170 HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



catl, or other general. The place where the firfl: battle 

 was ufually fought was a field appointed for that pur- 

 pofe in fome province, and called Jaotlalli, or land or field 

 of battle. They began battle (as was ufual in ancient 

 Europe, and among the Romans), with a moft terrible 

 noife of warlike inftruments, fhouting and whittling, 

 which ftruck terror to thofe who were not accuflomed to 

 hear it, as the anonymous conqueror declares from his 

 own experience. Arnongft the people of Tezcuco, and 

 likewife, moft probably, amongft thofe of other Hates, 

 the king, or the general, gave the fignal for battle, by 

 the beat of a little drum which hung at his fhoulder. 

 Their firfl onfet was furious ; but they did not all en- 

 gage at once, as fome authors have reported ; for they 

 were accuftomed, as is manifeft from their hiftcry, to 

 keep troops in referve, for preifing emergencies. Some- 

 times they began battle with fhooting arrows, and fome- 

 times with darts and flinging of ftones ; and when their 

 arrows were exhaufted, they made ufe of their pikes, 

 clubs, and fwords. They were extremely attentive to 

 keep their troops united and firmly together, to defend 

 the ftandard, and to carry off the dead and the wound- 

 ed from the fight of the enemy. There were certain 

 men of the army who had no other employment than to 

 remove from the eyes of the enemy every object which 

 could heighten their courage and inflame their pride. 

 They made frequent ufe of ambufcades, concealing them- 

 felves in bufliy places or ditches made on purpofe, of 

 which the Spaniards had often experience ; and fre- 

 quently alfo they pretended flight, in order to lead the 

 enemy in purfuit of them into fome dangerous fituation, 

 or to charge them behind with frefli troops. Their 

 great aim in battle was not to kill, but to make prifoners 



of 



