Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-09-13

NRntllfefS as DelnHS from duOIneT WOTlu Nothing was too good for the pale-faced strangers, and the chief men vied with each other in paying every attention, and showing them every kindness. The Spaniarls succeeded in making their hosts understand the cause Of their coming and the object of their journey. The Indians pointed south towards the snow clad peaks of the San Francisco, meaning they would find their countrymen in the that direction.
 Leaving the Moqui towns, and well provided with provisions, the party turned southward, and passing through central Arizona, reached, after many days Of weary travel, the Pima settlements on the Gila This is the first knowledge we have of the tribe; and Cabeza de Naca's mar rative describes them as they are to-day Like all the other Indians whom the Spaniards had met, the Pimas were spell bodnd with astonishment at the strangers They treated them with the deference due to demi-gods, and supplied them with everything to meet their i'm mediate wants. These aborigines had also heard of the coming of the Europeans to Mexico, and directed the party to fol low the line of Pima towns to the south and they would lead them to the goal of their desires. Elated with the hope of soon meeting their countrymen, Nunez and his comrades resumed their journey with lighter hearts They passed through southern Arizona and Sonora, and after many hardships and adventures, which space will not admit of detailing here, their longing eyes were at last gladdened by the sight of the banner of Castile and Leon floating from the Tamparts of Culiacan, in Sinaloa. Overjoyed at the sight and bursting into tears, they threw themselves upon the ground and offered heartfelt prayers to God for their deliver ance. When the four ragged, dirty, un- kempt and nnshorn men marched into the plaza, the whole town turned out to gaze upon them. Years of wandering In unknown wilds had bronzed their faces almost to the color of the savage. Their uncouth garb of tattered deer skins added to their wild appearance, and when they spoke, the spectators could hardly be- lieve that those were Christians and Spaniards who stood before them.
 The reader who has accompanied Ca beza de Naca ("Cows Head in his tramp across the continent, may desire to know his subsequent history He was appoint ed, some years later to conduct the ex- petition for the discovery of the Rio de la Plata and the conquest of Paraguay. To make amends for the vicissitudes of his earlier career, fortune showered hon ors and riches upon him towards it's close. His surprising adventures among the say
 ages in the interior of the continent lost nothing of their thrilling interest by his own narration, which is marked by all | the lively colors of the veracious traveller.
 Alvar Nu1ez and his companions gave ! rI,xrr, of fha which they passed, and their highly | colored descriptions of the Seven Cities of Cibola,'' the Moqui towns, and other points on the route, aroused the spirit of adventure and cupidity among the rest less Spaniards, ever ready to face any danger or undergo any hardship that promised glory or gain. The pious ardor of the jealous missionaries was likewise | fired by the tales which Nuiez and his ! fellow travellers told of the hordes to the northwarl, steeped in pagan idolatry and waiting the coming of those who would { lead them to the true God.
 An adventurous pioneer of the cross in the western world, Padre Marco de Niza | by name. listening to the stories told by | Cabeza de Vaca, resolved to satisfy him | self as to their truth or falsity. Early in | 1899 the good Father, under of the Vice roy Mendoza, and accompanied by few followers, and guided by the negro Este van, set out from Culiacan ill search of the Seven Cities of the Bull" They passed through the country of the Pimas, and up the valley of the Santa Cruz, by the present site of Tucson, thence across to the Pima settlements on the Gila. Here the party were furnished with guides and
 provisions, and travelled north to the val | laxrz nf ( ArIz ant
 the friendly Yavapai tribe, with whom
 they rested several days Striking north
 east towards the San Francisco mountains
 they soon came to the Little Colorado
 and few days journey beyond their eyes
 were gladdened by the sight of the first
 of tlle mysterious Seven Cities" Father
 de NiZa sent forward Estevan to the first
 city to notify the chief of his arrival and
 the peaceful nature of his mission. It is
 said the black Lothario became little
 too familiar with the Moqui maidens
 which so incensed the warriors that they
 dashed out his brains with their war clubs
 The Father, hearing of the fate that had
 befallen his dusky followers, did not entel
 the city, deeming the temper of the in
 habItants not III a proper condition fol
 the reception of the gospel truths. H. set up the emblem of Christianity, named
 the country the New Kingdom of Sal Francisco, and returned to Culiacan.
 The public mind throughout New Spai1
 was wrought up to high pitch of excite
 ment by the news which Padre de Nizi
 brought on his return. The desire to ex
 tend the dominion of the Cross produced
 in the breasts of the fathers a feeling o holy adventure; and the thirst for golC
 and glory possessed alike the beltet
 knight and the sturdy man-at arms. Tn Viceroy Mendoza became infused witl the spirit which surrounded him, and fit a ted out two expeditions to explore tn
 marvellous country to the north; one b, r land under Nazquez de Coronado, and tn
 other by sea under Fernando Alarcon. Il I April. l540, Coronado marched out O . Culiacan with nearly thousand men, tn . greater number being Indians. He en
 tered Arizona by the valley of the Sant i Cruz and passed by the present site c ] Tucson, where he found an India rancheria. He then directed his marc 7 to the Pima towns on the Gila. Whil resting here, Coronado visited the ruin i of Chichitilaca, which he named Gas a Grande." Crossing over to the Salt rive
 the Spanish leader followed that strear n to it's junction with the Verde, and Il f the latter to its source in the Valle . Chino. From this point he struck acros to the San Francisco mountain countr, '' and thence into the valley of the stream a which he named the Rio del Lino," frol i, the quantities of wild flax found growth
 on it's banks. The river is now known 6 if the Colorado Chiquito. Directing h d course northwest from this point. tW :. days march brought him in sight of u Il Moqui towns, forty-fve days after star 70 ing from Culiacap.
 q The rich and populous cities which ti T adventurers expected to find proved ,a be but a collection of poor and insignit a cant villages. The houses were sma If built in terraces and laid in rough stol r as they are at the present day. TT :; province coptained seven villages, eat ,d governed by chief. The people we ", peaceful, intelligent and industrious Tn, ,j raised good crops of corn, beans al M pumpkins; cultivated fine peaches, wo n cotton cloth and dressed deer-skins, al as were in no respect materially differe Iv from their descendants, the Moquis al 7 Zunis of the present day.
 Q, As may be supposed the inhabitar he were greatly alarmed at the appearan Ii- of SO large force, but they were given 10 understand no harm was intended the Se if they gave up the wealth they were in ported to possess to the invaders. But
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