and dispersed the natives, and in the regions of Purificacion quiet was also restored. Here the viceroy was apprised of Coronado's return from Cibola, where he had found nothing worthy of note. Though Mendoza wished to proceed north to meet Coronado, he was prevailed upon by Oñate to return to Mexico, From every part of New Galicia the news came that the bloody arbitrament at Nochistlan and Mixton was accepted as final, save in the mountains of Nayarit, where the fierce inhabitants had never been conquered, and were not to be so for nearly two hundred years; and in the Culiacan region, where it was left to the army of Coronado to suppress such remnants of revolt as might there be found. The total number of slaves made during this campaign is estimated at over five thousand. Some say that Mendoza made no slaves. But even had his heart prompted so humane an idea, the army would not have consented. For what but the spoils do men endure the pangs of war?[1] Alvarado's forces were subsequently relieved of their garrison duty and allowed to depart at their pleasure, and Mendoza returned to the city of Mexico.
I have thus given in brief the events connected with the great revolt in New Galicia, known as the Mixton war. The records are voluminous, but fragmentary and contradictory, bearing for the most part on petty details of military operations; of dealings between encomenderos and their subjects; of purely local events in hundreds of villages long passed out of existence; of tribal names and those of native
- ↑ See Mota Padilla, Cong. N. Gal., 154. Says Beaumont, Crón. Mich., iv. 420: 'Llevando en trofeo y en señal de triunfo como unos cinco mil indios cautivos' See also Tello, Hist. N. Gal., 433-6. This campaign cost Mendoza over 30,000 pesos; the loss and suffering among the anxiliaries was slight; the slaves were branded and distributed by Oniate after deducting the royal fifth, but they were so few that the soldiers did not receive one fourth of what would have been the regular pay. Mendoza, Vista, 115-18. Cavo, Tres Siglos, i. 136, dates this campaign in 1543, and says no slaves or spoils were taken. Cortés charged that the cost and losses of Mendoza's campaign were greater than those of the conquest of New Spain, and that after all Nneva Galicia was not subdued. Icazbalceta, Col. Doc., ii. 63-4. Bernal Diaz, Hist. Verdad., 236, disposed of this final campaign by stating that Maldonado was sent out, and subdued the rebels.
