A BLOODY BATTLE WITH THE NATIVES. 59 



wood. They had flutes, and large sea-shells for 

 trumpets, and turtle-shells which they struck with 

 deers' horns. Their bodies were naked, except 

 around the loins, and stained all over with earth 

 of different colours, and they wore stone rings in 

 their ears and noses. 



The Spaniards were astonished at seeing such 

 strange figures, and the noise that they made with 

 the turtle-shells and horns, accompanied by a shout of 

 voices, seemed to make the hills quake. The ade- 

 lantado encouraged the Spaniards by relating his ex- 

 perience of war with the Indians, and a fearful bat- 

 tle commenced, which lasted all that day. Night 

 came to put an end to the slaughter, but the Indians 

 remained on the ground. The Spaniards had time 

 to rest and bind up their wounds, but kept watch all 

 night, with the dismal prospect of being destroyed 

 on the next day. 



At daylight the battle began again, and continued 

 fiercely till midday, when the Indians began to give 

 way. The Spaniards, encouraged by hope of victo- 

 ry, pressed them till they turned and fled, hiding 

 themselves in the woods; but, ignorant of the ground, 

 and worn out with constant fighting, the victors 

 could only make themselves masters of the field. 

 In this battle more than twelve hundred Indians 

 were killed. 



In the beginning of the year 1528, the adelanta- 

 do determined again, by slow marches, to reconnoi- 

 ter the country ; and, having discovered the warlike 



