Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-09-13
ARIZ0NA
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE LAND
 or SUNSHINE.
Early Explorations and Conquests---Fhe Ancient Glories of Prehistoric Age Hopes and DisappOintments
 The Development of
 Modern History.
IIamlltou', Resources of Arizona.

civilized race, there is ample evidence Tn the ruins left by it's former occupants, m nearly every valley and mountain range The origin and history of the people who once held sway in this remote region Of tue western world are lost in the mists of antiquity, and the lengtheniug shadows of time afford to their modern successors bat dim conjecture as to who they were, whence they came, and what were the causes which led to their complete eN- tinction These questions suggested themselves to the first Europeans who penetrated the territory now known as Arizona, nearly three hundred and fifty years ago, and the answers to them were as indefinite then as they are to-day. There is every reason to believe that the most interesting epoch ln ArlZona's his- tory lies buried in those mysterious mounds which are an enigma alike to the savant and the sightseer; and the relics which are dug from them. suggest rnutely, yet eloquently, the time when every valley smiled with prosperity; when mountain and mesa were covered with tocks and herds; when towns and cities adorned the plain, and happy and con tented people enjoyed the gifts of bounte ous nature iu this favored land. This was the golden age of Arizona; but not even tradition gives a whisper as to the causes which brought to so sudden an ending, a civilization a. once SD extensive and unique
 The modern history of the region now embraced within the limits of Arizona Territory begins with the advent of the first Spanish adventurers. More than a quarter of a century before their country men laid the foundations of St. Augns- tine. and long before Captain John Smith established the first families" at James. town, or the Puritan Pilgrims had sighted the inhospitab,e shores of Massachusetts Bay, the daring Conquistadores had pene- trated the wilds of Arizona and New Mexico. To Alvar NuieZ Cabeza de Naea belongs the honor of being the first Euro pean to set foot upon Arizona soil, He was treasurer and alcalde of the untor- tunate expedition of Pan6lo de Narvaez to the coast of Florida in 1927. Casting anchor in Tampa Bay, Narvaez, with three hundred and forty men, marched inland, after having arranged that the fleet should follow the coast But the uniting of the sea and the land forces was never effected. After losing some vessels by storms and spending nearly year cruising about the coast the fleet bore away for Cuba being No lchil dh9 AiAAAih9 oA Aht expedition.
 Narvaez explored the interior for a con siderable distance, suffering many hard ships But instead of the golden treas. ures and the Fountain of perpetual youth which bis excited imagination had pic tured as lying hidden in the Land oi Flowers, he found a wild and inh Ospitable region whose swlmps swarmed with yepomnus and repulsive reptiles, and whose every breeze bore upon its wings the deadly malaria. After long and profitless wanderingS, the expedition npain reached the sea-bOard, but the fleet WAS nowhere in sight. nor could any trnces of 1t be found. In their extremity the Spauinrds made tools from their stir rnps and other articles of iron. and built five boats. In these the remnant of the expedition, now reduced to little over two hundred men, embarked for Cuba The boat commanded by CabeZa de Vaca was stranded on an island, and the survi yors, more dead than alive, fell into tn, hands of the savages. As no tidings o the other boats were ever received, it is supposed they were swallowed up by tht hungry sea, with all their occupants.
 According to the story of Alvar Nuf1ez himself and companions became slaves tC their captors. He remained with his In dian taskmasters for nearly six years naked like themselves, and suffering grea hardships. At the end of that time h, effected his escape but he only gained change of masters for he was soon agair a slave in another tribe. Here he me Andreas Dorante, Alonso del Castillo MaldonadO, and Estevan, an Arabian negro. These were also members of tn expedition of NarvaeZ, who had beel wrecked. and were now held iu bondag, by the Indians. With these Cabeza d Vaca soon agreed upon plan of escape They were in desperate plight Befor them stretched hundreds of leagues O treaeherous sea; behind them lay an un known region of vast extent, never ye Tressed by the foot of q European. A the only chance Of ever again seein friends or civilization, they determined { penetrate the wilderness to the west, an eudeayur tO join their countrymen l northern Mexico. It was bold resolv, bnt it was the only one that promised d, liverauce from their present condition m cross a continent, and brave the uI foreseen dangers which lay in their patl required no ordinary daring, but thos old Spaniards had hearts for any eme gency
 
 like some story of romance, and only
 mere outline of it can be given here TT exact route of these first overland trave era ia also matter of some doubt. The vaded the swanps and bayous of Florid and reached the Indian towns of tt reuion now embraced within the Stat, of Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi IT wandering savages, a5 may toe suppose oazed with astonishment, not unmixe S,ith awe. upon the first white men the had ever beheld. The negro. Esteval ,gas likewise the subject of wild conje, ture and uubOunded curiosity, he bein fhe 6rst oi his race whom the red men ha ever seen. Nu1ez explained. as best l Yaight. the cause of their unexpected al pearance, and their desire to reach tl European settlements on the distal PaeiGc. The natives treated the strange kindly, supplied them with provision and provided comfortable quarters
 How long Cabeza de Vaca and h fellow travellers remained with these pc ple is not clear, but their stay was ey dently a lengthy one. Bidding adieu
 Inat to their kind entertainers, they turn, their faces tO tue west and pushed on wards the big water They discover the Mississippi nearly tep years beio llp e5OtO tiOOu upJu iia lldbho Nlu lOlll a resting place beneath its turbid floc Crossing the stream, they trayersed t wide plains, passing through many trib with whom they tarried, and from all
 whom they received kindness and sncc To all inquiries Of the wondering abo oines. Nuhez and his companions point towards the setting sun, as the directi of their journey. They at last reach the Arkansas. aud followed up that strea meeting with large bands of Indians camped in it's grassy valley. Game W abundant and they feasted right rOya ln the tepees of their dusly hosts.
 Entering what is now New Mexi
 they came tO the Indian Pueblos. ou Rio Grande. These were the first in cations the Spaniards had seen duri their weary wanderings of anything Ii civilizations The inhabitants lived
 atone houses, cultivated the soil dress zn deer skins and light cotton stIffs, 8 tbeir mode of life customs, and surroul in0a were almost the same as they are
 the present day. They received the W
 worn aud ragged Spaniards with the
 most kindness, set before them abundal
 of food, and provided them with beds
 deer and bear skins upon which to
 their weary limbs The adventurers
 nained at these towns for a leng
 period, the exact duration of which
 anlv he oonieQtnred They then nres