FOREST AND STREAM. 
^28 
contact with the water until thej' barely covered my 
elbows, while the top button and its intended button- 
hole had agreed to separate until a good 2in. intervened 
between them. This space was partly concealed by a 
gorgeous red and yellow and green tie, with which 
I bad startled my companion while we Avcre in Wells 
River. On my head I wore a battered cowboy's hat, 
with the tail feathers of a meat-hawk stuck jauntily in 
the band. A week's growth of beard completed ray out- 
fit. No wonder the people stared. But I survived the 
ordeal, and laden with letters and provisions made my 
way back to the river bank. The provisions were soon 
disposed of, the mail read and the canoe once more 
glided on down the river. 
After the dirt and smoke and noise of Wliite River 
Junction, the contrast afforded by the scenery we 
encountered between that town and Windsor is most 
refreshing. This stretch of tlie river is by far the most 
attractive one to be found between the lakes and Hol- 
yoke Dam. Ihickly wooded hills shut the river in on 
all sideSj and as the channel winds in and out among these 
it is often, most diflicult to tell where the stream is going 
to escape. The water too for the most part is swift, 
and we made good time. About 4 o'clock we reached 
the Queechi Falls, and here another carry was in order. 
The carry is a fairly long one, but the bank is free from 
obstructions, and our delaj^ was of short duration. It 
was faSt getting dark when we reached Windsor, and 
dropping down just below the town we landed. A short 
distance back from the river a steep hill rises abruptly, 
its top covered with trees and shrubs. Here in an old 
wood road we curled up in our blankets and were soon 
asleep. 
"Wash day!" my companion sang out to me, aa I 
opened my^ eyes the next morning. But breakfast was 
the first thing on the programme, and we set to work 
to prepare it. When our appetites had been appeased 
we dragged the canoe ashore, and dumping out its con- 
tents on the beach gave it the best scrubbing it had en- 
jo3'ed for many a day. Then we set to work on our 
"linen." The list was a small one this week, and' as the 
sun was most propitious we were soon on our way down 
the stream. 
The water was still fairly swift, and wc took things 
easy. But it seemed as though we never would lose sight 
of Windsor, For miles the channel holds almost a 
perfectly straight course, and it was well toward the noon 
hour when a. bend in the river finally hid the town from 
our sight. A cool spring bubbling out from the bank 
offered us an attractive spot for lunch, and we made for 
it Near hy Avas a farmhouse, and while we munched 
our light repast the owner, a veteran of the late war, 
entertained us Avith thrilling accounts of his army life. 
Befpre we left him he had filled our pockets and evei"y 
available space in otu" boat with the best apples his farm 
afforded, and as we paddled away he stood on the bank 
shouting after us his good wishes. There is no more 
hospitable or big-hearted man living than the average 
New England farmer. 
The afternoan was quiet, the Avater without a ripple, 
and the woody banks were beautifully reflected in the 
river. It was an ideal time to be on the water. We had 
little inclination to work, and so stretching out on the 
bottom of the canoe we let her drift, and enjoyed to the 
full our inspiring surroundings. But as the afternoon 
wore away we realized that we must be on the lookout 
for our camping ground for the night. Paddling down 
below Charlestown, we guided our canoe into a small 
cove, and set out to find the place we desired. What 
seemed at the time an ideal place was discovered 
just back from the river, and our fire Avas soon blazing 
merri!y._ From our position among the trees we had a 
good view of the river in both directions. Just across 
the town of Charlestown lay spread out before us. On 
the opposite shore a party of j'oung people were enjoy- 
ing themselves to their hearts' content, and their bab- 
bling voices and shouts of laughter came floating over 
the water to us. But their merriment was interrupted 
by the approach of a boat which was coming up the 
river. Its occupant, a farmer's boy, had given himself 
up to the influence of his inspiring surroundings, and as 
he plied his oars was pouring forth his voice in a melody 
of song. His tones were unique, his range remarkable, 
and his selections included evervthing from "Hold the 
Fort" to "Swim out, O'Grady." " 
We ate our supper, puffed away on our pipes while 
the sparks from our camp-fire chased each other up 
through the pine branches toward the stars above us, 
and then as the blaze died down we drifted into sleep. 
But it was of short duration. An army of mosquitoes 
had discovered us and we were suddenly attacked from 
all sides. In vain we covered our heads with our coats, 
or buried' them in our blankets; in vain did we shift 
from one position to another, and beat the atmosphere 
with our arms. We were outnumbered and defeated. 
Sullenly we crawled out of our blankets, started a fire, 
and lighting our pipes waited for morning. 
