Birgen ` 
DESCRIPTION OF CEVOLA. 107 
Cevola ‘‘is a white man,* of good complexion, somewhat well in years, and of far greater 
capacity than the inhabitants of this valley," or those left behind. Friar Marco thus relates 
his description of Cevola: It is ‘‘a great city, inhabited with great store of people, and having 
many streets and market-places; in some parts of this city there are certain very great houses, 
of five stories high, wherein the chief of the city assemble themselves at certain days of the year. 
The houses are of lime and stone; the gates and small pillars of the principal houses are of 
turqueses; and all the vessels when. they are served, and other ornaments of their houses, 
are of gold. The other six cities are built like unto hi; whereof some are bigger, and Ahacus 
is the chiefest of them. At the southeast there is a kingdom called Marata t, where there were 
wont to be many great cities, which were all builded of houses of stone, with divers lofts; 
and these have and do wage war with the lord of the seven cities, through which war the king- 
dom of Marata is for the most part wasted, although it yet continueth and maintaineth war 
against the other." 
"7 Likewise the kingdom of Totonteact lieth toward the west—a very mighty province, replen- 
ished with infinite store of people and riches; and in the said kingdom they wear woolen cloth, 
made of fleeces of those beasts previously described; and they are a very civil people." He 
told also of another kingdom called Acus.$ 
Here they showed him a hide, half as big again as the hide of an ox, which they said 
belonged to a beast with one horn. The color of the skin was like that of a goat, and the hair 
was a finger thick. 
The inhabitants requested him to stay here three or four days, because from this place there 
were “four days’ journey into the desert, and from the first entrance into the same desert unto the 
city of Cevola are fifteen great days’ journey more." Accompanied by thirty of the principal 
Indians, with others to carry their provisions, he entered this second desert on the 9th of May. 
He travelled the first day by a very broad and beaten way, and came to dinner unto a water, 
and at night unto another water, where the Indians provided him with a cottage and victuals. 
In this manner he travelled twelve days’ journey. At that point he met one of Stephen's 
Indians, who, ‘‘in great fright, and covered with sweat," informed him that the people of 
Cevola had at first imprisoned, and afterward killed the negro. 
Father Marco himself then became fearful of trusting his lifein the hands of that people. 
But he told his companions that he ** purposed to see the city of Cevola, whatsoever came of it.” 
So he ascended a mountain, and viewed the city. He describes it as ‘‘situated upon a plain, at 
the foot of a round hill, || and maketh show to be a fair city ; and is better seated" than any that 
he has seen in these parts. The houses were builded in order," according as the Indians 
had told him; zz all made of stone, with divers stories and flat roofs." ‘‘The people are some- 
what white; they wear apparel, and lie in beds; their weapons are bows; they have emeralds 
and other jewels, although they esteem none so much as turqueses, wherewith they adorn the 
walls of the porches of their houses, and their apparel and vessels; and they use them instead 
of money through all the country." “Their apparel is of cotton and of ox-hides, and this is 
their most commendable and honorable apparel." “They use vessels of gold and of silver, for 
* It is remarkable that, at the present day, many of the Indians of Zuñi are white. "They have a fair skin, blue eyes, 
chestnut or auburn hair, and are quite good looking. They claim to be full-blooded Zuñians, and have no tradition of in- 
rriages with any foreign race. The circumstance creates no surprise among this people, for from time immemorial a 
similar class of persons has existed in the tribe. 
T I believe this to have been at Casas Grandes, near Corralitas. 
i Totonteac is doubtless the country lying aed the waters of Rio Verde and Pueblo creek. Civilization and the 
must have made considerable progress there; but if the Tontos, who now roam over a large part of this Gap are 
descended from that race, they have wofully deg tre 
The position of the kingdom of Acus is not mentioned. It may have been upon the Colorado € or upon the 
Cañon de Chelly; at both places there are ancient ruins, well described by Captains Sitgreaves and Sim 
|| This description answers quite well for Zuñi at the prese 
*| The following he could not have seen, but probably ie on PAR authority of his informers. 
