The Coronado Expedition, 1540-1542.: Excerpted from the Fourteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1892-1893, Part 1.Winship, George Parker
History
The Coronado Expedition, 1540-1542.: Excerpted from the Fourteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1892-1893, Part 1.
Winship, George Parker
Coronado, Francisco Vásquez de, 1510-1554; Southwest, New -- Description and travel
increase of greater kingdoms and powers, as your loyal servants and
vassals desire. From this province of Tiguex, October 20, in the
year 1541. Your Majesty’s humble servant and vassal, who would
kiss the royal feet and hands:
FRANCISCO VAZQUEZ CORONADO.
[p584]
TRANSLATION OF THE NARRATIVE OF JARAMILLO
ACCOUNT GIVEN BY CAPTAIN JUAN JARAMILLO OF THE JOURNEY WHICH HE MADE
TO THE NEW COUNTRY, ON WHICH FRANCISCO VAZQUEZ CORONADO WAS THE
GENERAL.[358]
We started from Mexico, going directly to Compostela, the whole way
populated and at peace, the direction being west, and the distance
112 leagues. From there we went to Culiacan, perhaps about 80
leagues; the road is well known and much used, because there is a
town inhabited by Spaniards in the said valley of Culiacan, under
the government of Compostela. The 70 horsemen who went with the
general went in a northwesterly direction from this town. He left his
army here, because information had been obtained that the way was
uninhabited and almost the whole of it without food. He went with the
said horsemen to explore the route and prepare the way for those who
were to follow. He pursued this direction, though with some twisting,
until we crossed a mountain chain, where they knew about New Spain,
more than 300 leagues distant. To this pass we gave the name of
Chichilte Calli, because we learned that this was what it was called,
from some Indians whom we left behind.
[Illustration: LXXVII. The South Town of the Tiwa Pueblo of Taos]
Leaving the said valley of Culiacan, he crossed a river called
Pateatlan (_or_ Peteatlan), which was about four days distant. We
found these Indians peaceful, and they gave us some few things to
eat. From here we went to another river called Cinaloa, which was
about three days from the other. From here the general ordered ten
of us horsemen to make double marches, lightly equipped, until we
reached the stream of the Cedars (arroyo de los Cedros), and from
there we were to enter a break in the mountains on the right of the
road and see what there was in and about this. If more time should
be needed for this than we gained on him, he would wait for us at
the said Cedros stream. This was done, and all that we saw there was
a few poor Indians in some settled valleys like farms or estates,
with sterile soil. It was about five more days from the river to
this stream. From there we went to the river called Yaquemi, which
took about three days. We proceeded along a dry stream, and after
three days more of marching, although the dry stream lasted only for
a league, we reached another stream where there were some settled
Indians, who had straw huts and storehouses of corn and beans and
melons. Leaving here, we went to [p585] the stream and village
which is called Hearts (Corazones), the name which was given it by
Dorantes and Cabeza de Vaca and Castillo and the negro Estebanillo,
because they gave them a present of the hearts of animals and birds
to eat.
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