Tl,e Narvaez E.1:-pedition, 1526-1536
had told him [I had died]. We gave many thanks to God for being together again. This was one of the happiest days of our lives." 59 Together they went to see Castillo and Estevanico, who inquired where he was going. To this Cabeza de Vaca replied that his greatest desire was to reach the land of the Christians. It was then that "Andres Dorantes said that for many days he had been urging Castillo and Estevanico to go farther on, but they did not risk it, being unable to swim and afraid of the ri,·ers and inlets that had to be crossed so often in that country." 60 Cabeza learns fate of sttnnvors. Dorantes and his companions acquainted Cabeza de Vaca with the fate of the band of thirteen who had started from Malhaclo in the spring of r 529 and of the lot of the four messengers, who had been sent before to carry news of their mis- fortunes to Panuco. He learned how the thirteen men whose names have already been listed, went along the coast to a large river which was beginning to rise because of the rains. This was evidently Oyster Creek. Here they had been forced to build rafts to reach the opposite bank. Three leagues beyond they came to another river, the Brazos, which flowed directly into the sea in a swif~ and turbulent stream. Once more they constructed two rafts. The first crossed without mishap, but the second was carried out to sea because the men on it, weakened by their hardships and lack of food, were unable to control it. Two men were drowned, two others saved themselves by swimming, and a fifth hung on to the raft and was taken a league into the sea. 'When he was out of the current he stood up and, making a sail of his body, succeeded in drifting back to shore. There were now only ten left of the first twelve who set out, but it was here that they found another survivor which hrought the total to eleven. 61 Undaunted by their misfortunes, the eleven men resumed their march and three leagues farther on they came to another river, the San Ber- nardo, where they saw the wreck of the boat in which Alonso Enriquez and Father Fray Juan Suarez had sailed with the others. 61 Continuing on their journey to the southwest, they went on to still another river five or six leagues beyond, which was no other than Caney Creek, the S9Barcia, I, 18-19. 60Bandelier, pp. 80-8 I. 61 Oviedo, Vol. 3, pp. 593-595; Davenport, Q11.1rterlv. \'ol. 27, pp. 235-236. 62For the fate of Enriquez and his crew, see pp. 57-58.
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