Return of Coronado 
35 
was, therefore, guided along the southerly edge of the great 
Colorado Plateau, through the superb Coconino Forest, where 
he had wood, water, and grass in abundance. The locality he 
reached was very dry, and they were obliged to go each night 
a long distance back from the brink to procure water. For 
this reason, Cardenas gave up trying to follow the canyon, and 
returned again, by way of Tusayan, to Cibola, passing on the 
way a waterfall, which possibly was in the Havasupai (Cataract) 
Canyon. Castaneda, the chief chronicler of the Coronado ex¬ 
pedition, says the river Cardenas found was the Tizon, “much 
nearer its source than where Melchior Diaz crossed it,” thus 
showing that its identity was well surmised, if not understood, 
at that time. Nothing, however, was known of its upper 
course; at least there is no evidence of any such knowledge, 
though the natives had doubtless given the Spaniards some in¬ 
formation regarding it. The special record of the Cardenas 
expedition was kept by one Pedro de Sotomayor, but it has 
apparently never been seen in modern times. It is probably in 
the archives of Spain or Mexico, and its discovery would throw 
needed light on the location of Tusayan and the course Car¬ 
denas followed.' The distance of this whole region from a con¬ 
venient base of supplies, and its repellent character, prevented 
further operations at this period, and when these explorers 
traced their disappointed way homeward, the Colorado was not 
seen again by white men for over half a century; and it was 
more than two hundred years before European eyes again 
looked upon the Grand Canyon. 
Coronado proceeded eastward to about the western line of 
Missouri, and, finding colonisation anywhere in the regions 
visited out of the question, he returned in 1542 to Mexico, 
with his entire army excepting a couple of padres. 
^ It may be noted here with reference to the location of Cibola, Tiguex, Tu¬ 
sayan, etc., that too much heretofore has been assumed. The explanations pre¬ 
sented are often very lame and unsatisfactory when critically examined. So many 
writers are now committed to the errors on this subject that it will be a hard 
matter to arrive at the truth. 
