( ) 



and being inceflantly harraffed in our prefent poft, we proceeded at mid- 

 night upon our journey, under the guidance of our faithful^ Tlafcalans. 

 Thofe who were very badly wounded we carried between us; the lame 

 were fupported upon crutches, and fome who were utterly iinable to help 

 themfelves on, were placed upon the croups of lame horfes. Thus, 

 with what cavalry we had able to a(5t, in front and on the flanks, and 

 as many of the infantry as were fit to bear arms making head to the 

 enemy, we proceeded on our march, our wounded Spaniards and allies 

 in the centre, the reft oppofing the enemy, who continued to follow, 

 harrafs, and revile us, faying we were now going to meet our deftruc- 

 tion. Words which we did not at that time underftand. 



I have hitherto forgotten to mention the fatisfadtion we had, in 

 feeing Donna Marina and Donna Luifa rejoin us. . Having crofTed the 

 bridge amongft the firft, they had been faved by the exertions of two 

 of the brothers of Donna Luifa, all the reft of the female Indians hav- 

 ing been loft there. On this day wc arrived at a great town named Gu- 

 altitlan, from whence we continued our march, harraflied by the enemy, 

 whofe numbers and boldnefs increafed, infomuch that they killed two 

 of our lame foldiers and one horfe in a bad pafs, wounding many more. 

 Having repulfed them, we proceeded until we arrived at fome villages, 

 and halting there for the night, we made our fupper on the horfe which 

 had been killed. On the next morning we fet out very early, and hav- 

 ing proceeded little more than a league, juft as we began to think our- 

 felves in fafety, three of our vedettes came in with a report that the 

 whole plains were covered with the armies of the enemy. This intelli- 

 gence was truly frightfijl and we felt it as fuch, but not fo as to prevent 

 our determination to conquer or die, or our arranging all matters to the 

 beft effed for adion. 



A halt being made, orders were given to the cavalry, that they 

 fhould charge at half fpeed, not ftopping to make thrufts, but pointing 

 the lances at the faces of the enemy, until they were put to flight ; the 

 infantry were warned to thruft with their fwords, and to pafs them 



clear 



