CORONADO SEARCHES FOR GOLDEN CITIES

Compostela, 1542. The great expedition led northward from this city two years ago by Governor Francisco Vasquez de Coronado has returned. The expedition set out for the purpose of capturing Cibola and other golden cities, but, sad to relate, no golden cities were found. The people of Cibola had meat and beans and corn, but no gold.

Following the disappointment at Cibola, the expedition moved on to the plains of Texas in search of a golden city named Quivira. The Spaniards found and cap­tured this city, but again they found no gold. Although the Coronado expedition has added greatly to the knowledge of the lands to the north, failure to find gold in that area has considerably lessened inter­est in these lands. It seems that the area offers nothing but land, and there is plenty of that in Mexico.

According to widespread rumors, Coro­nado will be removed from his office as governor of Nueva Galicia because of his failure to find gold. It would appear that the leader will pay a high price for his effort to serve Spain. Physically exhausted from the rigors of his journey, he is also suffering greatly from a head wound re­ceived in a fall from a horse. Loss of his office will be still another severe blow.

SPANIARDS VISIT EAST TEXAS

Caddo Indian Village, 1542. A group of Spaniards under the command of a man named Moscoso has recently visited this village.

Survivors of an expedition led westward from Florida by a great captain named Hernando de Soto, the Spaniards came to seek gold as well as knowledge of the lands claimed by Spain. Unsuccessful in their search for gold, they did learn a great deal about the geography of the country. De Soto died after the expedi­tion had crossed the Mississippi River. After burying him in the waters of that great river, his followers set out for Mexico under Moscoso's leadership.

The Spaniards traveled to central Texas before deciding that the distance was too great to travel on foot. When they passed through this settlement, they were return­ing to the Mississippi River. When they reach it, they plan to build boats and sail down the river and across the Gulf to Mexico.

PINEDA VISITS TEXAS COAST

Vera Cruz, 1519. A small vessel com­manded by Alvarez de Pineda has reached this port after following the coast line all the way from Florida. Pineda named the area which he explored Amichel.

Christopher Columbus died in Val-ladolid, Spain, on May 21, 1506, still believing that he had discovered out­lying parts of Asia. Even as early as 1493, however, experts felt certain that the Genoese explorer had actually dis­covered a new world.

In the fifty years since Columbus made his first great voyage, Europeans have learned much of that New World. Many Spaniards have settled in Mexico, and great areas in other parts of Amer­ica have been explored. The invaders have visited Texas, though as yet they have established no colonies here. Bul­letins received by this paper since 1492 tell an interesting story.

EXPEDITION SEEKS CIBOLA

Mexico City, 1540. According to dis­patches just received here, the Coronado Expedition, which set out from Compostela last February in search of the fabled seven golden cities, is now nearing Cibola, the first of these cities. The men are reported to be anxiously awaiting the opportunity to capture Cibola.

The expedition was organized after the viceroy heard the report of Friar Marcos de Niza, whom the viceroy sent to investi­gate the lands to the north in 1539. The report of Cabeza de Vaca that the Indians had told him of golden cities there had aroused great interest. Accompanied by Stephen, the Moor who crossed Texas with Cabeza de Vaca, Friar Marcos left Culia-can to seek the fabled cities. The good father learned from the Indians that there were seven golden cities, the first of them Cibola.

When Friar Marcos and the Moor reached Cibola, Stephen entered the city and was killed. Friar Marcos contented himself with gazing upon the city from a distance. Other Indians told him that the people of Cibola dressed in clothing made of cotton and buffalo hides and decorated the walls of their houses with turquoises. They had so much gold and silver that they used no other metals.

After receiving this report, the viceroy chose Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, governor of Nueva Galicia, to lead an expedition to capture this great wealth for the King. When the expedition set out, Coronado, his gold-plated armor shining brightly in the sun, rode at the head of 250 armored horsemen. In addition, Friar Marcos and several other churchmen, sev­enty foot soldiers, and several hundred Negro and Indian servants accompanied the expedition.

CORTES DEFEATS AZTECS, OCCUPIES MEXICO

Mexico City, 1522. Only three years after he landed in this country, Hernando Cortes has completed its subjugation.

As soon as possible after the first voyage of Columbus to the New World, Spain established settlements in the West Indies. Within a few years, thousands of Span­iards were living in the islands. Cortes was one of the first to plan an expedition to the mainland.

Even though he brought only six hun­dred men with him when he came to Mex­ico in 1519, Cortes had little trouble in defeating the Indians he met here. The Aztecs, the most highly civilized Indian tribe in Mexico, were no match for the Spaniards, for the guns of the invaders brought quick death, while the Indians' arrows were useless against the heavy armor worn by the Spaniards. Also, the Spaniards brought horses with them. These strange animals, which the Indians had never seen before, frightened the red men out of their wits. Many Indians, believing the invaders to be god-men of some sort, joined them instead of resisting their ad­vance across the country.

The Spaniards became greatly excited when they found large quantities of gold and silver in Mexico. Searching for more gold, they soon explored much of the region near Mexico City. Many Spaniards who followed Cortes to Mexico came as settlers, to establish farms or engage in some form of trade. As a result, some Spanish settlements already exist in this country.

CABEZA DE VACA TRAVELS ACROSS TEXAS

Mexico City, 1536. The arrival in this city of Cabeza de Vaca and several com­panions has greatly increased interest in the lands to the north.

These men are survivors of the ill-fated Narvaez expedition, many members of which were shipwrecked along the Texas coast in 1528. Cabeza de Vaca, leader of the four survivors, spent six years in the Galveston area before making his escape. On his way to Mexico he was joined by Alonso del Castillo, Andres Dorantes, and a Moor named Stephen. They know of no other survivors of the Narvaez expedition.

Cabeza de Vaca describes much of the country through which they wandered as a great plain on which graze thousands of large cows. Indians told the Spaniards that great quantities of gold could be found in certain parts of the country, although Cabeza de Vaca did not actually see any. His report has made many Spaniards eager to visit the lands to the north in search of this gold.