odern maps _Tegesta_ is considered as the
southern extremity of the province of East Florida.--E.]

Cabeza de Vaca and the remnant of his unfortunate companions remained in
the isle of Mal-hado till the end of April 1529, by which time all the
food in the island being devoured, the whole population was forced by
hunger to go over to the continent of Florida, where they fed upon wild
berries. The Spaniards were obliged to act as physicians to the natives,
as otherwise they were refused food. In the exercise of this profession,
they made the sign of the cross on the parts affected, reciting the
_Pater noster_, and prayed to God to heal their patients, who all
affirmed that they derived great benefit from these ceremonies, and
supplied the Spaniards with food in return. There were two languages
used among these natives within a very little distance, those who spoke
the one being called _Capoques_, and the others _Han_. When the natives
happened to meet together after a long separation, they would often sit
down and weep for half an hour before they began to converse.

All the remaining Spaniards, to the number of fourteen, went away along
the coast, leaving Cabeza de Vaca behind, who happened to be sick and
unable to travel. On his recovery, he had to search among the water for
roots[137] on which to support himself. Wearied of this uncomfortable
manner of life, and being entirely naked, he went away among a tribe
called the _Charrucos_, who dwelt among mountains, where he fared much
better, as he turned merchant, going about from place to place bartering
such things as they wanted, and in this way he travelled over forty or
fifty leagues of the coast. He dealt in sea-shells like those of snails
which were used as beads, and in a different kind of shells which were
used instead of knives; and in return for these he procured deer-skins,
vermillion, and ochre, with which the natives paint themselves, flints
for pointing arrows, a kind of bitumen with which these arrow heads are
fastened, and reeds with which the arrow shafts are made, as also tufts
of deers hair dyed red, which are used as ornaments. By means of this
trade Cabeza de Vaca had liberty to go wherever he pleased, and was well
received wherever he went, receiving provisions in return for his
merchandize.

[Footnote 137: Probably the translator has mistaken the original of this
passage, and Cabeza may have searched for shell fish adhering to the
roots of trees u