Cabeza de Vaca, lonely, tired, and hungry crossed the cold, clear, river as the raging water slammed against his weak body. With every little step he took, the currents pulled him further and further away from his destination. His legs were weak and fragile from wading in the frigid water, where he could barely touch the bottom. In his weakened state, he could drown any moment from now. In the year of 1527, five ships set sail in search of new lands to establish new settlements. As the journey passed on, they made accidental landfall in Florida, near modern-day Tampa Bay. Captain Narvaez, the leader of the ship, sent three hundred passengers ashore in search of treasure, but when the people returned their ships were gone.
Cabeza de Vaca and …show more content…
The only way to survive in the wild is to be resourceful. Having useful wilderness skills was, most likely, the biggest reason Cabeza survived his long journey. Having these skills allowed him to creatively use what was around him to make survival supplies. Document B talks about how he got water, and it says, “With other raft survivors adrift in the Gulf of Mexico, Cabeza drank water stored in hollowed-out horse-leg containers.” Water is a necessity to survive, and without it you can only live a couple of days. When Cabeza de Vaca was traveling across Texas, they would end up in places without water, in which case the horse leg container would come in handy. To hollow out a horse leg, you need the correct tools. If one hole was accidentally made in the container, it wouldn’t be practical because all the water would leak out. Also for food, he would eat what was around him. “As a slave Cabeza ate what was available, including berries, mollusks, rats, roots, lizards, snakes, and spiders.”(Document B). Having the ability to know what to eat, and what not to eat was a vital skill. If he ate something poisonous, it would make him sick, and that would lower his chance of survival. Finally, to stay warm and to have light Cabaza had to know how to start a fire. That is proven by, “Cabeza happened on a smoldering tree that had been struck by lightning. He lit a branch in the dying flames and kept the torch burning as he walked. Each night he huddled in a hole that he dug and around that pit placed four fires like the point of a cross.”(Document B). In the passage above, two things stand out explaining how he survived. First, it said that he dug a hole to sleep in which allowed him to stay warm during the cold nights. Second, it said to have light he used fire to light a stick to use as a torch. His torch provided him with heat and light to guide him through the dark nights. In the end, having useful
Cabeza de Vaca and …show more content…
The only way to survive in the wild is to be resourceful. Having useful wilderness skills was, most likely, the biggest reason Cabeza survived his long journey. Having these skills allowed him to creatively use what was around him to make survival supplies. Document B talks about how he got water, and it says, “With other raft survivors adrift in the Gulf of Mexico, Cabeza drank water stored in hollowed-out horse-leg containers.” Water is a necessity to survive, and without it you can only live a couple of days. When Cabeza de Vaca was traveling across Texas, they would end up in places without water, in which case the horse leg container would come in handy. To hollow out a horse leg, you need the correct tools. If one hole was accidentally made in the container, it wouldn’t be practical because all the water would leak out. Also for food, he would eat what was around him. “As a slave Cabeza ate what was available, including berries, mollusks, rats, roots, lizards, snakes, and spiders.”(Document B). Having the ability to know what to eat, and what not to eat was a vital skill. If he ate something poisonous, it would make him sick, and that would lower his chance of survival. Finally, to stay warm and to have light Cabaza had to know how to start a fire. That is proven by, “Cabeza happened on a smoldering tree that had been struck by lightning. He lit a branch in the dying flames and kept the torch burning as he walked. Each night he huddled in a hole that he dug and around that pit placed four fires like the point of a cross.”(Document B). In the passage above, two things stand out explaining how he survived. First, it said that he dug a hole to sleep in which allowed him to stay warm during the cold nights. Second, it said to have light he used fire to light a stick to use as a torch. His torch provided him with heat and light to guide him through the dark nights. In the end, having useful