The Journey of Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca and His Companions From Florida to the Pacific, 1528-1536 Page: 62 of 253

THE JOURNEY OF

this place, tvWo hundred and eighty leagues,
more or less.
In all these parts we saw no mountains
nor heard of any, and before embarking we
had lost ovfidzrty.a menthrough -sickness
and hunger, besides those killed by Indians.
On the twenty-second day of the month
of September we had eaten up all the
horses but one. We embarked in the
following order: In the barge fof the
Governor there were forty-nine men, and
as many in the one entrusted to the
purser and the commissary. The third
barge he placed in charge of Captain Alonso
del Castillo and of Andres Dorantes, with
forty-eight men; in another he placed two
captains, named Tellez and Peialosa, with
forty-seven men. The last one he gave to
the inspector and to me, with forty-nine
men, and, after clothing and supplies were
put on board, the sides of the barges only
ro.se half a foot above the water. Besides,
we were so crowded as to be unable to stir.
So great is the power of need that it
brought us to venture out into such a trou-
blesome sea in this manner, and without
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