The Adventures of Cabeza De Vaca: The Lost Conquistador

By Judy Scalise and Tom Hayes

Cabeza de Vaca was looking for adventure when he helped lead a group of Spanish explorers to North America in 1528, and he certainly found it when he washed up on the shores of Texas. Lost in the wilderness with his men and living among the Indians, he survived as a wandering merchant, a warrior-prince, a slave, a medicine man and a faith healer.

During his epic journey across North America he gathered up thousands of native followers as people from village after village just walked away from their homes and left all of their possessions behind in order to follow him. He surprised the world when he came walking out of the wilderness with three of his companions and this great procession of natives after being presumed dead for nearly eight years.

By that time, after crossing the continent, Cabeza de Vaca had baptized the young, laid hands on the sick, performed invasive medical surgery, ended the slave trade in central Mexico, stopped wars and generally freed people from the darkness of spiritual bondage. His faith sustained him in even the most difficult of circumstances. Join this fearless explorer on a compelling spiritual journey across an unexplored stone-age America.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Dec 16, 2013
• ISBN: 9781491714362

Judy Scalise

Tom Hayes is a native Texan who graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in government and then went on to earn his Law Degree from South Texas College of Law. He has now been a practicing Texas trial lawyer for over thirty years. Mr. Hayes is an outdoorsman and a student of language, science and history. Judy Scalise is also a native Texan. Ms. Scalise worked as a legal assistant for seventeen years. During that time she helped with jury selection, as well as case investigations in the same capacity as that of a private investigator. Ms. Scalise actively participated in the formulation of strategy behind the introduction of evidence in various cases and in the making of presentations to juries in both opening statements and in closing arguments. Judy Scalise is an author and a painter and she enjoys spending time with her family.

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Copyright © 2013 Tom Hayes and Judy Scalise.

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ISBN: 978-1-4917-1435-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-1436-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013920938

iUniverse rev. date: 05/27/2015

Copyright @ 2006, 2007, under Slave of the Dream-Cult Tribe; copyright under title of The Lost Conquistador, 2010, by Tom Hayes & Judy Scalise

Contents

Acknowledgements

Author’s Note

Preface Conversation With A Royal Spanish Governor

Chapter 1 The Conquest Of Florida

Chapter 2 Across The Gulf Of Mexico By Raft

Chapter 3 Island Of Doom

Chapter 4 Adventures In The Interior Of An Unexplored Continent

Chapter 5 Journey Down The Coast

Chapter 6 The People Of The Cult Of Dreams

Chapter 7 Medicine Man Or Faith Healer?

Chapter 8 The Great Mass Movement

Chapter 9 They Said That None Could Die While We Were Among Them

Chapter 10 Merchants Of Destruction

Epilogue

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Most of the contents of this novel can be found in a narrative written by an early explorer of the Americas who was known by his Royal Spanish Title of: Cabeza de Vaca. That narrative report was addressed to the King of Spain, and it concerned the Indian tribes that De Vaca had encountered while lost in North America. The report was released to the public in the year 1542. After its’ release Cabeza de Vaca became widely recognized as the first European to cross North America and to explore the interior of that continent.

To put things into perspective, it might be said that until Cabeza de Vaca walked out of the wilderness eight years later to tell about what he had seen in North America no one had any idea about what might be found there. This is because no one from the known civilized world had ever been there. Cabeza de Vaca was the very first.

It should be noted that the authors differ in opinion with many other writers concerning the routes taken by this early Spanish explorer in Texas. This is almost certainly due to the fact that the authors are natives of the Texas Gulf Coast and are therefore more familiar with the area in question.

The writing of this novel was facilitated greatly by the wonderful translation, as well as the historical annotations of Cyclone Covey’s 1961 edition of ADVENTURES IN THE UNKNOWN INTERIOR OF AMERICA, by Alvar Nunez, Cabeza de Vaca.

Copyright history:

Copyright @ 2006, 2007, under: Slave of the Dream cult Tribe; copyright under the title of The Lost Conquistador 2010, copyright under the title: The Adventures of Cabeza de Vaca, The Lost Conquistador, 2013 and revised in 2015.

by

Tom Hayes & Judy Scalise

AUTHOR’S NOTE

This is an adventure story. It is a novel which is based upon the true story of a Spanish explorer who was known by his Royal Title of Cabeza de Vaca. He became the first European in history to explore and to cross North America. This material is classified as historical fiction, and it is suitable for all ages.

