La Relación - page 31
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La Relación - page 31
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Since we found no firewood, we decided to enter the river which was behind the point one league away. We could not go in because the very strong current totally prevented us and carried us away from the shore despite our effort and determination. The north wind blowing from the land increased so much that it carried us out to sea and we could do nothing. Half a league out we took a sounding and found that we could not reach bottom with more than thirty fathoms. We did not know if the current was the reason we could not take a sounding. We sailed under those conditions for two days, struggling all the time to reach land. At the end of the two days, a little before sunrise, we saw many clouds of smoke along the coast. Struggling to reach them, we found ourselves in three fathoms of water. Since it was night, we did not dare to land. Having seen so many clouds of smoke, we believed that we could be placing ourselves in some sort of danger again, and that we would not be able to determine what to do because of the great darkness. Therefore we decided to wait until morning. At dawn each boat had lost sight of the others.
I was in water thirty fathoms deep and, continuing on my way, I saw two boats at the hour of vespers. When I approached them, I saw that the first was the Governor's. He asked me what I thought we ought to do. I told him that he should join the boat ahead of us and that in no way should he lose sight of it and that together all three of our boats should proceed to wherever God should wish to take us. He responded that he could not do that because the boat was too far out to sea and he wanted to reach land. He said that if I wanted to follow suit, I should have the men in my boat row hard, since it was by the strength of arms that we could reach land. He was advised to do this by a captain named Pantoja, who was in his boat and who told him that, if he did not reach land that day, he would not reach it in six days. By that time we would die of starvation. When I saw his intentions, I took my oar and rowed
I was in water thirty fathoms deep and, continuing on my way, I saw two boats at the hour of vespers. When I approached them, I saw that the first was the Governor's. He asked me what I thought we ought to do. I told him that he should join the boat ahead of us and that in no way should he lose sight of it and that together all three of our boats should proceed to wherever God should wish to take us. He responded that he could not do that because the boat was too far out to sea and he wanted to reach land. He said that if I wanted to follow suit, I should have the men in my boat row hard, since it was by the strength of arms that we could reach land. He was advised to do this by a captain named Pantoja, who was in his boat and who told him that, if he did not reach land that day, he would not reach it in six days. By that time we would die of starvation. When I saw his intentions, I took my oar and rowed
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“La Relación - page 31,” Cabeza de Vaca, accessed October 7, 2024, https://exhibits.library.txstate.edu/cabeza/items/show/64.