eORONADO'S MARCH. 315 



clriviug with tlieui to serve as food in case of need, wlien Captain Mel- 

 cbior Diaz threw his hxnce at the beast, in order to drive him o&. Un- 

 fortunately the weapon stuck in the ground with the point uppermost, 

 and as Diaz coukl not rein in his horse, who was at a galloj), quickly 

 enough, it pierced his thigh through and through, and severed his blad- 

 der. The soldiers at once decided to retrace their steps, taking their 

 wounded chief with them. The Indians, who were always iai rebellion, 

 did not cease attacking them. The captain lived about twenty days, 

 during which he was borne along with the utmost difliculty. When, 

 at length, he died, all his troops returned in good array, (to Sonora,) 

 without the loss of a single man, and after traversing the most dan- 

 gerous places."* 



In this connection it may be interesting to give some account of Alar- 

 con's discovery of the Eio Colorado. It will be recollected that he was 

 ordered by the Viceroy Mendoca to follow the march of the army with 

 his vessels along the coast of the Southern Sea, as the Pacific Ocean 

 was then called. From his relation to the viceroj^ 1 1 gather the following : 



On the 9th of May, 1510, Fernando Alarcon put to sea from La jSfa- 

 tivitad,*in command of two ships, tbe Saint Peter and the Saint Cath- 

 erine. He put into the ports of Xalisco and Agnaival, (respectively the 

 ports of Compostella and Culiacan,) and finding Coronado and his army 

 gone from this last-mentioned place, he continued his course northwardly 

 along the coast, taking with him the ship St. Gabriel, which he found 

 there laden with supplies for the army. At length arriving towards the 

 upper end of what was till then believed to be a strait separating an 

 island from the main land, but vvhich he discovered to be a gulf, (the 

 Gulf of Cidifornia,) he experienced great difficulty in navigating, even 

 with his small boats; and there were some in the expedition, he remarks, 

 who lost heart and were anxious to return, as did Captain Francisco de 

 IlUva, with his vessels, in a former voyage of discovery. Alarcon, it 

 seems, however, had the necessary pluck, and, agreeably to the orders 

 of the Viceroy Mendoca, he was determined to make his explorations as 

 thoroug'h as possible. After incredible hardships he managed to get 

 his vessels to the bottom of the gulf, {^^ cm fond du gidfe.''') Here "he 

 found a very great river, the current of which Avas so rapid, that they 

 could scarcely stem it. Taking two shallops and leaving the others with 

 the ships, and providing himself with some guns of small caliber, ou 

 the 2Gtli of Angust, 1510, ho commenced the ascent of the river b}' haul- 

 ing the boats with roi)es.| On his way he met a large number of Indians, 



* Castaiiecla's Eelatioos, Ternaux Compans, j). 105. 



tTernaux Corupaus' Coll., p. 299-348. 



t The most reliable iuformation in relation to the Colorado River will bo found in the 

 report of Lieutenant Ives's ascent of that stream in 1858. (Ex. Doc. No. — , 36th Con- 

 gress, 1st session.) * * * * * *.** •*■ * 



" From his account the region at the mouth of the Colorado is a flat expanse of mud, 

 and the channels that afford entrance from the galf are .shifting and changeable. For 

 30 miles above the mouth the 'navigation is rendered periodically dangerous by the 

 strength and magnitude of the spring tides. 



"Between the tide-water and Fort Yuma, which is 150 miles from the mouth, the 

 principal obstructions are sand-bars, continually shifting, having in some places but 

 two feet of water upon them. There are no rocks, but snags are numerous although 

 not very dangerous. 



" For 180 miles above Fort Yuma the navigation is similar. The river passes througl 

 several chains of hills and mountains, forming gorges or canons, sometimes of a con 

 siderable size. In these there is generally a better channel than in the valley. 



" In the next 100 miles gravelly bars are frequent, with many stretches of g'ood river 

 and although the bad places are worse, the channel is better than below. For the sue 

 ceeding 50 miles there are many swift rapids. The river bed is of coarse gravel and 

 sand, and there are some dangerous simken rocks. The Black Canon, which is 25 miles 



