Ulloa party. At any rate, Alarcon and Coronado fully expected to be
in touch much of the time. This expectation appears absurd to us now
when we understand the geography, but there was nothing out of the
way about the supposition at that time. As it happened, the two
divisions never met, nor were they able to communicate even once. So
far as rendering Coronado any assistance was concerned, Alarcon might
as well have been on the coast of Africa. The farther they proceeded
the farther apart they were, but Alarcon kept a constant and faithful
lookout for the other party the whole time, never losing an
opportunity to inquire its whereabouts.

Coronado had left a well-provisioned ship, the San Gabriel, at
Aguaiauall, for Alarcon to bring along. These supplies were for the
use of the army when the two parties should meet in the north from
time to time. Alarcon added the vessel to his fleet and proceeded
along up the coast, keeping as near the land as the water would
permit, and constantly on the lookout for signals from the other
party, or for Amerinds who might be able to give information
concerning the position of the general. Thus, at last, he came to the
very head of the gulf where Ulloa had wondered at the rush of waters
and had turned away without investigation. "And when we were come,"
he says, "to the flats and shoals from whence the aforesaid fleet
returned, it seemed to me, as to the rest, that we had the firm land
before us, and that those shoals were so perilous and fearful that it
was a thing to be considered whether with our skiffs we could enter
in among them: and the pilots and the rest of the company would have
had us do as Captain Ulloa did, and have returned back again." But
Alarcon was not of a retreating disposition; the fierce Colorado had
now met its first conqueror. It must be remembered, for Ulloa's sake,
that there was not the same incentive for him to risk his ships and