WHereas in the title of this Treatiſe I haue ſaide that in the yeare 1583. there was diſcouered a Lande conteyning 15. Prouinces, lying in or vpon the continent of Newe Spaine, which by the diſcouerers therof was named Newe Mexico, I will with as much breuitie as I may (for it I had diffuſedly ſet downe all that haue béene therein ſeene and knowne, it would require a hiſtory) declare the ſubſtance of the ſame: which is, that in the yeare 1581. a certeine religious perſon of the order of Franciſcans na-Frier Auguſtine Ruis, dwelling in the vale of S. Bartholmew, béeing giuen to vnderſtande by certeine Indians called Conchos, who communicated with other their neighbors néere adioining, called Paſſaguates, that toward ye north partes men might traueile by land to certeine great towns, of the Spaniards neuer diſcouered nor knowne: pretending the ſaluation of their ſoules, hée craued licenſe of the Conde of Corunna viceroy of the ſaide Newe Spayne, and other his ſuperiors, to trauaile thither to learne their language, & afterward to bring them to receiue baptiſme, and to preach vnto them the holy Goſpell. Hauing obteined this licence, and taking with him two companions more of the ſame order, with eight ſouldiers who voluntarily offered to accompanie him, he departed, in purpoſe to put in practiſe his pretended Chriſtian & charitable intent, & within fewe daies iourney came into a Prouince named Tiguas, diſtant from the mynes of S. Barbara, where they began their iourney, 250. leagues northward: in which land through occaſion, the inhabitants killed one of his two companions. Which when the ſouldiers that came with him perceiued, entering into further conſideration of their ſucceſſe, and fearing leaſt ſome thing to their great harme might thereof enſue, they determined with a common conſent to returne to the mynes of S. Barbara from whence they ſet foorth, in reſpect of the ſmall number that they were to withſtand ſuch matters as might happen, béeing ſo farre diſtant from the places which the Spaniards did inhabite, and from al neceſſary ſuccour. But the two Fryers that remained, did not onelie diſlike of their reſolution, but alſo ſéeing ſo fit occaſion to execute their purpoſes, and ſo much fruite euen ripe for Gods table, when they could no waye perſwade the ſouldiers to proceede in the diſcouerie, reſolued to ſtay in the ſaide prouince with onely thrée Indian boyes and one mungrell, whome they carried with them, thinking that notwithſtanding they there remained alone, yet they ſhoulde bee very ſafe by reaſon of the affability and loue wherwith the inhabitantes intreated them. When the eight ſouldiers were thus returned to their deſired place, they preſently ſent newes of their ſucceſſe to the viceroy at Mexico, which is diſtant frō S. Barbaras mines 160 leagues The Franciſcan fryers hearing of the ſtay of their brethren did much miſlike hereof, fearing leaſt being ſo alone, they might be ſlaine, and therfore began to moue and ſtirre vp the mindes of ſundry ſouldiers to accompanie an other Fryer of the ſame order called Frier Bernardine Beltran into the ſame prouince, thēce to bring the ſaid two other fryers in ſafetie, and to proſecute that which was before begun.

