Tl,e Dominican 11'/artyrs of Texas, 1553-1554
bodings of the evil fate that was to befall them before they reached their destination. "Woe be to those who are going to Spain," he is said to have exclaimed as they sailed out of the harbor. "Neither we nor the fleet will ever arrive there. Most of us will perish before then, and those who survive will endure intolerable hardships which will cause the death of most of them." 3 But the veteran conquistadors, the covetous merchants, the overconfident soldiers, and the happy women and children who were returning to the motherland, only laughed at such a prophecy and tried to cheer up the depressed missionary. Favorable weather and propitious winds carried the fleet without mishap to Havana, their first stop. Here the passengers stayed for a few days to take on new provisions and to unload some of the merchandise. In the excitement of meeting old friends and the endless rounds of merry- making which followed, the evil forebodings of Father Ferrer were com- pletely forgotten. When everything was in readiness, they boarded the ships once more and set sail for Spain, amidst the greatest rejoicing. Twice a year the Spanish fleet made the trip and there was no particular reason to fear anything more than the inevitable discomforts of a sea voyage. Wrecked on tl,e Texas coast. Out of the harbor, they steered for the Bahama channel, but hardly had they reached it, when the swift and shifting currents of this treacherous passage through the numerous islands of the West Indies made them lose their way. Before they could reenter the channel, a severe tropical storm came up and carried them helplessly before the wind, back into the blue waters of the gulf and on to the uninviting and inhospitable shores of the long stretch of the Texas coast. All efforts and strength were unavailing against the irresistible fury of the hurricane, which dashed them against the low-lying coast, where the vessels were helplessly battered to pieces by the heavy waves as they rolled upon the sand. Thus in a few hours were the golden hopes of the happy passengers blasted even as Father Ferrer had foretold when they set out. The proud fleet was reduced to splinters by the heavy pounding of the billows. Out of more than twenty vessels, large and small, only three or four were spared, and these were the lighter ones. Three are said to have
3 Barcia, E11Sayo Cronologico, 29, Davila Padilla, Agustin, Hisloria de la f11n- daci6n y tliscurso de la provi11cia de Santiago de Mexico, 272-282; 286.
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