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Show a 30 agape eth RGB PITT cuntiiiiinmaeen NE PORN . 138 LEADING FACTS OF NEW MEXICAN HISTORY JOURNEY privileges and rights of exploration, and, during the four years following, made several attempts at exploration of the coast northward, with no more important result, however, than the discovery of Lower California. Previous to the year 1536, Cortés set on foot not less than four distinct attempts to navigate the South Sea. The first one, in 1522, failed on account of the supplies and building material having been set on fire and destroyed in the port of Zacatula, where the ships were being constructed. The ships commanded by Alvaro Saavedra Ceron, which sailed from Zihudtlan in November, 1527, were destined for the Spice Islands, and were lost on the voyage thither. In 1532, Diego Hurtado de Mendoza sailed from Acapuleo with two vessels. The one commanded by him was lost, and the other was thrown on the coast of Jalisco. In 1533, two other ships sailed from Tehuantepec. One of these, in charge of Hernando Grijalva, came in sight of the southern extremity of Lower California, and immediately returned to New Spain. The other was commanded by Diego Becerra de Mendoza, a relative of Cortés. When at Sea, the pilot, Fortuno Jimenez, murdered the captain, landed the two priests on the shores of Jalis- co, and with the crew sailed as far as the harbor of La Paz, in Lower California, where the natives surprised and killed him and twenty of his men. The expedition which the year 1534. In 1535, Spain. Cabeza They were 142 Oviedo, 9 » 425 commanded in person took place in Antonio de Mendoza was viceroy of New royally Historia a Ct seq.; Don A vero de _ Bandelier, A. increased the entertained undoubtedly General, ed. J. G., Historia Herrera, by Mendoza, produced Historia, ¢ 1853, ee tee F., Contributions, p. 17, knowledge of the vol. iii de Mexico, p. 7. northern and a marked li ae says: regions p. the story 434; Doc. 35 et seq. ; 7 ne a, ‘‘None of to of their impression upon any de : Indias, Doc. de the p. 65 Indias, mort ; a these expeditions extent. And yet, in 1540, Cortés boldly asserted that he had informed Fray Marcos of Niza of what the latter reported concerning the coast of Sonora and the Californian Gulf, accusing the friar of speaking about what he never saw.’’ 139 mind of the representative of the crown. Shortly he purchased from Dorantes the negro slave, Estevan, and forthwith began the organization of an expedition for the prosecution of discoveries in the lands of the far north which had been so attractively described to him by the survivors of the Narvaez expedition. For some reason Mendoza’s project never materialized and finally fell through altogether.1** The next attempt to reach the unknown north occurred in 1538, when the provincial of the Franciscans in New Spain, Fray Antonio de Ciudad Rodrigo, sent Fray Juan de la THE EXPEDITION OF FR. Asuncion and another friar on a mission JUAN DELAASUNCION beyond New Galicia-Sinaloa.1** The best of authority **° says with reference to this expedition, after a careful review, ‘‘the present condition of the case leads me to believe that the journey was really made, that Fray Juan de la Asuncion was the man who performed it, and that he reached as far north as the Lower Gila, and perhaps the lower course of the Colorado of the West; that consequently there was a discovery of southern Arizona one year previous to that of New Mexico by Fray Marcos de Niza. Mendoza, for the glory of the church and the imperial crown, was determined to explore the regions of the north, and for that purpose conferred with Don Francisco Vasquez Coronado as to the best plan for carrying his wishes into effect. It was agreed that a peaceful subjugation of the countries 14° was best. At this period commissioned During the year following his appointment Alvar Nufiez de Vaca and his companions reached the City of Mexico. wanderings * Cortés It accomplished nothing.1+ TO CIBOLA a certain Friar Marcos de Niza, holding the office of vice-commissioner-general of New of Savoy, was Spain.'*7 He 143 Hakluyt, Voyages, vol. iii, p. 61; Bandelier, A. F., Contributions, p. 80. Bancroft, N. A. States, vol. iv, 70. 144 Mendieta, Historia Ecclesiastica, lib. vi, cap. xi, p. 398 et seq. 145 Bandelier, A. F., Contributions, p. 101; Coues, Dr. E., On the Trail of a Spanish Pioneer, p. 479; Comms. on Fr. Juan de la Asuncion, Ibid, p. 505 et seq. 146 Herrera, Historia, vol. iii, dec. 6, lib. vii, p. 155. Bandelier, A. F., Contributions, Instruccion de Don Antonio de Mendoza, Visorey de Nueva Espaifia. 147 Bandelier, A. F., Contributions, says: ‘‘ Mendoza, the viceroy, had been engaged in attempts to educate a large number of Indians, teaching them the Spanish language and the Christian religion. This was done with the view of using them as interpreters in the event of his undertaking certain explorations in the far north. These Indians had been placed in charge of a Franciscan missionary, Fray Marcos, born in the city of Nizza, which at that |
