some of Spain s
greatest cavaliers and Americas noblest
captains can be traced While it is not my
intention to recur to their heroic deeds or
to offer you a cup filled with the ambrosia
of ancient story, yet there is one romance,
based upon historic fact, associated with
this very spot that | feel you will kindly
indulge should brief reference be made
wherever the history of America is read
there the story of Pocahontas is known.
The romance is most captivating, and some
of VirginiaS most honored sons trace back
a lineage to this daughter of the forest.
But the historic fact that a similar scene
was enacted on this very spot three-quar-
tiers of q century before the name of Poca-
hontaS was ever lisped by English lips is
unknown to even many Floridans. 1t was
here in 1923, twelve years before De Soto
landed on Tampa bay, that Juan Ortez a
Spanish youth of eighteen, having been
captured at Clear Water, was brought be-
fore Hirrihugua, the stern Indian chief in
whose breast was ranking vengeance
born of the i'll treatment of his mother by
the followers of the Inflated NarvareZ. Or
tez was young and fair, but the cruel chief
had given the orders. and here was erected
a gridiron of poles, and young Ortez was
bound and stretched to meet the demands
of a human sacrifice. The torch was being
applied the cracking flames began to gath
er strength for a human holocaust, when
the stern chiefs daughter threw herself at
her fathers feet and interpoSed in OrteZ' S
behalf. Her beauty rivaled that of the his
toric dame whose heavenly charms kept
Troy and Greece ten years in arms. The
soft language of her soul flowed from her
never silent eyes as she looked up through
her tears of sympathy imploring the life
of the young Spaniard.
Those tears, the ever-ready weapon of
woman's weakness, touched the heart of
even the savage chief, and OrteZ was for
che time spared
But the demon of evil in a few months
again took possession of Hirrihugua, and
his daughter saw that even her entreaties
would be unavailing She was betrothed to
Mucoso, the young chief of a neighboring
tribe. Their love had been plighted, that
God-given love that rules the savage breast
Her loving heart told her that Ortez
would be safe in Mucoso's keeping. AT the
dead hour of night she accompanied him be-
yond danger and placed in his hands such
token as Mucoso would recognize.
She acted none too soon. AS the sun
rose over this spot its rays fell upon the
maddened chief calling in vain for the in
tended victim of his vengeance His rage
was such that il dried up the well springs
of parental affection. and he refused the
marriage of his daughter unless OrteZ was
surrendered. But that Indian girl although
her love to humanity, and Mucoso sacrificed
his bride upon the altar of homer.
'OrteZ lived to welcome De Soto Tell
me-aye tell the world--where a brighter
example of nober virtue was ever recorded
Where in history do you find more genuine
and more touching illustration of love
charity and forgiveness the very trinity
of earthly virtues and the brightest Jewels
of the Christian heaven
What a captivating theme this Florida
POcahontas should present to the pen of
to-day associated with romance rich in his
tOric lore.