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bravery, he
compelled us to exercise the utmost of our power.

The most dangerous part of the work was assigned to us, who were to
capture the cannon, under the command of Pizarro: we had to commence the
attack and storm up against the cannons' mouths. Pizarro, therefore,
gave us very strict commands, and showed us how we were to push forward
with our lances lowered, and fight on boldly until we had taken the
cannon, when the artillerymen, Mesa and Amenga, were immediately to load
the guns with the balls at hand, and fire away at Salvatierra's
quarters.

We were altogether in want of defensive armour, and on that night many
of us would have given all we possessed for a cuirass, helmet, or steel
gorget.

Our watch-word was: _Espiritu Santo! Espiritu Santo!_ for such words in
time of war are given to soldiers in secret, in order that the men may
recognize each other. That of Narvaez's men was: _Santa Maria! Santa
Maria!_

As I stood in great favour with Sandoval, he begged of me, when we had
captured the cannon, should my life be spared, instantly to repair to
him and not leave his side; which I promised and fulfilled, as will be
seen.

We remained in our camp during the first part of the night, and spent
our time in making preparations, and thinking on the arduous task which
awaited us; for it was useless to think of any supper, as we had not a
morsel of food with us. We sent out the pickets and posted our
sentinels, of which I happened to be one. I had not stood long when one
of our outposts came up and asked me whether I had not heard a noise? To
which I answered no, and immediately after one of our corporals
approached and told me that Galleguillo, who had deserted from Narvaez
to us, was nowhere to be found, and that he must have been a spy; and as
it was certain he had by this time betrayed our approach to the enemy,
Cortes had given orders for our immediate advance upon Sempoalla. An
instant after I heard the drum and pipe, and we all marched forward.
Galleguillo, however, was found a few minutes after fast asleep under
some cloaks he had thrown over him, as damp and cold were two things to
which the poor devil was wholly unaccustomed.

Cortes now ordered the drum and pipe to be silenced, and we marched
steadily forward, until we arrived at the river where, as I have above
mentioned, Carrasco and Hurtado were posted with a detachment of the
enemy. This, our sudden visit, was the last thing they could have
thought of, and we succeeded in capturing the former, but the other
escaped and ran to give the alarm.

I shall never forget our crossing this river, how it was swoln by the
rain, and the difficulty we experienced in passing over the stones which
had become loosened and were very slippery; while, at the same time, we
were greatly incommoded by our weapons which we had slung to our backs.
I well remember Carrasco, when he was taken prisoner, crying out aloud:
"Mind what you are about Señor Cortes, for Narvaez has marched out with
all his troops to receive you." As Hurtado had already ran off to give
the alarm, it mattered very little whether Carrasco thus strove to
inform his general of our approach by his loud cries. Cortes gave him in
charge of his secretary Hernandez, and commanded us to the attack. We
immediately lowered the points of our lances and made so violent a rush
at the cannon, that the artillerymen had scarcely sufficient time to
fire off four pieces, every ball of which passed over our heads,
excepting one, which killed three of our men. At the same moment our
respective officers, with their men, forced their way up under the sound
of our drum and pipe. Several of Narvaez's cavalry certainly offered
some resistance, but for a short time only, while six or seven of their
number lay stretched on the field of battle. We, under Pizarro, had the
good fortune to capture all the cannon, but durst not leave them in
charge of our artillerymen alone, as Narvaez continued to shower down
arrows and musket-balls upon us from the top of the temple. Sandoval now
likewise came up with his detachment, and though Narvaez bid a powerful
resistance, he nevertheless continued advancing up the steps of the
building, and broke through the pikes and lances of his opponents.
Seeing this, and that the enemy had given up all attempts to recover the
cannon, we gave them in charge of our artillerymen, and flew under the
command of Pizarro to Sandoval's assistance. We just arrived at the
moment when Narvaez had beaten him back down five or six of the steps;
our arrival turned the scale against the enemy, and Sandoval now pushed
forward again with renewed vigour. Indeed we had some hard work to do
with our long lances before we could clear our way through the enemy's
ranks; all at once I heard some one, and it must have been Narvaez, cry
out in a loud voice:--"Assist me, oh blessed Virgin! I am a dead man!
One of my eyes has been thrust out!" At the same moment we all cried
out, "_Victory! Victory!_ for those of the watch-word _Espiritu Santo!
Narvaez is fallen!_" Yet we were unable for some time to gain entire
possession of the temple, not until Martin Lopez, who built the
brigantines, hit upon the thought of setting fire to the straw that lay
on the top of the temple, which he immediately set about with his gaunt
figure. Narvaez's men now came rolling down the steps one after the
other, and he himself was taken prisoner. A certain Pedro Sanchez Farsan
was the first to lay hold of him, and I mentioned this to Sandoval and
several of Narvaez's officers, who were standing by at the time. In an
instant a thousand voices filled the air with cries of: "_Long live the
emperor and general Cortes, in his imperial name!_ Victory, victory!
Narvaez is dead!"

The battle, however, was still continued at various points, as several
of Narvaez's officers maintained their positions on the tops of other
temples. Cortes, however, with his accustomed forethought, sent round a
herald to summons Narvaez's men, under pain of death, immediately to
join the imperial standard. This, with the firing of the cannon, our
hurrahing, and the belief that Narvaez was dead, had the desired effect,
and only the troops of young Diego Velasquez and of Salvatierra, who had
taken up a position with the troops under their command, on the summit
of a very high temple, where it was difficult to get at them, refused to
submit. Sandoval, however, was not to be deterred by their advantageous
position. He took the half of his men with him, while the rest remained
below, and we attacked them so vigorously with our swords, that at last
they surrendered, and we took Salvatierra and Diego Velasquez prisoners.

In the hurry of the moment we had merely fastened fetters around
Narvaez's legs; but Sandoval now, ordered him to be better secured.
Cortes happened to come up at the time, when Leon, with Ordas, brought
in Salvatierra, Diego Velasquez, and other chief officers prisoners; he
was still in full armour, and had heated hims

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