"For what end," he said, "should you stay here longer and lord it overthese miserable natives? Let us go where we can bathe in those enchantedwaters and be young once more. I need it, and you will need it ere long.""How know we," said his kinsman, "that there is any such place?""All know it," said Luis. "Peter Martyr saith that there is in Bimini acontinual spring of running water of such marvellous virtue that the waterthereof, being drunk, perhaps with some diet, maketh old men young." Andhe adds that an Indian grievously oppressed with old age, moved with thefame of that fountain, and allured through the love of longer life, wentto an island, near unto the country of Florida, to drink of the desiredfountain, ... and having well drunk and washed himself for many days withthe appointed remedies, by them who kept the bath, he is reported to havebrought home a manly strength, and to have used all manly exercises. "Letus therefore go thither," he cried, "and be like him."They set sail with three brigantines and found without difficulty theisland of Bimini among the Lucayos (or Bahamas) islands; but when theysearched for the Fountain of Youth they were pointed farther westward toFlorida, where there was said to be a river of the same magic powers,called the Jordan. Touching at many a fair island green with trees, andoccupied by a gentle population till then undisturbed, it was not strangeif, nearing the coast of Florida, both Juan Ponce de Leon and his moreimpatient cousin expected to find the Fountain of Youth.
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