The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-11-14
LEAvENwoRrH1 ND1ANxOUNDs

the Spanish Chieftain, Coronado, In thu
Sixteenth Century-For the Burial Ol
the Dead Of the In-Fatetl Gold Expedi.
ton Of l542.
Prom the Leavervuth TmeS
Maj. Inman, editor of the Larned
Chronoscope, has just completed the pub
LEGATION of series of very interesting and
valuable articles on 1.-The March Of Fran
cisco Vasquez de Coronado in Search Of
the Seven Cities of Cibola." During a
residence of several months in Washing.
ton Maj. Inman ransacked the Congress
sional library for the information embed.
led In these sketches, consulting all the
records of Spanish, French, English and
American exploration, and the result OF
his investigation he has summarized in a
compact, interesting narrative of one OF
the most romantic and daring expeditions
undertaken on this Continent
CORONADO WAS A SPANISH COMMANDER
of high rank. and the governor of one OF
the Spanish provinces of Mexico. In 1872,
excited by the accounts given by Indians
Of country far to the northward, filled
with gold, silver and precious stones, and
inhabited by simple and industrious PEG.
pie, who had built up seven immense
cities, he organized military expedition
to open commercial relations with or tC
conquer this people. He marched north
and east from Mexico, and traversed a
vast region of country. his expedition oc-
cupying over two years. Maj. lnman
quotes at some length from
THE REPORTS OF THE SPANISH cHIEFTAIN
and endeavors to trace his line Of march.
He is of the opinion. and fortifes it with
strong evidence, that Coronado's route
was through Mexico and across the grea,
plains in the northeasterly direction from
CIcuye. Pecosl; that after reaching the
vicinity of the thirty-seventh parallel he
turned nearly due east. and marched con-
stantly south of the Arkansas until he ar
rived at the junction of the Arkansas and
little Arkansas, near where Wichita now
stands. Certainly he crossed that river
between Hutchinson and Wichita. Near
the Arkansas his command separated. a
large body, discouraged and disappointed.
returning to Mexico. But the dauntless
commander pushed forward with the rem
nant of his force. Major lnman traces
HIS ROUTE FROM NEAR WICHITA
northward to the kaw river, and is inclined
to believe that he crossed that stream a
short distance east of the ninety-seventh
meridian of longitude, near where Abilene
is now located. After crossing the Nav
he turned northeast. and at last reached a
great river he called the ''Teucarea. I'M
doubtedly the Missouri. And Mr.. Inman
thinks he gazed upon this mighty stream
from the spot on which Atchison now
stands" He adds:
HE OVERLOOKED At ATCHIsON.
From thence he went to the high bluffs
overlooking the city Of Atchison. and
gazed upon the great river 'Teucarea'
the Missouri.
The most elevated spot overlooking the
river at this point is where the residence
of our distinguished Senator. Hon. J. j.
Ingalls,. stands, and is not improbable that
the beautiful vista which presents itself
from the window Of that modest but cult
waited home greeted Coronado's eyes near
ly four hundred years ago.
There upon. the rugged cliffs above
AtchIson the dream of Coronado came TO
an end, and bitter must have been the dis
appointment and terrible the wreck of his
ambition as lac gazed upon the muddy
food at his feet
The province of Quivira-the mythical
Quivira, so far as it was land "abound-
ing in gold and other precious metals, :"
extended from the thirty-ninth TO the forty
first degree Of latitude north and south, and
from the ninety-tifth to the ninety-seventh
degree of longitude. east and west. This
was about its geographical area. according
to the old maps, bat Coronado did not go
beyond where Atchison now stands, or
about half way between its northern and
southern limit
There, as he gazed upon the turbulent
Missouri-the Teucsrea Of the Indians-he
saw that it was useless to proceed further
towards the north.
The interminable woods stretching out
before had their legends of horror, and
his naturally superstitious mind, already
surfeited with terrible experiences. and
confidence in his guides completely lost.
there was nothing lett for him To do but
return to Mexico-baffled, defeated, and
crushed with disappointments.
Il am inclined TO believe" says Ma
jor lnman, that Coronado reached his
maximum northern point at about where
Atchison now stands. and that from thence
he followed the Missouri south, until be-
reached the mouth of the Kaw. where he
turned abruptly and marched along its
northern bank until he came TO the North
Fork of the Smoky Hill"
HE DOESN'T GIVE ANY PROOFS.
Maj. lnman advances no proofs to sus-
tain his assertion that Coronado stopped
in his march at the place where Atchison
now stands, and from everything which
can be learned in regard to the matter
there are no tangible evidences which go
to show that Coronado stopped where Mai.
Inman claimed he did. II is a historical
fact that Coronado came as far as
THE MISSOURI RIVER.
and IT may be barely possible that Leaven-
worth was his stopping point, and that
the mounds recently discovered on Sheri-
dams drive. Just west Of Fort Leaven-
worth, which, when opened. were found 70
contain human bones. may have been the
burial place of Spanish braves. who died
with the expedition. Maj. Inman may
not have been aware
At THE TINE HE WROTE,
IN fact the presence Of the mounds was
not discovered until very few weeks ago.
VI INC cAA-tHcf W tBseS ulDuuus- anu u
may be possible that. after an investi9a-
ton into the mounds he may change hi.
mind As 10 Coronsdo's stopping place,
while II may be Just as possible that
HE n CORRECT
and that the mounds found at Fort Leav-
enworth are not Of Spanish build !; has
been pretty well settled in the minds Of
those who have made the subject Of the
mounds study tina. they are no, the work
Of a prehistoric race. but evidently built
at a comparatively recent date. tina: Is.
TWO OF THREE HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
at about the time Of the advent Of the
Spaniards Dr. Sinks, who. while not hzv-
ing given the subject os the mounds very
considerable study. ia Of the opinion that
the mounds were not built a; any previous
date TO the advent o: the spaniAris. and
that II r,aay have been rs,-sIftIe tina. shex