were crossing the mountain, when we came
upon a spring near unto a huge cliff that sat on the edge like a
platter. We camped here many days until the bulls left the valley.
Some distance from the rock like a platter, Casteanda found gold in a
white rock, which we did beat up and saved much pure gold. Casteanda
journeyed to Santa Fe and returned with more donkeys, and we loaded
upon them much unbeaten rock. We all then journeyed back to Santa Fe,
for the barbarians were angry at our intrusion and we went in haste,
leaving more gold in the white rock than would load a ship's boat. I
cut in the rock, high up, the words:

"'Jean Maldonado.
"'Commander of an Expedition, reached this place, 1750.'

"All this, so that the subjects of Spain might know this country
belonged to His Majesty.

"We journeyed back to Santa Fe after many days of hardships and we
found a new Viceroy had been appointed and he demanded our gold. This
we were loath to give up, and after selling it to a trader for the
coin of the realm, we started across the country for New Orleans,
knowing well not to go south for the new Viceroy would pursue us and
take the gold.

"We journeyed along the banks of a considerable river by night and hid
ourselves by day. We saw many thousands of ferocious bulls grazing,
and when they ran the noise was like thunder and it made us afraid. We
crossed many rivers and finally came to a country of wooded hills
where the Barbarians were thick and ferocious.

"The Barbarians pursued us and we hid our gold and records in a cave
and rolled a stone over the hole and fled. They killed nearly all of
our expedition and our mules. Baptiste was sorely wounded in the
breast with an arrow and notwithstanding we bled him copiously, he
died.

"The treatment given us by the Barbarians irritated us exceedingly and
we fell upon them with swords when they were not in great numbers.

"We came to a river whose waters were red, like unto the color of the
tiles on the houses of Seville, and after journeying along its banks
for many nights, we came unto the River of the Holy Ghost, which
DeSoto discovered and here we found safety.

"While all these things were new in my mind I made another map in
order that I might take another expedition to the mine when the
Viceroy grew rich from the spoils of office and would trouble us no
more. But he did write unto the people of Spain that I would be hanged
upon my ret