Ottr Catholic Heritage in Texas
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former main stream of the Colorado. Here they found two Indian 1·anclzos, but the natives fled upon the approach of the Spaniards. From the opposite side, however, other Indians crossed to meet them, who knew Christians because they had seen the survivors of the boat of Enriquez. They assisted them over in a canoe and welcomed them in their homes, giving them the little fish supply that they had. The weary travelers spent the night with the Indians. The following day they set out again and after traveling four days they came to a wide ancon, about a league wide and rather deep. On the opposite bank, in the direction of Panuco, there were large mounds of white sand, visible no doubt for a great distance out at sea. There is no question that they were now at Cavallo Pass, the entrance to Matagorda Bay. On the last four days' march two men had died from exhaustion, leaving now only nine in the little band led by Dorantes. After being detained for two days, they found a broken canoe which they repaired as best they could and used it in crossing the inlet. Once more they resumed their wearisome journey, much exhausted by hunger and exposure, until they arrived in a small ancon, about twelve leagues below Cavallo Pass. This was, no doubt, Cedar Bayou, the strait between St. Joseph's and Matagorda lslands. 63 An Indian came out to meet them, bringing with him a Christian, who proved to be Figueroa, one of the four stout swimmers who had been sent from Malhado in the winter of 1528 to find a way to Panuco to secure aid. From him they learned the fate of the four messengers, Two of them, Alvaro Fernandez, the Portuguese sailor and carpenter, and Astudillo of Zafra had died of hunger. The faithful Indian, who came with the expedition from Cuba, and who accompanied the four Spaniards on their perilous mission, had also succumbed . Figueroa and Mendez tried to go on, but they were soon after captured by the Indians and reduced to slavery. Mendez had later tried to escape from his cruel masters but the Indians soon tracked the runaway and put him to death. It was while living among these Indians in the vicinity of Cedar Bayou that Figueroa had heard of another Christian who was among other Indians not far away. This was Hernando de Esquivel, the sole survivor of the crew of the two boats of the governor and Enriquez, who was with the Mareames.w Figueroa later met Esquivel and learned from him 63 Davenport and Wells, Q11arterly, Vol. 22, p. 133. MJn reality he was not the sole survivor because the Asturiano, one of the priests in Enriquez' boat, was also alive. Oviedo, \ 'ol. 3, p. 594 ; Barcia, I, 20-22.
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