Alvar nunez cabeza de vaca

His parents died while he was young, so he moved in with an aunt and uncle, and he probably had a fairly comfortable early life. During his teenage years he was appointed chamberlain for the house of a noble family. During eight years of traveling across the us southwest, he became a trader and faith healer to various native american tribes before reconnecting with spanish colonial forces in mexico in 1536. The first part is his participation in the illfated narvaez expedition to florida of 1528. His account is the earliest description of the american southwest. Franklin jameson award, the western historical associations 2000 dwight l. He was one of the first europeans to travel through what is now texas and the southwestern united states.

A paraphrase of the work has been given by kingsley, tales of old travels london, 1869. Their escape was aided also by the fact that it was the time of ripe prickly pears so food was available. He was treasurer to the spanish expedition under panfilo. A series of misfortunes and bad planning caused the colony to be abandoned, and a few survivors of the original population of 600 sailed for mexico on homemade boats. Little of his early life is known, except that he made his career in the military. A su llegada, comenzo a componer y editar sus memorias. Marooned on the texas coast, he wandered for 8 years in a land no european had ever seen. As treasurer and alguacil mayor, 1527 joined expedition of panfilo narvaez, who had been granted right.

Served in military campaigns in italy, spain, and navarre, 15111526. Smith award, and the new england council of latin american studies. The raft held survivors of an illfated spanish expedition to settle florida. At one point he acted as the treasurer to one of the spanish expeditions that landed in the current tampa bay florida. Translated by fanny bandelier in 1905, part 1 of 5.