February 21, 2008 - Following De Soto's footsteps8A • The Suffolk Times • February 21, 2008
Following De Soto's footsteps
In our travels down here in Florida
we had often passed one of the fa-
miliar brown- and -white signs of the
National Park Service that point the
way to the De Soto National Memo-
rial. The name De Soto brought back
memories of long- forgotten history
classes in high school. We put it on our
list to check out someday.
The day for "checking it out" came
yesterday. We followed the sign that
led us to the park. Like most of our
national parks, the De Soto Memorial
is well kept and proved well worth
investigating.
We parked the car under trees un-
known to us. One in particular caught
our eye; it was a huge brown -barked
tree with large, outstretched limbs
that seemed to be just waiting for us
to take its picture. We found it to be a
gumbo limbo tree, a tropical tree na-
tive to Florida
and through-
FOCUS out Central
America and
ON Mexico.
NATURE is The wood
soft and not
by Paul very good for
the building
Stoutenburgh trade. Because
of its soft and
beautiful, smooth, chocolate -brown
bark, it has become a tree often used in
landscaping design. I don't know why,
but the name gumbo limbo sounded to
me as if it should be put to music.
We had the choice of hitting the trail
or seeing a movie about the exploits of
Hernando De Soto and his army. We
did both. It boggles the mind when you
think of the disease, hostile Indians, lack
of food and a hundred other hardships
his men had to endure in this new and
treacherous world, all in the name of
treasure. What kept the men in De
Soto's army going was the possibility
that if they found gold and silver, each
would get a share of the spoils.
After we saw the movie and playact-
ing the complex offered, we were ready
to hike the trail& They were well kept,
with a base underfoot of crushed shells
and time, the building blocks of Florida.
The trail wandered through a dense
mangrove swamp, which acts much like
our salt marshes at home. Mainly they
act as a storm buffer, protecting the land
behind. They also produce nutrients and
act as a nursery area to small fish, crabs
and other valuable marine life — some-
thing we're just starting to understand.
� r �
LIME -71
'..
�
%T r k - _ xr <huf�
i
x3 '
i
I
.. I ; r' otos by Pa l S(o r,' bur (Jh
This tree dominated the walkway leading to the park's administration building. Called
the gumbo limbo tree, it has beautiful
brown bark on its outstretched limbs. It's
often used in plantings around buildings because of its unusual shape and color.
When we first got out of the car, we
riches that previous conquistadors
memory to make believe that I was
could see mangrove swamps all about.
had taken from the land at will? With
sitting on the edge of history, for it was
Without this trail it would be impos-
ambition and never wavering from his
here that De Soto stood. I was for just
sible to penetrate the area, but the trail
goal of finding gold and riches, De Soto
a moment part of his expedition, until I
was wide and well paved. Every once
gathered an army of over 600 soldiers
was brought back to reality by a group
in a while along the trail there would
and 200 horses, along with fierce dogs
of youngsters laughing and running in
be a plaque telling about something
that would be set upon the native Indi-
their world of innocence, They moved
significant, including one for the Tabby
ans should they not obey his orders He
on with their parents, oblivious to my
House ruins, which had been a one-
landed in Florida in May of 1539 and
fantasy. Now the only sign of De Soto's
room fisherman's shack. It, too, was
immediately headed into what would
travels was the croaking of some hid -
made up of crushed shells and lime.
be a grueling, desperate march to the
den toad, whose ancestors had prob-
But now there was little evidence that
north. All along the way he robbed and
ably lived nearby long ago.
anyone had ever lived there.
destroyed the native population.
Proof that I was truly in a place
All along the trail new environ-
Wherever he went he raped, burned
visited by De Soto long ago was a rep -
mentally friendly benches provided a
and killed the natives. With his horses,
lica of one of his base camps, show -
welcome rest. At one place Barbara got
he paralyzed the native population, who
ing the many artifacts that had been
behind one to stalk a tricolored heron
had never seen anything like it before.
unearthed in 1983, such as ironware,
Feeding in the shallows. We could hear
Without his horses, he could never have
bells, and even a pig bone,
small birds, but the mangroves were too
subdued the native population he ran
Our short journey into De Soto's past
thick for us to see any of them. We did
into throughout his wanderings.
gave us a glimpse of the grueling world
see the beautiful white ibis with the long
Our walk through the nature trail
men would endure, all in the name of
red bill we spoke of in a recent article.
followed along the Manatee River,
gold. De Soto never completed his jour -
Who was this young adventurer
and it was at a rest stop at one of the
ney, as he was felled by fever and buried
named De Soto, who yearned for the
benches that I stepped away in my
m Mississippi.
i
x3 '
i
I
Left: All along the trail we could see clumps of Spanish moss in the trees. It is common throughout Florida. An air plant, it grows without roots, getting its
nutrients and water from the moist air. Center: You can't visit Florida without seeing these little anoles scampering about during the day. Part of the lizard
family, they have sharp little spines on their feet that enable them to crawl up almost any surface and disappear before your eyes. Right: It's always a treat to
find the tricolored heron. Barbara was lucky enough to sneak up on one and capture a picture of it feeding in the shallows.
