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Show RECITES STORY OF FIRST U. S. HIKER Explorations of De Vaca Told in Ancient Book. Claremont, Cai. A rare volume containing the story of what purports pur-ports to be tbe first transcontinental foot Journey for a white man In the conquest of North America, is the latest lat-est addition to the William S. Mason collection of Western Americans in I'omona college library. The book tells of the adventures of Cabeca de Vaca, Spanish explorer, in journeying through the southern section of the United States between the years 152S and 15:10, anil of his explorations In the River Plata countries coun-tries of South America after his appointment ap-pointment as governor of the region In 15-10. An expedition, of which Vaca was a member, left Spain in 1527 headed for Florida and Louisiana. It was wrecked on the Florida coast. Fifty survivors drifted to the coast of Texas Tex-as In rudely constructed boats and made shore November G, 1G2S. All but 15 died of disease or starvation and these became slaves of the Indians. By a stroke of good luck, Vaca staved off threatened death for himself him-self and companions by posing to the Indians as a divine healer, usually being able to cure minor maladies. After six years, Vaca, with two companions, escaped. They reached the coast of California and turned southward, arriving at Mexico City, July 24, 1536. As a reward for his exploring services serv-ices Vaca was appointed governor of the provinces of the Rio de La Plata In South America. Here he incurred the jealousy of his compatriots and was sent back to Spain in Irons, remaining re-maining in prison six years awaiting trial. Eventually, he was exiled to Africa. Two editions of the first portion of the book are known to be In existence exist-ence one in the New York public library and the other in the British museum at London. 1 |