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1)ISC0^TERY OP THE COLOEADO, 215 



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California was united to tlie mainland, so that Alarcon 



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soon found his progress stopi^ed at the head of the Gulf of 

 California. He ascended the Eio Colorado for eighty-five 



leagues, and not encountering Coronado, returned by water to 

 'New Mexico. 



I Soon after Coronado had started, one Melchior Diaz set out 

 after him, with twenty-five men. He, however, by directing 

 his course to the westward, also discovered the Colorado, and 



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returned to Mexico "by sea. bringing back tbe first announce- 



tbat Lower Califor 



described 



the Indians along tlie Eio Colorado as being a Yery tall race, 

 almost naked J the men carrying banners, and bows and 

 arrows ; the women wearing feathers and an apron of deer- 



skin 



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ears, and the warriors smeared themselYOS with bright- 

 coloured paint. 



Nearly at the same time Coronado, having penetrated 

 with his party to Zufii, despatched one of his officers, Garci 

 Lopez de Cardenas, with a detachment of men to the Moqui 

 ■villages, and this party made a third discovery of the Eio 

 Colorado, many hundred miles above its source. After 

 travelling for twenty days through a broken volcanic country, 



where they experienced 



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denly came upon a deep cleft in the earth's surface which 

 barred all further progress. Lopez describes it as being 

 deeper than the side of the highest mountain, while the 

 surging torrent below seemed not more than a fathom wide. 

 Two men tried to descend, but after with difficulty climbing 

 do^^fn a third of the way they were stopped by a rock, which, 

 although from above it did not appear larger than a man, 

 was, in reality, higher than the tower of the cathedral at 

 Seville. " In no other nart of the continent had they seen so 



