The Journey of Cabeza de Vaca
Cabeza de Vaca departed Spain via the port of San Lucar de Barrameda on 27 Jun 1527. He was accompanied by Governor Panfilo de Narvaez on a fleet which consisted of five vessels and 600 men. Cabez de Vaca held the position of treasure and alguacil mayor, the purser and the majesty's inspector was Alonzo de Solis. A month after setting sail Cabeza and his crew encountered a tropical storm, in which Cabeza describes as a "tempest and peril…never has such a fearful thing been witnessed in these parts". While in search of the coast of Florida, the vessel landed in Habana. There, they met some Indians who told them they would take them to a place with many maize, Cabeza discovered some boxes with corpses which were covered with painted deer skin, and also found some linen and cloth and samples of Gold. Cabeza asked the Indians where these things came from and the Indians told them of a province called Apalachen in which there was much gold. …
