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Show t ets Wy of the RUINED /nscription Fock ' XY wsCe 9 N Spee ico. N \Y at SSN “S . AS \ SN : . wh a i . ‘A \ RR : : CW ere a to be up and about the camp, and it so affected him that he was compelled to return to his bed. Meanwhile, as Castafieda says, Coronado made up his mind to return to New Spain and through the influence of certain friends the soldiers began talking and holding consultations about it, and finally sent a petition to the captaingeneral asking him to return with the army to their homes in Mex- IN Quon) R\\ \ summit AY n\ the Nn \Y ‘ Se N A QA on S \t\\ WR PLAN a NY PUEBLO : \\' \ 237 FRANCISCO VASQUEZ CORONADO LEADING FACTS OF NEW MEXICAN HISTORY Ground 936 | | | | | | When Coronado was approached upon the subject and had read the petition, he was opposed to making an order for the return of the army, apparently, but all the gentlemen and captains ‘‘supported them, giving him their signed opinions, and as some were in this, they could give it at once, and they even persuaded others to do the same.’’ In this manner it was made to appear that ‘‘they ought to return to New Spain, because they had not found any riches, nor had they discovered any settled country out of which estates could be formed for all the army.’ 7252 As before stated, the news brought by Don Garcia Lopez de Cardenas, who had received permission from Coronado to return to New Spain, a letter having been brought to him by Don Pedro de Tovar announcing the death of a brother, had a very pronounced effect upon the mind of the captain-general. Cardenas related how he had found the town of Suya deserted; that a revolt had occurred 252 Castafieda, Relacion, etc., Winship’s translation, p. 532: ‘‘ When he had obtained their signatures, the return to New Spain was at once announced, and since nothing can ever be concealed, the double dealing began to be understood, and many of the gentlemen found that they had been deceived and had made They tried in every way to get their signatures back again from a mistake. the general, who guarded them so carefully that he did not go out of one room, making his sickness seem very much worse, and putting guards about his person and room, and at night about the floor on which he slept. In spite of all this they stole his chest, and it is said that they did not find their signatures in it, because he kept them in his mattress; on the other hand, it is said that they did They asked the general to give them 60 picked men, with whom recover them. they would remain and hold the country until the viceroy could send them support, or recall them, or else that the general would leave them the army and pick But the soldiers did not want to remain either out 60 men to go back with him. way, some because they had turned their prow toward New Spain, and others because they saw clearly the trouble that would arise over who should have command. The gentlemen, I do not know whether because they had sworn fidelity or because they feared that the soldiers would not support them, did what had been decided upon, although with an ill will, and from this time on they did not obey the general as readily as formerly and they did not show any affection for him. He made much of the soldiers and humored them, with the result that he did what he desired and secured the return of the whole army.’’ Jaramillo says that after the fall from his horse Coronado ‘‘conceived the idea of returning, which ten or twelve of us were unable to prevent by dissuading him from it.’’ |