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De Soto, Coronado, Cabrillo Explorers of the Northern Mystery '**-*+ £.°>.°jI5: De Soto, Coronado, Cabrillo Explorers of the Northern Mystery By David Lavender Produced by the Division of Publications National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Washington, D.C. Aboutthis book American historybeginsnotwith the English at Jamestownorthe PilgrimsatPlymouth butwith Spanish explorationofthe bordercountryfrom FloridatoCaliforniain the 16th century. Thishand- bookdescribes the expeditionsofthree intrepid explorers—De Soto, Coronado, and Cabrillo—their adventures,theirencounterswith native inhabitants, and the consequences,good and ill,oftheirjour- neys. Thislittle-known storyisrelated byDavid Lavender, authorofmany bookson the American West. Hisworkgivesperspective tothe several national parks thatcommemorate the firstSpanish explorations. National Park Handbooks,compactintroductionsto the natural andhistorical placesadministeredby the National Park Service, are designedtopromote public understandingand enjoymentofthe parks. These handbooksare intendedtobe informative readingand usefulguides. More than 100titlesare in print. They are sold atparksand bymailfromthe SuperintendentofDocuments,U.S. Government PrintingOffice,Washington,D.C. 20402. Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-PublicationData Lavender,David Sievert, 1910- De Soto, Coronado, Cabrillo: explorersofthe northern mystery/byDavidLavender, — p. cm. (Handbook; 144) 1. United States—Discovery andexploration— Spanish. 2. Soto,Hernando,de,ca. 1500-1542. 3. Co- ronado,FranciscoVasquesde, 1510-1554.4. Cabrillo, JuanRodrigues,d. 1543.5.Explorers—UnitedStates- History—16thcentury. I. Title. II. Series: Handbook (United States. National Park Service. Divisionof Publications); 144 E123.L24 1992 973.1-dc20 91-47633 CIP 1992 Prologue 5 The Spanish Entradas 1 DavidLavender The Waysofthe Conquerors 13 The Wanderers 21 Journey intoDarkness 37 Where the FablesEnded 55 The Seafarers 85 Epilogue 97 A Guide to Sites 98 De SotoNational Memorial 102 CoronadoNationalMemorial 104 PecosNational Historical Park 106 CabrilloNationalMonument 108 $m m -sA.«cr-cj-rr-.-- 'WjiiM 5^ '^i<*f>- c^L Prologue A magicdate: 1492. The yearbegan furtherexploration. In 1519Hernan with ChristopherColumbuswatching CortessweptoutofCubaintoMexico the Moorssurrenderthe cityofGra- andfound anewsource ofwealth for nada,theirlaststronghold in Spain,to hiscountry,hisfollowers, and himself thejointmonarchsFerdinand and bylootingthe Aztec empireofstores Isabella. He reminded themofthe ofgold and silverthe Indianshad been triumph in asummationhewrote later accumulatingforcenturies. Adecade ofwhathe toohad accomplished that laterFranciscoPizarrobegan hisdog- year. "I sawthe bannersofyourHigh- ged and even more lucrativeconquest nessesraisedon the towersofthe ofthe IncasofPeru. Alhambrain the cityofGranada, and I Meanwhile,whatofthe Northern sawthe Moorish kinggooutofthe Mystery,ashistorian HerbertE. Bolton gateofthe cityand kissthehandsof aptlynamed the unknown landsabove yourHighnessesandofmylord the Mexico? Wasitnotlogical thatsimilar Prince." Shortly afterthe victory, he treasuresawaiteddiscoverythere? And added, "yourHighnesses deter- sothe feverforadventure and riches . . . minedtosend me, ChristopherColum- drew three moredistance-defying busto the countriesofIndia,so thatI explorers—Hernandode Soto, Fran- mightseewhattheywere like,the ciscoVasquezde Coronado, andJuan landsandthe people,andmightseek RodriguezCabrillo—into threediffer- outandknowthe nature