Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-03-14
The Story of Coronado

Francisco Vasquez Coronado and his
soldiers were the first white men to visit
tho observation-disclosures plains. Coronado
was a Spanish general who came to
Mexico to seek his fortune in the New
World. While there wonderful stories
we're brought by Fray Marsos, monk.
who had travelled 1000 miles north. into
the country now called Arizona. In that
land It was said were the Seven Cities
of Clbola, with houses built of stone
many stories high. and great abundance
of gold and silver, turquoises, cloth,
sheep, cows and tame cartridges. ALI
the Spaniards In, Mexico were eager to
take possession of such a wonderful land
and to seize its riches. Coronado was the
lucky man who was made general Of the
army which was sent out to conquer these
famous seven cities. Three hundred Span
iards on horseback and 1000 Indians with
a long train of horses and cattle carry
ing food and ammunition, started In
February, 1910. on this fine errand. After
long and hard Journey across the desert
the army arrived at the towns of the
zuni and Hopi Indians in Arizona They
found what one finds today-a desert with
houses made of sun-baked mud, the
homes of poor. and peaceful Indians who
make pottery and weave a little cloth
and raise corn and beans and fowls. The
riches and splendor of the wonderful
Seven cities of Cibola were a dream Of
the desert Like many other things in
life, the farther off, the moro wonderful
the nearer, the more common.
| At this time Coronado heard for the
first time the story OF the land of Qul-
a.
J slave whom the Spaniards called the
Turk. because they said he looked like
a Turk, told the story His home was far
out on the plains. but he had been cap
tured by the Puebla Indians and held as
slave 1t is supposed that he was a
Pawnee Indian, for the Pawnees wore
their hair In peculiar way so that they
resembled Turks. The story of Quivira
told by the Indian slave was of wonder
full land far across the plains. There was
a river SIX miles wide. and in 1t were
fishes as big as horses and upon It floated
many great canoes with twenty rowers on
q side. Some of these canoes carried sails
and the lords sat under awnings upon
them, while the prows bore golden eagles
The king of Quivira, Tatarrax. slept
under a great tree with golden bells on
the branches. These bells swung to and
from in the winds which always blew, and
their music lulled the king 10 sleep. The
common people In Quivira had dishes OF
plated ware and the jugs and bowls were
OF gold. The king OF Quivira worshiped
a cross Of gold and an image OF a woman
the goddess OF heaven.
Stories like these filled the hearts Of
the Spaniards with longing TO reach the
land OF Quivira and to help the people
there 10 take care Of its riches. On the
2Sd OF April. 1S4i. Coronado and his army
marched away from the Rio Grandt
valley. guided by tho Turk and by an
other Indian from the same region. whom
they called Isopete. For thirty-five dayi
they travelled out upon the high plains
These were so nearly level they could
look as far as the eye would pierce and
see no hill. They found great herds Of
buffaloes. OF 'humpbacked cows" al
they called them, on these plains. and
Indians who Travelled around among these
COWS, killing them for their flesh anc
skins-eatlhg the flesh raw ana making
the skins into tents and clothing. The