The herald., 1895-05-12


Several Desperate Attacks. and They
Wished None to Escape. and Planned One
Attack in the Night.
We pushed them with such a good will
cutting and stabbng with our swords and
the horsemen riding them down and
lancing them. that in a short time great
numbers of them were slain and the rest
nut to flight we lost only one man in
this encounter.
When we saw that the enemy had retired
we moved our quarters to large patio,
where the principal cues of the city were
some of our soldiers climbed the highest
cue, from the top of which they could see
the great city of Mexico and the whole
lake; and they saw also over two thous-
and canoes full of warriors pulling across
and coming directly to Suchimilco. for as
We learned the next day. Guatemoc had
ordered them to attack us by day and
by night, as the opportunity might al
ford and at the same time he sent over
10000 men by land, so tnat they might
attack us in such Il way that none OF us
could escape. He had also sent Il reserve
force of ten thousand more. which were to
attack us when we were all wounded and
tired with lighting. All this we learned the
whom we captured; but our Lord Jesus
Christ had ordered differently, for as
soon as we saw the great fleet of canoes
approaching to attack we placed our
forces in the most advantageous order
and placed our sentinels and guards wher-
ever there was danger of an attack. and
the horses were kept under bride and
saddle all night and Cortes and the other
Captains went the rounds until morning.
Myself and ten other soldiers were placed
asa guard at q point where there were
some stone walls. 1t was a sort OF landing
place for those who approached from the
side of Mexico, and while we were watch
ing during the night we heard the noise
of canoes approaching, but we threw
stones down on them and attacked them
with long lances so that they did not dare
to land. in the meantime sending one OF
the soldiers to notify Cortes. And while we
were waiting there came other canoes full
of warriors who commenced to throw
stones and varas with slings and shoot
arrows at us. to which we replied with
crossbows and arquebuses. so that they
finally drew off and joined the fleet which
landed it's warriors at another point. but
two of our soldiers received severe wounds
during the affray.
Another incident which do not relate
70 eulogize myself, is that when our mes
senger informed Cortes that the Indians
were trying to land where we were, he
came Immediately with ten horsemen
and when he came near myself and an
other soldier named Gonzalo Sanchez,
a Portuguese from Algarbe. we called out:
''Who cJmes here" and as we received
no reply we threw some stones and said.
"Can YOU not spedk?" and Cortes. know
ing the voice of myself and my compan
ion. said to the monk. Pedro Melgareo.
and the treasurer, Julian Alderate and
. the Mastro de Campo Cristobal de Oil,
who accompan. ed him: There is no
necessity for any more precaution here
for there are two men here among those
on guard who came with me from Cuba
whom we can trust with this watch and
even with things of greater importance.
And then telling us to watch well for
we were in great danger he passed on to
another post and presently we heard
them beating II soldier who was on watch,
but he was one of those of Narvaez.
Our arquebusiers were now out of pow
der and our crossbowmen had used up all
their bolts the day before and that night
Pedro Barba. who was their Captain, kept
them at work making bolts for the NOR
row, for we always carried supply of
copper points Tor cases OF necessity.
AS soon as Gay broke the enemy
commenced to close in on all points in
the patio, where we were but they did
not take us unawares; and as the ground
was firm the horse charged them on one
side and the foot and our Tlascalans on an
other and indeed the TIascalans made a
Mexican Captains and we soon forced the
enemy back. although we lost one man
killed and had great II any wounded.
But the battle did not rest here, for the
horse following up the retreating enemy
came upon the reserve of ten thousand,
which had been sent the day before by
Guatemoc, and the Captains of this reserve
were all armed with CaStlian swords
which they tiourisned as though they
would cut us co pieces, and they cried out
that they were going to slay us with with
our own weapons. When our horsemen
came upon them, not being strong
enough to attack. they drew off and
waited for the rast of our forces to come
up. When we learned this the rest of the
horsemen end all of us hastened to their
assistance. although many OF both the
men and horses were ounded and the
Tlascalans also went with us, and by
closing in on them foot to foot. stabbing
with our swords. and the horsemcn charg
ing they soon abandoned the field
We learned from the Mexican prisoners
that Guatemoc had also prepared another
great iotilla of canoes and several large
scuadrons of warriors to send against us,
with orders to attack us when we were
worn out with fighting the forces he had
already sent against us. thinking also
hat they would take us by surprise, as
we would not be expecting fresh attack
after defeating the forces he had already
sent. When we learned this we were
doubly watchful, but at the same time it
was determined that the next day
we should marcn out, The remainder of the
day we passed in dressing our wounds,
repairing. our arms and making bolts for
the crossbows.
1t appears til At in the city of Suchimilco
there We're some houses full of cotton goods
of all kinds and leather work and gold and
this the Tlascalans and certain soldiers
learned of from some prisoners who
guided them to the houses which were
built in the water and were approached bv
narrow ana deep canals; the soldiers and
Tlascaans who first went there came back
to camp laden with cotton cloth and gold
and other spoilS, and when the soldiers in
camp saw this IL great many went to the
same place. and while they were taking
the things they sought out of Il large box
which contained them, there came to the