We could leave that place none too .soon that morn- 
ing, and after some hard paddling — all the harder be- 
cause of our unsatisfactory night — we reached Bellows 
Falls. Here a team was required to carry our boat 
around the falls. We were anxious to reach Brattleboro 
that night,_ and stopping only long enough to purchase 
a few provisions we pressed on. Below the falls the river 
again quickens its speed, and we traveled fast. But 
we still had many miles to cover to reach our destina- 
tion before dark, and Ave worked hard, making only one 
short stop to allow ourselves a hasty lunch. Brattle- 
boro was several miles away when daylight left us, but 
we determined to follow out our original plan, and so 
on we Avent. It Avas pitch dark when Ave came under 
Chesterfield Bridge, just aboA-e the toAvn, and without 
any warning we suddenly found ourselves in a short 
stretch of_ SAvift, choppy Avater that almost SAvamped 
us. Luckily no rocks were in our pathway, and in a 
moment the threatening place had been left behind, and 
-Ave breathed again. 
At so late an hour it Avas useless to attempt to get 
a _ supper on shore, especially since our provisions 
were almost exhausted; and so hiding our canoe 
in the bushes Ave made our Avay to the tOAvn. To our sur- 
prise Ave found a hotel, where in spite of our tramp-like 
appearance Ave Avere given shelter for the night, and Avere 
not even asked to pay in advance. But a bed did not 
feel natural, and we made a poor night of it. A hotel 
breakfast too did not seem to rest just right on our 
stomachs, but in spite of such drawbacks we started 
on for Turner's Falls in good spirits. 
Just beloAV Brattleboro Bridge we came through an- 
other stretch of choppy water, and for a number of miles 
a good stiff current carried us along at a lively pace. But 
early in the afternoon our Avork began. First the carry 
at the French King Rapids. Then a long stretch of dead 
water extending to the dam at Turner's Falls. About 
a mile above the dam a huge log jatn completely blocked 
the river. But the lumber company has no legal right 
to impede navigation, and no objections were offered 
Avhen Ave asked to have our canoe carried around the 
jam. 
By the time Ave had secured a team to carry our boat 
around the falls it was dark, but no more hotel beds 
for us> When Ave found ourselves once more on the 
river bank Ave fell to AVork Avith a Avill, and soon had a 
tempting supper well under Avay. But it Avas too late to 
attempt to find an ideal camping ground, and Ave re- 
solved to make the best of the first place that presented 
itself. Making our Avay through a thick clump of alders 
Ave emerged into an onen pasture. Here, under a tall 
elm tree, while the frogs sang their prettiest to us, and 
the stars Avatched over us, Ave stretched out our blankets 
and forgot the Avorld and its cares. 
The next day Avas to complete our journey. Our 
friends at home had learned of our Avhereabouts and had 
planned to meet us just above Sunderland Bridge and 
celebrate our return to civilization Avith an old-fashioned 
picnic. We Avere the first to reach the spot, but the 
others Avere not long in appearing, and soon after the 
noon hour Ave were making huge inroads into the 
choicest dishes from our home larders. As evening drcAV 
near Ave left our friends to pack up the remnants of that 
p-lorious repast, and embarking for the last time in our 
canoe paddled the remaining few miles to Northampton. 
A team Avas Avaiting to carry us and our outfit to our 
home, and reluctantly Ave turned our back upon the old 
river that had furnished us so much solid enjoyment. 
To a man seeking merely adventure and excitement 
tlie trip I haA-e described Avould oft'er fcAv attractions. 
But sometimes Ave crave outings of a different sort. 
Surelv to one Avho enjoys nature, Avho appreciates the 
restfulness that comes from floating on the waters of 
an attractive river, and Avho derives any satisfaction 
from mvestigatins- the history of its Avanderings, a trip 
doAvn the Connecticut is Avell Avorth trying. The expense 
IS slight; the river has waters of all kinds, from long 
calm stretches to foaming rapids, and along its banks 
is some ot the finest of Ncav England scenery. There 
are times too Avhen Ave have neither the time nor money 
to shoot Canadian rapids, and at such times it often hap- 
pens that the enjoyment and recreation Ave seek lie close 
at our doors, unappreciated bv us because of their verv 
nearness. 
Andover, Mass. 
The Island of Marquez. 
An account of the first expedition to California, comnilcd frr>ni 
original sources for children of all ages. * '^°"'P"<-«J 
It is not generally known that the first white men to 
set foot withm the boundaries of the present State of 
California formed a detachment sent out by the famous 
explorer Coronado. 
