A.D. 

 1581-83. 



Very rich and 

 good metall. 



This draweth 

 toward Vir- 

 ginia. 



Another pro- 

 vince. 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



of victuals, with infinite number of hennes in the coun- 

 trey, and many sorts of metals, whereof some seemed 

 to be very good. They could not perfectly understand 

 what numbers of people this province might conteine, 

 by reason they were fled into the mountaines, as I 

 have sayd before. 



Having found those to be slaine which they went to 

 seeke, they entred into consultation, whether they should 

 returne to Nueva Biscaya, from whence they came, or 

 should proceed further in their journey ; whereabout 

 there were divers opinions : howbeit, understanding there, 

 that toward the Orient or East parts of that province, 

 and very far distant from thence, there were great and 

 rich townes : and finding themselves so far on the way, 

 the sayd captaine Antonio de Espeio with the consent 

 of the foresayd frier called Frier Bernardine Beltran, and 

 the greater part of his souldiers and companions deter- 

 mined to proceed on the discovery, till such time as 

 they did see to what end it would come ; to the end 

 they might give certeine and perfect knowledge thereof 

 to his Majesty, as eye-witnesses of the same. And so 

 with one accord they determined, that while the army 

 lay still there, the captaine and two more of his company 

 should prosecute their desire, which they did accordingly, 

 dayes journey they came unto another 

 they found eleven townes, and much 

 which in their judgement were above 

 forty thousand persons. The countrey was very fertile 

 and plentifuU, whose confines bordered upon the territories 

 of Cibola, where there are great store of kine, with whose 

 hides and with cotton they apparell themselves, imitating 

 in the forme of their government their next neighbours. 

 In this place are signes of very rich mines, some quantity 

 of the metals whereof they found in the houses of the 

 Indians ; which Indians have and doe worship idols. 

 They received our men peaceably, and gave them victuals. 

 Having scene thus much, and the disposition of the 



And within two 

 province, where 

 people in them, 



countrey, they returned 



to the 



196 



campe, from whence they 