At the ſame time there was (through occaſion) at the ſaid mynes, a citizen of Mexico, called Anthony of Eſpeio, a rich man, and of great courage & induſtrie: one zealous in the ſeruice of the kings maieſtie Don Phillip, and was borne in Cordoua. This man (vnderſtanding the ſaid fryers purpoſe, together with the importance of the muſe, offered his perſon to the iourny, as alſo to ſpend part of his ſubſtance, and to aduenture his life therein, if he might to that ende obteine licenſe and authoritie of the chiefe deputies in thoſe places. Wherefore by the procurement of the ſaide Frier, there was order taken by Capteine Ontinerus, his maieſties chiefe Alcady in the towne of the ſoure kinges within the gouernement of Biſcay, 70. leagues from the ſaid mines of S. Barbara, that he might as well in perſon go forward on the ſayd iourny, as alſo to gather & take vp ſuche ſouldiers as voluntarily would accompany him, to ye end ſo to proſecute this his Chriſtian an enterpriſe. The ſaide Antony of Eſpeyo tooke this buſines ſo earneſtly in hand, ye in very few daies he had gathered together his ſouldiers and neceſſary prouiſiō for ſuche a iourney, ſpending therein a great part of his ſubſtance: and ſo departed from the vale of S. Bartholmew vpon the 10. of Nouember, 1582. carrying with him for all occaſions that might fall out 115. horſes & moiles, with much weapon, munition & furniture, and ſome people of ſeruice. He tooke his way toward ye north and within 2. daies iourney he met with many Indians called Conchos in rowes or ſtreets of ſtraw houſes, who whē they vnderſtood of the comming of our people, came foorth ioyfully to méete them. The foode of this people, as alſo of all the reſt of this prouince which is very large, is ye fleſh of conies, hares, & déere, wherof they haue great plenty. They haue alſo verie much Mais, which is the Indian wheat, goords, & abundonce of good mellons, alſo great ſtore of riuers which yéelde them great quantitie of fiſh of diuers ſortes, & for the moſt part they all go naked, their weapons are bowes & arrows, they lyue vnder the ſigniory & gouernment of Caſſicques as the Mexicans, but there were found no Idols, neither can it be founde that they woorſhip any thing, which is ye reaſon that they eaſily agréed ye the Chriſtians ſhould ſette vp croſſes, wherewith they were wel contented after they were by our people informed of the ſignificatiō of the ſame, through ſuch interpreters as they caryed with them, by whoſe means alſo they learned of other towns whither the ſaid Conchos accompanied & guyded them, going with them aboue 24. leagues which was all inhabited with their Nation, & through the aduiſe which the Caſſicques gaue from one towne to another, came foorth to méet them, and receiued them with peace.

Hauing thus paſſed theſe 24. leagues, they came vnto another people called Paſſaguates, Paſſaguates. who after ye maner of ye afore ſaid Conchos their neighbors came forth & vſed them in the ſame maner as the other had done, guiding them forwarde 4. daies iourney with aduiſe from the Caſſicques as afore. In this iourny our people found many ſiluer mines in ye iudgement of ſuch as haue ſkill in ſuch things, and very rich mettall.

One daies iourney beyond theſe, they came to another nation called Toboſos, Toboſos. who ſeeing & hearing of our people, fled into the woods, leauing their towns and houſes deſert. We afterward vnderſtood that a few yeares before there had beene ſome ſoldiers which going to ſeek mines had led certeine of the inhabitantes captiue, which was the cauſe of ye feare and ſuſpitiouſnes of the reſt. But the captein gaue order for the calling of them backe, with aſſurance that they ſhould haue no harme, vſing ſo good pollicie yt they returned & were very wel vſed, wherby enioying their fauour, & by interpreters promiſing that they ſhoulde haue no harme, they became quiet, & were content with the ſetting vp of croſſes, & to heare ye myſteries of ye ſame, wherewith in outward ſhew they ſeemed to be wel pleaſed, and afterward accompanied them as their neighbors had done, vntill they brought them to another people about 12. leagues diſtant from them, they vſe alſo bowes and arrowes, and do go naked.

