1540.] EXPEDITION OF VAZQ.UEZ DE CORONADO. 6. 



named Rio de Nuestra Senora de Buena Guia* (or River of our 

 Lady of Safe Conduct,) probably the same now called the Colorado. 

 This stream Alarcon ascended, to the distance of more than eighty 

 leagues, with a party of his men, in boats, making inquiries on the 

 way about the seven cities ; in reply to which, he received from 

 the Indians a number of confused stories — of kingdoms rich in 

 precious metals and jewels — of rivers filled with crocodiles and other 

 monsters — of droves of buffaloes — of enchanters — and other won- 

 derful or remarkable objects. Of Totonteac he could learn nothing ; 

 though, at the end of his voyage up the river, he obtained what he 

 considered some definite information respecting Cibola, and was 

 assured that he might reach that place by a march of ten days into 

 the interior. He, however, suspected treachery on the part of those 

 who gave the assurance ; and, not conceiving it prudent to attempt 

 to advance farther, he returned to his ships. In a second voyage up 

 the river, he obtained no additional information ; and, believing it 

 needless to continue the search, he went back to Mexico, where he 

 arrived before the end of the year.f 



The land forces, despatched at the same time towards the north- 

 west, were composed of cavalry and infantry, and were accompanied 

 by priests, for the conversion of the natives to Christianity. They 

 were commanded by Francisco Vazquez de Coronado, a man of 

 resolute and serious character, and by no means disposed to exag- 

 gerate, who had been appointed governor of New Galicia, in place 

 of Nurio de Guzman. His letter to the viceroy,! containing 

 accounts of the first period of the expedition, though wanting in 

 precision, is yet sufficiently exact to afford a general idea of the 

 direction in which he marched, and even of the position of some of 

 the principal places which he visited. 



* In honor of the viceroy, who bore on his arras an image of Nuestra SeTwra de 

 Buena Guia. 



t Letter of Alarcon to the viceroy Mendoza, in Ramusio, vol. iii. p. 303, and in 

 Hakluyt, vol. iii. p. 505. See, also, Herrera, Decade vi. p. 208. 



The Cahfornian Gulf had thus been completely explored, as appears not only 

 from the accounts of the voyages of Ulloa and Alarcon, but also from a chart of th© 

 coasts of California, and the west coast of Mexico, drawn, in 1541, by Domingo del 

 Castillo, Alarcon's pilot, of which an engraved fa c-simile may be found in the edition 

 of the Letters of Cortes, published at Mexico, in 1770, by Archbishop Lorenzana. 

 The shores of the gulf, and of the west side of California, to the 30th degree of lati- 

 tude, are there delineated with a surprising approach to accuracy. The pilot doubt- 

 less derived his information chiefly from the journals of Ulloa, which were sent back 

 in the Santa Agueda, and were seized, by order of the viceroy, immediately on the 

 arrival of that vessel in Mexico. 



X Ramusio, vol. iii. p. 300. Hakluyt, vol. iii. p. 447. 



