They called the Indian "Turk," because he looked like one.[1] Meanwhile the general had sent Don Garcia Lopez de Cardenas to Tiguex with men to get lodgings ready for the army, which had arrived from Senora about this time, before taking them there for the winter; and when Hernando de Alvarado reached Tiguex, on his way back from Cicuye, he found Don Garcia Lopez de Cardenas there, and so there was no need for him to go farther. As it was necessary that the natives should give the Spaniards lodging places, the people in one village had to abandon it and go to others belonging to their friends, and they took with them nothing but themselves and the clothes they had on. Information was obtained here about many towns up toward the north, and I believe that it would have been much better to follow this direction than that of the Turk, who was the cause of all the misfortunes which followed.
Chapter 13, of how the general went toward Tutahaco with a few men and left the army with Don Tristan, who took it to Tiguex.
Everything already related had happened when Don Tristan de Arellano reached Cibola from Senora. Soon after he arrived, the general, who had received notice of a province containing eight villages, took 30 of the men who were most fully rested and went to see it, going from there directly to Tiguex with the skilled guides who conducted him. lie left orders for Don Tristan de Arellano to proceed to Tiguex by the direct road, after the men had rested twenty days. On this journey, between one day when they left the camping place and midday of the third day, when they saw some snow-covered mountains, toward which they went in search of water, neither the Spaniards nor the horses nor the servants drank anything. They were able to stand it because of the severe cold, although with great difficulty. In eight days they reached Tutahaco,[2] where they learned that
- ↑ The accoant which Mota Padilla (cap. xxxii, 5, p. 161) gives of the Turk and his stories is very significant; Alvarado "halló un indio en aquellos llanos quien le dijo, mas por señas que por voces, ser de una provincia que distaba treinta soles, la enal se llamaba Copala, y al indio se le puso por nombre el Turco, por ser muy moreno, apersonado y de buena disposicion; y lea díjo tantas cosas de aquella provincia, que loa puso en admiracion, y en especial que había tanta cantidad do oro, que no solo podian cargar los caballos, sino carros; que había una laguna en la que navegaban cauoas. y qne las del cacique tenian argollas de oro; y para que se explicase, le mostraban plata, y decia que no, sino como un auillo que vió de oro: decia que á su cacique lo sacaban en audaa á las guerras, y que cuando queria, les quitaban los bozalos á unos lebreles que despedazaban á loa enemigos; que tenian una easa muy grande, adonde todos acudian á servirle; que en las puertas tenian mantas de algodon." Gomara, Indias, cap. ccxiiii, adds some details: "Viendo lapoca gente, y muestra do riqueza, dieron los soldados muy pocas gracias a los frayles, que conellos yuan, y que loauan aquella tierra do Sibola: y por no boluer a Mexico sin hazer algo, ni las nianos vazias, acordaron de passar adelante, que les dezian ser mejor tierra. Assi que fueron a Acuco, lugar sobre va fortissimo peñol, y desde alli fue don Garci lopez de Cardenas con su compañia de canallos a la mar, y Francisco Vazquez con los de mas a Tiguex. que esta ribera de va gran rio. Alli tuuieron nueuade Axa, y Quiuira; donde dezian, que estana vn Rey, dicho por nombre Tatarrax, barbudo, canos, y rico, que ceñia vu bracamarte, que rezaua cu horas, que adorana vna cruz do oro, y vna ymagen de muger, Senora Del cielo. Mucho alegro, y sostuno esta nueua al exercito, aunque algunos la tunieron por falsa, y echadiza de fraylea. Determinaron yr alla con intencion de inuernar en tierra tan rica como so sonaua."
- ↑ Coronado probably reached the Rio Grande near the present Isleta. Jaramillo applies this name to Aconia, and perhaps he is more correct, if we ought to read it Tutahaio. since the Tiguas (the inhabitants of Isleta, Sandia, Taos, and Picuris pueblos) call Acoma Tuthea-uáy, according to Bandelier, Gilded Man, p. 211.