The people wherto the Toboſos guided them are called Iumanos, Iumanos. whome the Spaniards by an other name doo call Patarabueyes. Patarabueyes Their prouince is large cōſiſting of many towns with much people. The houſes haue ſellers & are of lime & ſtone, & the towns traced in very good order, al the men & womē haue their faces, armes, & legs painted, they are a corpulent people, & more politike then any of the former, & haue much victuall, & great ſtore of game both of foot & winge, with plentie of fiſh, by reaſon of their great riuers running frō the northward, wherof ſome are as large as Guadalquiuir which fall into the very north ſea. It hath many lakes of ſalt water, whiche certaine times of the yeare do curdle & they make therof very good ſalt. They are a warlike people and ſo ſhewed themſelues, for the firſt night that our people pitched their campe, they ſhot & killed fiue horſes and hurt as many more very ſore, nether had left any aliue if the watch had not behaued themſelues very well in the defence of the reſt, & hauing done this miſchiefe they vnpeopled the towne & fled into the woods there adioining, but the next morning the Captaine with fiue ſouldiers, & an Interpreter called Peter, an Indian of their owne nation, went thether to them, and with very good ſpeach quieted them and brought them to peace, ſo as he cauſed them to returne to their habitations, yea & perſwaded thē to certifie their neighbours that they were men that did no harme to any, neither went to take & rob them of their goods. This through his wiſedome did he bring to paſſe & eaſilie obteined, & gaue vnto their Caſciques certaine bunches of glaſſe beads which they caried of purpoſe, & hats & other childiſh toies: vpō this & other good vſage of them many accompanied our people certaine daies along the great riuer aforeſaid, whervpon ſtood many townes of this nation, during al which iourneis (the Caſſiques giuing notice from one to another they came foorth without their bowes or arrowes to méet our people, & brought them much victuals with other dainties & gifts, eſpecially ſkins of Chamois ſo well dreſſed that thoſe of Flanders are no better. They go all clothed, & it was found that they had ſome ſmall inckling of our Chriſtian faith, for they made ſigns toward God with looking vp into heauen, whome in their language they call Appallito, & him they acknowledge for the Lord at whoſe hand & mercy they confeſſe that they haue receiued life & naturall being. Many of them came & brought their wiues & children, to the intent that the religious perſons of whom we ſpake, which went with the ſoldiers might giue them their bleſſing. Afterward being demanded of whom they had learned that knowledge of God, they ſaid of thrée Chriſtians & one Negro that had paſſed that way & ſtaied a while in their countrie, who by the tokens that they gaue, ſéemed to be Aluares Nunnes Cabeça de Vacca, Dorantes, Caſtillio Maldonado & a Negro, who were eſcaped from the Armato wherwith Pamphilo of Naruaes entred into Florida, & hauing bene long ſlaues chanced to come to theſe places, where GOD wrought many ſtrange things by them, yea & healed ſundrie parſons, whereby their name was famous throughout al that countrie. All this prouince ſéemed to remaine very quiet, in demonſtration wherof they accompanied & ſerued our people ſundrie daies along the riuer afore ſaid. A fewe daies after they came to a populous countrie of Indians, whoſe inhabitants came to receiue our people, after th •… 〈…〉 •… ir neighbors they vnderſtood of 〈…〉 Sauiour, and brought forth many •… gs made of feathers very curiouſly of ſundrie colours, & many cotton mātels ſtriped with blew and white, like to thoſe that came from China, to bartare and chaunge for other things: Both men & women are apparelled in Chamois very well dreſſed. Our mē could not learne the name of that nation for want of an Interpreter that vnderſtood their language, notwithſtanding they dealt with them by ſignes, & when they ſhewed them certaine ſtones of very great price, demaunding whether there were any ſuch in their land: They anſwered by ſignes, that about fiue daies iourney from thence toward the Weſt there were plentie of the ſame, alſo that they themſelues would guide them thether & ſhew them vnto them, which they afterward performed, accōpanying them for the ſpace of 22 leagues, all inhabited by the ſame natiō. Next vnto whom they preſently came along the riuer to an other nation far more populous then the laſt, where they were very well receiued & entertained with many preſents, eſpecially of fiſh, which was there infinit by reaſon of great lakes thereabout wherin the ſame were bred. They remained among thoſe people thrée daies, who enterteined them night and day with diuerſe dances after their manner, & ſundrie demonſtratious of great ioy, but they could not learne their name for want of an interpreter, howbeit they vnderſtood that ye countrie ſtretched very far & were a gret nation. Among them they found an Indian of the nation of the Conchos, Conchos. who by ſignes gaue them to vnderſtand that 15. iourneis thence toward the weſt, there was a great & verie broad lake, & about the ſame many great townes, & houſes of thrée or foure ſtories hie, the inhabitants apparelled & plentie of victuals, & promiſed to bring them thether, where of they were very glad, & ſo they gaue ouer the proſecuting of the firſt determination taken at ye beginning of the iourney, which was to go northward to ye end to ſuccour the fryers aforeſaid. In this prouince that which particularly was to bee noted, is, yt ye ſame was of a good temperature, a welthy cuntry, plenty of game aſwel on wing as foote, rich in mettals, & other particular things of profit. Frō this land they traueiled 15 daies not méeting any other people. Thus paſſing along through great woods of pine apples & pines like thoſe of Caſtile hauing iournied by eſtimation 80. leagues they came to a ſmall village or towne of a few people, in whoſe houſes (which were poore and of ſtraw, they found many ſkins of déere very well dreſſed, as thoſe of Flanders, with much white ſalt and that verye good: héere they lodged them very well for the ſpace of 2. daies that they there remained, & then conueyed them 12. leagues further, ſtill going northward by the riuer aforeſaid vntill they came to the cuntry named New Mexico: along the mariſhes of ye ſame riuer grew plentie of white elms, which they cal Alamos Blanchos, like woods in ſome places 4. leagues large, & the lyke of walnuttrées, and many arbors of vynes like thoſe of Caſtile.

