Chronicle of the Narvaez Expedition

By Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca

In 1526 Carlos I of Spain granted Pánfilo de Narváez a license to claim what is now the Gulf Coast of the United States. Pánfilo de Narváez set sail in 1527 to conquer and settle present day Florida. Setting out with a crew of approximately 600 members ultimately only four members would survive the ill-fated expedition. The journey would take these four survivors from Spain to Hispaniola and Cuba and then onto Florida. Sailing through a hurricane and other storms the expedition would finally land near Tampa Bay. Suffering from Indian attacks and the effects of poor food and disease the crew, of which there was now only eighty, decided to sail from Florida to Mexico. In 1536, the four survivors—Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, Alonso del Castillo Maldonado, Andrés Dorantes de Carranza, and his enslaved Moor Estevanico—finally managed to rejoin Spanish countrymen in present-day Mexico City. Upon returning to Spain Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca would receive considerable notoriety for his published account of the ordeal.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Digireads.com Publishing
• Release date: Feb 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9781420948455

Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca

Enrique Pupo-Walker is Centennial Professor of Spanish and Portuguese at Vanderbilt University. His edition of Naufragios was published in Spain in 1992. Frances M. López-Morillas is an award-winning translator living in Austin, Texas.

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CHRONICLE OF THE NARVAEZ EXPEDITION

BY ALVAR NUÑEZ CABEZA DE VACA

TRANSLATED BY LUIS L. DOMINGUEZ

A Digireads.com Book

Digireads.com Publishing

Print ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-4844-8

EBook ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-4845-5

This edition copyright © 2013

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CONTENTS

CHAPTER THE FIRST. Of the Commentaries of Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca.

CHAPTER THE SECOND. How we departed from the island of Cabo Verde.

CHAPTER THE THIRD. Which treats of how the governor arrived with his armada at the island of Santa Catalina, in Brazil, and disembarked his troops there.

CHAPTER THE FOURTH. How nine Christians came to the island.

CHAPTER THE FIFTH. How the governor hastened his journey.

CHAPTER THE SIXTH. How the governor and his people advanced into the interior.

CHAPTER THE SEVENTH. Which treats of what happened to the governor and his people in his journey, and of the nature of the land.

CHAPTER THE EIGHTH. Of the troubles that the governor and his people underwent on their way, and of a kind of pine tree, and of the fruits of that land.

CHAPTER THE NINTH. How the governor and his people found themselves starving, and appeased their hunger with worms from reeds.

CHAPTER THE TENTH. Of the fear the Indians had of the horses.

CHAPTER THE ELEVENTH. How the governor navigated the river Yguazú in canoes, and how, in order to avoid a cataract of that river, he carried the canoes one league by hand.

CHAPTER THE TWELFTH. Which treats of the rafts that were made to carry the sick.

CHAPTER THE THIRTEENTH. How the governor arrived at the Ascension, where the Spaniards lived whom he had come to relieve.

CHAPTER THE FOURTEENTH. How the Spaniards, left behind through sickness, on the river Pequiry, arrived at the town of Ascension.

CHAPTER THE FIFTEENTH. How the governor, wishing to re-people Buenos Ayres, sent reinforcements to those who had come there in the ship 'Capitana'.

CHAPTER THE SIXTEENTH. How the natives kill and eat their enemies.

CHAPTER THE SEVENTEENTH. Of the peace which the governor concluded with the Indian Agazes.

CHAPTER THE EIGHTEENTH. Of the complaints addressed to the governor by the pobladores against the officers of His Majesty.

CHAPTER THE NINETEENTH. How the governor received complaints against the Indian Guaycurús.

CHAPTER THE TWENTIETH. How the governor informed himself concerning the complaint.

CHAPTER THE TWENTY-FIRST. How the governor and his people crossed the river, and how two Christians were drowned.

CHAPTER THE TWENTY-SECOND. How the spies, by order of the governor, went in search of the Guaycurús.

CHAPTER THE TWENTY-THIRD. How the governor, pursuing the enemy, was informed that he was marching in front.

CHAPTER THE TWENTY-FOURTH. Of a panic among the Spaniards and Indians, caused by a tiger.

