Here in Utah, at the
center of the universe, or so I have been told… for decades we have been inundated
with Spanish lore related treasure stories… even to the point it would seem of
a twisting of the stories and even complete fabrications are written. Where is
the truth? The remaining, if any, truth lies within and after stripping away
all the rhetoric exposing only what is “presumed” to be the truth, one begins
to build what “could” be the truth. The academic world is no less guilty, as
over the many years since the Spanish frequented our Uinta Mountains and the
Northern Mountains, the game of hide and seek has come upon us, as their
writers with the deception of their pens try and with great success, to
convince you of the Emperor’s new clothes.
There is a truth out
there, naked for all to see, and some day, I am going to tell this story, even
if it is for but a few who can still distinguish the differences of being
learned or educated, and of which one promotes intelligence, the other, a piece of paper hanging on the wall as proof having been sufficiently strip of
the ability to think or even reason. Regardless, there will always be those
prim and proper and those who can only be described as gullible ready to
believe anything put to the pen, regardless of the source derived… <end of
rant>
Antonio (Hurtado de
Mendoza?) de Espejo was born in Cordoba, Espana
in the year of 1540. It is believed but not verified that at the age of 31,
Antonio, his wife, two sons and his brother migrated to the Americas. Antonio
was a wealthy man, (whether obtained prior to coming to the Americas or after
is currently unknown), he and his brother became ranchers living at the
northern frontier of Mexico of the day. Circumstances unknown, he and his
brother were accused of murder in 1581, his brother was arrested and Antonio
fled to the Northern most outpost of Mexico at Santa Barbara Chihuahua, he is
known for financing an expedition for the in part purpose of rediscovery of the
Cities of Cibola reported 40 years earlier by Friar Marcos de Niza. It is said
that after his famous expedition of 1582-83, Antonio was traveling back to
Spain and while in Cuba he had died in 1585. (The Forgoing is according to the
academics, yet a source for the information is still unknown other than what
was written by Antonio himself) Now I am going to tell you the likely truth of
it, based on new evidence and evidences intertwined with some common sense and
what may be considered conjecture, but not really any different than the method
in which the academic sources have used.
Antonio de Espejo born in
Spain presumably to a wealthy family, having come from a wealthy family it is
without doubt he and his brother with families came to the Americas without
issue but clearly was a matter of choice for some purpose other than becoming
cattle ranchers in the unknown wild or soldiers of fortune in such a hostile
place. It is my estimation that something else swayed the two brother to come
to the Americas and this is likely due to information passed down through his
family regarding some place in the Americas and visited long ago by the
ancestors of Antonio. In short he was coming to the Americas to claim his
patrimony left to his family and likely documentation of this kept in the
family’s possession since the days of the Explorations of the people of
Septimania, Castilian's or the Holy Roman Empire from 700 AD to 1000 AD.
In 1581 some event
occurred in which Antonio and his brother were accused of murder, there is no
record as of yet as to what this was all about, but it is said his brother was
arrested and Antonio fled North the outer most outpost of New Spain at the
time being Santa Barbara in Chihuahua. If this accusation were true, why would
Antonio rather than lie low somewhere, begin writing letters to the King of
Spain in an attempt to establish a colony or Land Grant in the Northerly most
parts of the most hostile regions of New Mexico. New Mexico at the time
included parts of Texas Arizona, and Utah. Why would this wealthy man for some
unknown reason put his wealth on the line by voluntarily financing the
expedition into the virtually unknown having only been visited 40 years prior by
Coronado and Friar Marcos de Niza. It is said that the expedition was for the
purpose of discovering what had happened to some friars who were left in New
Mexico. From the translators record it is said:
WHILE
the viceroy was discussing an expedition to New Mexico, more effective measures
were being taken by the Franciscan order and a private citizen. On
learning through the returning soldiers that the friars who went with
Chamuscado had been left alone in New Mexico, the Franciscans feared for the
safety of their brethren and at once considered the organization of a rescue
party. To lead it, Fray Bernaldino Beltran, of the monastery of Durango,
volunteered. Hearing of the project, Antonio de Espejo, a wealthy citizen of
Mexico, who was in Nueva Vizcaya at the time, offered to equip and lead some
soldiers as an escort, and to pay the expenses of Father Beltran.
