Melchor Díaz

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Melchior Díaz was an early Spanish explorer of Western North America who "was a hard worker and skillful organizer and leader. He inspired confidence in his companions and followers, and always maintained the best of order and of diligence among those who were under his charge" (Winship 1990, 39). He was placed in charge of the town of San Miguel de Culiacan by Nuño de Guzmán. It was from this town of Culiacán that on April 22, 1540 he departed with the Coranado expedition, and in September, 1540, he was instructed to "remain at the town of San Hieronimo, in the valley of Corazones or Hearts. Melchior Díaz was placed in command of the settlement, with orders to maintain this post and protect the road between Cibola and New Spain, and also to attempt to find some means of communicating with the fleet under Alarcón" (Winship 1990, 60).

To find Alarcón, Melchior Díaz apparently traversed a north and northwest overland route across Sonora until he reached the mouth of the Colorado where it drains into the Gulf of California and arrived at a spot where a note from Alarcón was sealed and buried in a jar. The message basically stated that "Francisco de Alarcón reached this place in the year '40 with three ships, having been sent in search of Francisco Vazquez Coronado by the viceroy, D. Antonio de Mendoza; and after crossing the bar at the mouth of the river and waiting many days without obtaining any news, he was obliged to depart, because the ships were being eaten by worms" (Winship 1990, 61). Afterwards he traveled west for four days and turned around because the region became more desolate. He possibly could have traveled as far as the present day Imperial Valley region of California (USA) and Baja California (Mexico).

After his side journey into California Melchor Díaz decided to returned to his post in the valley of Corazones and he retraced his route. On the way back he tried to kill a dog with his lance, that was chasing the flock of sheep the Spanish were using for food and he accidentally impaled himself. He died before he party arrived back at the San Hieronimo settlement on January 18, 1541.

He was following in the footsteps of fellow explorer Hernando de Alarcón, who was exploring the Gulf of California at the same time. His party made the first European crossing of the Colorado, near the modern-day city of Yuma, Arizona. They discovered and reported geothermal hot springs, probably the ones near Calexico.

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