_Of the New Mexico, and the discouering thereof, and
what they do know of it._
[60] This and the three following chapters are supplied by Parke from
the French of De la Porte.
[Sidenote: New Mexico.]
[Sidenote: The prouince of Tiguas]
In the said chapter I said that in the yeare 1583 there was discouered
fifteene prouinces, the which the discouerers therof doo call the New
Mexico, vppon the firme lande of Nueua Espania, and I did promise to
giue notice of the discouering thereof, the which I will do with as much
breuitie as is possible, for that if I shoulde difusely declare all
that they did see and knowe, it were requisite to make of it a newe
historie: the substance thereof is, that in the yeare of our Lord 1581,
hauing notice there of a religious man, of the order of Saint Francis,
who was called frier Austen Ruyz, who dwelt in the valley of Saint
Bartholomew, by the relation of certaine Indians called Conchos, who did
communicate with others their neighbors called Pasaguates, who said that
towards the parts of the north (trauelling continually by lande) there
were certaine ilandes very great, and neuer knowne nor discouered by the
Spaniards, who being moved with great zeale of charitie for the
saluation of those soules, did aske licence of the Counte of Corunnia,
vizroy of the saide Nueua Espania, and of his owne superiors for to go
togither, and to procure to learne their language: and knowing it
necessarie to baptise and preach vnto them the holie evangelist, hauing
obtained the licence of the aforesaide persons, taking with him other
two companions of the same order, with eight other souldiers, who of
their owne good wil would beare them company, he departed to put in
execution his Christian zeale and intent: who after a few dayes that
they had trauelled, they came into a prouince which was called the
Tiguas, distant from the mines of Saint Bartholomew (from whence they
began their iourney) two hundred and fiftie leagues towardes the north,
in the which by a certaine occasion the naturall people thereof did kill
one of the friers companions: who, as also the souldiers that went with
him, seeing and perceiuing the successe,[61] and likewise fearing that
thereof might happen some other greater danger, they determined with a
common consent to returne vnto the mines from whence they departed, with
consideration that the company which went with him were very fewe to
make resistance against such successes as might happen, being so farre
distant from the dwellings of the Spaniards, and from their necessarie
succour. The two religious men which remained did not onely refuse their
determination, but rather seeing good occasion to put their good desire
in execution, and so much ripe mies[62] or dainties for the Lordes table,
and seeing they could not perswade the souldiers to proceed forwards in
the discouering thereof: they alone remained in the saide prouince with
their Indian boyes, and a Mestizo that they carried with them, thinking
that although they did remaine alone, yet were they there in securitie,
by reason of the great affabilitie and loue wherewith the naturall
people did intreat them.
[61] This word is evidently coined from the Spanish word "suceso", an
event or occurrence. It is used in the same sense a few lines further
on.
[62] We do not find this word. The literal translation is, "so great a
harvest ripe and ready to offer at the table of God."
So when the eight souldiers came vnto the place that they desired, they
straightwayes sent the newes of al that happened vnto the cittie of
Mexico, vnto the vizroy, which is distant from the mines of Saint
Barbora one hundred and three score leagues. But the friers of S.
Francis were very much agreeued for the remaining there of their
brethren, and fearing least they should be slaine, for that they were
there alone, they began to moue the hearts and minds of other souldiers,
that were in the company of another religious frier of that order,
called Frier Bernardino Beltran, for to returne to the said prouince, to
deliuer the aforesaide two religious men out of danger, and from thence
to prosecute and go forwards with their enterprise begun.
