322 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



Having regard, however, to the circumstances of 

 the occupation and abandonment of Chichen by the 

 Spaniards, their silence is perhaps not extraordi- 

 nary. I have aheady mentioned that at this place 

 the adelantado made a fatal mistake, and, lured by 

 the glitter of gold in another province, divided his 

 forces, and sent one of his best captains, with fifty 

 men, in search of it. From this time calamities and 

 dangers pressed upon him; altercations and con- 

 tests began with the Indians ; provisions were with- 

 held, the Spaniards were obliged to seek them with 

 the sword, and all that they ate w^as procured at the 

 price of blood. At length the Indians determined 

 upon their utter destruction. Immense multitudes 

 surrounded the camp of the Spaniards, hemming 

 them in on all sides. The Spaniards, seeing them- 

 selves reduced to the necessity of perishing by hun- 

 ger, determined to die bravely in the field, and went 

 out to give battle. The most sanguinary fight they 

 bad ever been engaged in then took place. The 

 Spaniards fought for their lives, and the Indians 

 to remain masters of their own soil. Masses of the 

 latter were killed, but great slaughter was made 

 among the Spaniards, and, to save the lives of those 

 who remained, the adelantado retreated to the forti- 

 fications. One hundred and fifty of the conquerors 

 were dead ; nearly all the rest were wounded, and 

 if the Indians had attacked them in their retreat 

 they would have perished to a man. 



Unable to hold out any longer, they took advan- 



