A Small piece of the map
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 no source is given) 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, Welsh Kings or the Holy Roman Empire from
775 AD to about 1050 AD.
In 1581 some event involving a ranch hand
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 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 so 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, [Copala] 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 to 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 775 AD to
1050 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 acquire, which
covers some 144,000 acres in a most interesting place in the Uintas. There are 16 Mines, two of which are specifically marked as “Castilian”, 3 other things marked on the map are 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. If
nothing more, this is one of the many projects I am looking for financial
support so that it can be done, after all, under the current circumstances, I
have nothing better to do, fortunately I love doing it… and by the time you
have read this, I will already be up to my eyeballs doing it all again…
If any of you would like a copy of the 1582-83 exploration documents and
translated to English in 1880's, email me at tuscoro@gmail.com
