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named these dwellings and the people who
lived in them pueblos—simply the Spanish
word for “village.” Díaz also heard about the
inhabitants’ farming practices, dress, and
warfare strategies, but nothing confirming
reports of wealth.
Coronado decided to travel ahead of his
main army, accompanied by Díaz and 75 men.
By June they were at the present border of
Mexico and Arizona. They ascended onto the
Colorado Plateau, struggling over a rugged
landscape that bore no resemblance to the
easy route and bountiful countryside prom-
ised by Fray Niza. The hungry, disheartened
men were inexperienced in living off the land
in such a despoblado (wilderness). Several
died from eating poisonous “water hemlock”
out of desperation.
Finally, on July 7, Coronado arrived at the
first settlement of Cíbola, the Zuni pueblo of
Háwikuh. The starving men werestunned.
They found a dusty town of 200 stone
dwellings, not the magnificent city described
by Fray Niza. “When they got within sight of
the first pueblo, which was Cíbola,” Casteñeda
recalled, “the curses that some hurled at fray
Marcos were such that God forbid they may
befall him.”
Zuni archers, some of whom had attacked
Coronado’s scouts the previous night, assem-
bled to defend Háwikuh. Coronado sent an
interpreter forwardwith a message that he
came inpeace but, as he later reported, “they,
being a proud people, were little affected,
because it seemed to them that we were few
in number, and that they would not have any
difficulty in conquering us.” When Zuni
arrows began to fly at the intruders, the
Spaniards attacked and took Háwikuh by
force.
An uneasy peace eventually settled over
the town, and Coronado began to question
the Zuni about the surrounding countryside:
I commanded them to have a cloth painted
for me, with all the animals that they know
in that country, and although they are poor
painters, they quickly painted two for me,
one of the animals and the other of the
birds and fishes.... They tell me about
seven cities which are at a considerable dis-
tance, which are like these, except that the
houses there are not like these, but are
made of earth, and small, and that they
raise much cotton there.This was unwelcome news to an expedi-
tion expecting to find rich cities. Coronado
sent Fray Niza back to Mexico City in disgrace.
“I can assure you that he has not told the truth
in a single thing that he said, but everything is
the opposite of what he related, except the
name of the cities and the large stone houses,”
Coronado wrote to Mendoza.
Niza’s report was revealed to be an illusion,
but Coronado’s financial stake—as well as
those of Mendoza and other investors—con-
vinced him to continue the venture. Making
his headquarters at Háwikuh, he sent forth
smaller expeditions that would define his
place in history.THE GRAND CANYON
In September 1540 Coronado ordered Pedro
de Tovar, one of his captains, to search for a
province the Zuni called Tusuyan, the land of
the Hopi. Tovar rode 65 miles into what is now
northeastern Arizona. Inhabitants of the first
Hopi settlement he reached had heard of the
Spanish attack on Cíbola and warned Tovar to
stay away. While Tovar tried to negotiate with
the Hopi, his impatient soldiers rushed for-
ward, provoking a brief brawl, after which the
Spanish and Hopi bartered and traded infor-
mation peacefully. Tovar returned to Coron-
ado with news that a great river lay to the west.(^110) B Discovery of the Americas, 1492–1800
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