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vants with me, and followed the party, which they obferving, 

 halted in order to make me return, but I was refolved, and De Oli at 

 laft affented, telling me I muft expedt to fight my way. About half a 

 league in front were fome villages on the fide of a ridge. The cavalry 

 went thither and found water in the houfes, and one of my ferva-nts 

 brought me from thence a large jar, which they ufe in that country, full 

 of water. I then determined to return, for the inhabitants of the village 

 had begun to take the alarm. I found Cortes juft fetting forward on 

 his march, and gave him and the captains a hearty draught each out of 

 the jar, which my fervants carried very well concealed, for thirft con- 

 fiders itfelf before any one. We arrived at the villages and found water, 

 though not much ; the fun was then near fetting, and our cavalry came 

 in and reported that the whole country was in movement againfl us; we 

 therefore halted here. I was on the night guard, and recoiled: that it 

 was' very windy and rainy. Several of our foldiers were taken ill with 

 inflamations in the mouth and throat, from eating a fpecies of thiftle or 

 artichoke, to quench their thirft. 



Early the next morning we piirfued our route, and about eight 

 o'clock arrived at Suchimikco. I can give no idea of the number of the 

 enemies troops which were gathered here, they were infuch vaft bodies. 

 They had broken down the bridge which was in front, and fortified 

 themfelves with parapets and pallifades ; their leaders were armed with 

 fwords which they had taken from us in the fatal night of Mexico, and 

 which they had polifhed and made very bright. The attack lafted for 

 half an hour at the bridge. Some of our people paffed the water by 

 fwimming, and fome iofl their lives in it. What was worfl, feveral 

 bodies fell on our flanks and rear. When our cavalry had got on firm 

 ground, with the lofs of two more of our foldiers killed, we drove them 

 before us, but a reinforcement of at leafl ten thoufand Mexicans juft then 

 arrived, and received the charge of our cavalry, four of whom they 

 wounded. Here the good chefnut horfe which our Cortes rode tired 

 under him amongfl a croud of the enemy, who pulled or knocked the 

 general down, with the intention of taking him alive j more crouds now 



g?<-hercd 