CHAPTER THE TWENTY-FIFTH. How the governor and his people overtook the enemy.

CHAPTER THE TWENTY-SIXTH. How the governor pursued the enemy.

CHAPTER THE TWENTY-SEVENTH. How the governor and all his people returned to the town of Ascension.

CHAPTER THE TWENTY-EIGHTH. How the Indian Agazes broke the peace.

CHAPTER THE TWENTY-NINTH. How the governor set at liberty one of the captive Guaycurús, and sent him to summon his fellow tribesmen.

CHAPTER THE THIRTIETH. How the Guaycurús came and submitted to His Majesty.

CHAPTER THE THIRTY-FIRST. How the governor, after making peace with the Guaycurús, delivered the prisoners to them.

CHAPTER THE THIRTY-SECOND. How the Apirús came and made a treaty of peace and Submitted.

CHAPTER THE THIRTY-THIRD. Of the judgment passed on the Agazes by the advice of the monks, captains, and other officers of His Majesty.

CHAPTER THE THIRTY-FOURTH. How the governor sent relief to Buenos Ayres.

CHAPTER THE THIRTY-FIFTH. How the three Spaniards and the Indians returned from their reconnaissance.

CHAPTER THE THIRTY-SIXTH. How wood was prepared for the construction of two brigantines and one caravel.

CHAPTER THE THIRTY-SEVENTH. How the Indians came again and offered their services.

CHAPTER THE THIRTY-EIGHTH. How the settlement of Ascension was burned.

CHAPTER THE THIRTY-NINTH. How Domingo de Irala arrived.

CHAPTER THE FORTIETH. What Gonzalo de Mendoza wrote.

CHAPTER THE FORTY-FIRST. How the governor helped those who were with Gonzalo de Mendoza.

CHAPTER THE FORTY-SECOND. How four Christians died of their wounds during this war.

CHAPTER THE FORTY-THIRD. How the friars took to flight.

CHAPTER THE FORTY-FOURTH. How the governor took four hundred men with him on his voyage of discovery.

CHAPTER THE FORTY-FIFTH. How the governor left part of the provisions he had brought with him.

CHAPTER THE FORTY-SIXTH. How he stopped to speak with the natives of another port and land.

CHAPTER THE FORTY-SEVENTH. How he sent for an interpreter to treat with the Payaguás.

CHAPTER THE FORTY-EIGHTH. How the horses were embarked in the port.

CHAPTER THE FORTY-NINTH. How Juan de Ayolas entered the port where he and his Christians were killed.

CHAPTER THE FIFTIETH. How the interpreter and those who had promised to come failed to do so.

CHAPTER THE FIFTY-FIRST. How the Guaxarapos spoke with the governor.

CHAPTER THE FIFTY-SECOND. How the Indians come and establish themselves on the shore of the river.

CHAPTER THE FIFTY-THIRD. How they erected three crosses at the mouth of the river Yguatú.

CHAPTER THE FIFTY-FOURTH. How the Indians of the port of Los Reyes cultivate the soil.

CHAPTER THE FIFTY-FIFTH. How the Indians of Garcia settled in this place.

CHAPTER THE FIFTY-SIXTH. How they spoke with the Chaneses.

CHAPTER THE FIFTY-SEVENTH. How the governor sent to find out the Indians of Garcia.

CHAPTER THE FIFTY-EIGHTH. How the governor held a council with his officers and informed them of what was passing.

CHAPTER THE FIFTY-NINTH. How the governor sent an expedition to the Xarayes.

CHAPTER THE SIXTIETH. How the interpreters came back from the Xarayes.

CHAPTER THE SIXTY-FIRST. How the governor decided on entering the country.

СНАPТЕR THE SIXTY-SECOND. How the governor arrived at the Rio Caliente.

CHAPTER THE SIXTY-THIRD. How the governor sent to discover the house which was further on.

CHAPTER THE SIXTY-FOURTH. How the interpreter returned from the Indian habitation.

CHAPTER THE SIXTY-FIFTH. How the governor and his people returned to the Port of Los Reyes.

