Spanish Explorers in the Southern United States, 1528-1543

Spanish Explorers in the Southern United States, 1528-1543. - The Narrative of Alvar Nunez Cabeca de Vaca. The Narrative of the Expedition of Hernando De Soto by the Gentleman of Elvas

From the time of the appearance in Mexico, in 1536, of Alvar Nuez Cabeza de Vaca of the ill-fated Narvaez expedition of nine years before, with definite news of the hitherto unknown north, there had been a strong desire to explore that region, but nothing of importance was accomplished until 1539. In that year Fray Marcos of Nice, the Father Provincial of the Franciscan order in New Spain, with Estvan, the negro companion of Cabeza de Vaca, as a guide, penetrated the country to the northwest as far as the Seven Cities of Cibola, the villages of the ancestors of the present Zui Indians in western New Mexico. Estvan, preceding Fray Marcos by a few days and accompanied by natives whom he gathered en route, reached Hawikuh, the southernmost of the seven towns, where he and all but three of his Indian followers were killed. The survivors of this massacre fled back to Fray Marcos, whose life was now threatened by those who had lost their kindred at the hands of the Zuis; but the friar, fearful that the world would lose the knowledge of his discoveries, appeased the wrath of his Indians by dividing among them the goods he had brought and induced them to continue until he reached a mesa from which was gained a view of the village in which Estvan had met his fate. Here Fray Marcos erected a cross, took possession of the region in the name of Spain, and hastened back to Mexico "with more fear than victuals." The glowing accounts which the friar gave of what he had seen, and particularly of what he believed the Indians intended to communicate to him, resulted in another expedition in the following year (1540). This was planned by the Viceroy Don Antonio de Mendoza, and the command was given to Francisco Vazquez de Coronado. [276] ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 42841
Author: Castañeda de Nájera, Pedro de
Release Date: May 29, 2013
Format: eBook
Language: English

Contributors

Contributor (Author): Knight of Elvas, Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, Alvar, active 16th century
Editor: Franklin, Jameson J., 1859-1937 , Lewis, Theodore Hayes, 1856-