Cabeza De Vaca Dbq Essay

526 Words3 Pages

Nothing but smooth sailing for Cabeza de Vaca and his crew. Abruptly the tides turn against them. Him and 3 other survivors wash up on shore of the Isla De Malhado, with no food, water or clothes. How could this situation get any worse? Cabeza de Vaca was one in 5,000 men on a trip to the new world. The 5,000 was cut to 4 when the ships wrecked and washed up on the Island of Bad Luck. With all odds against him, how did Cabeza de Vaca survive? Through all the struggles and hardships, Cabeza survived with his respect and trust for Native Americans, his amazing wilderness skills, and his ability to heal the injured. Through his experiences, Cabeza de Vaca learned to have respect for the Natives. During his travels, Cabeza was helped by many Native tribes. The Indians helped him with directions, protection, and other hospitality’s (Doc 3). When Cabeza found his fellow Spaniards, he wanted to protect the Indians from them. This proves that the Natives trusted him, and he trusted the Natives(Doc 4). The Indians trusted him because he respected them. The Indians were a key part in Cabeza de Vaca’s survival. …show more content…

While stranded, Cabeza faced many problems. Thirst and hunger were just a few. At times Cabeza survived on the few berries he could find. When he could not find berries, he would eat whatever nature provided him, even rats, insects, and reptiles. At night, Cabeza would light 4 fires around him, not just for warmth but to keep animals away. He also put them in a cross shape so he knew, the spirit of god was always with him. Without any fresh water, de Vaca also had to drink water out of a hollowed out horse leg(Doc 2). These wilderness skills played a huge part in Cabeza de Vaca’s survival. If Cabeza did not know to light a fire or learn to eat anything, he would have died within days. This was the most important part in Cabeza’s