108 
(Coronado’s expedition to cibola. 
they have no other metal, whereof there is greater rise and more abundance than in Peru; and 
they buy the same for turqueses in the province of the Pintados,* where there are said to he 
mines of great abundance.” Of other kingdoms, he says he could not obtain so particular 
instruction. 
When he told the Indian chiefs that were with him what a goodly city Cevola seemed, they 
told him that it was the least of the seven cities, and that “ Totonteac was the greatest and 
best of them all, because it had so many houses and people“that there was no end of them.” 
Having set up a cross, and made a heap of stones, he named that country El Nuevo Reyno de 
San Francisco. Then, “with more fear than victuals,” he returned. In two days he overtook 
the people he had left behind, crossed the desert, hurried from the valley, and passed the 
second desert. Having arrived at the valley of Santa Cruz, he determined to visit the great 
plain he had been informed of, toward the east; but, for fear of the Indians, did not go into it. 
At its entrance he saw “but seven towns, of a reasonable bigness, which were afar off in a low 
valley, being very green, and having a most fruitful soil, out of which ran many rivers.” f He 
was informed that there was much gold in this valley, and that the inhabitants worked it 
into vessels and thin plates; but they did not suffer those of the other side of the plain to traf¬ 
fic with them. Having, as usual, set up crosses and taken possession, he returned to San 
Miguel, in the province of Culiacan, and finally to Compostella. 
“THE RELATION OP FRANCISCO VASQUEZ DE CORONADO, CAPTAIN GENERAL OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE 
SENT, IN THE NAME OF THE EMPEROR’S MAJESTY, TO THE COUNTRY OF CIBOLA,| NEWLY DISCOVERED.” 
On the 22d of April, 1540, Coronado, with “part of the army,” set out from the province of 
Culiacan, and after great hardships arrived at the valley § of the people called Caracones on 
the 26tli of May. Here, the corn not being ripe, he sent over to the Valle || del Senor, where 
some was purchased. Leaving the Caracones, he endeavored to keep as near as possible to the 
sea-coast; but, when he arrived at Chichilticale,^ he found himself ten days’ journey from the 
sea. Having rested here two days, he entered the desert country beyond, on St. John’s eve 
(23d of June). For the first few days there was a scarcity of grass. The mountains and bad 
passages were worse than he had before found. In this last desert he lost many horses and 
some of his friendly Indians; one Spaniard and two negroes also died for the lack of food. 
Coronado says, in describing this part of his route, “it is a most wicked way, at least thirty 
leagues and more, because there are inaccessible mountains.”** “But,” he continues, “after 
we had passed these thirty leagues, we found fresh rivers, and grass like that of Castile; and 
especially of that sort which we call scaramonio; many nut trees and mulberry trees, but the 
nut trees differ from those of Spain in the leaf; and there was flax, but chiefly near the hanks 
of a certain river, which therefore we called El Rio del Lino,” (river of flax).ft Here’lie was 
met by some of the people of Cibola. At first they appeared friendly; afterward they attacked 
his army very valiantly, but at length retired, “sounding a certain small trumpet in token 
of retreat.” Afterward, he says, “the Indians here and there made fires, and were answered 
® In mountains near the valley of Tucson and Santa Cruz, where I have located the Pintados, there are known to be 
rich mines of silver ; and gold is said to he abundant. As that region now belongs to the United States, it is probable 
the mines will be worked. 
f We have already referred to this plain as the present Casas Grandes, or the ancient kingdom of Marata. 
f Coronado changes the spelling of Friar Marco, from Cevola, which doubtless corresponded to the Indian pronunciation, 
to Cibola, which word is now used throughout Mexico to denote buffalo. Probably the term for the latter was derived 
from this country, where so many hides were reported to have been seen. 
§ Valley of San Miguel river. || Rio Sonora. 
If “ Chichilticale,” meaning Red House , is the often-described ruin of the present day, in the valley of Rio Gila, near 
the Pima villages. 
60 Sierra Mogoyon, between the Pima villages and Zulu. 
ft El Rio del Lino is the Colorado Chiquito. 
