g all three boats this
time, loaded with "wares of exchange, with corn and other seeds, with
hens and cocks of Castile." This region he called the Province of
Campanna de la Cruz, and he left orders for the building of an oratory
or chapel to be named the Chapel of Our Lady de la Buena Guia. The river
he called the Rio de Buena Guia (good guidance) from the motto on the
viceroy Mendoza's coat of arms. It was Tuesday, the 14th of September,
when he started, taking with him Nicolas Zamorano, chief pilot, to
record the latitudes. He soon arrived again among the Quicomas,* and
then among the Coamas, where he found his man who had been left behind
on the first trip. This man had been so well treated that he was
entirely content to remain till the party should come back down the
river. This was the highest point reached on the first visit. Everywhere
the people were treasuring the crosses which had been given them,
kneeling before them at sunrise. Alarcon kept on up the river till he
"entered between certain very high mountains, through which this river
passeth with a straight channel, and the boats went up against the
stream very hardly for want of men to draw the same." From this it
may be inferred that the Coamas did not strive with each other for the
privilege of towing the boats of these children of the sun as those
below had done. Now an enchanter from the Cumanas tried to destroy the
party by setting magic reeds in the water on both sides, but the spell
failed and the explorers went on to the home of the old man who had been
so good a friend and guide to them. At this, Alarcon's farthest point,
he caused a very high cross to be erected, on which words were carved
to the effect that he had reached the place, so that if Coronado's
men chanced to come that way they might see it. Nothing is said about
burying letters, yet Diaz later mentions finding letters buried at the
foot of a tree, apparently nearer the sea. Deciding that he could not at
this time accomplish his purpose of opening communication with the army,
Alarcon concluded to return to the ships, but with the intention of
trying once more. The second day after starting down he arrived at the
place where the Spaniard had remained. He told him that he had gone
"above thirty leagues into the country" beyond. It had taken him,
before, two and a half days to reach the river mouth from here, so that
it seems he was about four days going down from his farthest point.
Roug