Arizona republican., 1899-03-31
by the negro Estevanico.

US lnt utSIO E10lCN dllCp.
 The party proceeded northward
 through the present Mexican state of Sonora and halted at Bacapa in the Santa Cruz valley, near the present site
 of Tucson. The adventurous Esteva- nico pushed onward, ambitious to be the first discovcrer of the famed cities of CibOla, and at last reached the goal of his hopes, but the Cfbolans, expect 1 ing no God Of his color, killed him and several of his followers. Father Niza undismayed, is said to have hurried | forward from Bacapa and obtained a ] glimpse of one of the great cities, but i however this may be, it is pretty cer- tan that upon the report made by him the expedition under Coronado in 154O was sent out This party consisted of 300 Spaniards and 800 Indians and gen. erally followed the route taken by Niza.
 Nothing but agricultural settlements and-none of the opulence looked for was found, but after some opposition from the Cibolans the country was subdued and subjected to Spanish do- minion. Missionaries were placed along the route and remained at their stations after COronado's army pract,- cally abandoned the country.
 An account of the Franciscan and
 
 appear elsewhere in this edition, will bring its history down to about the time when-in the year 1824-a party cf hardy frontiersmen from Kentucky, the first pioneers, spent a winter at the headWaterS Of the Gila river.
 They were succeeded by the late Pauline Weaver, who was at the Casa Grande, near the present site of Flor ence, in 1892; Felix Aubrey, who made several trips into the Tonto Basin. the Gila valley and other portions of the territory: Captain John Moss, who penetrated the canyons of the Great | and Little Colorado, and Captain Ad- ans, who explored the same rivers.
 The cessiOn of Arizona and New Mexico north of the Gila river was consummated February 2, 1S4S, and the balance of these territories was ac- ] quired under the Gddsden purchase, ! December 30, 1853. In 1857 unsuccess- full efforts were made to secure civil government but it was not until the : 24th of February, 1863, the organic act c1 eating the territory Of Arizona was passed.
 Thus to the mind of the resident in the eastern Or middle states the terri { tory of Arizona presents itself as a neW-a very new-country, but in some . respects Arizona is an old-a very old country.
 Evidences of large population, now lost to history CC even tradition exist in many localities; ruins of immense buildings and of cities which once were occupied by many thousands of people, i prehistoric waterways. etc, furnish adequate reason for the belief ths' a nigh state of civillza- tion had been reached by these people who are vanished and whose record is lost.
 There may be said to be indisputable evidence of the existence of an un- known race in various parts of the territory. Fragments of coarse pot tery are found scattered about mounds and caves, and curiously fashioned hammers jars and ollas have been un- earthed.
 Outlines of artificial water courses have been traced in the Salt River val ley and elsewhere showing that these people followed agricultural pursuits.
 That mining was carried on is klsO evidenced by ancient workings Soout Turquoise, where large excava- tiCns are found and the crude methods can yet be recognized.
 Much is also to be learned of the Iiv-