The Journey of Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca and His Companions From Florida to the Pacific, 1528-1536 Page: 46 of 253

THE JOURNEY OF

Of the trees standing many were rent from
top to bottom by thunderbolts, which strike
very often in that country, where storms and
tempests are always frequent.
With such efforts we travelled until the
day after St. John's Day,. when we came
in sight of Apalachen, without having been
noticed by the Indians of the land. We gave
many thanks to God for being so near it,
believing what we had been told about the
country to be true, and that now our suffer-
ings would come to an end after the long
and weary march over bad trails. We had
also suffered greatly from hunger, for, al-
though we found corn occasionally, most of
the time we marched seven or eight leagues
without any. And many there were among
us who besides suffering great fatigue and
hunger, had their backs covered with
wounds from the weight of the armor and
other things they had to carry as occasion
required. But to find ourselves at last where
we wished to be and where we had been
assured so much food and gold would be
had, made us forget a great deal of our
hardships and weariness.
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