Through
the efforts of the friar a license was secured from Captain Juan Ontiveras,
alcalde mayor of Cuatro Cienegas, a settlement seventy leagues east of Santa
Barbara, then in Nueva Vizcaya, but now in Coahuila.
Now understanding that by
embarking upon an expedition of any kind without license could get you arrested
or killed simply because it was considered as trespass on property claimed for
the crown, it is clear to me that Espejo took advantage of this opportunity bypassing
the process of obtaining a license himself, especially with an open accusation
of him as a murderer. Espejo was on a quest, what was it he was looking for?
Clearly throughout the narrative of Espejo his attention is not on the presumed
“missing” friars, as you read through his narrative it is clear he is looking
for previous occupation of Castilian. At every opportunity he was setting off
further and further from the objective. I have noticed this constant making
notation of Castilian Grapes, Castilian Onions, Walnuts Etc.. and such not only
in Espejo’s expedition narrative but by others as well, I think these people
knew good and well their ancestors had been there before.
Espejo even after
reaching the “avowed purpose of the expedition” learning of the demise of the
friars, pushed even further, at this point the majority were ready to return to
Nueva Vizcaya. From the transcribers of the report of the Viceroy to the King
we find…
After reaching “the borders of the province of
the Tiguas, and learned that Fathers Lopez and Rodriguez had been killed at
Puaray.
The
avowed purpose of the expedition had now been accomplished, but Espejo,
seconded by Father Beltran, decided to explore the country before returning.
Going two days east with two companions, to the province of the Maguas,
adjacent to the buffalo country, Espejo learned that there Father Santa Maria
had been killed before Chamuscado left New Mexico.
Returning
to the Tiguas, the whole party went six leagues to the Quires, and then visited
Sia, fourteen leagues to the northwest, and the Emeges (Jemez), six leagues
further north-west. Turning southwest, they now went to Acoma, and thence to
Zuni. At this point Father Beltran and about half of the party decided to
return to Nueva Vizcaya. But Espejo and nine companions set out northward in
search of a lake of gold said to be in that direction. He did not find the
lake, but he visited the province of Mohoce (Moqui), and was given there a
present of four thousand cotton blankets (mantas). Sending these back to Zuni
by five men, with the remaining four Espejo went west in search of mines of
which he had heard. After travelling forty-five leagues he found them in
western Arizona, and secured rich ores. Returning to Zuni by a shorter and better
route, he found Father Beltran and his companions still there.
His
party being increased by another of Espejo's men, Fray Beltran now returned to
San Bartolome; but Espejo, bent on further explorations, turned east again and
ascended the Rio Grande to the Quires. Going east from there Six leagues, he
visited the Ubates, and found mineral prospects near by. One day from the
Ubates he visited the Tanos pueblos, who would neither admit him nor give him
food. In view of this hostility and of the smallness of his party, Espejo now
set out for home, but by a different route”
It
is said that Espejo did not find the lake, and I would agree as it had been
gone for at least 200 years or better, however I am certain that Espejo having
been one of the first Europeans to return to this area since the days of his Roman ancestors, could see plainly the evidence
of the lake he sought after, evidence that was much more obvious 480 years ago
and is still visible today though more so obscured, yet evidence of which today
is drowned in an extremely flawed dating system so that you would not
consider...
This is NOT Utah lake, nor is it the Great Salt Lake,
It is Lake Copala as known by the Spanish or Lake Uinta as it is called by the Academics. How did this 33 million year old lake end up on so many old Spanish Maps?
I personally don’t think
Espejo went west for 45 leagues as he said he did, had he done this there is no
doubt he would have mentioned the Grand Canyon which he no doubt would have
encountered. I am certain he did however head North in search of the Lake of
Gold, and those 45 leagues along with other time spent, was also looking North.
