( 36o ) 



by the arrival of two of our out party, who came in at full fpeed to tell 

 us, that the natives were colledling from all parts to attack us. We 

 ftood to our arms, and advanced to meet them out of the town, where 

 a very fevere aftion enfued, for they were provided with darts hardened 

 in fire, war clubs, and lances larger than ours, and aifo a good defen- 

 five armour made of cotton. As the field of battle was very ftoney, their 

 flingers did us infinite mifchief. They approached us fo clofe that in 

 the firft attack they killed two of our foldiers, and four horfes, wound- 

 ed our reverend father, Fra Juan, and thirteen foldiers, and deftroyed 

 many of our allies. Our captain, Marin, alfo was wounded in two pla- 

 ces. This a(5lion lafted till dark night, when, having made an unfatif- 

 fadtory experiment of the fliarpnefs of our fwords and the eftedt of our 

 mufquetry, the enemy retired, leaving behind them fifteen killed, and 

 many wounded, from two of whom, apparently principal people, we 

 learned, that on the next day a general attack v/as intended upon 

 us. ' . 



The manner in which the enemy had fought convinced us that 

 they were no defpicable warriors : for when a cavalry man halted to 

 make a thruft the Indians feized the horfe, and wrefted the lance out of 

 the horfeman's hand, or pulled him to the ground. 



On the next day we purfued our route to the city of Chiapa, and 

 a city it might truly be called, from the regularity of its ftreets and 

 houfes. It contained not lefs than four thoufand families, not reckoning 

 the population of the many dependent towns in its neighbaurhood. At 

 the diftance of about a quarter of a league from the place which we 

 had left, we found the whole force of Chiapa drawn u,p to receive 

 us. Their troops were adorned with plumage, and well armed, offen- 

 fively and defenfively^ and the hills refounded with their fhouts on our 

 appearance, h was dreadful to behold the fury with which they threw 

 themfelves upon us like enraged lions j as fox our black artillery man^ 

 and black he was indeed to us, he was fo ftupified with fear, that he 

 Skood trembling and unable to put the match to the ^un, and when at 