ofeverything ent partsofwhatisnowthe United thatisthere " States. Each reached asfarashedid Thisremarkable coincidence—the because inside him burned the awe- expulsionoftheMoorsfrom Spain and some,oftencontradictory, butalways Columbus'salmostsimultaneousdis- steel-brightfiresofmedieval Spain. coveryofthe "Indies"—resulted in a Ourtangible connection to thisage burstofexplosive expansionism. The ofpathfindinganddiscoveryisascat- followingyear, 1493, Columbusestab- teringofhistoric placesstretchingfrom lished Spain'sfirstcolonyintheNew FloridatoCalifornia. Theyare evi- Worldonthe islandofHispaniola, denceofSpanish life and colorinthe occupied nowbyHaiti and the Domin- oldborderlands. Thisbookdrawsinto icanRepublic. By 1515 Cubahad been awhole the storiesofseveralsuch conquered anditscitiesofSantiago places. Herearethe beginningsofSpan- andHavanaestablished asbasesfor ishNorthAmerica. This16th-century woodcut, theproductofan viewthatEuropeandiscovererswerebringing artistwithafertileimaginationbutlittle civilizationtothegratefulnativesofthe information, epitomizesthecontemporary New World. M . Routesofthe Explorers ThefirstSpanishexpeditions intothenorthernborder- landsofNewSpainsampled thecontinentswondrousdi- versity. DeSotomadehis greatmarchacrossaluxuri- antcountrysostunningand o productivethattheexpe- # dition'sjournalsarefullof admiringdescription. Heen- CapeMendocino counteredcomplexnative Voyagecontinues societies,whichwereoften underFerrerafter organized intopowerful I Cabrillo'sdeath chiefdoms—generousin peacebutformidableinwar. Centuriesofsettlementhas greatlyalteredthisland- scape. NotsoCoronado's country.Atravelertothe Southwestcanstillsee placesevocativeofthefirst Spanishencounterswith Indiansofthepueblosand Plains.Asailorretracing PosesiIsolna Cabrillo'srouteupthe DeathofCabrillo C Californiacoastruns pastmountainsthat, inthe wordsofthechronicler, "seemtoreachtheheavens [andare]coveredwith .. . snow"—mountainshecalled theSierraNevada.Theyare today'sSantaLuciarange. Cabrillo'svoyageisnowbest followed intheimagination. DeSotoExpedition Forreference,modern placenamesareshownin GRAY CoronadoExpedition Dashedlinesindicate uncertainroutes. CabrilloExpedition North Navidad departed27June1542 100Kilomete=rs t returned14April1543 1 ' I 500 NEW SPAIN •Mexico jyeraCruz City Timeline 1440-60 1513 1528 ThePortugueseexplore PoncedeLeonclaims Narvaezattemptsacolonyin coastofAfrica FloridaforSpain Florida 1492 1519-21 1529-36 MoorsdefeatedinSpain; Magellan'sfleetsailsaround ThewanderingsofCabezade ColumbuslandsinNewWorld theworld Vaca 1497 1521 1532 VascodaGamasailstoIndia CortesconquerstheAztecs Pizarrooverthrowsthe bywayofAfrica IncasofPeru First Expeditions North 1539 De Soto LandsinFloridainlateMay; FollowingIndiantrails,expedi- marchesthroughupperFlorida; tionswingsinawidearcthrough majorbattleatNapituca;gue- Georgia,SouthCarolina,North rillawarwithApalachees;winter Carolina,andAlabama,encoun- campatAnhaica(Tallahassee) teringmajorchiefdoms.Bloody battleatMabila(central Alabama)inOctober Coronado DepartsfromCompostelawith anarmyof300cavalryandinfan- try,severalhundredIndianallies, friars,andalongpacktrain. AlarconsailsuptheGulfofCali- forniawiththreevessels.Expedi- tionpenetratesAmericanSouth- west,reachesHawikuhinJuly; engagestheZuniinbattle;Coro- nadowounded. TovarexploresHopivillagesin Arizona.Alarconreachesmouth ofColoradoRiver.Cardenas sightstheGrandCanyon. AlvaradomarchestoAcoma, Pecos,andbeyond. Cabrillo Accompaniesanexploringexpe- ditionupthenorthwestcoastas almirante(secondincommand). Expeditionabandonedafterits leaderiskilledfightingIndians.