reached the galleon and the whole fleet saw that we were approaching them, they prepared for battle and came upon us, certain that we were French. When they were near, we hailed them. They discovered that we were friendly and realized that they had been deceived by the escaped privateer, who said that we were French and part of their convoy. So they sent four caravels after him.

When the galleon approached us after we had saluted them, Captain Diego de Silveira asked us where we were coming from and what cargo we were carrying. We replied that we were coming from New Spain and carried silver and gold. He asked us how much, and the sailing master responded that we were taking about 300,000 castellanos. The captain replied, "By my faith, you're very rich, but you've got a very poor vessel and very poor artillery. That renegade French dog, the son of a bitch, lost a tasty morsel, by God! Now since you've escaped him, follow me and don't separate yourselves from me, because with God's help I'll take you to Castile."

Shortly thereafter the caravels that had followed the Frenchman returned, since It seemed to them that he was going too fast. Furthermore, they did not want to leave the fleet, which was escorting three ships loaded with spices. So we arrived at the island of Terceira, where we rested for two weeks, taking on supplies and waiting for another ship that was coming from India with its cargo and was part of the convoy along with the three ships that were being escorted by the fleet. At the end of the two weeks, we left there with the fleet and reached the port of Lisbon on the ninth of August, eve of St. Lawrence's day, in the year 1537.

Because what I say above in this account is the truth, I sign it with my name, Cabeza de Vaca. The account from which this was taken was signed with his name and bore his coat of arms.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

What Happened to the Others Who Went to the Indies