Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-05-28
ANCIENT QUEST OF
QUIVERA NOW TOLD
Tracing the Province Whose Fahul-
y Gus Wealth Lured Coronado to
Nebraska Land.
REV. NJ. A. SHINE SOLVES PUZZLE

All doubts about Nebraska being
the ancient province OF Quivera, in
quest of which General Francisco
Vasques Coronado and his Spanish
adventures journed thither 375 years
ago, are set at rest by Rev. Michael
A. Shine OF Plattsmouth, an eminent
members of the Nebraska Historical
society. His solution of what he calls
the famous Quivera puzzle APP
peared in a recent number OF the
Catholic Historical Review and later
printed in pamphlet form, a copy OF
which The Bee received from the
author A map shows in detail the
route traversed by the expedition in
search of prospective booty to the
ancient provinces OF Quivera and
Harahey, and the bootyless return
route.
Many Differ as to Details.
- Various historians and inyestiga-
tors differ materially as to the route
covered by Coronado, the location OF
Ouivera. and the northern limit OF
the journey. Brewer and Hodge OF
the bureau Of ethnology, National
museum, fix the northern terminus
in the vicinity Of Manhattan, KAN
from which point small parties eX-
plored the country around. Along IN
1880 the late Judge James w. Saw
age compiled an exhaustive paper on
the subject and traced Coronado as
far north as Gage and Furnas coun-
ties in Nebraska A revision Of that
research abridged in Savage < Bells
History of Omaha" traces Coron-
ado to the vicinity OF Columbus IN
Platte county. Father Shine contends
that Coronado penetrated as far
north as the boundary line Of Platte
and Nance counties, crossed the
Loup river valley and reached the
Elkhorn river at point unidentified,
Basis for Conclusion.
The conclusion reached by Father
Shine arc based on translatons OF
several chronicles of the exploration
OF Coronado, with the notes given by
Mr.. George Parker Winship in Part
One Of the Fourteenth Annual Re-
port OF the Bureau of American Eth
nology" (lS92-9D, together with the
acceptance of Bernalillo and Pccos as
the ancient sites Of Tiguex and
Cieuye. The records OF Coronado,
Castaneda, Jaramillo, Postrera and
the "Relacion Del Suceso," regarding
the route, the distances covered and
the time consumed, arc compared and
analysed, and the arrival at the Platte
river in Nebraska established by
measurements.
1.-THE twelve days, or seyenty-two
leagues, required to go (from the
Platte river crossingl to the end OF
the Quivera settlement writes
Father Shine, would mean about 100
miles. This distance would bring
them to the junction OF Beaver
Creek, with Loup or Wolf river, near
the boundary line Of Platte and
Nance counties. This locality was a
part Of the last Pawnec reservation
in Nebraska.
Along the Loup
"They found the first village thirty
leagues beyond the crossing, IN the
vicinity OF Georgetown, Custer
county, on the south fork OF the
Loup river. Proceeding from there
in northeasterly direction they
would cross all the larg tributaries
OF the Loup river, which were the
favorite village sites Of the Pawnee
confederacy. All the descriptions
given of Quivera apply so perfectly
TO this region that it is not necessary
to repeat them. The twenty-five
leagues through these settlements
means the distance north or north
east to the Elkhorn river, beyond
which was indeed the real province
OF Arache, Tareque or Harahey,
which means nothing else than the
Country of the Ariki-ra, or Horn peo-
pie, so called because of their pc
culiar head dressing. To the south
east of Quivera, or down the river,
were the Guas, or the province of
Arae evidently a misprint for Guas),
who are none other than the Kan
sss Indians, later on called Quans
and Kaws by the French.
Meaning of the Name.
"The meaning of the word Quivera
and its derivation now becomes plain
and simple, for it is nothing else
than the Spanish pronunciation for
the name OF this Indian nation, the
Skidi-ra, or Wolf people, Coronado
arrived here on July II, lS4l, the for
ty-seeond day from the Red river and
the twelfth from the Platte crossing.
lie remained here until August 3,
when the return trip began. II re-
quired twelve days to reach the
crossing; they arrived there on Au-
gust II, lS4l. On this return trip
cross was raised and an inscription,
made with a ohisel, was placed at
the foot ot IT, | am inclined TO he.
lieve this inscription was cut on
stone that is located somewhere with
in a radius OF fifty miles around 81.
Paul Nah