Came Men on Horses: The Conquistador Expeditions of Francisco Vásquez de Coronado and Don Juan de Oñate

7. Swallowed by a Sea of Grass

89 7 Swallowed by a Sea of Grass I arrived at some plains so without landmarks that it was as if we were in the middle of the sea. There [the guides] became confused, because on all of [the plains] there is not a single stone or hill or tree or bush or anything that looks like that. Coronado1 While Coronado was engaged in pacifying Tiguex, he could hardly wait until the Indians were quelled and warm weather came so he could continue his quest onward to the wondrous place the Turk called Quivira. Surely,Coronado reasoned,in everything the Turk told,there was enough truth to overcome the disappointments he and his men—and the viceroy who had invested so much money and faith in him—had thus far suffered. The Turk, great prevaricator and storyteller that he was, had become suspect to some as a witch doctor of sorts who was in league with Satan. A superstitious Spanish guard claimed he had witnessed the Turk talking into a jug to the devil. The soldiers were further convinced of the Turk’s supernatural capacity when, despite his isolated confinement, he claimed to know how many Christians had been killed at Moho. The figure he gave was correct.2 90 S w a l l o w e d b y a S e a o f G r a S S Coronado’s captains advised him that it would be wise to send someone ahead to Quivira to check out the Turk’s claims. After all, had not they been badly deceived by the fanciful stories of Friar Marcos?3 But Coronado would not listen. In a letter to the king on April 20, 1541, Coronado had expressed skepticism regarding the Quivira reports: “Since it was a report from Indians and mostly by signs, I did not give them credence until I could see it with my own eyes (their report seeming very exaggerated to me).”4 In another letter to Mendoza written at around the same time, however, Coronado was evidently less restrained. Mendoza, based on Coronado’s letter, wrote: “Regarding what concerns gold and silver and ‘fair-complected’ and handsome women and food, up to the present [the Coronado expeditionaries] have found [them] in abundance ...with news that farther on there are many jars of gold and pearls, as well as grand ciudads and houses and a land very productive of food.”5 But by fall Coronado had made up his mind to send a full expedition in search of Quivira. If there truly were golden treasures there, he wanted to be the one who found them. And what if King Tatarrax did not wish to give up his gold and silver? Coronado’s entire fighting force might be needed to wrest the treasure from him. Throughout the long, cold winter, Coronado had puzzled over who was lying and who was telling the truth about the gold bracelet. The totally innocent (most likely) Bigotes had been held in chains and iron collar, as had the Turk and Sopete. Cacique, because of his age, was spared such harsh treatment. Imprisonment of the captives had caused a serious reversal in relations with the people of Cicuye,where Bigotes and Cacique were still revered as leading men. The highhanded arrest of the two men and the dog baiting,not only of them but also of a delegation sent to plead their case with Coronado,had cast the Spaniards in a much different light. The natives had good cause to feel their generosity had been inadequately rewarded. Now, though, as Coronado laid plans for a journey to the prairies, he realized that Cicuye, sitting on the road to the east with a large warrior force, posed a potential hazard. Coronado had actually begun making plans for an expedition to the buffalo prairies even before Moho was captured. During the siege, he set out to make amends with the people of Cicuye. Keeping Bigotes safely in irons at Alcanfor,he and an escort of soldiers took Cacique back to Cicuye and released him.6 The townspeople were very relieved but pleaded for the 91 S w a l l o w e d b y a S e a o f G r a S S return of Bigotes as well. Coronado promised that when the Tiguex war was finished, he would set Bigotes free. In addition, he offered them...