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Map of Coastal Texas/Route of Cabeza de Vaca, Alonso de Pineda and Location of 1554 Shipwreck
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On November 4, 1552, a total of 54 ships set sail from Spain. These ships were equipped with weapons and soldiers. Though so many ships were sent to the New World, only four were expected to make the return trip. Many of the ships were used for recycled material on the mainland. The four vessels returning to Spain had a cargo worth nearly $9.8 million and carried almost 300 people. Some of the vessels had stopped to wait out a storm in San Juan de Ulua after a hurricane caused some damage to the ships. They were supposed to wait for another fleet to arrive, but they became impatient and left. They were lost in a storm off the coast of present day Padre Island.
After the shipwreck, almost half of the passengers were lost at sea. The others were enticed to come closer to the shore by the Native Americans. The Karankawas saw the injured passengers and offered them fish to eat. When the passengers came to the campsite the Karankawas attacked them. |
| The survivors thought that they could walk to Mexico but they misjudged the distance. Mexico was really much farther away. As they made their way along the coast they were attacked by Indians. Thinking that the Natives wanted their clothing, they stripped off their clothes and continued along the coastline. These people were not prepared for travel for long periods of time on the hot sands. They had prepared for a long trip at sea. Most were killed at the hands of the Native Americans, shot multiple times by arrows. Many perished in the harsh elements of the environment. One person, Fray Marcos de Mena, was shot seven times. His companions, expecting him to die, buried de Mena completely in the sand exposing only his face. Later that night he emerged from the sand. The warmth of the sand helped to revive him. He slowly made his way along the coast until he ran into some friendly Native Americans that helped him make it to Panuco. By the time he reached Tampico, his wounds had healed over with the arrows still under the skin. He lived with the pain of the wounds for the rest of his life. He died in Peru after many years of service to the Church. |
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