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Show FACTS OF NEW MEXICAN HISTORY JOURNEY TO CIBOLA 151 The men clothed themselves in skins and blankets and the women wore chemises and skirts. It was here the friar saw his first buffalo robe, which he describes as being half as big again as the hide of a great ox.'** As he progressed, there was still no news of the negro, except that in places he found shelter and provisions which Estevan had provided along the route for his use. In due course of travel Fray Marcos reached the Gila river, most likely at a point east of its confluence with the San Pedro, above which it flows through deep valleys, hemmed in by mountains whose sides were covered with many kinds of cactus. Here he received news of Estevan, who, escorted with a force of three hundred natives, was on his way to the northeast, through that portion of Arizona where the Apache Indian reservation is located.?® Friar Marcos now rested, having received word from the negro that he had not yet surprised a native in telling lies and that they were absolutely truthful. He took formal possession of the valley and made final preparations for the last fifteen days of travel which lay between him and Cibola. A great multitude of Indians presented themselves for the purpose of accompanying him to Cibola as an escort, but the friar was content with selecting thirty of the most influential and wealthiest, concluding that those who were best dressed and wore the most turquoises were of this class; he also selected a number of others who acted as servants, accustomed to labor and able to carry his provisions across the desert which confronted him. On the 9th day of May, 1539, he started on the journey, finding a broad and well beaten road, each noon and night stopping at places where some of his party in advance had prepared resting places for him, and several times recognizing houses which had been pre- service of their persons they went to the first that they labored there by digging the earth what they did, they received turquoises and people had.’ We now know, whatever Friar they doubtless obtained their turquoises by county, New Mexico, now a portion of the Gila forest. His Indian guides now had no trouble in supplying him with plenty of game, pared for the negro who had but a short time before preceded him. For twelve days his course was through rough mountains, the crests of which were still covered with snow. This portion of his journey have been in the Mogollon mountains in western Socorro to the friar, seemed to him to resemble that of the Bohemians or gypsies. The - — some of which were given to him, were tanned and finished so well aa ee “i evident that they had been prepared by men who were Fray Marcos de Niza, Descubrimiento de las Siete Ciudades (Doe. de Indias, Misc D se oy oo & mi muchos hombres y mugeres con comida; alan muchas turquesa i y algunos traian colares iledee ‘es volgaban. de: las' narices: y ;de:baniomaias as Fr. Mareos de Niza, Descubrimiento, ete., p. 341: ‘< Aqui es este valle, me truxeron un cuero, tantoy medio mayor que de una gran vaca, y me dixeron mie — que tiene solo un cuerno en la frente y que este cuerno oo 7 pechos, y que de alli sale una punta derecha, en la cual dice : ce oe uerza, que ninguna cosa, por recia que sea, dexa de romper, wate a; y dicen que hay muchos destos animales en aquella tierra; la vi — é “gs manera de cabron y el pelo tan largo como el dedo.’’ ler, A. F., Final Report, part ii, pp. 405, 469, 470. oe : i a. 163 Winship Wemciate es a a Parker, Coronado Expedition, p. 359: ‘‘The : White Indians burst into tears, and for a while the friar was afraid for his life. However, by giving the escort ad- FRIAR MARCOS HEARS OF_ ditional gifts, he induced them to advance. THE DEATH OF ESTEVAN Within two a day’s more march Indians, of Cibola wounded and they met covered with blood, who said that they had escaped from the killing of three hundred of their companions. They gave the friar a full account of the treatment which had been accorded Estevan and of his probable death. Again the friar sought to appease his escort chandise, and personally sought consolation in by gifts prayer. of merHe was ey . igs Dili ra insane a a peteMG _ ornamented with designs made of these stones. Mr. Cushing has since learned through tradition, that this was their custom. The dress people of Cibola, including the belts of turquoises around the waist, asof itthese was described (quail), which reminded him of Spain. He had now reached the Continental Divide, and here he was met by an Indian, the son of one of the chiefs accompanying the friar, greatly frightened, who informed him that Estevan had reached Cibola and that he had been seized, plundered of all his possessions, and imprisoned along with his Indian attendants, and that he, himself, had escaped, after going all night without food or drink. The effect produced by this unexpected news was startling. The sass buffalo skins, although it was doubtless by barter. The friar noticed fine turquoises suspended in the ears and noses of many people whom he saw, and he was again informed that the principal door-ways of Cibola were ceremonially deer, rabbits, and partridges 2. ground in which they are still found in New Mexico, and this may easily have Seemed to them perspiring labor. It is not clear just how they obtained the meet city, which is called Cibola, and and other services, and that for the skins of cows, such as these Marcos may have thought, that digging them out of the roeky x . must = LEADING : 150 |