DISCOVERY OF NEW MEXICO a.d. 



1581-83. 



Guadalquivir, which falleth into the North sea or bay of 

 Mexico. Here are also many lakes of salt water, which 

 at a certeine time of the yere waxeth hard, and be- 

 commeth very good salt. They are a warlike people, 

 and soone made shew thereof: for the first night that 

 our people incamped there, with their arrowes they slew 

 five horses, and wounded five other very sore, nor would 

 not have left one of them alive, if they had not beene 

 defended by our guard. Having done this mischiefe, 

 they abandoned the towne, and withdrew themselves to a 

 mountaine which was hard by, whither our captaine went 

 betimes in the morning, taking with him five souldiers 

 well armed, and an interpreter called Peter an Indian of 

 their owne nation, and with good persuasions appeased 

 them, causing them to descend to their towne and houses, 

 and persuading them to give advice unto their neighbours, 

 rhat they were men that would hurt no body, neither 

 came they thither to take away their goods : which he 

 obtained easily by his wisedome, and by giving unto the 

 Cagiques certeine bracelets of glasse beads, with hats and 

 other trifles, which he caried with him for the same 

 purpose : so by this meanes, and by the good intertein- 

 ment which they gave them, many of them accompanied 

 our Spanyards for certeine dayes, alwayes travelling along 

 the banke of the great river abovesayd ; along the which Rio del Norte. 

 there were many townes of the Indians of this nation, 

 which continued for the space of twelve dayes travel, all 

 which time the Cagiques having received advice from one to 

 another, came forth to interteine our people without their 

 bowes and arrowes, and brought them plenty of victuals, 

 with other presents and gifts, especially hides and 

 chamois-skins very well dressed, so that those of 

 Flanders do nothing exceed them. These people are 

 all clothed, and seemed to have some light of our holy 

 faith : for they made signes of God, looking up to- 

 wards heaven, and call him in their language Apalito, Apdlto. 

 and acknowledge him for their Lord, from whose 

 bountifull hand and mercy they confesse that they have 



191 



