This map shows the distance that Coronado and his army walked or rode their horses to the village of Hawikuh. The distance was over 900 miles. To make things worse, Fray Marcos had told Coronado that he would find a great sea before he came to Cibola, and that a large river ran across the country nearby. Coronado had arranged for three ships carrying supplies to sail to Cibola. The supplies were badly needed. The ships that were to meet Coronado sailed north into the Gulf of California. They reached the mouth of the Colorado River and sailed upstream. There the captain of the ships, Hernando Alcaron, heard news that Coronado had already reached Cibola and no longer needed the ships’ supplies. So the captain ordered the ships to sail back to Mexico. Coronado and his men waited and waited. There were no ships, and there was no sea or great river. Though tired and discouraged, Coronado decided to go on. He was certain that they would still find Cibola. Ships were to meet up with Coronado’s people somewhere near Cibola. ALCArON’S rOuTE Alcaron’s ships traveled up the Gulf of California hoping to bring supplies to Coronado’s army. Chapter 5 • The Second People: Explorers and Settlers  55