The National tribune., 1899-05-11

and SO high above it was the latter, tina
The huge stones tumbied from the battle
ments, fell with great certainty on its
roof, crushing the men of the cardvel, and
beating down both the wooden parape'
and the platform. At the same time,
at the defenders, and thrusting the points
Of their weapons in:o its breaches, en-
deavored to topple it TO the ground. AS il
rocked thus TO and fro, the violent mo-
ton entirely prevented the little garrison
from making use of their arms; and with
wild cries TO their friends, to seize the
ropes, dropped by the Tlascalans, and
drag the manta from the palace, they
were seen holding by its sides as well as
they could, receiving, without returning,
the blows of their adversaries. The ne
ccssity of obeying their prayer was seen
more plainly than the means; for the
| crowd of mingled Tlascaians and Mexi-
cans that surrounded the crazy machine,
was impeneuable; and had it been So
| the appearance OF the Eanta, threaten
! ing each moment TO fall, would have de-
| tered the boldest from approaching its
dangerous vicinity.
| As it was, the cavaliers gave what aid
| they could. They thrust their spears into
| the mass of Indians, shouting to the
Tlascalans TO disengage themselves from
| the enemy. But these shouts, il the
allies did not indeed receive them rather
as encouragement 10 fight the more fierce
| ly, dissolved not the bloody melee into its
corlpDlcnts Of friend and foe; and many
a Tliscalan died, that day, pierced
through the heart by spears, which theil
bearers thought were thrust through the
breasts Of MexicanS.
| In the meanwhile, the heavy burro was
shaken still mo-c violently; and Don
AmadOr, looking up, beheld the master oi
the caravel alone on the top for his
sailors were already slainl grasping de
sp2iringly at fragment OF the parapet;
while stones and darts were siiowered
uDon him from the adjoining terrace, and
heavy pole, aimed by a lusty bar
ba.ian, struck him with merciiess Sc
| verify. His coun;enance was pale, his
eye haggard, and his honorable scars
now livid, and almost black, were re.
lieved, like fresh wounds, on his CHASTITY
brow. His helmet had fallen TO the
ground; and the sight Of his gray hairs
| shaking over his Scared front, as he was
| tossed up and down, like one bound hand
ard foot on the back Of a wild animal
in1amed tine ncophyte with both rage
ard pity.
loose thy hold, drop upon the In.
idians, and take thy chance among them,'
he cried at the top of his voice. "Wha
no, friend Gomez, wilt thou lie there, and
perish'"
1t seemed as if the voice of the cavalier
had not passed unheard; for the wretched
man was seen TO raise himself on his
knees, and look down to the fighting mer
below, as if meditating a leap; when sud
denly a great stone fell on the platform
with a crashing noise, and, at the sam,
moment, the manta, lurching like an i'll
ballasted ship before a hurricane, stag
gered over its balance, and fell with
Tremendous shock to the ground. Tn,
neophyte thought not Of tho miserabl,
l. 81
held the voyager, at tho instant of its de
struction, hurled from the ruin, as if from
! some mighty balista of ancient DAYS
clear over the heads Of the Indians, an,
|. dashed, a mangled and hideous corsc
almost at his feet.
"Do ye hearl Ho!! to your lances. an,
back upon the wolves that are behin
Ius" cried tho trumpet-voice OF Don HeI
nando. The neophyte turned. and clap
, ping spurs to Fogoso, charged. with th
5 cavaliers, upon those squadrons whicl
had pursued them;-but, like his com
= panions, he checked his horse with sur
= prise, and no little CONSERVATION, whe,
he beheid in what manner the infiiel
! were prepared TO receive them. The stree
was packed with their bodies, as far a.
the eye could see; and darts ard sword
J Of obsidian were seen flashing above tn
heads Of the most distant multitude; bu
; be perceived that those combatants VIII
stood in front, stretching from wall 3
; wall, were armed with long spears, mostly
, indeed, with wooden points, sharpened
, and fire-hardened, though some few wer
! seen with copper blades, full yard fl
, length, which they handled with singu
lar and menacing address. Thus, NJ
sooner did the cavaliers approach then
than those of the first rank, dropping
: like trained soldiers, to their knees, plant
ed the butts of their Xeanous on tn,