Still doth he prosecute the discouery of the New Mexico.
Vpon the newes of this great riches aforesaide, the sayde captaine Antonio de Espeio determined to go thether, where were of his opinion the most part of his companions: but the religious fryer was of the contrarie opinion, and sayd that it was high time to returne vnto New Bizcaya from whence they came, for to giue notice of all that they had seene, the which they did put in execution within few daies after, the most part of them, and left the captain with alonely nine companions that would follow him. Who, after that hee had fully certified himselfe of the riches aboue said, and of the great quantitie of good metals that were there, he departed out of this prouince with his companions, and trauelled towardes the northwest.
So after that they had trauelled eight and twentie leagues, they came into an other prouince, the which was very great, in the which to their iudgment were more than fifty thousand soules: whose inhabitants, when they vnderstood of their comming, they sent them a messenger, which said, that if they would not be slaine of them, that they should not approch any nearer vnto their townes. Unto the which the said captaine answered, that they came not thether to do them any harme, as they should well perceiue, and also did request them that they would not disturbe them in the prosecuting of their pretence, and gaue vnto the messenger certaine things such as they carryed with them, who did praise so much the Spaniardes, that he did appease the troubled minds of the Indians, in such sort, that they did of their owne good wil grant them licence for to enter into their townes. The which they did with one hundreth and fiftie Indians their friends, of the prouince of Cibola aforesaide, and with the three Indians of Mexico of whom we made mention.
Before they came vnto the first towne by a league, there went foorth to meete and receiue the Spaniards more than two thousande Indians laden with victualles and prouision, vnto whome our captaine did giue thinges of small price: yet it seemed vnto them to be of great estimation, more than golde. So when they came nigher vnto the towne called Zaguato, there came foorth to receiue them a great number of Indians, and amongest them their Caciques, and made a great showe of mirth and ioy, and threw vppon the ground much flower of maiz that their horse might tread vpon it. With these feastes, ioy, and pleasure, they entred into the towne, whereas they were very well receiued, lodged, and made much of: the which the captaine did partly recompence, in giuing vnto all the principallest amongest them, hattes, and glasse beades, and many other thinges more, which they carried with them to serue the like oportunitie.
The Caciques did forthwith dispatch and send aduise vnto all those of that prouince, giuing them to vnderstande of the comming of their new guestes, and how that they were verie curteous men, and did no harme. Which was occasion sufficient to cause them all to come laden with presentes vnto the Spaniardes, and did request them for to goe vnto their townes to sport and recreate themselues: the which they did, but alwaies with great care and respect of what soeuer might happen. For the which the captaine did vse a policie with them, which was, that he tolde vnto the Caciques, that for so much as his horse were verie fierce and furious, and that they had told them that they would kill them, therefore for to shunne the damage and harme that might happen vnto the Indians, it were requisite to make a fort with lyme and stone, to put them in. The Caciques did giue such credite vnto his words, that in a few houres they had ioyned together so much people, that they made a fort according as the Spaniardes did request, and that with an incredible breuitie. Besides this, when the captaine sayd that he would depart, they brought vnto him a present of fortie thousand mantles of cotton, some white, and some painted, and a great quantitie of hand towels with tassels at the corners, and many other thinges, and amongst them rich metals, which shewed to haue much siluer. Amongst these Indians they had great notice and knowledge of the lake aforesaide, and they were conformable vnto the other, in that touching the great riches and abundance of gold.
The captaine hauing great confidence in this people and of their good dispositions, he determined after certaine daies that he had bin there, to leaue fiue of his companions and the rest of the Indians his friends, that they might returne vnto the prouince of Zuny with all their bagage: and hee himselfe, with the other four that remained, would go more at quiet to discouer certaine very rich mynes, of the which he had true notice. So according vnto his determination he departed with the guides he had, and hauing trauelled toward the northwest fiue and forty leagues, he came vnto the sayde mynes, and tooke out of the same with his owne Rich metals. hands rich metals, and very much siluer: the mynes had a great and brode veine, it was vpon a rocke whereas they might go vp to it with great ease, for that there was a way open to that effect: nigh thereunto were certain townes of Indians amongst the mountaines, who shewed friendship vnto them, and came foorth to receiue them with crosses in their hands, and other signes and tokens of peace: nigh vnto the same they saw two reasonable riuers, vppon whose bankes there were many vines full of excellent good grapes, great walnut trees, and very much flaxe, like vnto that of Spaine, and it was tolde them by signes, that on the other side of the saide mountaines there was a riuer of 8 leagues brode. But they could not vnderstand how nigh it was, yet did they make demonstration that it did run his course towards the North Sea, and vpon both sides thereof was situated many townes, and of so huge bignes, that in comparison those wherein they were, were but suburbes in respect.
