_Still doth hee prosecute the New Mexico, and
declareth of such things as were there seene._
So after they had beene four dayes in this prouince, they departed; and,
not farre distant from the same, they came vnto another, which was
called the prouince of the Tiguas, in the which they found sixteene
townes; in the one of the same, called Poala, they vnderstood that the
Indians had slaine the two friars, Francisco Lopez and Frier Augustine,
whome they went to seeke: and with them, three boyes and a Mestizo. But
when they of this towne and their neighbours vnderstoode, being pricked
in conscience, and fearing that the Spaniards came to plague them, and
to be reuenged for the death of the saide fathers, they durst not abide,
but left their houses voide and fled vnto the mountaines that were
nighest hande, from whence they could neuer cause them to descende,
neither by giftes nor policie. They founde in their houses great store
of victualles, and an infinite number of hennes of the countrie, diuers
sortes of metals, and some of them seemed to be very good: they could
not perfectly vnderstande the number of people that were in that
countrie, for that they were fled vnto the mountaines, as aforesaid.
Being fully certified of the death of them that they went to seeke for,
they entred into counsell to determine whether they should returne vnto
New Biscaya, from whence they came, or to proceede forwarde; in the
which there were diuers opinions. But by reason that they vnderstoode
there, that towardes the port of the orient from that place, and not
farre distant from that prouince, there were very great townes and rich,
and finding themselues so nigh them, the captaine Antonio de Espero,[67]
with the consent of the religious fryer aforesaide, called Bernardino
Beltran, and the most part of his souldiers and companions, determined
to proceede forwardes in the discouerie thereof, till such time as they
did see to what end it would come, that they might the better giue
perfect and iust notice thereof unto his maiestie, as witnesses that had
seene it.
[67] Misspelt for Espeio.
So being in conformitie they determined, they remayning there sentenela,
or royall companie, the captaine, with other two companions with him,
should go forwardes in the demand of their desire, which foorthwith they
put in execution. So, at the end of two dayes of their trauaile, they
came vnto a prouince where they discouered aleuen townes [sic], and
much people in them, which, in their iudgement, did passe fortie
thousand soules. It was a countrie very well replenished and fertile,
whose confines are ioyned vnto the lands of the Cibola, whereas as is
great store of kyne, of whose skins they do apparell themselues and with
cotton; hauing the vse of gouernement amongest them as their neighbours
haue. There are signes and tokens of many rich mynes, and found in their
houses certaine metalles; these Indians do worship idols: they received
the Spaniardes with peace, and gaue them to eate. Seeing this, and the
disposition of the countrie, they returned vnto their sentenela from
whence they departed, to giue notice vnto their companions of all that
hath beene saide.
So when they were come vnto their companions aforesaide, they had notice
and vnderstanding of an other prouince, called the Quires, which was vp
the riuer on the north, sixe leagues distant. So they departed
thitherwardes; and when they came within a league of the place, there
came foorth in peace a great companie of Indians, and requested that
they would goe with them vnto their townes; the which they did, and were
verie well entertayned, and had great cheare. In this prouince they sawe
but onely fiue townes, in the which there was a great number of people,
which, vnto their iudgement, did passe fifteene thousand soules; and doo
worship idolles as their neighbours doo. They found in one of these
townes a pye in a cage, as is the vse in Spaine; and tirasoles, as those
which are brought from China, and painted on them the sunne and the
moone, with many starres: and taking the altitude thereof, they founde
it to be in seuen and thirtie degrees and a halfe vnder the north poole.
[Sidenote: Rich metals.]
They departed from this prouince, and trauelling by the same course or
rutter, fourteene leagues from thence, they came to another prouince
called the Cunames, whereas they discouered other fiue townes: and that
which was the principal and biggest of them is called Cia, which was of
such huge bignesse that it had in it eight places: their houses be
plastered with lyme, and painted with diuerse colours, much better than
they had seene in any prouince past. It seemed that the people that were
there did passe in number twentie thousande soules. They gaue presentes
vnto the Spaniardes with many curious mantelles, and of victualles to
eate maruellously well dressed, and iudged the people to be more
curious, and of more estimation of themselues, than any that thitherto
they had seene, and of greater gouernement. They shewed vnto them rich
metalles, and the mountaines that were hard by whereas they did take it
out. Here they had notice of an other prouince which was towards the
northwest, and determined to go thither.
So after they departed from thence, and had trauailed sixe leagues, they
came to the said prouince, which was called Ameias, in the which was
seuen great townes, and in them, according to their iudgment, thirtie
thousand soules: they said that one of these seuen townes was very great
and faire; the which they would not go to see, for that it was situated
behinde a mountaine, as also they feared some euil successe, if that
they should be deuided the one from the other. They are people after the
fashion of the other prouince their neighbours, with as much prouision,
and as well gouerned. Fifteene leagues from this prouince, trauelling
continually towards the northwest, they came to a great town, called
Acoma; it had in it more than sixe thousande soules. It was situated and
placed upon a high rock, the which was more than fiftie fadam in height,
and had no other entry but by a payre of staires, the which was made and
cut out of the same rocke, a thing the which did cause great admiration
vnto the Spaniardes: all the water that they had in this towne was in
cesternes. The principallest hereof came with peace for to see the
Spaniards, and brought them many mantles, and shamwayes very well
dressed, and great quantitie of prouision: they haue their corne-fields
two leagues from that place, and for to water them they take water out
of a small riuer there harde by. Upon the saide riuer side they sawe
many fields with roses, like vnto those that are in Spain. There are
many mountaines which shewe to haue mettals, although they went not vp
to see it, for that the Indians be many, and very warlike people.
The Spaniards remained in this place three daies, in one of the which
the naturall people thereof did make vnto them a solemne dance, and came
foorth in the same with gallant apparell and with maruellous ingenious
pastimes, with the which they reioyced exceedingly. So four and twentie
leagues from this place, they came vnto a prouince called in their
naturall language Zuny, and the Spaniards do call it Cibola, there is in
it a great number of Indians. In the which was Francisco Vazquez
Coronado, and left there erected many crosses and many other signes and
tokens of Christendome, which continually did remaine standing. They
found there three christened Indians, which were left there at that
time, whose names were, Andres de Cuyoacon, Gasper de Mexico, and
Antonio de Guadalaiara, who had almost forgotten their own language, and
could speake very well that of this countrie: yet with a little vse
after they had talked with them they did easily vnderstand them. Of
these they vnderstood, that three score iourneyes from thence was there
a lake, very great, about the which was situated many excellent good
townes, and that the natural people thereof had very much gold, and it
seemed to be true for that they did all weare braslets and eareringes of
the same. The foresaide Francisco Vazquez Coronado hauing certaine
intelligence of the same, he departed from this prouince of Cibola, and
went that way: and hauing trauelled twelue iourneyes, his water did
faile him, so that he determined to returne backe againe as he did, with
pretence to returne an other time, when better oportunity should be had:
the which afterwards he did not put in execution, for that by death all
his determinations and pretences were cut off.