Spanish Conquistadors 
at rest in the Okanagan?
Old Spanish Conquistadors
at rest in the Okanagan?
Around 1780 A Spanish ship came to grief on the sand bars of the Columbia River. The ship was abandoned and a trek inland was commenced.
The Spaniards traveled up the Columbia River and then turned North up the Similkameen River. Oddly if as the legend suggests they were looking for Eldorado or "City of Gold"
They past a fortune as they proceeded up the Similkameen as a later gold rush would prove.
At any event an altercation with the natives ensued. The Simikameen first nations were very protective of their land as they traded the red ocer with other tribes like the Blackfoot as far away as present day southern Alberta. The sight of these Conquistadors was both puzzling and terrifying. Never before had they seen men of this colour nor had they seen anyone atop Elk Dogs.
Needles to say the natives did not fair well against the Spanish and some of the Simikameens were taken as slaves. This part of the legend is theoretically supported by a valley petroglyph of which there is a copy showing several different paintings in the Penticton Museum.
The original rock painting shows men who are wearing hats and riding horses and leading four slaves attached by the neck and guarded by two dogs. This we are given to believe enables the slaves to carry items in their hands.
The Spanish proceeded North up the Keremeos creek valley and went East through a tight valley just south of Yellow Lake.
The procession traveled in to the Okanagan Valley and turned North all the way to the narrows at present day Kelowna.

When there at Kelowna the Conquistadors realizing that winter was coming on decided to build a log structure to house both themselves and the horses. The winter was not good to the Spaniards. Not being prepared and sickness took it's toll on their numbers. It was a tired and very weakened and diminished party on now a desperate trek south. If they were to make it back home they had to get back to the Columbia River’s Mouth. Some where in their travels south they made contact with their new enemies of the Okanagan & Similkameen first Nations. As the Spanish procession traveled they were set upon by the rarely combined forces of the Similkameen and Okanagan first Nations. The conquistadors didn't have a chance and were completely decimated to the last man!
The Chiefs ordered nothing was to be used or taken.
It was all to be buried and left alone as these creatures were bad medicine. This story is also supported by spoken Similkameen oral history.
The battle & burial site are not known and is known as the "Lost Spanish Mound".

In the 1960's a man while excavating a native chief's grave around present day Okanagan Falls, found a piece of Turquoise. In another grave a chain mail vest made of natural copper. was found. Although it was of a local natural hammered out copper, I ask were did they get the idea of Chain mail to make one?
When I visited the Penticton Museum I asked the former Curator what he thought of the possibility of the Spanish having made it here and of the Spanish mound? Did he think there was anything to this legend? He nodded and quickly turned and went in to a back room with a statement please wait here. As my wife and I stood there I had no Idea of what I was about to hold. When the curator came back, in his hands was a framed wooden display case showing a Spanish sword from the period of which we speak. This was turned over to the Museum by an elderly local native woman of the Penticton band.
Skeptics will say sure but it could have been traded back from the coast.
I think with all the evidence that it's very possible that the Spanish made it here. Our coast was in fact claimed by Spain at this time.
Captain Cook would later claim this land for Britain...

Legend or fact, You decide a very intriguing story or do these Spanish Conquistadors lie hidden and forgotten, and maybe not so patiently waiting for a Christian Reburial...

Actual Petroglyph in the Similkameen valley.
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