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Show THE CITIZEN THE SEVEN CITIES OF CIBOLA Early Adventures in the Southwest ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO. CABEZA DE VACA. MARCOS DE NIZA. KINGDOM OF SAN FRANCISCO. THE GRAND CANYON. TIGUEX. ON THE RIO GRANDE. IN RUFF A LU I ANU. NEW SPAIN, northern took two general direcisland of Calitions toward the fornia and toward the seven cities of Cibola, in what is now New Mexi- - FROM r A surmise that the land of the sev- en cities was as rich as Mexico and a cow at the point from which the trail led. Following it, the army of Castille, Aragon and Navarra met the Moors and overwhelmed them. The lowly shepherd was now ennobled, and he adopted the name of Cabeza de Vaca (head of a cow). Alvars grandfather conquered the Canary Islands. The best of blood courses in they were born, forced to become slaves, doomed to primitive manual la- r-ye extrica.ted themselves from their awful predicament. Adver- sity fires the imagination, equips man with resourcefulness. Cabeza de Vaca became a trader among the Indians; then a medicine man! He went among them, and soon they were convinced of his supernatural powers. The way we treated the sick, says he, was to make over them the sign of the cross while breathing on them, recite a Pater noster and Ave Maria, and pray to God, our Lord, as best we could to give them good health and inspire them to do us some favors. Cabeza de Vaca acquired a flattering reputation as healer, which the Indians heralded far and wide. The four were now free to begin their long trek to the Pacific. Often they had nothing but tunas, nuts and raw maize to eat. At night they dug holes in the ground, in which they slept, their naked bodies covered with grass. Like snakes, they shed their skins twice a year! Six languages they learned. The Bison. Westward, they struck a better co City, where they were received by the Viceroy. What tales they had to tell! It is not claimed that Cabeza de Vaca and his men crossed Arizona or even New Mexico, but what they told, of cities and rich countries, of gold and silver and copper they heard the Indians talk about, stimulated interest in New Spain to feverish excitement. The regions to the north must be ex- plored. An Italian. Fray Marcos de Niza, in fifteen ventured forth, accompan- Peru was corroborated by an Indian ied by Estevanico. Their route lay in the service of Nuno de Guzman peasant veins. across fertile, irrigated valleys, the who told of having seen the counGila and the Salt River, settled by Ill Fate. try with his father. superior, friendly Indians. In fifteen twenty-seveGovernor x Estevanico was sent ahead to preIt may be that in fifteen twenty-si- Panfilo de Narvaez left the. West InBasconzales penetrated Arizona, dies to pare the way. The Fray instructed conquer the. provinces from even New Mexico, but his expedition him that if learning of a country Florida to the Rio de las Palmas, the perished, leaving no record save a bare Rio Grande. Cabeza de Vaca was trea- populous and rich, he should himself return, or send an Indian with a token, inscription on El Moro. surer of this expedition. Alonzo del Five years later, Guzman led four Castillo Maldonado, son of a doctor; a cross a hand long, if a fair counhundred horsemen and fourteen thoutry; two hands long, if a fine counAndres Dorantes, and Estevanico, a sand Indians up the west coast to Sintry, and a great cross, if better than black Moor from Azamor, were memNew Spain. Stephan sent back a cross aloa, but the main body went no farbers. as high as a man! With it came the ther than the Yaqui River. Though deThe Governor was a headstrong tachments may have crossed the man. message that thirty days distant lay Coming to the coast of Florimountains into Durango and Chihuathe seven cities, all under one lord, da, the expedition anchored and went the houses made of lime and stone, hua, the results of this venture did Jiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiliiliiiiiliili:iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiliiliiliiliiiiiiiiii:iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiii:iMiniiii not please the Viceroy, who wrote the 5 some four and five stories high, with wrought into the gates, King: The most part of them were I turques-stone- s AHACUS consumed in the enterprise and could the inhabitants garbed in cotton and a fair city s wool, turqueses hanging from their not enter nor discover any more than It is situate on a plain at the foot of a round hill . . . houses The 1 in seen these I better seated than any have parts nostrils and ears, around theh necks, already was discovered. stories and flat divers