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afked me if I had heard any thing. I replied that I had not. A cor- 

 poral foon after came to our poft and faid that Galleguillo the deferter 

 of Narvaez's army was miiTing, and that he had come amongft us as 

 a fpy j in confequencc of which Cortes had given orders that we fhould 

 march inftantly. Accordingly we heard our drum beat, and the cap- 

 tains calling over their companies. 



We joined the column, and proceeding on our march, we found 

 the foldier whom we had miffed, fleeping in the road under fome man- 

 tles, for the poor fellow not being inured to hardfhips was fatigued. We 

 continued our march at a quick pace, and in profound lilence, and foon 

 arrived at the river, where we furprifed the two vedettes of the army of 

 Narvaez, one of whom, by name Carrafco, we made prifonej*, the other 

 flying before us into the town, and giving the alarm. On account of 

 the rain, we found the river deeper than ufual, and difficult to pafs, 

 owing to the loofe ftones under our feet, and the weight of our arms. 

 I alfo recolledt that the foldier whom we had made prifoner called to our 

 general, " Senior Cortes do not advance, for I fwear that Narvaez is 

 '* with his whole force drawn up to receive you." Cortes gave him 

 in charge to his fecretary, Hernandez, and we proceeded, and on com- 

 ing into the town, heard the man who had efcaped, giving the alarm, 

 and Narvaez calling to his captains fo turn out. 



Our company which headed the column, charging our lances, rufh- 

 ed on, and clofing up to the guns, made ourfelves mafters of them 

 without giving the artillery men time to put the matches to more than 

 four, of which one (hot only took effed:, killing three of our foldiers. 

 Our whole force now advanced with drum beating, and falling upon 

 the cavalry brought down fix orfeven of them, whilft we who had got pof- 

 feffion of the guns could not quit them, becaufe the enemy kept up a 

 heavy difcharge of arrows and mufquetry from the quarters of Narvaez, 

 Captain de Sandoval and his company conling forward, marched up the 

 fteps of the temple, notwithftanding that he was ftoutly refifted by the 

 enemy with miffile weapons, mufquetry, partizans, and lances, and 



then, 