Hauing iourneyed twoo daies through theſe groues of elmes and walnuttrees, they came to 10 villages or townes ſcituat on either ſide of ye ſaid riuer, beſides others which they might ſée further of, which ſéemed to be very well peopled, as alſo thoſe that they came vnto cōteined aboue 10000 ſoules: In this prouince they were much made of & had very good interteinment, being guided frō towne to towne, & had great plenty of victuall giuen thē, as hens & many other things, & all with great good will. Here they found houſes of 4 ſtories high, very wel builded with gallant lodgings, & in moſt of thē ſtoaues for the winter ſeaſon. Their garments were of cotton & of déeres ſkins, & the attyre both of the men & women is after the maner of the Indians of Mexico, but the ſtrangeſt thing of all was that both men and women did weare ſhoes & bootes of good leather, with ſoales of cow hides, a matter neuer ſéene in any other of thoſe countries before. The womē do kéepe theyr haire very well combed and dreſſed vp, without any thing vpon theyr heads. In all theſe townes they haue Caſſicques that gouerne them in like maner as the Mexicans, with their ſergeants: and officers to execute their commandements. which going thorough the towne to with an outcrie deliuer the Caſsicques precepts vnto ye people, cauſing the ſame to be put in execution. Here our men found many idols which the inhabitants did worſhip, & eſpecially they haue in euery houſe a tēple for ye diuell, wherinto they ordinarily carie him meat, & as it is among the Chriſtians an vſe to erect croſſes in the high waies, ſo haue this people certaine high chapels, in in the which they ſay the Diuell vſeth to take his eaſe & recreate himſelfe as he trauelleth from one towne to an other, theſe chappels are very wel trimmed & painted. In all their crable grounds whereof they haue plentie, they erect on the one ſide a porch ſtanding vpon foure pillers wherin the laborers do eat and make their feaſts, for the people are much giuen to labour & do ordinarily follow their worke. It is a wooddie countrie full of pyne trées. The weapons that they vſe are very ſtronge bowes & arrowes pointed with pedernall or flint, wherewith they will péerce a coat of maile, they haue alſo certeine ſtaues of halfe a yard long full of ſharpe flints, ſufficient to cleaue a man aſunder in the middeſt called Imacanas, and they vſe ſhields of raw cow hides.

HAuing remained 4. daies in this Prouince, not far off they came to another called the Lande of Tyguas, Tiguas. conteining 16. townes, in one whereof called Poala, they vnderſtood that the inhabitants had ſlayne the 2. Fryers aforeſaid: viz. Frier Frauncis Lopes, & Frier Auguſtine Ruys whom they went to ſéeke for, & the thrée boyes and the mungrell. When the towneſmen therfore and their nexte neighbors ſée our people there, their conſciences accuſing them, and fearing leaſt our men came to puniſh thē, & to reuenge the death of the perſons aforeſaid, they durſt not abide, but leauing their houſes emptie, fled into the woodes bordering about them, from whence they would neuer come downe, notwithſtanding ſundry deuiſes which our men practiſed there about. They found in the townes & houſes good ſtore of victuals, with infinite numbers of hens of that cuntry, & ſundry ſorts of mettals, wherof ſome ſéemed to be verie good. I am not able to ſhew what numbers of people this prouince might conteine, by reaſon (as is aforeſaid) they were fledde to the thickets.

