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men with sharp swords, which they wield with
both hands. Though De Lugo and his men defended themselves bravely, they
were unable to drive back such overwhelming numbers. They therefore
began to retreat in the best order possible to our head-quarters, having
first despatched an Indian of Cuba, who was a swift runner, to inform
Cortes of their situation and beg of him to send a reinforcement. During
all this time De Lugo and his troops, particularly the crossbow-men and
musketeers bravely withstood the whole body of the enemy.

In the meantime Alvarado had marched about four miles in the direction
he was commanded to take, when he came to an inlet which he was unable
to pass. Here the good Lord fortunately gave him the thought to return
in a direction which led to the spot where De Lugo was fighting with the
Indians. The firing of the muskets, the noise of the drums and trumpets,
with the yelling of the Indians, soon convinced Alvarado that the latter
had again commenced hostilities; he therefore marched in a direct line
to the place whence the noise came, and found De Lugo in the heat of an
engagement with the enemy, of whom five were already killed. Both
detachments now fell with their united forces upon the Indians, who were
speedily dispersed, yet they were unable to put them totally to the
rout; on the contrary, they would certainly have followed us to our
head-quarters, if Cortes had not come up with the rest of our troops,
when, after some sharp firing and heavy blows, they were obliged to fall
back. Cortes, on receiving information of De Lugo's dangerous position,
had immediately repaired to his assistance with the whole of his men,
and came up with the two commanders at about two miles from our
head-quarters. In this engagement we did not escape without some loss,
for two of De Lugo's detachment were killed and eight wounded; Alvarado
had only three of the latter. Having arrived at our head-quarters, we
dressed the wounds of our men, buried the dead, and posted sentinels in
proper places, that we might not be fallen upon unawares. In this
battle, the enemy lost fifteen men killed, and three were taken
prisoners, of whom one appeared to be a chief. Our interpreter Aguilar
asked them what madness could have induced them to attack us? One of the
Indians returned for answer, that Melchorejo, whom we brought with us
from the punta de Cotoche, had come over to their camp the night
previous, advising them to fall upon us, and continue to do so night and
day, for, in the end, they would, no doubt, be able to conquer our small
numbers: so that Cortes's apprehensions with respect to the flight of
this fellow were verified.

We now despatched one of our prisoners to the caziques with green glass
beads, and offers of peace: this personage, however, never returned to
bring any answer. We also learnt from our two other prisoners, who were
closely questioned by Aguilar, that the day previous all the caziques of
the neighbouring districts had been under arms to fall upon us, and that
the next day they would return to storm our head-quarters. All this was
likewise done by the advice of Melchorejo.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

 _Cortes issues orders that we should hold ourselves in readiness to
 march against the Indians on the following day; he also commands the
 horses to be brought on shore. How the battle terminates we fought
 with them._

Cortes being now certain that the Indians would renew the attack,
immediately ordered all our horses to be brought on shore, and every
one, our wounded not excepted, to hold himself in readiness. When our
horses, which had been such a length of time at sea, now stepped on firm
ground again, they appeared very awkward and full of fear; however, the
day following, they had regained their usual liveliness and agility.
There were also six or seven of our men, all young and otherwise strong
fellows, who were attacked with such severe pains in the groins that
they could not walk without support. No one could guess the cause of
this; it was only said they had lived too freely at Cuba, and that the
pain was occasioned by the heat, and the weight of their arms; Cortes,
therefore, ordered them again on board. The cavaliers, who were to fight
on horseback, were commanded to hang bells around their horses' necks,
and Cortes impressed on their minds not to rush at the Indians with
their lances before they had been dispersed, and then even to aim at
their faces only. The following men were selected to fight on horseback:
Christobal de Oli, Pedro de Alvarado, Alonso Hernandez Puertocarrero,
and Juan de Escalante. Francisco de Montejo and Alonso de Avila were to
use the horses of Ortiz the musician, and of a certain Bartolome Garcia,
though neither were worth much. Further, there were Velasquez de Leon,
Francisco de Morla, and one of the Lares, (for there was another
excellent horseman among us of that name,) and Gonzalo Dominiguez, both
superior horsemen; lastly, there were Moron de Bayamo and Pedro de
Truxillo. Then comes Cortes, who placed himself at their head. Mesa had
charge of the artillery, while the rest of our men were commanded by
Diego de Ordas, who, though he knew nothing of the cavalry service,
excelled as a crossbow-man and musketeer. The morning following, which
was the day of annunciation to the holy Virgin, we attended mass very
early, and arranged ourselves under our ensign Antonio de Villareal. We
now put ourselves in motion, and marched towards some extensive bean
fields, where Francisco de Lugo and Pedro de Alvarado had fought the
previous battle. There was a village in this neighbourhood called
Cintla, belonging to the Tabascans, which lay about four miles from our
head-quarters. Cortes, on account of the bogs which our horse could not
pass, was obliged to take a circuitous route. Our other troops, however,
under Diego de Ordas, came up with the Indians near Cintla, where they
had arranged themselves on the plain: if they felt equal ardour for the
combat as we did, they could now satisfy themselves,--for this was a
battle in every sense of the word which we here fought, fearful in the
extreme, as will be seen.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

 _How we are attacked by all the caziques of Tabasco, and the whole
 armed force of this province, and what further took place._

The Indians were already moving forward in search of us, when we came up
with them: every one had a large bunch of feathers on his head, a cotton
cuirass on, and their faces were daubed with white, black, and red
colours. Besides having drums and trumpets, they were armed with huge
bows and arrows, shields, lances, and large broadswords; they had also
bodies of slingers, and others armed with poles hardened in the fire.
The Indians were in such vast numbers that they completely filled the
bean fields, and immediately fell upon us on all sides at once, like
furious dogs. Their attack was so impetuous, so numerous were the
arrows, stones, and lances with which they greeted us, that above
sevent

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