t, which, moved by still
greater fear, had not waited for him. Back to Coronado he went with his
story, a disappointing one, since he had seen nothing of either gold,
silver, or precious stones, the nearest approach to treasure being the
greenish turquoise.

The story of the negro pioneer, as afterwards learned, was one that might
have fitted the Orient. He advanced with savage magnificence, bells and
feathers adorning his sable arms and legs, while he carried a gourd
decorated with bells and with white and red feathers. This he knew to be a
symbol of authority among the Indians. Two Spanish greyhounds followed
him, and a number of handsome Indian women, whom he had taken up on the
way, attended him. He was followed with a large escort of Indians,
carrying his provisions and other effects, among them gifts received, or
plunder taken, from the natives.

When near Cibola, he, in disobedience of the orders given him, sent
messengers to the city bearing his gourd, and saying that he came to treat
for peace and to cure the sick. The chief to whom the gourd was presented,
on observing the bells, cast it angrily to the ground, exclaiming,--

"I know not those people; their bells are not of our fashion; tell them to
return at once, or not a man of them will be left alive."

In despite of this hostile message, the vain-glorious negro went on. He
and his company were not permitted to enter the city, but were given a
house outside of it, and here they were stripped of all their possessions
and refused food and drink. The next morning they left the house, where
they were quickly surrounded and attacked by a great number of the
townspeople, all of them being killed except the two Indians who had
brought the news to Fray Marcos.

Why they were treated in this manner is not known. They seem to have been
looked on as spies or enemies. But it is interesting that the legend of
the killing of a Black Mexican still lingers in a pueblo of the Zuni
Indians, though three centuries and a half have since then elapsed.

The story of the discovery of the Seven Cities, as told by the worthy Fray
Marcos, when repeated in the city of Mexico gave rise to high hopes of a
new El Dorado; and numbers were ready to join in an expedition to explore
and conquer Cibola. The city was then well filled with adventurers eager
for fame and fortune, many of them men of good family, cavaliers of rank
"floating about like corks on water," and soldiers ready to