The ultimate limit of Coronado's own journey was a 
country called Quivira, which, we know from the ac- 
counts of his march which have reached us, lay near the 
Alissoun River, probably in eastern Kansas; yet if you 
look at the old maps of America dating even as late as 
tiity yeai-s after this great march you will find a country 
labeled Quivira built out a long Avay into the Pacific 
Ucean west of San Francisco and sometimes overlapping 
the longitude of New Guinea. 
It Avill not therefore surprise us much, in view of the 
prevailing confusion of directions, to find that the de- 
tachment Avhose fortunes we are about to follow was sent 
westAvard to communicate Avith certain ships despatched 
to assist Coronado— ships that could only have reached 
land P^^^^"^§' eastward over a thousand miles of dry 
/ First let us look at the origin of the main expedition 
and then the whole sequence of events Avill become clear. 
through all the earlier part of the sixteenth century 
the hardy soldiery of Spain, stirred by an immense im- 
pulse of hope, energy and enthusiasm, had performed 
wonders of discovery. 
It Avas in the month of February, 1540, that the stal- 
Avart Capt. Francisco Coronado, emulous of other pio- 
neers, led his forces out of the valley of Mexico He 
Avas full of eagerness to realize a prospect of almost cer- 
tain and enormous riches and renoAvn. Reports had 
come to the capital from venturous sailors of gold and 
pearls m lands still undiscovered. Friendly Indians 
had told splendid tales of the rich shores of the sea of 
Cortez. Why should not the upper country hold Avealth 
such as Don Pedro de Alvarado had Avrung from his 
southern proAances? And Avhy should "old "Christians" 
be frightened at stories of man-eating savages or sea 
serpents that served the demon? 
Years before, the viceroy Guzman had planned to con- 
quer the seven golden cities of Cibola, but his Indian 
guide had died and no one could tell the way to that 
mysterious land. Then three soldiers came to Mexico 
Avho had formed part of the hand that Narvaez took to 
explore Florida. For eight years these sole survivors 
ot that gallant host had borne the buffets of ill-fortune, 
shipAvreck, slavery and Aveary journeyings, till from tribe 
to tribe and from village to village they had crossed the 
continent and stood before the great viceroy Mendoza 
Guzman's famous successor. Dorantes, Maldonado and 
Cabeza de Vaca had passed from Alabama AvestAvard 
through Arizona to the Pacific nearly three hundred 
years before LeAvis and Clarke sailed doAvn the Columbia- 
fifty years and more before Philip launched his great 
Armada against undaunted England. These were the 
pathfinders of that golden age, and you must hunt in 
musty records to find their names. Yet if they suffered 
poverty and toil, if their memory is covered deep with 
the dust of oblivion, truly they had their rcAvard — the 
joy of vast discovery of things unknoAvn. So Mendoza 
heard the Avanderers' tale and summoned Francisco Cor- 
onado, the governor of New Galicia (who should not be 
confounded Avith his kinsman, Juan Coronado), and giv- 
ing him three hundred Spaniards, many of them veterans 
and many of gentle blood, besides a body of Indian 
auxiliaries, dispatched him to conquer ncAv lands. The 
Spanish soldiers were sent off separately to meet the 
native levies many leagues to the northward, lest before 
they became inured to discipline they should brawl with 
the Indian allies. So the whole army Avas gathered at 
Compostela and revicAved by the viceroy, who then 
turned back to the capital, while the expedition, began 
its toilsome march. 
The road lay over rough and mountainous country 
for a long distance. Traveling Avas difficult at best, and 
the hardship was increased by the loss of a large portion 
of the scanty baggage. Over the narrow and rocky trails 
only pack horses could be used for burden, and fcAV of 
the soldiers and none of the gentry had ever packed an 
animal in their lives or kneAV eA'en the rudiments of the 
necessary art of packing. 
Now at Chiametla, some tAvcnty-five leagues on the 
Avay, the army met Melchior Diaz, a seasoned explorer, 
who had been sent ahead with a few men to scout the 
country. Melchior reported that he had gone north 
near three hundred leagues of actual travel and oA'cr 
tAvo hundred in a straight line as far as Chilchilticale, 
the place now knoAvn as Casa Grande in Arizona, but that 
he had seen no inhabited city, for though Chilchilticale 
Avas a vast adobe building, no doubt once both dwelling 
and fortress of a vanquished tribe, it stood then as now 
roofless and fire-blackened, a monument of the fero^eity 
of the savage nomads of the surrounding deserts. 
