As stories go, this definitely is one, and it’s got all the elements of a made-for-TV movie. There’s adventure, romance, tragic death, a miraculous escape and a surprise ending.
It’s even got hurricanes in it, which prompted Dana Cessna’s call regarding the tale.
The story starts in 1528, when Panfilo de Narvaez led the second Spanish amphibious invasion of Florida. He and his ships and troops landed somewhere in Tampa or Clearwater, and once ashore ashore, claimed the land for queen and country, and then got a little confused.
Seems he thought that Tampa Bay was more north than it really is and had sent the bulk of his forces farther north. He and his crew of 600 started marching north to rendezvous with the rest of the contingent. They marched, they ate, they slept, they marched some more, and so on for years.
Native Americans, who were pretty sick and tired of all the Spanish troops killing their men and raping their women, started picking off the troops. The survivors – there were only four of them – eventually reached northern Mexico and were rescued.
Meanwhile, the crews on the ships with the body of the fleet, realizing they’d missed meeting up with their leader, headed south. One ship ended up in Tampa Bay, and a boat was set ashore and made landfall somewhere in Manatee or Sarasota counties.
Indians attacked, and only three of the crew made it back to the boat and returned to the safety of the ship. The other Spaniard, Juan Ortez, was captured and enslaved.
In a Pocahontas-like turn of events, a beautiful Indian maiden fell in love with Ortez. She died, and her ashes were spread upon Sarasota Bay. Her love of Ortez was so strong that storms have veered away from the area ever since out of respect.
Twelve years pass, and Hernando de Soto and his crew arrive. Ortez somehow is able to hook up with de Soto, and joins his expedition northward. Again, Native Americans pick off the troops as they search for gold and whatever they can find, and Ortez is one of the few who survived the expedition.
Author and historian Jeff LaHurd has another, similar tale that he recounts in his book “Qunitessential Sarasota.” In his story, Sara de Soto joined her father on his expedition to Florida. Native American Chichi Okobee lays eyes on the comely Sara and falls hopelessly in love and surrenders himself to de Soto.
He soon fell ill, and Sara nursed him back to health. However, she too fell ill, and died. Chichi was granted permission to bury Sara in the most beautiful place on earth – this water now known as Sarasota Bay – and he and 100 of his braves then drowned themselves. Apparently the storms also decided to avoid the area due to the bravery and love expressed by the two.
Now, it’s important to remember that there is almost no historical basis to any of the above. Yeah, Ortez did exist, was rescued by de Soto and did make it back to Spain. The Indian maiden stuff? Na. Considering the way Native Americans felt about Europeans back then, the chances were pretty good that if any white guy was captured, the women would have probably killed him and eaten him, or something, rather than fall in love with the White Satans.
And a quick check of historic hurricane tracks will reveal that our part of the world has indeed had its fair share of storms pass through, although not in recent years.
Never let it be said that the truth should get in the way of a good story, though.
Originally posted on The Islander.