erstitious natives, who had never seen a beard or a white
face before, took the strangers for gods. But it was more than half a
century later yet before the Spaniards sought a foothold there.

When Onate entered New Mexico in 1598, he met no immediate resistance
whatever; for his force of four hundred people, including two hundred
men-at-arms, was large enough to awe the Indians. They were naturally
hostile to these invaders of their domain; but finding themselves well
treated by the strangers, and fearful of open war against these men with
hard clothes, who killed from afar with their thunder-sticks, the
Pueblos awaited results. The Queres, Tigua, and Jemez branches formally
submitted to Spanish rule, and took the oath of allegiance to the Crown
by their representative men gathered at the pueblo of Guipuy (now Santo
Domingo); as also did the Tanos, Picuries, Tehuas, and Taos, at a
similar conference at the pueblo of San Juan, in September, 1598. At
this ready submission Onate was greatly encouraged; and he decided to
visit all the principal pueblos in person, to make them securer
subjects of his sovereign. He had founded already the first town in New
Mexico and the second in the United States,--San Gabriel de los
Espanoles, where Chamita stands to-day. Before starting on this perilous
journey, he despatched Juan de Zaldivar, his _maestro de campo_,[11]
with fifty men to explore the vast, unknown plains to the east, and then
to follow him.

Onate and a small force left the lonely little Spanish colony,--more
than a thousand miles from any other town of civilized men,--October 6,
1598. First he marched to the pueblos in the great plains of the Salt
Lakes, east of the Manzano mountains,--a thirsty journey of more than
two hundred miles. Then returning to the pueblo of Puaray (opposite the
present Bernalillo), he turned westward. On the 27th of the same month
he camped at the foot of the lofty cliffs of Acoma. The _principales_
(chief men) of the town came down from the rock, and took the solemn
pledge of allegiance to the Spanish Crown. They were thoroughly warned
of the deep importance and meaning of this step, and that if they
violated their oath they would be regarded and treated as rebels against
his Majesty; but they fully pledged themselves to be faithful vassals.
They were very friendly, and repeatedly invited the Spanish commander
and his men to visit their sky-city. In truth, they had had spies at the
conference