The Old Man of the River 
23 
the Mississippi, of course, and the crocodiles were alligators. 
As Alargon had never seen an alligator he took the description 
to mean crocodile. A little farther and he heard of the negro 
Estevan again and the reason why the Cibolans had killed him, 
which was to prevent the Spaniards, whom he described, from 
finding their way into the Cibola country. This man also de¬ 
scribed the bison and a people who lived in painted tents in 
summer and in winter in houses of wood two or three storeys 
high. And thus the expedition continued up the river, inquir¬ 
ing as they went on all subjects. On September 6th the old 
man who had been a particular friend and interpreter was called 
on shore by the natives, and there was immediately an animated 
discussion which Alargon discovered related to himself. Infor¬ 
mation had come from Cibola that there were there men like 
these Spaniards who said they were Christians. These had 
been warlike, and it was proposed to kill all of Alargon’s party 
to prevent the others from gaining a knowledge of this coun¬ 
try. But the old man declared Alargon to be the son of the 
sun and took his part. Finally it was decided to ask him 
whether he were a Christian or the son of the sun. Alargon 
pretended great wonder at men like himself being at Cibola, 
but they assured him it was true, as two men who had come 
from there reported that they had beards and guns and swords 
just the same. Alargon still insisted that he was the son of the 
sun. They said the men at Cibola said the same, to which 
Alargon replied that it might well be, and if so they need have 
no fear, for the sons of the sun would be his brothers and 
would treat them as he had done. This seemed to pacify them. 
He inquired now how far it was to Cibola, and they answered 
ten days through an uninhabited country, with no account of 
the rest of the way because it was inhabited. 
Alargon was now more than ever desirous of informing Cor¬ 
onado of his whereabouts, and tried to persuade some of his 
men to go to Cibola with a message, promising fine rewards. 
Only one, a negro slave, and he with reluctance, offered to at¬ 
tempt the journey. Alargon tried to get the old man to give 
him guides and provisions, but without success, as the old man 
seemed to desire to induce Alargon to help them fight their 
