Baltimore commercial journal, and Lyford's price-current. [volume] (Baltimore, Md) 1840-1849, 1847-07-17

the accounts given of those Spanish adventures
whom accursed thirst Of god induced at an early
period 10 invade these regions.
These accounts, for long period Of time, have
been almost entirely dsrCgardcd by European hlsto-
rianS devoid of truth and probability. More re-
Gently, however, have received some information
on the subject, which tends directly TO confirm the
carly narratives Of the Spaniards concerning Clbola
perhaps not without some CNaggcratlOn, but would
presume without gross and wiful misrepresentation
However, before give sketch of the state OF
society observed by these carly adventures, we
shall prepare way, by the more recent state
ments given by Baron Humboldt, (PoiH. Essay,
ii. 206, 2l5) who derived his information from
two Spanish monks who partially explored these
countries A. d. 1913. lin the country Of the Moqu
watcrcd by the Rio dc Naqucsila, they were aston
ishcd to find Indian town with two great squares,
houses of several stories, streets we'll laid out and
parallel to another. Every evening, the people
I assembled together on the terraces Of which the
roofs OF the houses formed. The construction OF
the cdiiCCs of the Moqu, is the same with that OF
the CasGS Gran6cS the banks of the river ella.
Every thing in these countries appears to announce
traces OF the cultivation OF the ancient McXcanS We
are informed by the Indian traditions, that
| twenty leagues north from the Moqu, near the
mouth of the river Zaguananas the banks Of the
| Nabajoa the first abode Of the McXicans after
| their departure from Aztlan. However, the Ian
guagc spoken by the Indians of the NIoqui the abb
pals, who long boards, and those who inhabit
the plains in the vicinity of the Rio Colorado, is es-
''To the south of the Rio ella, these missionaries
found the Indians clothed. and assembled together TO
! the number OF two or three thousand in villages
which they call Uuricut and Suaquisan, where they
pcaccably cultivate the soil. Here they saw fields
sown with maize, cotton, gourds,' &c.
With these brief testimonials, as to the present
character OF the natives OF this part of America, who
readers cannot but perceive entirely different
from those nations have termed barbarous, We
shall proceed 10 give concise view of the CbScrya-
tons made in this part of America, at an early period
after the conquest of Mexico. As they made
above two hundred years preceding the statements
Just given from Humboldt, il would not be
able TO suppose, that important changes may have
occurred during that time and that their civilization
may have refrigerated. But in truth we know
thing Of the present state of the country other than
| from the meagrc relations given by Humboldt.
! The first Spanish traveller Into these regions,
| (fteTGG, Hist -4mr v 2O3,) afterwards so famous
under the names Of CibOa, Quivira, &c, was Mark
! di Mia, Franciscan monk, who by order Of the
! Spanish governor Of New Gacia, in \. d. 1889
made an explanatory missionary journey 10 some dis
ancc, but how far unable TO ascertain. He
reported that there towns and cities in this cOuu
try built Of stone, the houses of several Stories and
flat rooted. One town or city called Cbola, seemed
TO him larger than Mexico when viewed from a dis
lance, for he did venture to approach it closely
He also speaks OF seven towns or cities pleasantly
situated in one kingdom in which the Indians in
formed him, there was gold in abundance. He speaks
| of having the natives of the country wearing
necklaces OF turquoise stones, and some with such
stones passed through their noses and ears These
people when they felt the woollcn garment Of the
monk, informed him, that similar fabrics were made
in the town of Tonteac from the fur Of some animal,
which they represented being of the size Of the
| greyhound brought by the riar'S companion. The
natives in general described 10 have been dress
ed in cotton clothing and cows hides. buffalo
| robes.)
Friar Mark also says, that he saw one of the ma
| tivcs Of CibCla, who Irhite man, of good
complexion and capacity. (Hackluyt, ill., 300
Some Indians on the coast also told Alarchon, that
th.ra Tho htl th,,N-
| knew nothing else. (Hac6. iii. 429.)
In consequence Of the relation made by friar Mark
OF the industry population and gold of the natives of
Cibola, the rapacous Spaniards Immediately march
| cd army into this country, which after some diff
tCulty, reached the places 10 which they had been
directed by a cupidity infamcd by the friar's
ration. But a these villains were disappointed in
not finding gold, silver, and precious stones, they
charged the trar with having told great taschoods,
when at most he had been guilty only of CXaggcTa-
ton; for it is evident from their relation, that,
on the whole trar Marks account not incorrect.
This we may distinctly perceive from the letter
| which Coronado wrote TO the vccroy Mendoza, \.
d. 1910, after he had reached Cibola with his army
and was disappointed in his hopes of plumber.
! (HacFiuyt, Toy. iii. 313, SEQ
'.Bretly can assure your honor the father (friar
! Mark) said the truth in nothing that he reported
but all was quite contrary, save only the names Of
the cities and great houses Of stone; for although they
be not wrought with turquoise stones, nor with lime
nor bricks, yet they very excellent good houses
of three, four, five stories high, wherein are
good lodgings and fair chambers with ladders instead
OF stairs and certain cellars under the ground,
good, and paved, which made for winter; they
in manner like stoves.
"1hc cities, small towns, all
built Of the kind Of houses that | have spoken Of
and they stand all within four leagues together
They are all called the kingdom of Cibola, though
each town has its particular name, Of them be-
ing called Cibola but altogether they called Glib
ola. In the town where now am, there may be
some two hundred houses. all comprised with walls
and think with the rest Of the houses that
50 walled, they may be altogether five hundred.
There is another town near this, which is Of the
seven, which is somewhat larger than this town. and
other four somewhat less
! From this letter of Coronado's have besides
extracted the following particulars.
The natives cotton mantlcs, and the Spaniards
found in their houses cotton yarn, and raw cotton,
both red and white.
They also obtained turquoise stones, cmcralds
garnctS, and crystals, but only in small quantities.
They speak Of the abundance Of maize found in the
country, which they said the Indian women ground
in superior manner 10 any thing they had be-
fore, and that one would grind much four did in
Mexico.
The natives had excellent salt, which they procur-
cd from a lake about days journey distant
They observed here the animal known to our In
dian traders as the Rocky mountain goat, (Capra
montana, Haran,) which they call sheep from the
/ tncness Of its wool.
Coronado semitic viccroy mantle, which, he saws,
was excellent well made and which he describes
as if it had been embroidered with needle; he adds,
that such thing had not been before in Ameri-
Ca unless executed by the Spaniards.
! Letter from DR.. !SmiM.--Wc have been favored
with the following extracts Of letter received in
this city from very intelligent townsman DR.. j.
Lawrence Smith, now in the employ of the Sultan:
L Charleston IS. {. EC. NeCS.