We need not follow this expedition of romance step 
by step — hoAV they conquered or visited the Zuiii and 
Moqui toAvns and Queres and Taos and Acoma; how one 
detachment peered into and climbed part way doAvn the 
grand cafion of the Colorado and another almost reached 
the banks of the father of Avaters, and how they returned 
richer in Avisdom than in gold to»tbe astonished and in- 
dignant viceroy. 
Let us go back to Melchior Diaz, ' whom we find in 
September at the toAvn of Sonora (now nermosillo") pre- 
paring to lead a band of twenty-five men in search of the 
ships of Alarcon. For this seaman had been despatched 
laden Avith supplies for the army under orders "to pass 
the straits that separated the island of Marquez (called 
by some the island of California) from the mainland, 
and coast along the shores of the southern sea as far 
north as the 36th degree of north latitude, keeping in 
touch Avith the land force under Coronado — yet not to 
pass so far north as to reach the Great India claimed by 
the Portuguese, which touches this country on the north- 
west." 
From these orders it will be seen that the viceroy's 
ideas of the lay of the land much needed that very cor- 
rection Avhich his adventurous explorers .would sooti 
give. 
Many of the details of the doings of Coronado, Diaz 
and Alarcon have been given in the Spanish official re- 
ports, but these are accessible mainly through French 
translations, which omit circumstances deemed bj' the 
translators to be little Avorthy of credence or attention; 
and the original "relaciones" of Castafieda and Jaramillo 
contain much of interest and importance not to be found 
in the French editions. Besides these official reports 
there is a manuscript, old indeed, but unfortunately not 
quite contemporary Avith the events related, which pur- 
ports to be Avritten by a son of Tomas Martinez, Avho 
Avas one of Diaz's folloAvers, at his father's dictation. 
This document is in the custody of Don Juan Martinez, 
living noAv or lately in the tOAvn of Altar,_ Sonora, Mex- 
ico, and contains a fcAV intimate details either not given 
in, or diii'ering from, the official accounts. Yet, as the 
official accounts themselves are occasionally at variance 
while obAaotisly true in their general purport, it seems 
as if the Martinez manuscript Avere Avorthy of the same 
regard as they.* 
In September of 1540 Melchior Diaz left Hermosillo 
for the Western coast. He had under him twenty-four 
fighting men, and a Franciscan priest, Father Jayme, 
accompanied the party. The soldiers were in the main 
old campaigners, ready for adventure and danger, but 
Avith a practical eye to the advantages of AA'ealth and some 
experience in getting profitable Avork out of the Indians 
of the Mexican provinces. 
Besides the Tomas Martinez already mentioned there 
was an Andalusian, Pedro Estrada, of dark color and 
perhaps some Moorish ancestry, who acted as a kind of 
informal lieutenant for Diaz, and two young Castilians, 
Bejar and Sainz. All of the party Avere at first mounted 
and these tAvo Castilians Avere accompanied by two grey- 
hounds, meant for coursing game, but much more apt 
to worry the sheep AAdiich the prudent captain had col- 
lected and Avas driA^ng Avith his column to supply their 
needs in case other provisions fell short. 
The detachment marched first doAvn the Sonora River, 
tvhich tOAA^ard the coast dwindles to a dry sandy bed, and 
then, when in sight of the sea, the party turned north 
through the rocky and desolate region that lies along 
the coast. Several horses were lost here through thirst 
and starvation, and the men had hard Avork to get Avater 
enough to keep them alive from the fcAV and bitter springs 
that were found. By chance one day the}' came upon 
a part}' of Seris Indians, Avho were so surprised by the 
appearance that they supposed the mounted Spaniards 
Avere creatures of another Avorld and readily guided them 
to -a Avater hole, Avhen their Avants were made knoAvn 
by signs. The natural ferocity of these savages, hoAvever, 
Avhich does not even respect the supernatural, prompted 
them, after their first alarm Avas passed, to attack the 
Castilian Bejar, aa'Iio Avas separated somcAvhat from the 
rest, little suspecting such a danger, and Avould liaA^e 
been killed but for his dog, which fell a sacrifice to his 
devotion to his master. The Spaniards tp .be sure 
promptly assailed the Indians and killed three dithem, 
but the incredible SAviftness of the survivors enabled them 
* Note 'b'y the Editor. — The manuscript -of the Island of Marquez 
was received from out correspondent Mr. Dulog something more 
than_ a year ago. Since that time the Bureau of Ethnology has 
published the original texts of some of the documents here named, 
including the report of Coronado and the relacion of , Castafieda, 
together with translations. In these accounts there is frequent 
reference to the journey given us by Mr.- Dulo'g Inonj the Martinez 
manuscript. , ^ 
The details here given form an interesting cohtributfen to the 
history of early discovery in America. 
