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Show LEADING FACTS OF NEW MEXICAN 72 HISTORY Every officer and diate steps be taken for their self-preservation. Narvaez and each by e conferenc a to called was ce soldier of prominen was asked what, in his judgment, was the best course to be pursued. Calm deliberation was had, and it was determined that the best plan was the building of boats whereby they might escape by means of the sea. As Cabeza de Vaca says, ‘‘This appeared *” impossible to every one; we knew not how to construct, nor were there tools, nor iron, nor forge, nor tow, nor resin, nor rigging; finally, no one thing of so many that are necessary, nor any man who had a knowledge of their manufacture; and, above all there was nothing to eat, while And yet, in spite of all this, building, for those who should labor.’’ it was determined to build the boats, and, embarking, trust their fortunes to the sea, intending to coast along the shore of the bays and eulf until they should reach some Spanish settlements in Mexico. They commenced to build the boats on the 4th of September,® and by the 20th, five were completed, each one being thirty-one feet long. point where the Spaniards reached the Coast, they called the Bay of Caballos; and from the most reliable data, I am of the opinion that it was one of the coves or inlets of Apalachee Bay; in truth it cannot well be located further west. History seems to have fixed as any other upon the whole route. upon this locality with as much certainty In 1539, a squadron from the army of De Soto, under Juan de Anasco, visited this bay, and the appearance of the shore presented was stated by the Ynca in his account of the expedition. They saw plainly where the furnace had been built and charcoal was still found lying about. The logs the Spaniards had hollowed out and used for horse-troughs were also there. They were told by the Indians that Narvdez had encamped at that place and built his boats. They pointed out to Anasco where various events had transpired, and took him all over the ground; and also showed him where the Indians had killed ten of his men as is stated in Vaca’s journal. They explained to him by signs all that had occurred there. He and his men searched in holes and under the bark of trees to discover letters or other mementos of Narvéez’s men, but found nothing. Herrera confirms this location. In 1722, Charlevoix was at San Marcos de Apalache, and, in speaking of the bay, wrote as follows: ‘This bay is precisely that which Garcilasso de la Vega, in his history of Florida, calls the port of Auté.’’’ Letter xxxiv. 67 Hodge, F. W., Spanish Explorers in the Southern United States, p. 34-35. 68 Hodge, F. W., Ibid, p. 35: BE ANSE FRE SSE “ genojat SESS ‘tfinalmente es animal feo y fiero de ro~ on with veltido y fogasidelog ‘de los cueros, cafas,calgado, . hneflas, pungones:delos neruios,y pelosy hilovde 4: ) -* es,y bexigas , vafos:delas bohie Jos cuecnos,buch gassltimbre:y delas terneras , odres , en que traen 4 { ¢gofas ndellos:.=* . gr tiguenagua: hazenen fin tantas para. -quantashan menefter , o quantas las .bafta s o fu binjenda, Ay tambien otros animales, tan gra - adea:gomo cauallos,que por tener cuerncs 59 lang _*< finitslos aman carneros,y dizen, que cada cuer=. ,j - no} € : sasrouas.Ay-tambien grandes a certain the twentieth resin, day made of September from the pine five trees boats were by a Greek, finished, twenty-two We pitched them named Don Theo- doro; from the same husk of the palmito, and from the tails and manes of the horses we made ropes and rigging, from our shirts, sails and from the savins growing there we made the oars that appeared to us requisite. Such was the country into which our sins had cast us, that only by very great search could we find stone for ballast and anchors, since in it all we had not seen one.’’ perros, Sy gue. ‘i ‘‘We commenced to build on the fourth, with cubits in length, each caulked with the fibre of the palmito. 4 men,beuen,viften,calgan, y hazen muchas-¢ofas:5 the only carpenter in the company, and we proceeded with so great diligence that | : Rmacgansbo.Huys de los los cauallos por ft ma fa catadura,o por nunca los auer vifto. No tienen fus duefios otra riqueza , ni hazienda, dellos co« Courtesy of Bureau The of American Buffalo Ethnology of Gomara |