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Show 78 OAOG Vai zRe haere! 4350W LEADING FACTS OF NEW MEXICAN HISTORY less, for among the Spaniards there were not ‘‘six that could rise from the ground.’’ The Spaniards remained on this island several days, recruiting their strength and making preparations to continue their voyage. Having now become well ALVAR NUNEZ CABEZA DE VACA AND rested and supplied with HIS COMPANIONS— WHAT BEFELL THEM an abundance of provisions, they determined to re-embark. Their boat was finally excavated from the sands and in performing this labor they were compelled to work in water a long time without clothing. Having floated the boat, their provisions were put aboard, and having only embarked a fierce wave struck and capsized the boat. The asessor and one man were drowned, while the remainder were cast upon shore, having lost all their clothing, provisions, in fact everything the boat contained. Their condition was now more desperate than ever. A second time they found themselves upon this inhospitable coast, entirely at the mercy of the natives. It was November, and the cold was intense. For six months they had eaten little beside parched corn and shell-fish, and the entire party was so emaciated that they had the appearance of skeletons. Fortunately they were thrown upon the shore upon which they had previously encamped, and finding alive a few embers of the fire they had left in the morning, they kindled the coals anew, warming their chilled and frozen bodies. The Indians were not aware of the mishap to the Spaniards, not having been told of their intended departure, and when the natives came in to the camp in the evening with the usual supply of food, they were so much surprised at the appearance of the Spaniards that they fled. Calling to them, Alvar Nufiez Cabeza de Vaca finally induced them to return, when they came and sat with him and his men, listening to the new misfortune which had come to them and et ga far ea eerepals et ear for more thanahaan Da hour : The* ‘g paniards e palabian ame besought thecaer Indians ianto ee ea is 7 and give them shelter, which they did. The im Se arin distance inland and thirty of their oa omake preparations for the reception of the toward evening the weary soldiers were carried in the THE FIRST SPANISH EXPLORERS 79 arms of the natives to the village. Large fires had been kindled, and they were taken to a large hut that had been prepared for them, in which also there was a blazing fire. Here they took up their quarters, while outside the natives held great rejoicings at their rescue, yelling and dancing almost all night, all of which alarmed the Spaniards, as they expected every moment to be taken out and offered up as victims to some heathen rite. They were not molested, however, and in the morning the Indians appeared with roots and fish, and in many ways treated them with great kindness. The Spaniards were shortly informed by the Indians that there were other white men in the vicinity, whereupon Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, having no MEETING WITH DORANTES, CASTILLO, doubt they were some of his AND THEIR COMPANIONS shipwrecked companions, sent out two men in search of them. They had not proceeded far, however, when they met a party of their countrymen coming toward the village. They were Andrés Dorantes and Castillo with their boat’s crew. Their boat had been cap- sized on the fifth day of the month about a league and a half from the village, but the entire crew escaped with no loss of life or clothing. The congratulations of meeting having passed, they consulted as to It was agreed to refit the the best means of making their escape. boat of Dorantes and Castillo, and those who were able to go to sea were to ship in her, while the others were to remain until they could have sufficiently recovered their strength to make their way along Immediate measures were the coast to some Spanish settlement. taken to carry out this plan. After much exertion, the boat was launched, but she was hardly afloat when she sank and with it all hopes of the Spaniards of making their escape by water. As the boat went down they turned from the shore and retraced their steps, with heavy hearts, to the village. The Spaniards, finding themselves in no condition to journey westward, the weather being excessively cold, concluded to spend the winter where they were. It was agreed that four men, the most robust of the party and expert swimmers, should be sent forward to search for the Spanish settleThe men selected were Alvaro Fernandez, a Porment of Panuco. tuguese sailor and carpenter, Mendez, Figueroa, a native of Toledo, They took with them an Indian and Astudillo, a native of Cafra. |