Cabeza de Vaca was appointed by the King of Spain as second-in-command of the very first European expedition to enter North America. While exploring Florida he and his men became separated from their transport vessels because of the incompetent leadership of the King’s appointed Governor, Pamfilio de Navaez. In an attempt to get back home the men of this expedition began a great odyssey. These Conquistadors traveled by land and by sea in an attempt to reach the nearest Spanish outpost located in present day Mexico. Out of a group of more than three hundred Conquistadors only Cabeza de Vaca and three other survivors walked out of the wilderness eight years later to tell their story.

Among the many trials and tribulations of his incredible ordeal at one point Cabeza de Vaca was enslaved by a brutal tribe that followed a bizarre cult of dream worship. After his escape from this slavery he emerged as a great spiritual leader among the Indians. As a medicine man Cabeza de Vaca would become the first person to introduce Christianity to the natives of North America. In fact, the message of Cabeza de Vaca was so powerful that the entire populations of one village after another just walked away from their homes and possessions in order to follow him. Ultimately he found himself leading a great mass movement across America with many thousands of native people accompanying him in a great procession of followers.

While leading this great procession of people Cabeza de Vaca converted thousands to Christianity, baptized the young, laid hands on the sick, performed invasive surgery, stopped wars, ended the slave trade in central Mexico and left the land behind him in a state of peace. The Indians even believed that he raised a man from the dead. His spiritual work among the natives of North America was so amazing that it might have earned him the title of The St. Patrick of Mexico or The St. Patrick of the New World because of the similarities between the two men. Perhaps Cabeza de Vaca should even be considered as a candidate for some type of official recognition in his church as a holy man. Whatever the case, it is the opinion of the authors that the historical significance of the events described within these pages have long been ignored or forgotten.

In the process of writing this novel some effort was made to stay close to many of the factual details of the true story. Fiction has been used where there is an absence of historical information in order to fill in the gaps of the unknown. Fiction is also used herein to assist the reader with geography. Even though some parts of this novel are clearly fictional however, there are many valid theories offered within these pages concerning what may have actually happened to this Royal Expedition. These theories are woven into the story. The authors believe they may have solved some of the mysteries that have surrounded this ill-fated expedition for so many years. Unfortunately Cabeza de Vaca only added more mystery to his great journey through North America when he refused to disclose much of what he had encountered in the interior of the continent. In fact, until the day he died Cabeza de Vaca refused to tell anyone about the things he had seen there. There were things that he refused to tell even to his closest relatives. This created one of the great mysteries of his time. His unwillingness to disclose information about the things that he had discovered deep within the interior of the continent of North America created so much controversy at the time that three other Spanish expeditions were ultimately sent there to find out what it was that Cabeza de Vaca was concealing.

Actual theories are also offered within this novel concerning the travel routes taken by Cabeza de Vaca. All of the routes described in this book between chapters five through ten are believed by the authors to be the actual routes that he took. (This represents that period of time which began when De Vaca set out walking down the Texas Coast with his friend Oviedo until the time when he arrived in Culiacan Mexico in the spring of 1536 with Dorantes, Castillo and Estevanico.)

The authors assert that much of the contents of this novel could actually be used as a guide to understanding the explorer’s own vague and sketchy account of his great odyssey. The authors maintain that even though this novel is classified as fiction it makes many genuine contributions to the process of scientific and historical inquiry. The serious reader is encouraged to compare Cabeza de Vaca’s Report to the King with this book, but only where it is apparent that the two writings are describing the same events or geographic locations.

The authors sincerely believe that more energy should be spent giving recognition to the few Conquistadors who advocated the good treatment of the natives of the New World. Enough has probably already been said about the mistreatment of the Indians, but one cannot help but ponder the human suffering that might have been avoided had the world listened to more reasonable men, like Cabeza de Vaca.

Since the dawn of recorded history embellished tales have been written telling the stories of great heroes so that those men and their amazing exploits would never be forgotten. Some of this novel follows in that tradition as well. The authors feel that the story of this great explorer should represent to the societies of the New World, and perhaps to all of Christendom, what Homer’s Odyssey represented to the Ancient Greeks; however, one must keep in mind that there is a great distinction between these two epic stories of adventure. The difference is that we know with all reasonable certainty that the odyssey of Cabeza de Vaca did actually occur, whereas it has been a matter of historical speculation for thousands of years whether or not a king named Odysseus ever actually got lost at sea while returning home from the Trojan War.

PREFACE

CONVERSATION WITH A ROYAL SPANISH GOVERNOR

After being shackled in chains down in the hold of a ship, Spanish Colonial Governor Cabeza de Vaca addresses the other prisoners around him. The year is 1543:

Gentlemen, I am the victim of a mutiny! I was appointed by the King to be Royal Governor, and yet, here I am in chains right now being held prisoner by the officers of my expedition here in South America!

