That same night of our arrival, some Indians came to
Castillo and told him that they had great pain in the
head, begging him to cure them. After he made over
them the sign of the cross, and commended them to
God, they instantly said that all the pain had left, and
went to their houses bringing us prickly pears, with
a piece of venison, a thing to us little known. As
the report of Castillo's performances spread, many came
to us that night sick, that we should heal them, each
bringing a piece of venison, until the quantity became
so great we knew not where to dispose of it. We gave
many thanks to God, for every day went on increasing
his compassion and his gifts. After the sick were
attended to, they began to dance and sing, making
themselves festive, until sunrise ; and because of our
arrival, the rejoicing was continued for three days.
When these were ended, we asked the Indians about
the country farther on, the people we should find in it,
and of the subsistence there. They answered us, that
throughout all the region prickly pear plants abounded ;
but the fruit was now gathered and all the people had
gone back to their houses. They said the country was
very cold, and there were few skins. Reflecting on
this, and that it was already winter, we resolved to pass
the season with these Indians.
Five days after our arrival, all the Indians went off,
taking us with them to gather more prickly pears,
where there were other peoples speaking different
tongues. After walking five days in great hunger,
since on the way was no manner of fruit, we came
to a river and put up our houses. We then went to
seek the product of certain trees, whjch is like peas.
As there are no paths in the country, I was detained
some time. The others returned, and coming to look
for them in the dark, I got lost. Thank God I found
a burning tree, and in the warmth of it passed the cold
of that night. In the morning, loading myself with
sticks, and taking two brands with me, I returned
to seek them. In this manner I wandered five days,
ever with my fire and load ; for if the wood had failed
me where none could be found, as many parts are with-
out any, though I might have sought sticks elsewhere,
there would have been no fire to Idndle them. This
was all the protection I had against cold, while walking
naked as I was born. Going to the low woods near
the rivers, I prepared myself for the night, stopping in
them before sunset. I made a hole in the ground and
threw in fuel which the trees abundantly afforded, col-
lected in good quantity from those that were fallen and
dry. About the whole I made four fires, in the form
of a cross, which I watched and made up from time to
time. I also gathered some bundles of the coarse straw
that there abounds, with which I covered myself in
the hole. In this way I was sheltered at night from
cold. On one occasion while I slept, the fire fell upon
the straw, when it began to blaze so rapidly that not-
T^-ithstanding the haste I made to get out of it, I
carried some marks on my hair of the danger to which
I was exposed. All this while I tasted not a mouthful,
nor did I find anything I could eat. My feet were bare
and bled a good deal. Through the mercy of God, the
wind did not blow from the north in all this time,
otherwise I should have died.
At the end of the fifth day I arrived on the margin
of a river, where I found the Indians, who with the
Christians, had considered me dead, supposing that I
had been stung by a viper. All were rejoiced to see me,
and most so were my companions. They said that up
to that time they had struggled with great hunger, which
was the cause of their not having sought me. At night,
all gave me of their prickly pears, and the next morning
we set out for a place where they were in large quantity,
with which we satisfied our great craving, the Christ-
ians rendering thanks to our Lord that he had ever
given us his aid.