February 21, 2008 • The Suffolk Times
I - ir&
Followi'n
oto's
11
ootste-Ds
Suffolk Times photos by Barbara Stoutenburgr
This tree dominated the walkway leading to the park's administration building. Called the gumbo limbo tree, it has beautifu'
brown bark on its outstretched limbs. It's often used in plantings around buildings because of its unusual shape and color
In our travels down here in Florida
we had often passed one of the fa-
miliar brown - and -white signs of the
National Park Service that point the
way to the De Soto National Memo-
rial. The name De Soto brought back
memories of long- forgotten history
classes in high school. We put it on of
list to check out someday.
The day for "checking 'it out" came
yesterday. We followed the sign that
led us to the park. Like most of our
national parks, the De Soto Memoria
is well kept and proved well worth
We parked the car under trees un-
[own to us. One in particular caught
lr eye; it was a huge brown- barked
;e with large, outstretched limbs
at seemed to be just waiting for us
take its picture. We found it to be a
imbo limbo tree, a tropical tree na-
tive to Florida
F OC V S and through-
out Central
America and
ON Mexico.
NATURE The wood
is soft and not
b Paul very good for
Y the building
Stoutenburgh trade. Because
of its soft and
beautiful, smooth, chocolate -brown
bark, it has become a tree often used in
landscaping design. I don't know why' '
but the name gumbo limbo sounded to
me as if it should be put to music.
We had the choice of hitting the trail
or seeing a movie about the exploits of
Hernando De Soto and his army. We
did both. It boggles the mind when you
think of the disease, hostile Indians, lac
of food and a hundred other hardships
his men had to endure in this new and
treacherous world, all in the name of
treasure. What kept the men in De
Soto's army going was the possibility
that if they found gold and silver, each
would get a share of the spoils.
After we saw the movie and playact-
ing the complex offered, we were ready
to hike the trails. They were well kept,
with a base underfoot of crushed shells
and lime, the building blocks of Florida.
The trail wandered through a dense
mangrove swamp, which acts much like
our salt marshes at home. Mainly they
act as a storm buffer, protecting the lane
behind. They also produce nutrients and
act as a nursery area to small fish, crabs
land other valuable marine life — some -
hine we're lust starting to understand.
When we first got out of the car, we
could see mangrove swamps all about.
Without this trail it would be impos-
sible to penetrate the area, but the trail
was wide and well paved. Every once
in a while along the trail there would
be a plaque telling about something
significant, including one for the Tabby
House ruins, which had been a one-
room fisherman's shack. It, too, was
made up of crushed shells and lime.
But now there was little evidence that
anyone had ever lived there.
All along the trail new environ-
mentally friendly benches provided a
welcome rest. At one place Barbara got
behind one to stalk a tricolored heron
feeding in the shallows. We could hear
small birds, but the mangroves were too
thick for us to see any of them. We did
see the beautiful white ibis with the long
red bill we spoke of in a recent article.
Who was this young adventurer
named De Soto, who yearned for the
riches that previous conquistadors
had taken from the land at will? With
ambition and never wavering from his
goal of finding gold and riches, De Soto
gathered an army of over 600 soldiers
and 200 horses, along with fierce dogs
that would be set upon the native Indi-
ans should they not obey his orders. He
landed in Florida in May of 1539 and
immediately headed into what would
be a grueling, desperate march to the
north. All along the way he robbed and
destroyed the native population.
Wherever he went he raped, burned
and killed the natives. With his horses,
he paralyzed the native population, whc
had never seen anything like it before.
Without his horses, he could never have
subdued the native population he ran
into throughout his wanderings.
Our walk through the nature trail
followed along the Manatee River,
and it was at a rest stop at one of the
benches that I stepped away in my
memory to make believe that I was
sitting on the edge of history, for it was
here that De Soto stood. I was for just
a moment part of his expedition, until I
was brought back to reality by a group
of youngsters laughing and running in
their world of innocence. They moved
on with their parents, oblivious to my
fantasy. Now the only sign of De Soto's
travels was the croaking of some hid-
den toad, whose ancestors had prob-
ably lived nearby long ago.
Proof that I was truly in a place
visited by De Soto long ago was a rep-
lica of one of his base camps, show-
ing the many artifacts that had been
unearthed in 1983, such as ironware,
bells, and even a pig bone.
Our short journey into De Soto's past
gave us a glimpse of the grueling world
men would endure, all in the name of
gold. De Soto never completed his jour-
ney, as he was felled by fever and buried
10 °
ca
_ _ N R
0
a) Cc
o
N CC
o 3
o M R
0
o c �—
L ,F;
3 c
(4
=QO
CL U
= 0 L
ca a� .a u7
a�
CL cam
C
a a� ti
o N C
X10
cc c
of°ca+
L O —
V 00
E �p ca ca
E _
o'iva(D
uUiuoiEQ
cc
±� 7 a, 0
O a
L
a) cc °
O O O
E o
ELL oa
,r
ql ,U1 Y
o > m M
E ±..a �
(i �
_
0 L 7
c • •
-1
E°'��
v
a�oo�
� J (n
s E 'EL �
oo�n�
�+
CO
3 E == C�
— o a o
cc d
3 > i
to R O
=ML o
o cc > o
(n
a C- 2' 4a
—�
J =