Large Bodies and Tall Boulders
Not all trips lead to new discovery. In Pedro de Castaneda’s version of Garcia Lopez de Cardenas’ Boulders Taller Than the Great Tower of Seville, Pedro recalls the accounts of Garcia’s journey of rediscovering the Tizon River. Although no new river was found in this journal entry, the men learn the American value of discovery is not always as easy as it appears.
Garcia is commanded to explore a surrounding area of the Old West by his commander, who had heard of a nearby river. Once given his instructions, Garcia takes with him twelve men to Tusayan to find some Native American guides. From there they head towards the “new” river. When the river is spotted Garcia finds he is unable to reach the river’s edge as the cliff he is on is too steep to climb without injury. After searching for a path around the river, the men find that there is no way to pass besides crossing through a desert. After discovering their own defeat the entry ends and the men believe they found nothing (48).
I believe that under the surface there is much to be discovered in Garcia’s story.Although it seems to be a pointless journey the men find out where they are, what is near them, and tricks to survive in areas of no water. Because of their trip to the river they find the source of the river which may aid them later as they are discovering the West. Also they find that one must not always judge the land by how it looks, multiple times the men are bamboozled by trying to take on treacherous areas and fail, “They returned about four o’clock in the afternoon, as they could not reach the bottom because of the many obstacles they met, for what from the top seemed easy, was not so, on the contrary, it was rough and difficult.” (48). Although this trip offers no new land mass the discoveries of the surrounding land will be extremely useful.
I often believe that I too have discovered something new, but have always found that it has already been thought of. Discovery is a tricky concept because someone or something has already found it, whether “it” is, like a river or a blanket with sleeves. There is always a sense of disappointment in situations like Garcia’s, as Pedro said, “From there Cardenas and his men turned back, as that trip brought no other results.”(48) but it is best to look on the bright side of situations, at the small things you discovered along the way. Many say that it is the journey that is important because it is on the journey where the opportunities and skills are acquired for life.
Findings like Garcia’s “discovery” of the Tizon River must have happened often throughout American history. There were many men and women roaming the West with little aid and sense of direction. Because of this it was easy to believe that the land was new when in fact it had been discovered before. When making a discovery, or attempting to, it is important to compare the information just as Garcia recalled “This was the Tizon River, much closer to its source than where Melchior Diaz and his men had crossed it.” (48). Knowing where others had been prior to the journey helped Garcia have a reference to where they were and helped many other Americans follow in his footsteps, choosing the easier path through the river.
Garcia’s journey may have seemed a fruitless journey to some, but I like to believe that he and his men discovered useful tips to survive. Everyone faces similar acts of discovery which are in fact not discoveries at all, but with the help of others and the knowledge that there is more to discover we may continue to press on. Pedro’s retold tale helps us all face the reality of disappointment and hidden revelations.
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