Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-07-02
expedition Of Francesca

area Ol VIII ldIlu. Leu OOAoli-
ADDS expedition, undertaken in
the mistaken belief that the
land he set out to explore was
fabulously rich, ended in fail
ure and disgrace for the leader,
who flashes across a page OF
American history for a brief
two years and then fades into
oblivion.
Arizona was discovered by
"Black Stephen" a Moor, who,
as a slave to Pizarro, had dis
tinguished himself as a scout
and soldier of extraordinary
courage in the conquest OF
Peru. Marcos de Mia, a Fran
ciscan friar, who had also been
with Pizarro, brought him to
Mexico with the idea of max
ing use of his talents in the pro-
posed conquest of the Seven
Cities of Cibola, reports OF the
wealth of which had spread al
over Mexico and Spain.
The stories that were current Of the
wealth of these cities, supposed TO be
in a region Immediately north OF
Mexico, were of the widest character
imaginable. So much gold there was
that one-fourth of the male population
were goldsmiths, and common kitchen
utensils were made of this precious
metal. a report that was borne out in
part by the golden shoes of the mobiles
of Montezuma. T~urquOlses were SAID 10
be SO abundant in Cibola that they
were used as mosaics Oh the doors OF
their habitations.
Superior to Aztecs
The Cibolians were supposed to be
of a civilization superior to that of the
Aztecs. Their seven cities were said
to sit on as many hills i'll a green vale
of surprising loneliness. Their people,
made decadent by much wealth, had
forgotten the art of war. The conquest
of Cibola was the common theme OF
conversation among the Spanish mobiles
in Mexico, who had come to the new
world in quest of adventure and profit.
The wonder among them was that the
king delayed at the taking of this rich
prize which lay just beyond the hinter-
land of northern Mexico.
When King Phillip appointed Don
Antonio de Mendoza viceroy of Mexico
he commended him to expedite the ex-
tension Of Spanish dominion i'll the
north. dwelling especially on the de-
sirabifty of conquering the Seven Cities
of Cibola. Mendoza picked francesca
de Coronado. governor of western Next
co, as the leader Of the expedition
which was to be sent to subJugate
Cibola. Coronado was one of the out
standing figures in New Spain. He was
wealthy, of noble lineage. and was
married to Il woman who was the
descendant of MonteZuma. last of the
Aztec emperors, and Cortez, his con-
queror.
MIA and Black Stephen
While the expedition was being or
ganized, Coronado sent MIA, the
priest. and Black Stephen, the slave.
into the Cibola country to spy out the
land. Stephen. wise in the lore of the
savage. went ahead of MIA, and under
Stephen were several hundred Indian
allies. If reports of the wealth OF Cibola
were only fairly true Stephen was to
send back to the priest a small cross,
two handfuls long If the country
possessed more wealth than Aztec
Mexico, a larger cross.
Four days after Stephens departure
he sent back an Indian runner with a
cross las high as a man." His message
urged the priest to follow Immediately, !,
as he had been told by Indians that
the land of the turquoise doors was the
home of a people whose wealth dwarfed
that of Mexico. and beyond the Seven
Cities of Cibola were other peoples
richer than the Cibolians. |,
Sending the good news on to Mexico
the friar hurried forward. AS he went
he planted crosses as acts of pos
session. His talks with Indians along !
his route. who were probably anxious /;
to get him out Of their country, con-
firmed Black Stephens stories. When {
he was but 10 days march from Cibola {
he was met by an Indian runner, one u
of Black Stephens men, who told him '
that the Moor had been made a prisoner .
by the Cibolians. I
Success Kills Stephen .
1t seems that success had gone to {
the head of Black Stephen. A slave in q
Spain and Peru he had won for him a
-sif a high place. He was the com q
mander of 300 Indians who looked upon
him as n demigOd. The Indian tribes d
through whose country he marched S
brought him gifts and tribute. He had 9
a weakness for beautiful women, and g
carried with him q number of them, t
gifts of the tribes who would appease t
him. He is said to have dreamed of v
becoming q conqulstador himself. He {
was well received in Cibola, and was v
taken alone into me walled city on a +
rock" He told the Indians that he was n
the forerunner of the white race, whose @
king was the monarch of the earth, e
whose subjects the Cibolians would be, Z
and whose priests would instruct them \
in a new religion.
This did not appeal to the pueblo
tribes. whose only rulers were their
elders and whose devotion to their {
gods three centuries of priestly teach c
ing has since failed to eradicate. They Il
sought to appease the Moor with gifts; d
he demanded beautiful women. Where a
uDon Black Stephen, discoverer Of Ari- b