Publisher's Synopsis
We Explore and Conquer For God, Glory, Gold
"I record this for the benefit of those who are to come. I have tried to be faithful to what we saw and did. May God have mercy on our souls. Fray Miguel De La Garza. December 1611" This story is built around excerpts from the recently discovered journal of Fray Miguel De La Garza as he recorded the events that took place during travels to explore an unknown territory. The expedition was made at the request of then New Mexico Governor Don Pedro de Peralta and took place between 1612 and 1613 in New Mexico and Tejas.. "The captain stopped his horse and looked at me angrily. 'de Las Casas, what did he know? He wasn't a conquistador; he didn't understand how you must make those you conquer understand they are nothing. Nothing at all! Our original governor Juan de Oñate y Salazar, he knew how to treat the savages.''Onate? He was a butcher, responsible for the deaths of over 1,000 of the Acoma. It caused a huge scandal at the capital and created great anger among the Acoma and other tribes.'
'Careful priest, watch what you say about him. He still has many followers and believers in how he ruled. I am one.'" p 39 "The screams of the terrified animal pierced even the roar of the river and the downpour. The soldier was struggling to get his own horse under control, but the horse slipped, and the soldier was thrown clear. The water covered him as he struggled to climb up the bank. Just as he almost reached the top and escaped the water he screamed in pain. While the others led the horses to more safety, the sergeant and I ran to where he was laying. He was covered in what looked like a large red ball, but the red ball was alive." P.66 "'Ortega led the way to where you found the rocks you brought back.'
With an almost quiet sigh, Ortega said, 'yes sir' and started walking towards the mouth of a canyon. As we entered the canyon, I wondered how the leather shoes that both Martinez and Ortega would hold out on the rocky terrain. The captain's boots also had somewhat of a heel and did not look like they were made for walking." P 82
