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Soconufco, which laft place contained upwards of fifteen thoufand houfes, 

 came into the neighbourhood of a place called Zapotitlan, at a river 

 over which there was a bridge, they perceived a number of bodies of 

 w^arriors drawn up to difpute the paffage with them. An adion enfued 

 in which many foldiers were wounded, and a horfe killed. So nume- 

 rous were the Indians, that the Spaniards could not break or difperfe 

 them without three very hard fought battles. 



From this place Alvarado continued his march, under conftant 

 alarms from the neighbouring Indians of Quetzaltenango, and after fome 

 time he arrived at a defile which afcends a mountain, for the length of 

 about a league and a half. When he arrived at the fummit, he found 

 there an Indian woman, very fat, and having with her a dog of that 

 fpecies which they breed in order to eat, and which do not bark. This 

 Indian was a witch ; fhe was in the ad: of facrificing the dog, which 

 is a fignal of hoflilit}\ Shortly after, our army perceived multitudes of 

 armed Indians advancing upon them on all fides, in a difficult broken 

 trad of ground, where the cavalry could not charge. The infantry 

 advanced, but our troops foon perceived that thefe Indians aded upon a 

 regular plan; for they retreated into the mofl rough and difficult ground, 

 where above fix thoufand of the warriors of Utatlan, which is adjacent 

 to Quetzaltenango, fell upon our people. They were howeve rfor the 

 prefent put to flight, but foon rallied, being reinforced by frefh troops 

 in great numbers, who waited our advance, and fought our troops foot 

 to foot parties of three or four of them feizing a horfe before and behind, 

 and endeavouring to pull him to the ground. During this time the ex- 

 ertions of Alvarado, and the exhortations of Fra Bartholome, who re- 

 prefented to our foldiers the fervice which they owed to God, and that 

 they muft conquer or die, for the extenfion of our holy faith, never 

 ceafed; thus animated, our troops completely fucceeded in difperfing the 

 Indians. They then halted in the field and were unmolefted by the 

 enemy for three days ; after which they advanced to the town of Quet- 

 zaltenango. 



Meaning 



