Juan was about halfway through the bodies when he heard a woman's shrill scream behind him. He turned suddenly and lost his balance, almost falling into the bodies at his feet. It was Teszin, looking up to the cliffs above the village.

Bando stood at the edge of the bluff, his black figure silhouetted against the blue sky. His shirt was torn off and blood ran from his head onto his shoulders and chest. The wind atop the cliff whipped at his frayed trousers. He didn't respond to Teszin's shouting but instead stared directly at Juan who held a large silver necklace still partially draped around an old woman's neck. Juan threw his head straight back and squinted against the bright blue background to return Bando's stare. He smiled up at Bando.

"Are you ready?" Juan asked in a soft tone only strong enough to echo up to him.

Bando closed his eyes and pitched forward on his perch. He stayed aloft only for an instant, but he looked graceful and confident, as if he knew he could fly all along, and had waited patiently to demonstrate his unique skill. Juan saw him fly only for that graceful instant. He closed his eyes tight as Bando started his decent. Teszin let out a scream that echoed well past the impact. It took longer than Juan though it should have for Bando to land; perhaps he really had flown in that instant of grace.

1 Antonio de Mendoza was indeed the Viceroy of New Spain at the time of this letter. The Conquest of New Spain by Bernal Díaz del Castillo, Genaro García, Alfred Percival Maudslay 1967

2 The name Bando uses for his village, Latsei, is a bit of mystery. No record of any such pueblo or peoples exists in the region. It could be a corruption of Zia, a historic village NW of Albuquerque, but that is only speculation.

3 Samas’ description Hernando de Alvarado as being a captain and finding the Zuni’s of Hawikuh is accurate. The Journey of Coronado, Fulcrum Publishing, 1990

4 This dramatic description of the start of the battle of Hawikuh, could be corroborated by the author Mangum, in his book In the Land of Frozen Fires, in which we described Coronado such; “Coronado probably still carried evidence of facial bruises received when he was pummeled in the face with stones during the battle for Hawikuh.” In the Land of Frozen Fires (A history of occupation in El Malpais Country) Neil Mangum 1990

5 Captain Pedro de Tovar did indeed venture out ahead of Coronado in a Northwesterly direction. He ventured all the way to the edge of the Grand Canyon. Coronado's expedition in 1540 from the City of Mexico to the seven cities of Cibola by Merrill Freeman 1917

17

...perhaps Bando really had flown in that instant of grace."

"Why did she jump?" I asked. The numerous faces looking out from the portraits on the walls seemed to want an answer as well.