The National tribune., 1899-04-06
,gSfEsrnandot tGpr&ez
fsSsD NA Story of
W 0gal-1EN3 The Spanish Conquest of Mexico
T$SSssEs..4s@ssASSSV BY R NJ.
BY r. NJ. BIRD.

who recks not for the tempest. 1t fillet
the cavaliers with Joy.
Good heart, now, brave hearts, shout
ed Cortez; "for my son Sandovai answers
mel Rein me round and charge me back
] to the infantryi
Backwards galloped the so cavaliers
| strewing the earth with trampled pagans
and the fOotmen shouted with delight, as
| they. again beheld their leader. But the
| relief and the Joy were only momentary.
Fight ye, my dogs! and slay your own
sheep! Be firm; wall yourselves with
spears; and presently We Shall be lockers
on.-Sweep the square again, brave caya-
liers! Goad fianks! couch spears! and
this time, let me see the red face of my
Lieutenant"
Turning, and shouting with louder
cheer tfor the experience of the two first
charges had warned the Mexicans of their
destructive efficacy, and they now re-
coiled with more visible alarm, the
cavaliers again rushed through their foes
like a whirlwind; and brushing them
aside, as the meteor brushes the fogs of
evening, they dashed onwards, until their
shouts were loudly re-echOed, and they
found themselves confronted with Don
GonzalO and his party.
The greetings of the friends were brief
and few, for the same myriadS, attacking
with the same frenzied desperation, in
vested them with danger that did not
seem to diminish.
Bring thy foot in 'front.'" cried Cortez,
"and, while they follow me, charge thou
behind them. Be quick, and be brave.
March fast, ye idle spearman; and stare
not, for these are not devils, but meni-
God and SpainLSantiago. and at them
again, peerless cavaliersl-We fight for
Christ and immortal hOnorl"
The valiant band of cavaliers again
turned at the voice of their leader, and
again they swept the corse-encumbered
square, rushing to the relief of their own
infantry. Following the counsel he had
given to Sandoval, the wary General pass
ed by his foot-SoldierS, and bidding them
march boldly forwards, and join them
selves with the infantry of Don Gonzalo,
he charged the infidels from their rear
with fury they could not resist; and
then rushing backwards with equal reSO-
luton, discovered the foot-soldiers in the
position in which it had been his aim to
place them.
The united infantry, full 200 then in
number, were now protected, both in front
and rear, by band of cavalry; their
hanks looking, on one side, to the temple,
opeEed opposite. Arranging them, at
word, in two lines, standing back to back,
and seconding himself the manuyer
which he dictated to Sandoval, the Cen
eral swept instantly to that flank which
bordered on the Wall of Serpents, while
Gonzalo rode to the other. Thus arranged
the little army presented the figure OF a
hollow square, OF rather of a narrow
parallelogram, the chief sides of which
were made by double rows of spearmen,
and the smaller by bands of horsemen.
Thus arranged, too, the Christians fought
with greater resolution and success; for,
parting at once from common center,
ha
before them on two sides, while the cav
airy carried death and horror to the others
until, at a given signal. all again fell
back to their position. and presented a
wall altogether inexpugnable TO the weak
though untiring savages.
1t was the persuasion of Don fernando,
that, in this advantageous position, he
could, in short time, SO punish his
enemies, as to teach them the folly of
with Christian men, and per
haps end the war in a day. But, for a
full hour, he repeated his charges. now