CORONADO, ker-ro-na'do, Francisco Vas quez de, Spanish explorer: b. Salamanca, Spain, about 1500; d. Mexico after 1542. He came to the New World about 1535, and by marrying the daughter of Estrada, the royal treasurer for New Spain, was appointed gov ernor of the province of New Galicia. On the arrival in Culiacan of Alvar Nunez, Cabeca de Vaca, from his extraordinary journey from Florida in the year 1536, when he brought news of the existence of half-civilized tribes far to the north, living in populous cities, acquainted with the arts, and pdssessing quantities of gold, silver and precious stones, an expedition was sent out under Marco de Niza, in 1539, to ex plore the regions referred to. The result tended to strengthen the belief in the existence of great wealth among the nations far to the north, and a second expedition was fitted out tmder Coro nado, which departed from Culiacan, on the Pacific Coast, in April 1540. He passed up the entire length of what is now the Mexican state of Sonora to the river Gila. Crossing this he penetrated the country beyond, to the Little Colorado (called by him Rio del Lino), and paid a visit to the famed cities of Cibola men tioned by Cabeca de Vaca and De Niza. In the kingdom were seven cities, but he declares that there was no truth in the reports of his predecessors regarding their wealth. °All was quite the contrarye he adds, °saving only the names of the cities and great houses of stone." From Cibola, Coronado traveled eastward, visit ing several towns occupied by a similar people to those he had met, which are recognized in the existing villages of the present Pueblo In dians. He proceeded eastward to what he calls
the "big river," which is the Rio Grande, where he heard of the great city of Quivira. In their journey eastward they °met with a new lcind of oxen, wild and fierce, whereof, the first day, they killed fourscore, which sufficed the army with flesh." They continued to Quivira, almost 300 leagues distant, by their account, traversing "mighty plains and sandy heaths, smooth and wearisome, and bare of wood." Coronado's narrative is of valtte as it furnishes the first authentic account of the buffalo, the great prairies and the desert plains of New Mexico. It describes, too, with every appearance of truth, the towns of the Pueblo or semi-civilized tribes of Indians, as they existed more than 300 years ago, and which arc still found in New Mexico. He returned to Mexico with such of his army as had not deserted along the route. The viceroy received him coldly and allowed him to resign the government of New Galicia. He lived quietly on his estates until his death. The original documents de scribing his journey are translated by Winship,