SECOND ATTEMPT TO REDUCE YUCATAN. 69 



royal standard in Yucatan. The Indians allowed 

 them to land without noise or opposition, but they 

 were only lying in wait for an opportunity to de- 

 stroy them. In a few days a great multitude assem- 

 bled, and at midnight they crept silently up the 

 paths and roads which led to the camp of the Span- 

 iards, seized one of the sentinels, and killed him; 

 but the noise awoke the Spaniards, who, wondering 

 less at the attack than at its being made by night, 

 rushed to their arms. Ignorant as they were of the 

 ground, in the darkness all was confusion. On the 

 east, west, and south they heard the clamour and 

 outcries of the Indians. Nevertheless, they made 

 great efforts, and the Indians, finding their men fall- 

 ing, and hearing the groans of the wounded and dy- 

 ing, relaxed in the fury of their attack, and at length 

 retreated. The Spaniards did not pursue them, but 

 remained in the camp, keeping watch till daylight, 

 when they collected and buried the bodies of their 

 own dead. 



For some days the Indians did not make any hos- 

 tile demonstrations, but they kept, away or conceal- 

 ed as much as possible all supplies of provisions. 

 The Spaniards were much straitened, and obliged 

 to sustain themselves by catching fish along the 

 shores. On one occasion two Spaniards, who had 

 straggled to some distance from the camp, fell into 

 the hands of the Indians, who carried them away 

 alive, sacrificed them to their idols, and feasted upon 

 their bodies. 



