198 
The Founding of New Mexico 
later he issued the formal warrants, titles, and vouchers to Oñate, who 
then began active preparations for the undertaking. 18 Lists were opened 
by him first in Mexico and in Puebla de los Angeles, and soldiers for the 
expedition were mustered there and in Nueva Galicia until the terms of 
the contract were more than fulfilled in this respect. 19 Preparations hav¬ 
ing been completed, it was planned for the expedition to depart in June, 
1596. 20 It is not clear whether the expedition got under way by the above 
date; however, after it had started, so many lawless acts were committed 
by its members that finally the viceroy was forced to despatch an alcalde 
to preserve order and to stop the “ many outrages . . . which were not 
so bad as rumor indicated ”. Still later when the expedition reached 
Zacatecas it was decided by Monterey and the real acuerdo to send Don 
Lope de Ulloa, captain of the viceregal guard, to maintain order as far 
as the last settlements, but more particularly, upon arrival at these settle¬ 
ments, to make an official inspection of the expedition and ascertain 
thereby whether or not Oñate had complied with the terms of his con¬ 
tract. Don Lope obeyed well his instructions. He assembled the people, 
got them under way, and led them to expect an official inspection upon 
reaching the last of the northern settlements. As a matter of fact later 
instructions to Ulloa had authorized him, in case that Oñate seemed to 
have the means to carry out his contract, not to make the inspection, 
though of this both Oñate and the members of the expedition were kept 
in ignorance. After leaving Zacatecas everything went well, and by the 
last of July, 1596, the expedition had reached the Rio de las Nazas, the 
largest river in modern central Durango and regarded as the most diffi¬ 
cult one to cross on the way to New Mexico. This was approximately 
twenty leagues south of Santa Bárbara, “ a very noted village and the 
best known among the last settlements ”. 21 Thus far had Oñate progressed 
in his undertaking when disquieting and disappointing reports from Spain, 
of which it is now necessary to relate, were received in New Spain. 
Some time after the modification in Oñate’s contract had been made 
by Monterey, as appears from an undated document in the collection, 22 
Don Pedro Ponce de León, a reputedly wealthy noble, of the town of 
Bailén, who had lived in New Spain, where he was well known and very 
popular, 23 petitioned Philip II. for the right to conquer New Mexico. 
A comparative statement with regard to his petition and that which Don 
Juan de Oñate had previously presented to Viceroy Velasco was then 
prepared for the Council by one of its agents; this shows that Don Pedro 
Ponce de León proposed to organize a larger and a much more elaborate 
18 Notification to Oñate, Rio de las Nazas, Nueva Vizcaya, Sept. 9, 1596. This vol., 
P. 351. 
19 Letter from Doctor Santiago del Riego to the king, Mexico, Nov. 19, 1596. This 
volume, p. 369. 
20 Letter from the Count of Monterey to the king, Mexico, Nov. 15, 1596. This 
volume, p. 377. 
Ibid. 
22 Statement of what Don Juan de Oñate and Don Pedro Ponce de León offer for 
the exploration, pacification, and settlement of New Mexico. This volume, pp. 281-293. 
23 Council of the Indies to the king, Apr. 7, 1596. This volume, p. 293. 
