Coronado and La Gran Quivfra, 1537-1544
spans in length; and if more important than New Spain, he should send a large cross." 20 Four days later the Indians brought Fray Marcos a very large cross. Estevanico sent word that he had discovered "the greatest thing in the world" and urged the friar to hasten on his way. One of the messengers had been to the seven cities. He declared that they were thirty days' march from ,vhere the negro was and that the first of these places was called Cibola. This was the first time the name of the new country was learned. The messengers explained that there was many houses built of lime and stone, two, three and even four stories high, whose doorsills were studded with turquoises; and that the people wore clothes. Fray Marcos ques- tioned the informants closely. "The story of these Indians did not con- vince the friar that what he heard about the grandeur of the seven cities was all true, and he decided not to believe anything until he had seen it for himself." 21 It is to be noted that throughout the entire report made by the truthful and careful missionary, he takes pains to distinguish between what wa! told to him and what he saw, and that in no instance does he allow hill imagination or enthusiasm to make him exaggerate the facts or to give credence to many of the things related to him. In spite of the urgent request of Estevanico to follow in all haste, the good friar remained at Matapa until April 6, never doubting that the negro would wait for him. While here he was visited by a group of "painted Indians," who confirmed many of the details of the account of the seven cities given by the messengers of Estevanico. Continuing on his way, when he arrived in the village from where the cross was sent, he found much to his surprise that the Moor had pressed on without waiting for him. Here he obtained much additional information and learned that there were three other kingdoms called Marata, Acus, and Totonteac. The first has been identified with Matyata or Makyata, a group of pueblos near the salt lakes southeast of Zufii. Acus is present Acoma and Totonteac was probably the province of Tusayan, northwest of Zuni, all three soon to be visited by Coronado.ii 111/urder of Estevanico the 111/oor. Anxious to overtake Estevanico, Fray Marcos tried to follow as fast as he could, going up the valley of
10 "Relacion" in Documentos lneditos, lll, 332. 11 Winship, op. cit., 356. n1bid., 357 .
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