0t'1" C at/10/ic Heritage in T e:xas
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friar did the offices of father-confessor, acolyte, chief mourner, and grave digger." 11 After piously saying his prayers, the lonely friar started up the river, knowing not where he went. A short distance beyond he met a man with no more clothing than he himself was wearing. He was one of the sur- vivors who had remained behind. His name was Francisco Vasquez. He was a native of Villanueva de Barcarrota, the birthplace of the unfor- tunate De Soto. Fray Hernando Mendez was more than glad to meet this unexpected companion in misfortune. The two went on up the river for a few days, subsisting on roots and such scanty food as they could find . One day the two came upon a negro woman, another of the survivors of the wreck, who like them had been stripped of all her clothes. When she saw the men coming, she tried to hide behind some bushes, but seeing they were Christians, she came up to them and was much grieved to see the plight of the poor missionary, who was suffering from a number of wounds which had festered and had become filled with maggots. The three took refuge in a small clump of trees by the river. Fray Hernando Mendez was too weak to search for food, so the negro woman and Vasquez brought him the little they found. Unfortunately, the negro woman was killed by the Indians while foraging a few days later. The poor friar rapidly lost strength. Without the help of the negro woman, Vasquez was unable to care for him. One day, feeling his end drawing near, he called his companion to his side and said: "When words fail me, say the creed in my name, brother ·of mine, because I feel the end of my days is near." Soon afterwards this missionary, who had labored many years successfully among the Indians in Mexico, breathed his last. 19 Francisco Vasquez buried him as best he could, and finding himself alone once more, he decided to retrace his steps to the place where the ships had been wrecked and to wait there as long as he could for a rescue party. Fate of the other three Dominicans. The other three Domiuicans in the party had gone on with the rest of the Spaniards after they crossed the Rio Grande. A short distance beyond the river, they fell into con- versation with two sailors, and seeing how their companions were being rapidly exterminated by the Indians, the five decided to turn back and follow in the tracks of Fray Diego de la Cruz and Fray Hernando
llDavila Padilla, o-j. cit., p. 280. 19 /bid., pp. 283-284.
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