Page:Don Coronado through Kansas.djvu/109

98 98 POISONED AliEOWS. I SO advised by his tutors and he had some inkling tlial) they had an antidote but the nature of which was unknown to him, so he resolved that it would be one of the first things he must discover to demonstrate his regard and solicitude for the welfare of his kind master, for early in the trip he found how serious it was to be injured in the slightest manner; in fact, it was sure death, and more Spaniards died on this memorable expedition through its means than by all other causes. As before stated Cibola, or the first of the seven cities, which were originally the projective points of the army, was, according to Castenada, captured on July 7th, 1540. The natives when they first saw the Spaniards arrayed before their waUed city, con- cluded to resist, but they were defeated. There is a detailed account of this affair in the translations, but some things are left for future writers to describe. When the Indians discovered that the invaders were about to defeat them, they shut themselves up in their strong rooms. During the night the victor- ious army entered part of the stronghold'.,' It is here we wish to pick up the story of our hero's exploits. Of course, Monte took no part in the fight, his duty was to care for his master's outfit and be ready to care for him in case of accident, but Monte knew the principal chief of the city and succeeded in reaching him during the night by the aid of a friendly native, who was a citizen of Cibola. The chief had confidence in the scion of royalty and propounded many ques- tions to the young man relative to the action bf^the Spaniards under Cortes when he deposed his father.