The man chained next to him replies: You must be Governor Cabeza de Vaca. Well Governor, we are in the same situation that you are in. We are all prisoners here, and we are all being transported back to Spain to stand trial, but everyone on this vessel knows that you are a political prisoner. It’s an honor to meet you, Sir. Welcome aboard Governor!

Yes, I am the King’s appointed Governor here in this part of South America. My name is Alvar Nunez. I go by the title of ‘Cabeza de Vaca’. Pardon me for not introducing myself.

Well Governor, an introduction is hardly necessary. Everyone here onboard this ship has heard of you, and they have heard about how your Lieutenant Governor and the other officers in your expedition had you arrested. Rumor has it that they wanted to get you out of the way so they could plunder the natives. People say that you once lived among the Indians of Texas as a medicine man and that this is why you try to protect the natives here in South America now. Is this true Governor De Vaca?

"Yes, but there is so much more to the story than you have been told. You see, before I was appointed Governor here in South America by the King of Spain I went with the first expedition of Europeans to North America. Others had mapped the coastline, but with the exception of Southern Mexico we were the very first expedition to enter into the interior of that vast unexplored continent. All of us had hopes of finding another civilization like the one found by Cortes in Mexico with treasures of gold and precious gems. We were searching for the riches of mythical kingdoms that would make us all wealthy and finance the many wars and power struggles in Europe. We were Conquistadors, devoted to King and Empire -— ready to kill for conquest, or die for glory!

"I was one of four survivors of an ill-fated expedition who walked out of the wilderness of North America after being lost there for eight years. While I was lost I lived among the Indians in order to survive. I traded with them and at one point I even became a wandering merchant. This brought me into contact with many tribes including a very highly developed society. I became a ‘war chief’ among the people of this advanced society and after rising to that position of power I organized an army and then led the warriors of that nation victoriously into battle against their enemies. While I was among them I fell in love with the daughter of their chief. She was a beautiful Indian princess.

"I was later captured and held as a slave by a blood thirsty Indian tribe which followed a bizarre cult of dream worship. Many of my men would die a cruel death in the hands of these savages, but I eventually escaped with some of my companions.

"During my odyssey I encountered many strange customs and many strange cultures. I witnessed pagan rituals as well as magic ceremonies. I even encountered some tribes who believed that their lives were controlled by the magic ‘spells’ of an evil sorcerer.

Over time I began to realize that all of the natives of this land needed to be enlightened in order to be free of spiritual bondage so I became a medicine man". As a medicine man I baptized the young, I laid hands on the sick and I performed medical procedures on the injured. Many declared that they had been healed. As I made my way across this unexplored land more and more Indians left their homes and their possessions behind and joined me. Eventually I found myself leading a great procession of many thousands of people.

"I walked at the head of this massive crowd leading them on foot as we made our way across North America. I communicated to this large congregation by using native sign language. This is the international language customarily used by the Indians to communicate with one another because almost every tribe speaks a different dialect.

"When I returned to Spain, after being lost in North America for eight years, there were others who wanted the next commission as Governor of that land. I wanted that commission myself. I wanted to go back. However, men like De Soto and Coronado had much more political influence in Spain than I. Coronado for example was a dashing and popular Conquistador who pranced around in the King’s Court wearing gold-plated armor, and the King liked him.

"During the years of my absence Pizarro had discovered and conquered the Inca Empire in the mountains of Peru. This fueled much debate and speculation about a legendary city supposedly called ‘El Dorado’. This was a mythical city that was supposed to have streets paved with gold and outlined with dazzling jewels. It was said to have such splendor as to rival Heaven itself!

"It has been my opinion that the capital city of the Inca Indians was qualified to be called ‘El Dorado’ and that this wealthy and advanced civilization was probably the very thing that got that legend started in the first place. After all, the Inca Emperor, Chief Atahualpa, attempted to ransom back his kingdom by paying the Spanish Conquistadors an amount of gold that would fill one of the rooms in the Indian chief’s great stone palace. That seems like enough gold to start any legend. The Indian chief delivered the room full of gold, but after he paid the ransom the Conquistadors killed him anyway. I guess they figured that Chief Atahualpa might try to interfere when they broke the rest of their promises and began selling his people into slavery.

"Word spread about my adventures with the Indians of North America as a medicine man and I became a celebrity in Spain. Consequently, my application for appointment to the office of Governor became more difficult for the King to ignore.

"Well, as I have said before, I didn’t get that appointment to govern North America, but the King appointed