So after the captaine had taken all this relation hee departed towardes the prouince of Zuny, whither he had commanded his other companions to goe, and at their comming thether in health, which was by an other excellent way, he found therwith his other fiue companions: the father fryer Bernardino with the souldiers that were determined to returne backe againe (as aforesayde), for as yet they were not departed from thence for certayne occasions. Unto whom the naturals of the countrie had giuen good intertaynement and all thinges necessarie, and that in abundance: and afterwardes did the like vnto the sayde captaine and vnto them that came with him, and went foorth to receiue him with demonstration of great ioy, and gaue them great store of prouision for their iourney pretended, requesting him to returne againe with breuitie, and to bring with him many Castillas (for so they doo call the Spaniardes), and they would giue them all to eate: for the which (the better to accomplish the same) they had sowed that yeare more wheate and other graine, then they had done in any other yeare past.
At this present the sayde religious fryer and the rest of the souldiers did ratifie their first determination aforesaide, and concluded to returne vnto the prouince from whence they came, with the pretence before spoken of, and there ioyned with him in that iourney, Gregorio Hernandez, who was standert bearer in that attempt.
So when they were departed, the captain, who remained but with eight souldiers, did fully resolue himselfe to prosecute his begun pretence, and to take his course vp alongst the north riuer: which being put in execution, and hauing trauelled about sixty leagues towards the prouince of Quires aforesaid, twelue leagues from thence towards the orient they came vnto a prouince called Gubates, whereas the Indians receiued them with peace, and gaue them great store of prouision, and also notice that not far from thence there were certayne rich mynes, the which they founde, and tooke out of them glystering metals and very good, with the which they returned to the towne from whence they departed.
They iudged this prouince to haue nigh vpon fiue and twentie thousande soules, all well apparelled with painted mantles of cotton, and shamwayes skins very well dressed. There are many mountaynes and woodes of pine cedar trees, and their houses of foure and fiue stories hie. Heere had they notice of an other prouince that was but one daies iourney from thence, which was called of the Tamos, in the which was more than fortie thousand soules, but when they came thether the inhabitants would not giue them any victuals, neyther permit them to enter into their townes; for the which, to auoyde the danger wherin they were, being but a few souldiers (as aforesaid) and some of them sicke, they determined to depart thence towardes the countrie of Christians, the which they put in execution the beginning of Iuly in the yere 1583, and were conducted by an Indian that went with them, who carried them by a contrarie way and different from that they came, downe alongest the riuer side, which they called of the Vacas, by reason that there was great store of kine all alongest the same. By the which they trauelled one hundred and twentie leagues. From thence they came vnto the riuer of the Conchos there whereas they first entred, and from thence vnto the vale of S. Bartholomew, from whence they departed to begin this discouerie. And when they came thether they vnderstood that many dayes before were arriued there in health, frier Bernardino Beltran and his companions, and were gone from thence vnto the village of Guadiana. In this towne the captaine Antonio de Espeio made a certaine and true information of all this aforesaide, the which presently he sent vnto the Earle of Corunnia, viceroy of that kingdome: and he sent it vnto his maiestie, and vnto the lords of the royall counsell of the Indians, that therin they might ordaine that which seemed them best, the which they haue done with great care. I beseech the Lord God, if it be his pleasure that it may go forwardes in such order, that so many soules redeemed by his precious bloud be not condemned: whose wits and vnderstanding do farre exceed those of Mexico and Peru, as by the information of those that haue delt with them appeareth, wherby we may presume that with great facilitie they will imbrace the law of the gospell, and leaue the idolatrie that the most part of them do vse, which God for his mercies sake permit, so it may be for his glorie and exalting of the Catholike faith.