CHAPTER THE SIXTY-SIXTH. How the Indians would have killed those who remained at the Port of Los Reyes.

CHAPTER THE SIXTY-SEVENTH. How the governor sent Captain Mendoza in search of provisions.

CHAPTER THE SIXTY-EIGHTH. How he sent a brigantine to discover the river of the Xarayes with Captain de Ribera.

CHAPTER THE SIXTY-NINTH. How Captain Francisco de Ribera returned from his exploration.

CHAPTER THE SEVENTIETH. How Captain Francisco de Ribera reported of his discovery.

CHAPTER THE SEVENTY-FIRST. How the governor sent for Gonzalo de Mendoza.

CHAPTER THE SEVENTY-SECOND. How Hernando de Ribera returned from his exploration along the river.

CHAPTER THE SEVENTY-THIRD. What befell the governor and his people in the port of Los Reyes.

CHAPTER THE SEVENTY-FOURTH. How the governor, having arrived with his people at the town of Ascension, was made a prisoner.

CHAPTER THE SEVENTY-FIFTH. How the population assembled before the house of Domingo de Irala.

CHAPTER THE SEVENTY-SIXTH. Of the tumults and disturbances that took place in the country.

CHAPTER THE SEVENTY-SEVENTH. How the governor was kept in prison.

CHAPTER THE SEVENTY-EIGHTH. How the insurgents ravaged the land and took possession of the property of the inhabitants.

CHAPTER THE SEVENTY-NINTH. How the monks left the country.

CHAPTER THE EIGHTIETH. How they tortured those who were not on their side.

CHAPTER THE EIGHTY-FIRST. How they wished to kill a sheriff who had made them a requisition.

CHAPTER THE EIGHTY-SECOND. How the insurgents gave the Indians permission to eat human flesh.

CHAPTER THE EIGHTY-THIRD. How the insurgents had to write to His Majesty and send him a report.

CHAPTER THE EIGHTY-FOURTH. How they gave arsenic three times to the governor during the voyage.

NARRATIVE OF HERNANDO DE RIBERA.

CHAPTER THE FIRST. Of the Commentaries of Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca.

Since it pleased God to deliver Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca from captivity, and from the troubles that he underwent for ten years in Florida, he came to these kingdoms in the' year of our Lord 1537, where he remained till the year 1540; in which year there came to this court of His Majesty some persons from the river La Plata to inform His Majesty of what had happened to the army which Don Pedro de Mendoza had taken there, and of the danger those were in who had survived, and to supplicate that His Majesty would be pleased to aid and succor them before they perished (as but few of them remained). And when His Majesty knew of it, he ordered that a certain arrangement and capitulation should be made with Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca, in order that he might go to their relief. This arrangement and capitulation was there effected, the said Cabeza de Vaca offering to go to their assistance, and undertaking to expend for that journey and relief, in horses, arms, apparel and provisions, as well as other things, eight thousand ducats. And in consideration of this treaty thus entered into, His Majesty favored him with the governorship and general captaincy of that land and province, and with the title of Adelantado.{1} It pleased also His Majesty to grant to him the twelfth part of everything that was in that land and province, and of all that entered and went out of it, provided that the aforesaid Alvar Nuñez expended on that expedition the sum of eight thousand ducats as aforesaid. And so, in fulfillment of the agreement entered into with His Majesty, he started immediately for Seville in order to put the agreement into execution, and to make provision for the aforesaid assistance and armament. And to this effect he bought two vessels and a caravel, together with another that was in waiting for him at Canaria. One of these vessels was newly arrived from her first voyage and was of three hundred and fifty tons burden, and the other was of one hundred and fifty tons. He equipped these vessels very well and supplied them with plenty of commodities, and engaged pilots and sailors, and four hundred soldiers well trained to the use of arms, and such as were wanted for that relief; and all that volunteered for that expedition were provided with a double set of arms. In order to complete his purchases and supplies he remained there from the month of May till the end of September, when the ships were ready to sail. But the weather being unfavorable, he was detained in the city of Cadiz from the end of September till the 2nd of November, on which day he set sail and made his voyage, and in nine days arrived at the island of La Palma, where he disembarked with all his people, and remained there twenty-five days, waiting for a favorable wind to continue his voyage. At the end of this time he sailed towards Cape Verde. In this voyage the ship, the Capitana, made so much water that it rose to the height of ten spans in the hold of the vessel. Five hundred quintals of biscuits were damaged, and much oil was lost, besides other commodities. This accident caused them great trouble, and they kept at the pumps day and night till they arrived at the island of St. Iago (one of the Cape Verde Islands). Here they disembarked and landed the horses, in order that they might refresh themselves and rest from their fatigues, and because it was necessary to unload the vessel in order to stop the leak. And after she had been unloaded the master stopped the leak (for he was the best diver in Spain). They sailed from La Palma to Cape Verde in ten days, for they are 300 leagues apart. In this island the harbor is very bad because of the many sharp, sunken rocks that fray the cables attached to the anchors, and when they pull on them in order to raise the anchors these remain in the rocks. And for this reason the sailors have a saying that there are many rats in that harbor, which gnaw the cables asunder; and because of this, it is a very dangerous harbor for vessels stationed there in the event of a storm. This island is unhealthy and full of infections in the winter, so much so that the greater part of those who go ashore there die in a few days, soon after their arrival. The armada, however, remained there twenty-five days, during which not a single man died; and the inhabitants were much astonished at this, and took it as a great marvel. And the inhabitants gave them a good reception; and this island is very rich, and there are more doubloons in it than reales,{2} for those who traffic there for negroes were giving a doubloon for twenty reales.

