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Show HISTORY FRANCISCO About the middle of September, Gallego, Diaz, and the friar joined Arellano on the Sonora river, where the latter had established a settlement and from which he had Sent an expedition down the river toward the sea in search of the fleet under Alarcon. Soon after the arrival of Diaz, who brought orders from Coronado to that effect, Arellano and the army started on its march to join the captain-general at Cibola. After the departure of Arellano with the army, Diaz, who had been left in command eighty persons, of the settlement, which id of about determined to go in search of the fleet under Alar- ‘ For this purpose he fitted out a company of twenty-five seiiimaay..., “a pei . ni Pdecat, , : e reached the Colorado river. Here ving in great subterranean houses with e of which as many as one hundred people was to cross the river on rafts. While the command was crossing, armed Indians began gathering in force. Diaz was equal to the emergency, however; seizing one of the friendly Indians, who was helping in the building of the rafts, he put him to the torture and, in this manner, ascertained that an attack had been planned while the Spanish forces were divided, one-half on either side of the river, and that the is that he had told about had not which ae entirely false; because the kingdoms been found, nor the populous cities, nor the wealth of gold, nor the Precious stones which he had reported, nor the fine clothes, nor other things that had been proclaimed from the pulpits. ’’ | a tree upon eut: ‘‘ Alarcon came as far as this; there are letters at the foot of this tree.’’ He began a rigid search for other evidences of Alarcon’s visit, and in digging around this tree found the letters concealed by Alarcon, which informed him that the fleet had returned to New Spain. Diaz was greatly disappointed at not finding the commander of the fleet, and immediately began a journey up stream, looking for a suitable ford. After a march consuming five or six days, a place was found where they attempted yt with a letter to the viceroy, he put in the hands of Juan Gallego, whom he sent to Mexico; with him went Melchior Diaz, sent by the captain-general to join the army left in command of Arellano. They were accompanied by the friar Marcos, who, as Castafieda remarks, ‘‘did not think it was safe for him to stay in Cibola, seeing that his report had turned out to be found GIO tur- OF ALARCON AND FINDS HIS LETTERS Indians on the rafts were to cast overboard those of the Spaniards soe a TE oe cee garnets, During the winter season these Indians carried with them a firebrand with which they warmed their bodies, and it was for this reason that Diaz called the river Rio del Tizon or Firebrand. It was at this point on the Colorado river that Diaz heard that vessels had been seen at a point three days’ journey down the river. He immediately commenced a MELCHIOR DIAZ HEARS OF THEFLFET march down stream, and later who were on the rafts with them.?° ea ey aa stones, quoises, and peridots, together These Indians were of great height and very strong.?°° ‘‘ When they 209 Castafieda, Relacion, Winship, Coronado Expedition, p. 485: carry anything, they can take a load of more than three or four hundred weight Once when our men wished to fetch a log for the fire and six on their heads. men were unable to carry it, one of these Indians 1s reported to have come and raised it in his arms, put it on his head alone and carried it very easily. a ees nee, ea a onan inate precious 195 Mota Padilla, cap. xxxii, p. 158, describes an attempt to catch one of these ; . Indians. ‘¢While the rafts were being 210 Castafieda, Relacion, Winship’s translation: made, a soldier who had been out around the camp saw a large number of armed soldiers should men go across to a mountain, where they were waiting till the He reported this, and an Indian was quietly shut up, in order cross the river. arrangements the all told he to find out the truth, and, when they tortured him, ‘These were, that when our men were Crossing and part that had been made. to of them had got over and part were on the river and part were waiting drown those whom they were taking cross, those who were on the rafts should make an attack on both sides of the and the rest of their force should across » OF ARELLANO CORONADO ee MAROOS, RETURNS TO THE ARMY, LEFT IN COMMAND gathered at one time. VASQUEZ = Cibola, and were governed by a council of wise men ; they also had governors and captains of war. Some of the chiefs informed Tovar that to the west there ran a great river and by ascending it they would find a nation with people of great stature. Having now accomplished the mission on which they had been sent, the Spaniards returned to Cibola and reported to the captain-general the result of the expedition. The captain-general caused two skins to be painted by the Indians, showing the beasts, birds, and fish of the region, and a picture of the town of Cibola. These, with MELCHIOR DIAZ, ACCOMPANIED BY FR. some other specimens of semi- eae MEXICAN seth OF NEW ae FACTS BB LEADING on 194 |