Finding thoſe to be deceaſed whom they ſought for, they entered in conſultation whether they ſhuld returne into new Biſcay from whence they came, or elſe go forward on the iourney, wherin were diuers opinions. Howbeit vnderſtanding that toward the eaſt parts of that prouince, and ſomewhat diſtant from thence there were ſome very great & rich towns, alſo finding themſelues ſo néere the ſame, the ſaid captaine Antony of Eſpeio with the cōſent of frier Bernardine Beltran & the moſt part of his companie determined to procéed in the diſcouerie, to ſée wherto it would come, as alſo to giue aſſured & certaine notice to his maieſtie, as eye witneſſes of al that themſelues had ſéene, & ſo with one accord they determined that the armie ſhould lie ſtill there, while the captain & two more of his cōpany ſhould proſecute their deſire, which they put in practiſe. After two daies iourney they happened of another prouince wherein they ſée 11. townes & much people, in their opinion aboue 40000 ſoules: It was a very fertile ſoile, and no leſſe furniſhed with prouiſion, whoſe cōfines did immediatly adioine vnto the land of Cibola wherin are many kine, with whoſe ſkins they do apparell themſelues as alſo with cotton, imitating in their gouernment the orders of their neighbors, there ſéemeth to be many rich mines, of whoſe mettals they found in the Indians houſes, which Indians haue & do worſhip Idols, and receiued our men with peace, giuing them victuals to eat. This being ſéene, as alſo the diſpoſition of the countrie, they returned to the campe, there to giue notice to their company of all that is aforeſaid.

Béeing returned to the army, they had intelligence of another cuntry called Quires, Quires. which ſtood along vpon ye north Riuer, about 6. leagues of, & in their iourney thitherward about 1. league frō ye place, there came forth very many Indians to receiue them in peace, requeſting them to go with them to their townes, which they accepted & were very wel enterteined. In this prouince they found but 5 towns, though very full of people, for they ſawe aboue 15000, ſoules, who doe worſhip Idols, as doe alſo their neighbors. In one of theſe townes they foūd a parrat in a cage, as they vſe in Caſtile: alſo ſhadows called Tiraſoles, like vnto thoſe yt they bring frō China, wherin were painted the ſun, moone, & many ſtars, where hauing takē ye altitude, they foūd it to be 37. degrees & a half vnder ye north. Departing out of this prouince, & traueiling by the ſame path, within 14. leagues they foūd another prouince called Cumes, Cumes. wher they did ſée other 5. cities, ye greateſt wherof was called Cia, & was ſo large yt it conteined 8. market places, the houſes tyled & painted of diuers colours, & much better then haue béene ſéene in the former countries. The number of inhabitants ſéeme to be aboue 20000. ſoules. They gaue to our people for preſents many curious mātles, with meates well dreſſed, & were accompted to be more curious & of greater pollicy then any of them yt yet they had ſéene, & of better gouernment. They ſhewed thē rich mettals, & the mountains not far off from whence they had them: heere alſo our people heard of another prouince bearing toward the northweſt, whereunto they purpoſed to go.

Hauing trauailed about 6. leagues, they came to ye ſame prouince, which was called Amages, Amages. conteining 7. towns very great, & to their iudgemēt in ye ſame 30000. ſoules, one of theſe towns was very faire wherto they refuſed to go, as well becauſe it ſtoode in a wood, as alſo for feare of miſhap, if per chance they ſhuld be ſeperated one frō another. They are people in māners not vnlike their neighbors, as well furniſhed as they & of as good gouernment. About 15 leagues frō this prouince weſtward they foūd a great towne called Acoma, Acoma. cōſiſting of aboue 6000 ſoules, ſtanding vpō a high rocke, which was aboue 50 paces high, hauing no other entrance but by a ladder or payre of ſtaiers hewen in the ſame rocke, which bred a great maruell in our men: al their water they haue in ceſternes. The chiefe mē of this towne came peaceably to viſit the Spaniards, bringing them many mantels, Chamois well dreſſed, & plētie of victuals. Their erable land lieth 2 leagues frō them, & the water that moiſteneth the ſame procéedeth from a ſmall riuer néere therto, about the which do grow many roſe trées like to thoſe of Caſtile. There are alſo many woods hauing in thē ſome mines of mettall, but they went not to ſée them becauſe the Indians be both many & very warlike. Our men remained here 3 dayes, and in one of the townes the people made them a ſolemne daunce, & therewith came forth in gallant garments, & plaies very ingenious wherewith they were wonderfully delighted.

