Nuñez, Alvarez, Spanish sailor and explorer, surnamed Cabeça de
Vaca, was born about 1490. He was second in command of the ill-
fated expedition under Narvaez to Florida in 1527. At that time
Florida included all the unexplored region of the Mississippi
valley. When Narvaez was lost at sea Nuñez, with a few of the
survivors, continued westward along the gulf coast until they
were cast ashore on an island, presumably near the present
boundary between Louisiana and Texas. They succeeded in reaching
the mainland, and for six years were prisoners among the
Indians. In the spring of 1536 Nuñez and three of his companions
arrived in the Spanish settlements in the western part of
Mexico. Soon after that he returned to Spain, and in 1540 was
made governor of the Rio de la Plata. He explored the valley of
the La Plata and conquered several Indian tribes, but upon
charges preferred by his lieutenant, de Irala, he was summoned
to Spain, tried, found guilty and banished to Africa. Eight
years later he was recalled by the