So after they had beene four dayes in this prouince, they departed; and, not farre distant from the same, they came vnto another, which was called the prouince of the Tiguas, in the which they found sixteene townes; in the one of the same, called Poala, they vnderstood that the Indians had slaine the two friars, Francisco Lopez and Frier Augustine, whome they went to seeke: and with them, three boyes and a Mestizo. But when they of this towne and their neighbours vnderstoode, being pricked in conscience, and fearing that the Spaniards came to plague them, and to be reuenged for the death of the saide fathers, they durst not abide, but left their houses voide and fled vnto the mountaines that were nighest hande, from whence they could neuer cause them to descende, neither by giftes nor policie. They founde in their houses great store of victualles, and an infinite number of hennes of the countrie, diuers sortes of metals, and some of them seemed to be very good: they could not perfectly vnderstande the number of people that were in that countrie, for that they were fled vnto the mountaines, as aforesaid.
Being fully certified of the death of them that they went to seeke for, they entred into counsell to determine whether they should returne vnto New Biscaya, from whence they came, or to proceede forwarde; in the which there were diuers opinions. But by reason that they vnderstoode there, that towardes the port of the orient from that place, and not farre distant from that prouince, there were very great townes and rich, and finding themselues so nigh them, the captaine Antonio de Espero,[67] with the consent of the religious fryer aforesaide, called Bernardino Beltran, and the most part of his souldiers and companions, determined to proceede forwardes in the discouerie thereof, till such time as they did see to what end it would come, that they might the better giue perfect and iust notice thereof unto his maiestie, as witnesses that had seene it.
[67] Misspelt for Espeio.
So being in conformitie they determined, they remayning there sentenela, or royall companie, the captaine, with other two companions with him, should go forwardes in the demand of their desire, which foorthwith they put in execution. So, at the end of two dayes of their trauaile, they came vnto a prouince where they discouered aleuen townes [sic], and much people in them, which, in their iudgement, did passe fortie thousand soules. It was a countrie very well replenished and fertile, whose confines are ioyned vnto the lands of the Cibola, whereas as is great store of kyne, of whose skins they do apparell themselues and with cotton; hauing the vse of gouernement amongest them as their neighbours haue. There are signes and tokens of many rich mynes, and found in their houses certaine metalles; these Indians do worship idols: they received the Spaniardes with peace, and gaue them to eate. Seeing this, and the disposition of the countrie, they returned vnto their sentenela from whence they departed, to giue notice vnto their companions of all that hath beene saide.
So when they were come vnto their companions aforesaide, they had notice and vnderstanding of an other prouince, called the Quires, which was vp the riuer on the north, sixe leagues distant. So they departed thitherwardes; and when they came within a league of the place, there came foorth in peace a great companie of Indians, and requested that they would goe with them vnto their townes; the which they did, and were verie well entertayned, and had great cheare. In this prouince they sawe but onely fiue townes, in the which there was a great number of people, which, vnto their iudgement, did passe fifteene thousand soules; and doo worship idolles as their neighbours doo. They found in one of these townes a pye in a cage, as is the vse in Spaine; and tirasoles, as those which are brought from China, and painted on them the sunne and the moone, with many starres: and taking the altitude thereof, they founde it to be in seuen and thirtie degrees and a halfe vnder the north poole.
They departed from this prouince, and trauelling by the same course or rutter, fourteene leagues from thence, they came to another prouince called the Cunames, whereas they discouered other fiue townes: and that which was the principal and biggest of them is called Cia, which was of such huge bignesse that it had in it eight places: their houses be plastered with lyme, and painted with diuerse colours, much better than they had seene in any prouince past. It seemed that the people that were there did passe in number twentie thousande soules. They gaue presentes vnto the Spaniardes with many curious mantelles, and of victualles to eate maruellously well dressed, and iudged the people to be more curious, and of more estimation of themselues, than any that thitherto they had seene, and of greater gouernement. They Rich metals. shewed vnto them rich metalles, and the mountaines that were hard by whereas they did take it out. Here they had notice of an other prouince which was towards the northwest, and determined to go thither.
So after they departed from thence, and had trauailed sixe leagues, they came to the said prouince, which was called Ameias, in the which was seuen great townes, and in them, according to their iudgment, thirtie thousand soules: they said that one of these seuen townes was very great and faire; the which they would not go to see, for that it was situated behinde a mountaine, as also they feared some euil successe, if that they should be deuided the one from the other. They are people after the fashion of the other prouince their neighbours, with as much prouision, and as well gouerned. Fifteene leagues from this prouince, trauelling continually towards the northwest, they came to a great town, called Acoma; it had in it more than sixe thousande soules. It was situated and placed upon a high rock, the which was more than fiftie fadam in height, and had no other entry but by a payre of staires, the which was made and cut out of the same rocke, a thing the which did cause great admiration vnto the Spaniardes: all the water that they had in this towne was in cesternes. The principallest hereof came with peace for to see the Spaniards, and brought them many mantles, and shamwayes very well dressed, and great quantitie of prouision: they haue their corne-fields two leagues from that place, and for to water them they take water out of a small riuer there harde by. Upon the saide riuer side they sawe many fields with roses, like vnto those that are in Spain. There are many mountaines which shewe to haue mettals, although they went not vp to see it, for that the Indians be many, and very warlike people.
The Spaniards remained in this place three daies, in one of the which the naturall people thereof did make vnto them a solemne dance, and came foorth in the same with gallant apparell and with maruellous ingenious pastimes, with the which they reioyced exceedingly. So four and twentie leagues from this place, they came vnto a prouince called in their naturall language Zuny, and the Spaniards do call it Cibola, there is in it a great number of Indians. In the which was Francisco Vazquez Coronado, and left there erected many crosses and many other signes and tokens of Christendome, which continually did remaine standing. They found there three christened Indians, which were left there at that time, whose names were, Andres de Cuyoacon, Gasper de Mexico, and Antonio de Guadalaiara, who had almost forgotten their own language, and could speake very well that of this countrie: yet with a little vse after they had talked with them they did easily vnderstand them. Of these they vnderstood, that three score iourneyes from thence was there a lake, very great, about the which was situated many excellent good townes, and that the natural people thereof had very much gold, and it seemed to be true for that they did all weare braslets and eareringes of the same. The foresaide Francisco Vazquez Coronado hauing certaine intelligence of the same, he departed from this prouince of Cibola, and went that way: and hauing trauelled twelue iourneyes, his water did faile him, so that he determined to returne backe againe as he did, with pretence to returne an other time, when better oportunity should be had: the which afterwards he did not put in execution, for that by death all his determinations and pretences were cut off.