{ 26? > 



country, I never had feen fo many of our allies in one body. They were 

 thofe of Chalco, Guaxocingo, Tlafcala, Tezcuco, and other places, 

 and they certainly were attracted by the hope of fpoil, and a voracious 

 appetite for human flefli, juft as the fcald crows and other birds of prey 

 follow our armies in Italy, in order to feed on the dead bodies after a 

 battle. 



We here received intelligence, that the Mexican forces and their al- 

 lies of that neighbourhood, were ready and in the field. Cortes there- 

 fore warned us to be alert, and early the next morning after mafs, as we 

 proceeded on our march, our route being between two rivlges of rocks 

 the fummits of which were fortified and garrifoned, the enemy endea- 

 vored by outcries and reproaches to draw us to an attack ; but we purfu- 

 ed our march, by a large town named Guaztepeque, which we found 

 abandoned, and paffmg through, we arrived at a plain where were fome 

 very fcanty fountains of water, and hard by was a great rock with a for- 

 trefs on the fummit. We obferved it to be filled with troops, who fa- 

 luted us on our approach with fhouts, fhowers of ftones, and arrows, 

 by the firft difcharge of which they wounded three of our foldiers. Cor- 

 tes then ordered us to halt, and obferving that the Mexicans feemed to 

 defpife us for not attacking them, he fent a party of cavalry to examine 

 the rock. On their return they told the general, that no part feemed to 

 them fo accelfible as that where we then were. Cortes then ordered us 

 to afcend, Enfign Chrifloval del Corral with the colours leading us, and 

 Cortes with the cavalry remaining in the plain to proted the rear. 



When we began to afcend the mountain, the Indians threw down 

 large maffes of rock, and it was dreadful to fee them roll among us, and 

 a wonder how any of us efcaped, as they bounded over us. The order 

 was a very inconfiderate one, and very unlike a wife captain. One fol- 

 dier though he wore a helmet was killed at my foot ; he never uttered a 

 word; his name was Martin Valenciano. As we continued to afcend, 

 the ftones ftill came rolling down upon us, and two more foldiers, one 

 named Gafpar Sanches, nephew to the treafurer of Cuba, and the other 



Mm 2 named 



