Presents seven Spanish explorers of the Southwestern United States from 1539 to 1782 and their discoveries of gold, furs, and other treasures.

Marcos de Niza : the golden cities that were not there (1539) -- Francisco Vasquez de Coronado : in search of the greatest prize (1540-1542) -- Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo : traveling the coast of California (1542) -- Sebastian Vizcaino : California's first press agent (1596) -- Juan de Onate : the New Mexico Colony (1598) -- Junipero Serra : a new kind of settlement (1769-1782) -- Francisco Silvestre Velez de Escalante and Francisco Dominguez : on the road to Monterey (1776-1777).