▁over land ▁to ▁New ▁Mexico , ▁a ▁journey ▁which ▁takes ▁an ▁entire ▁year ▁( and ▁includes ▁losing ▁most ▁of ▁his ▁supplies ▁in ▁a ▁ship w reck ▁at ▁Gal vest on ). ▁ ▁The ▁names ▁given ▁to ▁the ▁main ▁pro ponents ▁reflect ▁their ▁characters . ▁Va ill ant , ▁val i ant , ▁is ▁fear less ▁in ▁his ▁prom ul g ation ▁of ▁the ▁faith , ▁whereas ▁Lat our , ▁the ▁tower ' ', ▁is ▁more ▁intellectual ▁and ▁reserved ▁than ▁his ▁com rade . ▁Va ill ant , ▁described ▁as ▁being ▁ugly ▁but ▁purpose - filled , ▁is ▁given ▁the ▁nick name ▁" B lan ch et " ▁(" White y ") ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁" T rom pe - la - m orte " ▁(" De ath - che ater ") ▁for ▁his ▁complex ion ▁and ▁his ▁numerous ▁instances ▁of ▁bad ▁health , ▁respectively . ▁While ▁the ▁narr ative ▁speak s ▁of ▁Va ill ant ▁posit ively , ▁it ▁also ▁all udes ▁to ▁his ▁willing ness ▁to ▁ac quire ▁( he ▁" for ces ▁the ▁hand " ▁of ▁a ▁land owner ▁into ▁giving ▁him ▁and ▁Lat our ▁two ▁prize ▁m ules , ▁Angel ica ▁and ▁Cont ento , ▁ch ast ises ▁the ▁wid ow ▁D ona ▁Isabel la ▁Oliv ares ▁for ▁ref using ▁to ▁assert ▁her ▁rights ▁under ▁her ▁husband ' s ▁will ▁and ▁thereby ▁blocking ▁the ▁church ▁from ▁its ▁test ament ary ▁share , ▁and ▁goes ▁on ▁fran k ▁" beg ging ▁tri ps " ▁to ▁ac quire ▁money ) ▁and ▁near