( 'Si ) 



therefore faw in a {Wronger point of view than ever, how neceflary it 

 was for our very exiftence to feize Montezuma, and that if we failed, 

 we might as well perifh in the attempt as meet our certain fate in any- 

 other way. But before I go farther I will give an account of the mis- 

 fortune which befel Juan de Efcajante. 



I have already related, that in a town named Quiabuiftlan, about 

 thirty chiefs of the neighbouring diftridls had voluntarily come under 

 our government. A Mexican garrifon, it appears, attempted to levy 

 contributions upon fome of thefe people. When this was reprefented 

 to Efcalante the commandant in Villa Rica, he fent word to the officers 

 of Montezuma to defift, threatening them in cafe they did not, but at 

 the fame time exprefTmg his wiflies to be on friendly terms with them. 

 To this an abrupt reply was returned, that he ftiould find them in the 

 field. Efcalante was a man who had blood in his eye, and on receiving 

 this anfwer he immediately prepared forty of his own people, and two 

 thoufand of his allies, and put himfelf in march againft the Mexicans, 

 whom he met out upon a pillaging expedition, and attacked. Our 

 allies who were always afraid of the Mexicans, fled at the firll fhower 

 of arrows, and left the poor Spaniards to get out of the bufmefs as well 

 as they could. With great difficulty they arrived at Almeria, where 

 Efcalante and fix foldiers foon died of their wounds. One foldier they 

 took alive ; his name was Arguello, a native of Leon ; this man had a 

 large head, and thick curled beard, and was of great bodily flrength. 

 Such is the truth of the affair at Almeria, which is entirely different 

 from the account of the hiflorian Gomara, where he fays that Pedro de 

 Ircio went to colonize Panuco with a party of foldiers, at a time when 

 we had not a fufficiency of men to keep up our guards. In many 

 things which that hiftorian relates concerning the fcizure of Montezuma, 

 he ought to have recolle<5ted that eye witnefTes to that tranfadion were 

 yet alive, to contradid: him. 



The Mexican captains reported the affair to Montezuma, and pre- 

 fented him with the head of the Spanifh foldier, who died of his 



wounds. 



