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90 • The Kingdom of Quivira lies fifteen short days’ journey to the west of Tiguex.1 Here there are numerous large settlements in which the houses are built of straw, as in New Spain, as the climate here is quite temperate. These people do not construct their buildings with any more pretense than is necessary for their everyday wants. Although we call this the South Sea, it is the Sea of California, which runs from south to north until it comes to the Strait of Anián.2 Alonso Vásquez Coronado3 got this far with his men and our four friars. So as not to overextend himself with so few men, and short on supplies and munitions, he and his party decided to turn back. They knew that on both sides there were rich and enormous settlements . And having left planted in that land the seed of the Divine Word and a knowledge of the existence of Our God and Lord (to the extent that the brief time they spent would allow), they returned to give the Viceroy news of what they had seen. And that is how the place remained until God saw fit that its hour should come and Your Majesty would be able to avail himself of that kingdom. God in His Majesty will discharge everything in His own way, so that all those souls might know and worship His most holy name and undertake the holy sacrament of baptism. 43. Quivira Quivira • 91 And may Your Majesty have the spirit, grace, and might to subject for the church under your royal crown all the barbarous nations that inhabit that land. Signature of Fray Alonso de Benavides. ...

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