History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

HISTORY OF UTAH.
CHAPTER I.
DISCOVERIES OF THE SPANIARDS.
1540-1777.
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Francisco Vazquez de Coronado at CIbola—Expedition of Pedro de
Tobar and Father Juan de Padilla—They Hear of a Large
River—Garcia Lopez de Cardenas Sent in Search of It—TnE First
Europeans to Approach Utah—Route of Cardenas—Mythical
Maps—Part of the Northern Mystery—Journey of Dominguez
and Escalante—The Course They Followed—The Rivers They
Crossed—The Comanches—Region of the Great Lakes—Rivers
Timpanogos, San Buenaventura, and Others—The Country of
the Yutas—Route from Santa Fe to Monterey—The Friars Talk
of the Lake Country—Return of the Spaniards to Zuni and
March to Santa Fe.
As Francisco Vazquez de Coronado was journeying
from Culiacan to the north and east in 1540, he rested
at Cibola, that is to say Zuni, and while waiting for
the main army to come forward, expeditions were sent
out in various directions. One of these, consisting
of twenty men under Pedro de Tobar, and attended
by Father Juan de Padilla, proceeded north-westward,
and after five days reached Tusayan, or the Moqui
villages, which were quickly captured. Among other
matters of interest, information was here given of a
large river yet farther north, the people who lived
upon its banks being likewise very large.
Returning to Cibola, Tobar reported what had been
said concerning this river; whereupon Captain Garcia
Lopez de Cardenas was sent with twelve men to
explore it, Pedro de Sotomayor accompanying to