_How the viceroy sends out a squadron of three vessels into the
South Sea to the assistance of Francisco Vasquez Coronado, in the
conquest of Cibola._
I have already mentioned in a former chapter that the viceroy and the
royal auditors had sent out an armament for the discovery of the seven
towns, which are also termed the towns of Cibola. A certain cavalier of
Salamanca, called Francisco Vasquez Coronado, who was governor of the
province of Xalisco, and was married to the beautiful and virtuous
daughter of the treasurer Estrada, had marched out as captain-general
with a strong body of horse and foot, in order further to explore the
country. Having appointed a certain Onate to govern in his absence, he
took his route overland, and arrived, in the space of a few months,
among the so-termed seven towns. Whether he had despatched thither the
Franciscan monk, father Marcos de Nizza, in advance, or whether both
arrived there at the same time, I am unable to say; however, when they
came into the country of Cibola they found to their surprise the meadows
abounding with cows and bulls, though different in shape to ours in
Spain; the houses of the towns were several stories high, and were
ascended by regular steps. The father seeing all this considered it well
worth his while to return to Mexico and inform the viceroy of the
country they had discovered, that he might send thither an armament of
some extent. This the viceroy accordingly did, and he sent out three
vessels under the chief command of Hernando Alcaron, one of the officers
of his household, who was accompanied by Marcos Ruiz de Rojas, of
Madrid, and a certain Maldonado, as second in command. I ought to
mention that all I have related respecting the discovery of this country
I have from hearsay.