stone of with made order all in builded are Not to be outdone by Guzman, his their food served in plates of guld. as far as I could discern from a mountain, whither I ascended to roofs, Joy! enemy, Cortez had organized several 1 view the city. The people are somewhat white; they wear apparel and and emeralds naval expeditions, fruitless so far as other lie in beds; . . . they have Coming to Cibola, Stephan sent his jewels, although they of esteem none so much as turqueses, wherewith they adorn the walls Arizona and New Mexico were congreat mace, made of a gourd, with a and use and their of their jj vessels, the houses, apparel they porches cerned. string of bells and two feathers, one them instead of money . . . Their apparel is of cotton and ox hides white and another red, ir. token of Padres Juan de la Asuncion and They use vessels of gold and silver . . . whereof there is greater use his friendship and wish for safe conPedro Nadal, with a captain and and more abundance than in Peru. Marcos de Niza. duct. The Indians became enraged, it twelve soldiers, went by land, under is said, and forbade him entry. But instructions from Cortez. One or the Stephan would enter. Here endeth the other, probably Asuncion, pressing in search of a safe harbor, country. Cabeza de Vacas is perhaps life ashore of of this black man whose northward, is said to have reached as never found. They got lost the earliest account of the American the seven cities was the first tosight which they be well far as the Lower Gila and perhaps the in Here also they come up then wilderness. Using their buffalo: this lower course of the Colorado of the grounded. It is related that Stephan cross-bow- s cows. I have seen them thrice with for and spurs stirrups, had a weakness for fantastic ornaWest and learned of a very popueaten meat. and have built their apand saws They hatchets, they ments and Indian women, which may lous country extending along a large nails, to in me size and of of those the timber the of out pear five barges, account for the disaster that befell claims Asuncion river. Bandelier Their those southhorns like small are in the Spain. palmettos they gathered him. came to Arizona in fifteen thirty-eigern forest. Their shirts they made into of the Moorish cattle; the hair is very (Continued on page 13) fine a wool and like like their of manes and long, tails the sails; The Andalusian. some are brownish and others horses, into ropes and tackles. The Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca asskins of their dead horses legs were black, and to my taste they have betsumed the name of his mother. She to make leather pouches for ter and more meat than those from came of peasant stock. Back in Jhe tanned, water. Then out into the gulf there. Of the small hides the Indians thirteenth century, before the battle carrying sailed, in that frail craft. They make blankets to cover themselves of Las Navas de Tolosa, a shepherd they with, and of the taller ones they make lived dangerously. by the name of Alhaja, from whom Food became scarce. Fresh water shoes and targets. These cows come the mother descended, gave the solthey tasted the salt of from the north, across the country diers of Castille, Aragon and Navarra giving out, sea. On shore, the Indians were further on, to the coast of Florida, and information about a trail over which the are found all over the land for over none too friendly. The barges scatthey might march, to surround the tered. Some the billows swallowed; four hundred leagues. On the whole Moors and defeat them, notwithstandothers drifted on the rocks. The Gov- stretch, through the valleys by which mounMoors commanded the the ing but Cabeza de Vaca, they come, people who live there deernor perished, of tain passes. Alhaja placed the skull Castillo, Dorantes and Estevanico scend to subsist upon their flesh. And Distinctive Work - made the shor, somewhere on the a great quantity of hides are met :La,llll!lllll'MIll',l'lli'llllllll'lll,lllll'lllllllllllllil11iQ with inland. coast of what is now Texas. EventualLawyer, Doctor, Merchant or enraged in aome other pursuit After eight long years, these intrely they joined. you will find Death seems a gentle nurse, when pid men arrived in Sonora, to be wela s Everything for Ycur Office s at compared to the sufferings of these comed by Captain Melchor Diaz. They 1 found it difficult now to wear clothes KELLY COMPANY i four men. Was 4181 Was 4180 Mexi- Captured b ythe Indians, naked as or sleep in beds. They went to n, ... ... thirty-nin- e, - ... ... . ht pea-jack- 0 -- et; SEND IT TO THE LAUNDRY ellsr Hyland 190 ?!1U1III1HUMI1IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII" |