The Journey and Ordeal of Cabeza de Vaca

Ofthe300SpanishexplorerswhosetouttodiscoverandconquerthewildernessofNorthAmerica,onlyfourreturned—aftercoveringabout6,000milesinthecourseofeightharrowingyears.CabezadeVaca'sincredibleaccountofhis1528-1536expeditionofwhatisnowthesouthernandsouthwesternUnitedStatesandnorthernMexicoisunparalleledinthehistoryofexploration.ThefirstEuropeantoseeandreportsightingsofthebuffaloandtheMississippiRiver,hepresentsanarrativethatcrackleswithexcitementandsuspense,frominteractionswithfriendlyandhostileIndiansandobservationsontheirculture,topassionatede*ionsofthepristinebeautyoftheAmericanwilderness.