At this time there were at the said mines by a certaine occasion, an
inhabitant of the cittie of Mexico, called Antonio de Espeio, a very
rich man, of great courage and industrie, and verie zealous in the
seruice of the maiestie of King Philip: hee was naturally borne of
Cordoua, who, when that he vnderstood the great desire of the saide
friers, and howe much it did import, did offer himselfe to go on that
iournay, and to spend thereon part of his substance, besides the
venturing of his life. So licence being granted vnto him to prosecute
the same, by some that did represent the king's person, and was procured
by the saide friers, there was appointed and giuen him for captaine,
John de Ontiueros (who was chiefe bayley for his maiestie, in the townes
which are called the foure Cienegas, which are in the gouernement of the
new Biscay, seuenty leagues from the aforesaid mines of S. Barbora), and
he to go with him, and gather togither men and souldiers, such as he
could, for to accompany him, and helpe to follow their Christian intent.
[Sidenote: The prouince of Conchos.]
[Sidenote: Great store of conies, hares, and venison.]
[Sidenote: Passaguates.]
[Sidenote: Mines of siluer.]
[Sidenote: Tobosos.]
The saide Antonio de Espeio was so earnest in this matter, that in a few
dayes he had ioyned togither souldiers, and made prouision necessarie
for the iourney; and spent therein a great part of his substance, and
departed altogether from the valley of Saint Bartholomew the tenth of
Nouember, 1582, and carry with him (for whatsoeuer should happen) one
hundred and fifteene horses and mules, great stoare of weapons and
munition, with victuals, and certaine people of seruice in this iourney
necessarie. He directed his iourney towards the north; and at two dayes
iourney they came whereas were a great companie of Indians, of those
which he called Conchos: they were in raches[63] and in houses made of
straw, who, when they vnderstoode of their comming, by relation of long
time before, they went forth and entertained them with shewes of great
ioy. The feeding of these people, and of al the rest of that prouince,
the which is great, is of conyes flesh, hares, and venison, of the which
they haue great aboundance. They have great store of maiz, which is
wheat of the Indians, pompines and mellons, very good and in aboundance.
They haue many riuers full of fish, very good and of diuers sorts: they
go almost al naked; and the weapons that they doo vse are bowes and
arrowes; and liue vnder the gouernement and lordship of caciques as they
of Mexico: they found no idols amongst them, neither could they
vnderstande that they did worship any thing; for the which they did
easilie consent that the Spaniards should set vp crosses, and were very
well content therewith, after that they were informed by the Spaniards
the signification thereof; the which was done by interpreters that they
carried with them, and by whose meanes they vnderstood of other
inhabitances, whether as the said Conchos did conduct them, and did
beare them company more then foure and twenty leagues; all which way was
inhabited with people of their owne nation: and in al places whereas
they came, they were receiued with peace, by aduice that was giuen by
the caciques from one towne to another. So hauing passed the foure and
twenty leagues aforesaide, they came vnto another nation of Indians
called Passaguates, who liue after the manner and fashion of the other
aforesaid Conchos, their borderers, who did vnto them as the others did,
conducting them forwarde other foure dayes iourney, with aduice of the
caciques as afore. The Spaniards found in this iourney many mines of
siluer (according to the iudgement of them that vnderstand that
faculty), and of very rich mettall. One iourney from this they came to
another nation called the Tobosos, who, when they discouered the
Spaniards, they fled vnto the mountaines, and left their townes and
houses void: but more after they vnderstood that, certain yeares past,
there came vnto that place certaine souldiers for to seeke mines, and
carried with them captiue certaine of the natural people of that
country, for which occasion they remaine as scared and feareful. The
captain forthwith gaue order, that they should be called backe again,
with assurance that there should be no hurt done to them; and did so
much that many of them returned, of whom they made much on, and gaue
them giftes, declaring vnto them by the interpreter, that they came not
thither to do hurt to any; with the which they all returned and were in
quiet, and consented that they should set vp crosses, and declare the
mysterie of them, and they made shew that they were content therewith;
and did accompany them, as the other their borderers did, vntil they had
brought them into the inhabitance of another different nation, which was
distant from them twelue leagues. They vse bowes and arrowes, and do go
naked.
[63] Rushes for thatching. See Halliwell's _Dictionary of Archaic and
Provincial Words_.