wiNsmr] CORONADO TO MENDOZA, AUGUST 3, 1540 5G3 



same way that they do in Spain. One of these Indian women, with one 

 of these rolls on her head, will carry ajar of water up a ladder without 

 touching it with her hands. Aud, lastly, I send you samples of the 

 weapons with which the natives of this country fig-lit, a shield, a ham- 

 mer, and a bow with some arrows, among which there are two with 

 bone points, the like of which have never been seen, according to what 

 these conquerors say. As far as I can judge, it does not appear to me 

 that there is any hope of getting gold or silver, but I trust in God that, 

 if there is any, we shall get our share of it, and it shall not escape us 

 through any lack of diligence in the search. 1 I am unable to give Your 

 Lordship any certain information about the dress of the women, because 

 the Indians keep them guarded so carefully that I have not seen any, 

 except two old women. These had on two long skirts reaching down 

 to their feet and open in front, and a girdle, and they are tied together 

 with some cotton strings. I asked the Indians to give me one of those 

 which they wore, to send to you, since they were not willing to show 

 nietbe women. They brought me two mantles, which are these that I 

 send, almost painted over. They have two tassels, like the women of 

 Spain, which hang somewhat over their shoulders. The death of the 

 negro is perfectly certain, because many of the things which he wore 

 have been found, aud the Indians say that they killed him here because 

 the Indians of Chichilticale said that he was a bad man, and not like 

 the Christians, because the Christians never kill women, and he killed 

 them, and because he assaulted their women, whom the Indians love 

 better than themselves. Therefore they determined to kill him, but 

 they did not do it in the way that was reported, because they did not 

 kill any of the others who came with him. nor did they kill the lad from 

 the province of Petatlan, who was with him, but they took him and 

 kept him in safe custody until now. When I tried to secure him, they 

 made excuses for not giving him to me, for two or three days, saying 

 that he was dead, and at other times that the Indians of Acucu had 

 taken him away. But when I finally told them that I should be very 

 angry if they did not give him to me, they gave him to me. He is an 

 interpreter; for although he can not talk much, he understands very 

 well. Some gold and silver has been found in this place, which those 

 who know about minerals say is not bad. I have not yet been able to 

 learn from these people where they got it. I perceive that they refuse 

 to tell me the truth in everything, because they think that I shall have 

 to depart from here in a short time, as I have said. But I trust in God 

 that they will not be able to avoid answering much longer. I beg Your 

 Lordship to make a report of the success of this expedition to His 

 Majesty, because there is nothing more than what I have already said. 

 I shall not do so until it shall please God to grant that we find what 

 we desire. Our Lord God protect and keep your most illustrious 



Lordship. From the province of Cevola, and this city of Granada, 



the 3d of August, 1540. Francisco Vazquez de Coronado kisses the 

 hand of your most illustrious Lordship. 



'This whole sentence is omitted by Hakluyt. The conquerors, in the literature of New Spain, are 

 almost always those who shared with Cortes in the labors and the glory of the Spanish conquest of 

 Mexico. 