About 24 leagues frō hence toward the weſt, they hapned vpon a prouince in the countrie language called Zuni, Zuni. and by the Spaniards named Cibola, wherin do inhabite very many Indians. In this citie had Frances Vaſques Coronado erected many croſſes and other tokens of Chriſtianitie which yet remaine. They alſo found there three Indian Chriſtians that had cōtinued there, euer ſince his ſaid iourney, whoſe names were Andrew of Cuyoacan, Iaſper of Mexico, & Antony of Guadalaiara, who had almoſt forgottē their owne language, but could ſpeake that countrie ſpeech very well, notwithſtanding that in a ſmal time being talked withall, they eaſily recouered the vnderſtāding of what ſo euer was ſpoken. Of them our men vnderſtood that 60 daies iourneis of, there was a very great lake & vpō the ſhores thereof many goodly townes, alſo that the enhabitans of ye ſame had plentie of gold, which was ye better to be knowen becauſe they al did were bracelets & earerings thereof: alſo that Frances Vaſques Coronado being certified thereof had gone out of this land of Cibola & procéeded 14 iournies thitherward, and then through want of water was forced to returne, determining neuertheleſſe to make a ſecond voiage thither being better furniſhed for ye ſame, which he neuer performed, being preuented therein by death.

Vnto the news of ye riches aforeſaid did the ſaid Anthony of Eſpeio apply himſelf, to whoſe opinion the moſt part of his company condiſcended, except the Frier, who alledged yt it was now time to returne to new Byſcay, from whence they came, there to giue accompt of yt which they had ſéene, whereto moſt of them conſented, leauing their capteine with onely 9 companions yt willingly followed him, who after knowledge of ye riches aforeſaid, departed with his ſaid companions, & traueiling directly toward ye weſt, after hee had iourneied 28. leagues, found another very great Lande, which by eſtimatiō conteined 50000 ſouls & more. The inhabitans vnderſtanding of their approch, ſent them word vpon paine of death to come no néerer their townes, wherto ye capteine anſwered, yt their comming was no way to harme them, as they ſhould wel perceiue, & therefore requeſted them not to moleſt them, & withal gaue to the meſſenger ſome ſuch rewards as they had at hand, who vpon ye ſame, gaue ſo good words of our people, yt he mollified ye harts of the rebellious Indiās, & obteined leaue for them to come among them, which they did with 150 of their frendes of ye prouince of Cibola aforeſaid, and the thrée Mexican Indians before mentioned.

When they came within one league of the firſt towne, there came foorth to méete them aboue 2000 Indians with neceſſarie prouiſion, as victuals, &c. whō the capteine rewarded with ſome things of ſmal value, which vnto them neuertheleſſe ſéemed of greater account then ſo much gold. Approching néerer to the towne, which was named Zaguato, a great number of Indians came foorth to méete them, and among the reſt the Caſſicques, with ſo great demonſtration of ioy, that they caſt much meale and maiz vppon the ground for the horſes to tread vpon: with ſuch triumph they entered the towne, where they were muche made of, and very well lodged, which the capteine did in part requite, giuing to the chiefeſt among them hattes, and beades of glaſſe, with manie ſuch trifles that they caryed with them for the like purpoſe.

The ſaid Caſſicques preſently gaue notice through ye whole prouince of ye arriuall of theſe new gueſts, whō they reported to be a curteous people, & ſuch as offered them no harm, intreating them to come to their towns, which they yéelded vnto, though wt great foreſight what might follow, wherin ye captein alſo vſed ſome pollicy, giuing them to vnderſtande ye the horſes, who (as they had already béen informed, would deuoure men) were very fierce, & therefore ye it was neceſſary to make ſome fort of lime & ſtone wherin to kéepe them, to auoid ſuch inconuenience as otherwiſe might fall to ye Indians by them, which the Caſſicques did ſo ſtedfaſtly beléeue, yt with all ſpéede ye ſaid fort which our men required was by them finiſhed. Moreouer vpō the capteines ſpéech ye he would depart, they brought vnto him a preſent of 4000. mantles of cotton both white & painted, a great quantity of handkerchiefes purled & ſtitched, & ſome rich mettal among which ſéemed to cōtein much ſiluer. Among theſe Indians they learned much concerning the great Lake aforeſaid, as alſo of the riches thereof, and great abundance of golde.

