110 
TOTONTEAC AND OTHER INDIAN NATIONS. 
it is very likely so to be, both in respect to the manner of the country and by the fashion of 
their houses, and their furs, and other things which this people have to defend them from cold. 
There is no kind of fruit nor trees of fruit. The country is all plain, and is on no side moun¬ 
tainous ; albeit there are some hilly and bad passages. There are small store of fowls, the cause 
whereof is the cold, and because the mountains are not near. Here is no great store of wood, 
because they have wood for their fuel sufficient four leagues off, from a wood of small cedars. 
There is most excellent grass within a quarter of a league hence, for our horses, as well to feed 
them in pasture as to mowe and make hay. * * * The victuals which the people of this 
country have is maize, whereof they have great store, and also small white peas; and venison 
which by all likelihood they feed upon (though they say no), for we found many skins of deer, 
of hares, and conies. They eat the best cakes that ever I saw, and every body generally eateth 
of them. They have the finest order and way to grind that we ever saw in any place. And 
one Indian woman of this country will grind as much as four women of Mexico. They have 
most excellent salt, in kernel, which they fetch from a certain lake a day’s journey from hence. 
* * * Here are many sorts of beasts, as bears, tigers, lions, porkenspikes (porcupines?) 
and certain sheep* as big as an horse, with very great horns and little tails. I have seen their 
horns so big that it is a wonder to behold their greatness. Here are also wild goats, whose 
heads likewise I have seen, and the paws of bears, and the skins of wild boars. There is 
game of deer, ounces, and very great stags. * * * They travel eight days’ journey into 
certain plains, lying toward the North sea. In this country there are certain skins well 
dressed, and they dress them and paint them where they kill their oxen, for so they say them¬ 
selves . ’ ’ 
********** 
“ The kingdom of Totonteac, so much extolled by the father provincial, which said there 
were such wonderful things there, and such great matters, and that they made cloth there, the 
Indians say is a hot Za&ef, about which are five or six houses; and that there were certain other, 
but that they are ruinated by a war. The kingdom of Marata is not to be found, neither have 
the Indians any knowledge thereof. The kingdom of Acus is one only small city, where they 
gather cotton which is called Acacu. * * Beyond this town (Acus) they say there are other 
small towns which are near to a riverj which I have seen and have had report of by relation of 
the Indians.” 
Coronado states that these people abandoned their town, and fled to the hills with their 
wives and children and all their goods; and that, with all his persuasions, he could not induce 
them to come down from their strongholds. It was then, probably, that old Zuni was rebuilt. 
This agrees quite well with what I Avas told by the Zuhians themselves. 
Coronado relates that they assured him that, “above fifty years past, it was prophesied 
among them that a certain people like us should come, and from that part that we came from, 
and that they should subdue all that country.” 
He adds: “ that which these Indians worship, as far as hitherto we can learn, is the water ; 
for they say it causeth their corn to grow, and maintaineth their life; and that they know none 
other reason but that their ancestors did so.” 
To his inquiries of other countries, they tell him of “seven cities § Avhich are far distant from 
that place, which are like unto theirs, except the houses are of earth, and small; and that 
among them much cotton is gathered.” The chief of these toAvns is called Tucano., But Coro¬ 
nado thinks they do not tell him the truth. Among the curiosities which Coronado sent to the 
viceroy of Mexico, Avas a garment excellently embroidered with needlework. He sent also some 
* Big liorn sheep—in the Yuma language called cerbats. 
j There may he a hot lake in the volcanic region of San Francisco mountains. If these people were friends of those at 
Totonteac, they were wise in giving the conqueror a had opinion of that province. 
J Rio del Norte. 
§ The description will not answer for the seven pueblos of Moqui. The valley of Rio Verde may be referred to ; for upon 
the lower portion of it there are adobe ruins. 
