One Reason We Are Mexicans and Not Indios

[Joseph Puentes <makas@...>]

http://www.kporterfield.com/aicttw/articles/disease.html

I was listening to a book on tape this morning at work that is called 
"Demon in the Freezer" its discusses SmallPox a lot and there was a 
small part talking about how in 1520 one Panfilo de Narvaez landed close 
to Veracruz and how one of his black slaves came on shore with smallpox 
and started an epidemic that spread into the heart of the Aztec empire 
and eventually made its way all the way to the Inca's in SA. The author 
was making the point that Smallpox "softened" up the continent very 
likely giving opportunities that wouldn't have been there without its 
devastating effects.
joseph

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De Narvaez, Panfilo  , (1470-1528) Spanish adventurer, born in 
Valladolid in 1470; died in Florida in November, 1528.
Panfilo De Narvaez went in his youth to South America, served under 
several adventurers, and in 1510 was sent by Juan de Esquivel, governor 
of Jamaica, to the relief of Alonso de Ojeda, who had been shipwrecked 
upon the coast of Cuba.
Joining Diego Velazquez in 1512 with an auxiliary force, he aided him to 
conquer Cuba, and, being sent to Spain in 1516 to promote Velazquez's 
interests, obtained for the latter the commission of governor-general of 
Cuba, and permission to conquer the neighboring continent.
In 1520, Velazquez, being envious of Cortes's success in Mexico, and 
displeased at the latter's resistance to his authority, prepared an 
expedition against him, and appointed Narvaez commander. Sailing from 
Havana in March, 1520, the latter landed on 23 April at San Juan d'Ulda, 
and took and fortified Cempoala, where Cortes tried to open negotiations 
with him. But Narvaez demanded complete submission, and on 26 May, 1520, 
was defeated by Cortes, severely wounded, and kept a prisoner for 
several months in Vera Cruz.
On his return to Spain he obtained in 1526 the government of Florida, 
and prepared an expedition in Cuba to conquer that country.
Sailing from Havana in March, 1528, with six ships and 300 soldiers, he 
landed on 1 May near Cape Corrientes, and discovered the Bay of 
Pensacola. Afterward, entering the territory of the Appalache Indians, 
he began the march westward in search of the rich empire of which he had 
heard, but after several months of hardship, being continually harassed 
by hosthe tribes, the Spaniards resolved to return to Cuba. With the 
loss of about half their force, they reached the coast, and constructed 
five boats, which were shipwrecked at the mouth of Mississippi river, 
and Narvaez with nearly all his followers perished. Only Cabeza de Vaca 
and three others returned.