I think Espejo and the 4 men knew exactly what they were looking for, I would
wager Espejo had with him documents handed down from his ancestors and he
wasn’t going back until he knew he had found the place verifying the documents.
The events that occur after they finally returned, shows he found something
while gallivanting around which set him up for his next expedition of which
would seem there is no record, except one…
Apparently Espejo
continues "seeking establishing a colony" in the North by Land Grant, which I am sure was a facade, it is
uncertain as the whether the King responded to his letters but it would be my
guess according to later documentation that he either got that permission in 1584 or he just went anyway, but apparently this slipped past the historians and reasonably so, but based on what information would they say he
was heading back to Spain and died in Cuba in 1585? I have not found it...
Antonio de Espejo was off
again, and this time it would be 4 years before his return, or at least that
was the plan, but I don’t think that worked out so well because apparently no
one told the story, as it would seem it was easier to have him die in Cuba. In
this expedition there is no record of who went with him, we only know that he
did go… and where he went.
If you were to read
Antonio’s narrative, and those of the earliest expeditions known, you will
notice that not only do they continuously point out finding Castilian this and
Castilian that, but they always make reference to mines they had heard about,
never do the documents say they set out to “Establish” or create mines, it is
always a reference to what apparently were existing mines, whose mines? Were
these mines of the indigenous? Or mines of the predecessors from 500 years
prior? Why all the references to apparently former Castilian s?
Now as you may or may not
know, many of the projects in which I work on, have what I call an originator,
this is the person who brought me the story or the document, because of this, I
cannot disclose the nitty gritty details, as the originator is my friend and
colleague, and to be honest, I don’t think he agrees with me on this and that’s
ok. My reasons for writing about this particular incident is that even if we
cannot verify the things indicated on the document, it is still considered the
best and earliest evidence we have of Spanish expeditions into the Uinta
mountains, and if we can pull all the other implications together from other sources
or find one of the sites indicated on the map, we could also prove even earlier
occupation of those who preceded the Spanish at one time of 700 AD to 1000 AD
and quite possibly a much earlier migration occurring at 100 BC.
According to the originator of this document, it was given to him after getting
to know a co-worker who was Apache, possible Apache/Navajo, he told him that
this map with others, was taken from the Spaniards that his grandfathers had
killed long ago near the four corners area. As it would seem, Espejo’s
expedition of 1584 to 1588 ended somewhere on their return trip to Mexico,
Unfortunately Antonio de Espejo and his men, never made it back, Antonio
without a doubt did not die in Cuba and likely died the same year in which his
map was dated. I personally don’t have any question as to the correct analysis
of the map bearing Antonio de Espejo’s signature as I trusted it to one of the
sharpest of individuals I know with a great knowledge of the Uinta Geography.
Upon this map which is a "Land Grant area" which I am certain he
intended to aquire, which covers some 144,000 acres in a most interesting place
in the Uintas. 16 Mines two of which are specifically marked as “Castilian”, 3
presumed armor cache sites, and 2 presumed vaults. Was this area a patrimony
once occupied by his ancestors?
I feel this is one of the most important
projects that we have pertaining to early Utah history as it shows a history that has
been unknown, ignored and suppressed. I intend to start again at the beginning,
going over and recreating all the work that has already been done regarding
this map, because simple details are often overlooked, we have found certain
landmarks, corroborating stories and maps, that all validate not only the map
but its authenticity. The research on this map/and the story behind it is
extensive, even those who have been involved have not seen the half of the
countless hours that has been put into this project. The project has reached
the point of serious consideration and I feel warrants going over the entire
project again, from the very beginning. I am looking for a few rare types
of individuals to assist, who can legitimately dedicate the time to evaluate
this project tracing over the steps I have already taken, I promise you, you
will be overwhelmed yet fascinated by what actually has taken place already.
This is not for the casual researcher or treasure hunter, you need a computer,
not cell phone, advanced photo programs and advance experience with Google
Earth, USGS Maps etc… It is my desire to bring this project to the point where
in trover permits are obtained and in place and plans of exploration,
documentation and excavation are in place.
