El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-05-17
Glittering Riches Led On The DISCOVERIES Like The
Rainbow, Always Just Ahead-First Explorers
Of Arizona Entered State Somewhere About
Douglas; Wonderful Tales Were Told


BY HARRY r. MlLLEN
( bloweth where il usteth The magic
VOID. Cibola, passed from mouth 70
mouth. They spoke Of the cities that
were found there; they sad that IL
was surrounded by high ilrricades
and impregnable fortresses. and they
said thar it had magnificel palaces,
the facades and doors Of W.lich were
made Of turquOises. They said that
into those palaces no light penetrated
through glass but through precious
stones.
Mountains OF Opal
It was said that around those seven
cities were mountains Of opal, which
sparkled from afar, and that among
those mountains were valleys with
fields Of precious stones and crystal
streams with beds Of silver sands It
was told thar the rulers Of the coun-
try were served Ia golden vessels Dy
beautiful female slaves Such were
some Of the things said OF the opul-
ence OF Cihcla.
such rumors were not TO be without
result; Mendoza. himself, Ficeroy OF
New Spain. was much impressed, and
began TO make preparations fcr the
conquest OF those -Tierras NueTasi
or new lands.
The viceroy seems to have had
doubts. however. for he commissioned
"a
land and verify the reports in rega-d
TO them. Whom. indeed, should he
have trusted il not priesl2 the vice
roy did not necessarily use pal
Judgment, but no certainly did make
a mistake.
a slave Diseoverer.
That negro who, WIKI Cabeza De
Vaca and two other Spaniards, dis
covered the present state OF Arizona
was called Estebanico (Little Stevenli
and he was a slave Of Dorantes, one
Of the other survivors, Mendoza pur-
chased this negro from Dorantes 70
send him with the priest as a guide
So IL happened that the famous slave
became d0ublv famous. Besides Este
friar, named HOnoratQ, as companion
This priest selected for that impor-
taut mission, was known as Marcos
de MIA.
The outpost Of the Spanish settle
ments al that time was san Miguel
de Cullacan. on the Pacific coast
There Friar Marcos dc MIA went with
his CON anions- Estehanico and Friar
Honorato, followed by few Indian
slaves who had been bought for the
purpose
From san Miguel Frlar Marcos sent
ahead six converted Indians who
wild Indians that there was no inten-
ton to make war on them or 10 re-
duce them 10 slavery but only 10 IN
struct them in the Christian rell-
gian; and with these assurances more
than so Indians were assem- nled there.
fed, taught to make the sign OF the
cross. and to say the name Of our
Lord Jesus
started. accompanied by the newly
converted Indians, and arrived with
out mishap at a river they called
Petatlan, and which is believed TO be
the Mayo. At that place E'riar hon
orato was taken sick and returned,
so that Friar Marcos was able 20
give an account Of the expedition
from that point as he liked.
Coronado FoIloTsi stops
Coronado, then governor Of the
province OF Nueva Gaiicia, after
wards followed the priest in forces
but at a point called vale de los
Corazones (Naley Of the Hearts, es-
timated at $50 miles from Culiacans
be was compelled by iack OF proNl-
si0ns and the rOughness OF the coun-
try TO turn back FicerOy Mendoza
afterwards said OF this event; 80
that as well on closing Of the en-
trance as in not being able to lind
The way, 10 seemeth unto all men that
God would shut up the gate 70 All
those which by strength Of human
force have gone about 10 attempt this
enterprise and hath revealed it to
poor and barefooted friar.
From the Rio Petatlan the march I
was taken up as the HOLY Ghost I
would lead me, without any merit Of
ny own.
Early Geographical Errors
At about 30 leagues GO niiesl from I
the Rio Petatlan Friar Marcos was /
net by some Indians from an island .
discovered by COrtes and also some