The capteine repoſing ſome cōfidence in this people, left there 5 of his cōpany with the reſt of his Indian fréends, who thence ſhould returne to Zuni with ye baggage, & tooke ye other 4 with him, procéeding with ſuch guides as he had gotten, & hauing trauelled 45 leagues toward ye weſt, he came to very rich mines, out of the which wt his owne hād he tooke rich mettall & much ſiluer: theſe mines were in a wooddie mountaine, whereto they might eaſily get vp by reaſon of an opē way ye lay to the ſame. About thē were ſome townes of Indians called Seranos, Seranos who came forth to méet them with croſſes in their hands & other tokens of peace. In theſe parts they foūd 2 riuers, hauing on their ſhores diuers arbors of very good grapes, great walnuttrées, & muche flaxe like that of Caſtile, & they ſhewed by ſigns yt behind this mountain there was a riuer of 8 leagues broad, but we could not learne howe néere it was, but by their demonſtration it ſéemed to draw toward the north ſea, alſo yt vpon the edges thereof on either ſide there ſtood diuers great townes, in reſpect of which the towne wherin they were was but a ſtréet. From hence ye Capteine departed toward ye prouince of Zuni, whither he had ſent his company: & being come thither, he met with his 5 cōpaniōs, & Frier Bernardine Beltran with the ſoldiers, who (as is aforeſaid) were before determined to returne, but as yet vpon certeine occaſions not departed, whō ye people there had very wel intreated, as they did the capteine afterward, & thoſe that came with him, méeting him wt tokens of great ioy, to whom they gaue much victuals for his iourny homeward, deſiring him to returne with all conuenient ſpéed, & to bring with him more Caſtillis (for ſo they tearm the Spaniards) to whom they promiſed food ſufficiēt, affirming ye to that end they had ſowne that yeare more graine then in any yeares before. At this time did the Frier & ſouldiers aforeſaid procéed in their former determination, & concluded vpon their return to ye prouince frō whence they came, to whō alſo Gregory Hernandes (who had béene in al the former iourny) ioined himſelfe. Theſe thus departed, ye captein with the 8 ſouldiers procéeded in their begunne iourney vp by ye north riuer, & hauing trauailed about 60 leagues toward the prouince of the Quires aforeſaid, béeing within 12 leagues of the eaſt part thereof, they found a people called the Hubates, Hubates. who receiued them with peace, & gaue thē muche victuals, informing them alſo of very rich mines which they founde, whereout they got good & gliſtering mettall, & therewith returned to the towne from whence they came. This prouince conteined by eſtimation about 25000 ſoules, all very well apparelled in mantels of cotten painted, and & chamois very wel dreſſed: they haue many groues of pines & cedars, and their houſes are of 4 or 5 ſtories height. Heere they had notice of another people, which was about one daies iourny thence, conſiſting of aboue 40000 ſoules, in which place when they came, the inhabitants would giue thē no food, nor admit them into their towns: for which cauſe, as alſo becauſe of the danger wherin they were, as alſo ye ſome of the ſouldiers were not wel at eaſe, and themſelues very few, they departed into the cū tries of the Chriſtians in July 1583. béeing guided by an Indian that went with thē, who led them another way then they wēt forth by, along a riuer called of Kine, in reſpect of the great numbers of kine ye féede all along the banks thereof, by the which they traueiled for the ſpace of 120 leagues, ſtil méeting with ſtore of the ſaid cattel.

Frō hence they went forward to ye riuer of Conchos by which they entered, & thēce to ye vale of S. Bartlemew, frō whence they firſt entered into their diſcouerie. Thether they heard ye frier Bernardine & his cōpanie were ſafly come many daies before, & were frō thence gone to the towne of Guadiaua. In this towne did Antony of Eſpeio deliuer ye certeine informatiō of all yt is aforeſaid, which preſently he ſent to ye Conde of Corunna viceroy of ye ſaid kingdome, who ſent the ſame to his maieſtie & the councell of the Indians, to the end they might take ſuch order as they thought beſt, which they haue very carefully performed.

Let it pleaſe our Lord to further this buſineſſe in ſuch wiſe, yt ſuch nūbers of ſoules redéemed by his blood, may thorow his mercy be deliuered frō ye thraldome of ſathan: whoſe good wits (wherin ſo far as by thoſe yt haue dealt wt thē may be gathered, they do far excéed thoſe of Mexico & Peru) as it is ſuppoſed may ſoone be brought very readily to imbrace ye euangelicall law, & to abandon ſuch iddlatry as now ye moſt of thē do liue in. Which God bring to paſſe, as full well he can, for his glory and the encreaſe of Chriſtian faith.