Within the novel A Land so Strange, Cabeza de Vaca and some 600 other Spaniards are castaways in Florida. As the novel progresses all but 3 Spaniards and one African slave die and find salvation as slaves and soon become sought after as healers throughout the new world to the native Indian people. On their way to discover new land and find maize and other valuable minerals, the 4 healers “were now capable to speak six indigenous languages….. they were of little use in a land where so many tongues were heard.” (Resendez 203). This quote from Resendez shows a couple of things about the 4 healers as they travel along in search or new land and valuable items. One of the things that Resendez is saying is that along their journey throughout the new world, they have been around natives enough to learn and be able to speak their language….. 6 different times. Another thing that he’s saying is that although they have been around enough natives to learn 6 different indigenous languages, those 6 different languages can only get them so far as there are many more languages and obstacles that face them wherever they go. Whether it be new natives and their languages, having to survive with little food and water, or having to brave new lands that they have never seen before alongside people they barely know.