76 A VISIT FROM THE SPANIARDS. 



Coronado, after leaving the main army, "went much 

 beyond the south branch of Kansas river, if he even 

 reached that stream." Quivira should then have been 

 located to the south and perhaps a little east of the 

 centre of the state of Kansas. 



The latest contribution to the history of this expedi- 

 tion is made by Mr. F. W. Hodge, * who is inclined to 

 the opinion that Coronado, after having turned north, 

 crossed the Arkansas i^iver on its south bend not far 

 from the place where Dodge City now stands. It was 

 probably from this point that he marched (according 

 to the Spanish chroniclers) six days to the northeast, 

 following down the right side of the stream, and finding 

 the first native village on the Great Bend. From there 

 he continued to the northeast and "either followed 

 down the Smoky Hill or crossed that stream and also 

 the Saline, Solomon, and Republican forks, reaching 

 Kansas river not far from Junction City." "xifter learn- 

 ing what they could about the province, the Spaniards 

 then .... retraced their steps for two or three days, 

 where they provided themselves with fruit and corn for 

 the return journey .... This place was probably but a 

 few miles from the present Salina" (Fig. 32). 



It will be seen from the above that the Paint Creek 

 dwelling site lies in the region which Coronado visited. 

 It is recorded that during the twenty five days he and 

 his forty followers remained in Quivira, he sent out 

 captains and squads in various directions to visit dif- 

 ferent villages, of which, he says, there were not more 



* Harahey, by J. V. Brower, St. Paul, Minn., 1899, pp. 29—73. 