CHAPTER THE SECOND. How we departed from the island of Cabo Verde.

When we had repaired the leak of the Admiral ship, and purchased the necessary supplies, such as water, meat, and other things, we embarked and pursued our voyage and crossed the equinoctial line, and, continuing our navigation, the master took stock of the water that was on board the Admiral, and, out of a hundred barrels that had been stored, he found no more than three left, and four hundred men and thirty horses had to drink. And the governor, having seen the necessity we were in, ordered the ship to land; and they were in search of it three days, and the fourth day, one hour before dawn, a wonderful thing happened, and as it is not beyond our purpose, I will relate it. It happened, as the vessels were going towards land, they were on the point of striking some very high rocks, and nobody would have seen or been aware of them had not a cock began to crow which one of the soldiers had put on board at Cadiz, being desirous of listening to the music of the cock; during two months and a half, however, we had neither heard it nor known of its existence; and the soldier was grieved at its silence. That morning, however, the bird felt the land and began to crow, and its music woke all the people on the vessel, who saw the rocks an arrow-flight off, and shouted to let go the anchors, as we were drifting towards the rocks. And so they lowered the anchors, and this saved us, for had not the cock crowed our four hundred men and thirty horses would assuredly have been drowned; and we all thought it a miracle of God for us. And while we navigated more than one hundred leagues along the coast, the cock gave us his music every night, and so the armada arrived at an harbor which is called Cananea,{3} which lies beyond Cape Frio,{4} and is twenty-four degrees of elevation. It is a good harbor, and there are several islands at its entrance. The water is clear and eleven fathoms deep. Here the governor took possession in the name of His Majesty, and having done so, he left that harbor and passed over the river and the bay called San Francisco,{5} which is twenty-five leagues from Cananea, and thence the armada proceeded to the island of Santa Catalina, which is twenty-five leagues from the Rio de San Francisco, and they anchored at the island of Santa Catalina, after encountering many troubles and reverses on the voyage, arriving there on the 29th of March 1541. The island of Santa Catalina is barely in the twenty-eighth degree of latitude.

CHAPTER THE THIRD. Which treats of how the governor arrived with his armada at the island of Santa Catalina, in Brazil, and disembarked his troops there.

When the governor had arrived with army at the island of Santa Catalina, he ordered the disembarkation of all the people that he had brought with him, and the twenty-six horses, being all that had survived the sea voyage of the forty-six taken on board in Spain, in order that they might all recover on land from the hardships they had undergone in their long sea voyage, and that he might take command and inform himself