A.D. 



1540. 



Acuco. 



The Westerne 

 sea discovered, 

 Tiguex. 



Axa and 



Quhnra. 



[III. 381,] 



A iozvne 

 burnt. 



Another toicn 

 assaulted. 



Mantles. 



Turqueses. 



Feathers. 



Precious 



things. 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



Acuco a towne upon an exceeding strong hill. And 

 from thence Don Garcias Lopez de Cardenas with 

 his companie of horsemen went unto the Sea : and 

 Francis Vasques went to Tiguex, which standeth on the 

 banke of a great river. There they had newes of 

 Axa and Quivira. There they sayde was a King 

 whose name was Tatarrax, with a long beard, horie 

 headed, and rich, which was girded with a Bracamart, 

 which prayed upon a payre of beades, which worshipped 

 a Crosse of golde, and the image of a woman, the 

 Queene of heaven. This newes did greatly rejoyce and 

 cheere up the armie : although some thought it to bee 

 false, and the report of the Friers. They determined 

 to goe thither, with intention to winter in so rich a 

 countrey as that was reported to bee. One night the 

 Indians ranne away, and in the morning they found 

 thirtie horses dead, which put the armie in feare. In 

 their journey they burnt a certaine towne : And in 

 another towne which they assaulted, they killed certaine 

 Spaniards, and wounded fiftie horses, and the inhabi- 

 tants drewe into their towne Francis de Ovando 

 wounded or dead, to eate and sacrifice him as they 

 thought, or peradventure to see more perfectly, what 

 maner of men the Spaniards were : for there was not 

 found there any signe of sacrificing men. Our people 

 layde siege unto the towne, but could not take it in 

 more then five and fortie dayes space. The townesmen 

 that were besieged, dranke snowe in stead of water : and 

 seeing themselves forlorne they made a fire, wherein 

 they cast their mantles, feathers, Turqueses and precious 

 things, that those strangers might not enjoy them. 

 They issued out in a squadron with their women and 

 children in the middest, to make way by force, and to 

 save themselves, but fewe escaped the edge of our swordes 

 and the horses, and a certaine river which was neere the 

 towne. Seven Spaniards were slaine in this conflict, and 

 fourescore were wounded, and many horses : whereby a 

 man may see of what force resolution is in necessitie. 



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