WHEN HE STARTED NORTH, Coronado left orders with
Don Tristán de Arellano to set out from Culiacán a
fortnight later and lead the main body of soldiers on his
trail. He promised that instructions would be sent back
to the army as soon as the advance party had explored
the Cíbola country enough to know where the men
would be most needed for conquering and colonizing.
The first orders that came directed the main force to
build a strong garrison town in the valley of Hearts.

It so happened that the important discoveries were
to be made by Coronado's hundred without the aid of
the larger force, and thus the army was to be without
occupation for most of the summer. So far as they knew,
Coronado and the others had vanished into space be-
yond the Sonora Valley, and months were to pass before
word of their exploits came to the expectant, restless
soldiers of the main guard.

Some time in the first half of May, the army under
Arellano took leave of their friends in Culiacán and

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