Juan Velarde Colodro, 1612-1614 
481 
To the ninth question this witness said that he saw that Captain Juan 
Velarde Colodro is the person named in the titles and documents which 
he has presented, and that, during all the time while he was in New, 
Mexico, he always attended to whatever he was commanded to do, and 
that he performed many services other than those mentioned in the inter¬ 
rogatory, for this witness saw him perform them; and never did he learn 
or hear that he ever received any compensation for them, although he 
worked night and day with his person, arms, horses, and servants. This 
he responds, and it is all common and public knowledge, etc. 
In the City of Mexico, on the twenty-fourth day of the month of 
September, 1612, the oidor Quesada caused to appear before him for the 
purpose of contributing to the official report a man who said that his name 
was Juan de Mallea, that he was a resident of this city and of the town of 
Culiacán, and had been a soldier in his Majesty’s service. The oidor 
received his oath. 
To the first question he said that he knows his Majesty’s fiscal and 
Captain Juan Velarde Colodro. 
To the general legally prescribed questions respecting competence he 
said that he is twenty-eight years old, and that the general questions do 
not disqualify him. 
To the first [second] question this witness said that what he knows 
concerning it is that he saw that about the time mentioned in the question 
the journey to New Mexico was made under authority of his Majesty’s 
cédula, and the men were enlisted in Zacatecas, where the royal standard 
was placed. This witness saw that one of the first to enlist under it was 
Captain Juan Velarde Colodro; he attended to all the official business 
connected with the expedition, both that concerning the enlistment of the 
men and that needed on the journey until New Mexico was reached. He 
was entrusted with many affairs because he was an important man, careful, 
able, and efficient. This the witness knows and has seen, because he went 
as a soldier upon the expedition, etc. 
To the third question this witness said that he saw that Captain Juan 
Velarde was secretary to the governor, Don Juan de Oñate, because he 
was an able, competent person who could be trusted, and that all the In¬ 
dians who were pacified in New Mexico gave their submission before him 
and were reduced to obedience to his Majesty. This the witness re¬ 
sponds, etc. 
To the fourth question this witness said that he saw Captain Colodro 
present during the conquest and pacification of New Mexico for almost 
twelve continuous years, during which time he attended carefully and 
faithfully to inquiring into the secrets of the land by explorations in which 
he endured many hardships and calamities, paying his expenses entirely 
from his own estate. This he responds. 
To the fifth question this witness said that he knew it to be common 
knowledge among all the soldiers who went on the discovery of the port 
of the South Sea, upon which Captain Colodro went with the general, 
that he underwent many hardships, nakedness, and hunger, but that he 
did not fail to care for the army. The same thing happened upon the 
