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Show CHAPTER III Friar Marcos pE NizA—THE Necro, ESTEVAN—THEIR JOURNEY CrBoLa, 1539—DEATH OF ESTEVAN—RETURN OF FRIAR Marcos To THE City oF MExIco TO ERNANDO CORTES, governor, captain-general, and chief justice of New Spain, was succeeded in office, in 1526, by Luis Ponce de Leon. The latter had been sent out from Spain to prefer charges against the conqueror of Mexico. In 1528, Cortés left Mexico for Spain. Nufo de Guzman, meanwhile, had been appointed governor, and, in the year following his appointment, organized an expedition for the exploration of the lands and countries lying far to the north. Nufo de Guzman was of a most cruel and avaricious disposition, and, having learned from a Tejos Indian that, in the countries far to the north, gold and silver were obtainable in great quantities, determined upon the exploration of that country. The Indian had told him that he had seen towns that weie of a size equal to the City of Mexico. These towns were seven in number, Don Antonio de Mendoza, First Viceroy of New Spain and in them were streets, the houses along which were occupied entirely by workers in the precious metals. These cities, he said, could be reached by traveling north and crossing a deseri covered with grass, after a journey of forty days’ duration. This expedition started in the month of December, 1529, and, during the ensuing two years, Guzman conquered Sinaloa, founded the settlement of San Miguel and also that EXPEDITION SENT OUTBY NUNO DE GUZMAN of Culiacan, lying farther north. He did not find the Seven Cities, however, and gave to the countries he had subdued the name of New Galicia. the In the year 1530, Cortés returned from Spain, bringing with him title of Marques del Valle de Oajaca, together with extensive |