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Show LEADING 100 FACTS OF NEW MEXICAN THE HISTORY were met by still other Indians who came from a great distance beyond. The Spaniards were again given presents, more than they could carry, and when requested to take part of them back, the Indians replied that such was not the custom and the gifts were left upon the ground. It was now the desire of Cabeza de Vaca that he be conducted toward the setting sun, for, as he says, ‘‘we ever held it certain that going towards the sunset we THE SPANIARDS ARRIVE AMONG A must find what we desired.’’ The PEOPLE OF FIXED HABITATIONS Indians were requested to send messengers ahead to announce the coming of the Spaniards. This the Indians did not care to do, saying that the country was too remote and the inhabitants were their enemies. Not daring to disobey them, the Indians finally sent two women, one of their own, the other a captive from the people beyond, it having been found out by the Spaniards that the women could negotiate, even though there be war. These the Spaniards , Uren z iki and | wf6 (lc f . » = Seema Indians return The north, rection followed, but tarried at a certain point, awaiting the of the women; here they remained five days. Spaniards now requested that they be conducted to the but the Indians declined to do this, saying that in that dithere was neither water to drink nor food to eat. Cabeza de Vaca became very angry, at which the Indians became very much alarmed, and finally promised to guide them in whatever direction they chose, even though they lost their lives in doing so. After a lapse of eighteen days the women returned, reporting that they had seen very few Indians as it was the season of the ‘‘cows,’’ *°° and that they had nearly all gone in pursuit of them. The next morning the Spaniards began their journey forward, and after traveling three days through an uninhabited country, they made camp. Castillo and Estevan started the next morning, accompanied by the women, in search of the inhabitants of that portion of the country. One of the women conducted them to the town where her father lived, situate upon a river which ran between moun- tains, the habitations being the first they had seen with the appear100 No buffalo ; ever : came as far west or southwest as thisi i portion of the Rioi Grande, but the inhabitants of the Rio Grande valley and ‘es toroid hunted the buffalo on the plains: the ‘‘eows”? h roamed as far as the plains through “‘cows’’ which the Pecos ean flows. e FIRST SPANISH EXPLORERS 101 ance and structure of houses. At the end of five days Castillo took five or six of the principal Indians and returned to Cabeza de Vaca, reporting that they had found a people living in civilized dwellings The entire comand subsisting upon beans, pumpkins, and corn. pany immediately set out for this village and, after traveling a league and a half, met Estevan with the entire population *”* coming to receive them. The Indians who had accompanied them thus far were now sent back, after receiving many presents from Cabeza de Vaca and his companions; the journey was resumed and, after travelling about six leagues, in the evening, they reached the village, their arrival Here they remained two nights being the cause of great rejoicing. and one day, when they were conducted to another village where The lived a people whose manners and customs were different. inhabitants did not go out to receive them as the others had done, but waited for them in their houses, with their heads cast down, faces turned to the wall, and their hair pulled over their eyes, and their property placed in a heap in the middle of the house. From this place they gave the Spaniards many tanned skins and everyThey were a very intelligent and active thing else that they had. the Spaniards and intelligently understood who form, fine people, of The Spaniards called them the Cow answered their questions. nation, because ‘‘most of the cattle killed are slaughtered in their neighborhood, and along up that river *” for over fifty leagues they These people went entirely naked, exdestroy great numbers.’’ cept the women and old men, who dressed in deer-skins. Seeing corn, the Spaniards asked them where it had been obtained, and ascertained that it came from where the sun sets, and that it was found all over that country and the shortest way to it was in asked in what direction we must go to reach for that country they replied, ‘‘up by that river towards the north, that direction. Being otherwise in a journey of seventeen days we should find nothing to followed the Span_ 101 Sometimes as many as three or four thousand Indians And as we , ed. 187 i: lards, according to the Narrative, Smith, Buckingham drink for each, and grant perhad to breathe upon and sanctify the food and mission to do the many things they would come to ask, it may be seen how great was the annoyance. ’ roamed 102 Not the river which the Spaniards had last crossed; the buffalo buffalo on the on the Pecos. plains annually. The Indians of the Rio Grande valley hunted the |