The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1922-02-04

tired hearts that they might be
able to reach Panuco.
No one knew how to build boats,
but somehow, five uncouth craft
built without single ships car
penter, were launched to be navi-
gated without a single sailor. Bel
lows were made of deer skin, and
charcoal burned, and soon forge
was going, with Estevanico in
charge. Spurs and stirrups and
bride bits were wrought into tools
Oy the amateur smiths. The horses
were killed for flesh, the hides
cured for water bags, the names
and tails woven for ropes. Mems
shirts were cut and sewed for sails.
Pitch made to caulk the seams of
the boats constructed from the long
trees felled in the forest. Indians
were lurking among the trees, con-
stantly sniping off the men as they
labored or looked in the sand for
shell fish. Ten were lost in this
way Forty died of the dreary
malaria, which lays hold of its vic
tim and grinds them into the grave.
But yet it was a gallant lot, almost
fifty to each of the five boats,
which they launched so bravely on
that September %, 1928.
Akward, unskilled in the navi-
CATION of good boats, much less
these wierd craft, craZed by thirst.
for the horse-hide water bags rotted,
wild with joy, when the swift rush
ing stream of the Mississippi gave
them fresh water, COLI, for the
southern winter of rain and chill,
was coming on; many sinking into
Inconsistencies. their frail craft now
swept apart by the mighty waves of
'the Gulf, now drawn together by the
swift currents of the great riv-
ers; hugging the inclement shores
through days of weary Struggle and
nights of torment, living on a half
handful of maisc day--it was
small wonder that one after anoth-
er of the crew in the frail vessels
succumbed, and November found
only eighty destitute and enfeebled
men on one of the long, narrow is
lands off the cost of Texas, or per-
haps of Louisiana; it mattered not
TO the nuavigators--they named in
Mal-Hado (Ill-luck). Some friendly
Indians found them and gave them
roots and fish, and thus provided
with food and water, they tried to
continue on their way. The boats
were capsized, all in them were
lost De Narvaez, the mighty, the
ambitious. was swept away by the
fury of the inland sea, which he
had dared to attempt to conquer.
Caebca de Vaca now became the
leader of the expedition. The In
dams escorted them, with merry
shouts, to their village. There was
no doubt in the minds of the eX-
plorers that they were to be sac
rificed to some Indian deity, but
even that seemed a glad respite from
months. The fame of the Yguazes
hal come to them. The bleak No
vember wind blew through their
soaked garments, and the Indians,
seemingly filled with pity, stopped,
made fires, and fed and dried the
men. All night the adyentureTs could
hear the shouts and cries of their
captors, whom they thought were
making preparations for their death.
But the morning only brought fur
Their kindness, food, clothing. warmth
and sympathy.
Fifteen wore left now. The others
had succumbed to illness brought
on by the long exposure. Maldona-
do, Dorantes and Estevanico chung
together A common misery, and
a common interest which had be-
gun in the happy days on the ILL
fated vessel kept them close. The
relationship of master and man,
which hadc92olta ackmbyee3) 3)4
which had formerly existed between
Dorantes and Estevani had long
since ceased to be. They were all
human beings now and Spaniards.
The temper of the Indians be-
gans to change. Lowering skies and
icy winds overcast and swept the
barren islands, and food grew
scarce. The trees, bending low to
to the sandy soil no linger harbored
the raccoons, once SO plentiful. The
Indians found their visitors becOm-
ing a burden. Sick and weak
and helpless from their wounds, they
had TO be waited on. The stronger
ones, like Estevanico, could dig
for tn roots, which was the staple
winter food, dig in the salt water
and rough sand, until the flesh wore
from the bone, but dig necessarily
under the stress of hunger and