Chap. III. for tioe ReduBion N E w Spain. 
the Artillery, which moved with much Difficulty, be- 
caufe the Ground was boggy ; till coming to a Place cal- 
led Cintha^ a little lefs than a League from their Quarters, 
they difcovered, at a great Diftance, the Indian Army fo nu- 
merous, that the Eye could not reach to fee the end of 
them. 
We will nowdefcribe the Indian Way of marching and 
engaging, which may ferve upon all Occafions, the Art of 
War being almoft the fame among all the Nations in New 
Spain. Moll ol their Weapons were Bows and Arrows j 
the Bow- Strings were made of the Sinews of Beafts, or of 
Thongs of Deer Skin twilled, and their Arrows were 
headed with Bones ground ffiarp, or Fifh-bones •, they 
ufed alfo a kind of Darts, which fometimes they threw, 
and fom.etimes managed like a Pike. They had likewife 
long Swords which they ufed with both Hands, as we 
do Faulchions made of Wood, in which they fixed fliarp 
Flints •, the ftrongeft of them had Clubs pointed with- 
Flints, and there were Sliiigers who threw Stones with 
great Force and Skill. The defenfive Arms, which are 
only ufed by Commanders and Perfons of Diftindlibn, 
were Coats of quilted Cotton, Breaft Plates, and Shields 
of Wood or Tortoife-fiiell, adorned with Plates of fuch 
Metal as they could get, and fome made ufe of Gold 
as we do of Iron. The reft were naked, and all of them 
painted with various Dyes and Colours on their Faces 
and Bodies, which they made ufe on to ftrike a Terror 
into their Enemies, believing that Uglinefs made them 
appear dreadful. T'heir Heads were covered with diverfe 
Plumes ol Feathers, like Crowns raifed high to make 
them appear taller. They had alfo warlike Inftruments 
and Miific, with which they animated their Soldiers and 
gave Signals ; there were Flutes made of great Canes, 
Sea-fliells, and a Sort of Drums made of the Trunk of a 
Tree, fo hollowed and made thin, that they anfwered to 
the Stroke of a Stick a very difpleafing Sound, but feem- 
ed well fuited to the Ears of thofe People. They form- 
ed their Batallions of great Numbers without any Order, 
but had Troops ol Referve to relieve where there was 
Occafion. They made their Attacks with great Fury and 
terrible Out-cries, with which they thought to intimidate 
their Enemies ; a Cuftom which fome have accounted 
among the Brutalities of thofe Indians., without obferv- 
ing that it has been ufed ’by many ancient Nations, and 
not defpifed even by the Romans : We do not argue 
whether this is a commendable Cuftom or not, but only 
fay it was not fo barbarous in the Indians., as to be with- 
out Example in other Nations. 
Their Armies were compofed of Natives, and feveral 
Troops of Auxiliaries from the neighbouring Provinces, 
who came to the Afliftaiice of their Confederates, being 
led by their Caziques, or fome prime Indian of their 
Family. Thefe were divided into Companies, whofe 
Captains led, but could fcarce govern, their Men : For 
when they came to engage, they were directed either by 
Fear or Rage, as is ufual among fuch Multitudes, being 
equally eager to attack and to run away. Such was 
the Soldiery of the Indians, and after this manner that 
Army, or rather Inundation of Men, which feemed to 
cover all the Country, advanced towards the •, 
Cortes was fenfible of the Danger he v/as in, yet did not 
defpair of the Succefs, but encouraged his Soldiers with a 
chearful Countenance, and pofted them under the Shelter of 
a riling Ground, which covered their Rear, and placing 
the Artillery where it could do moft Execution, lie 
ftruck into a Wood with his fifteen Horfe, advan- 
cing far into it in order to fally out and flank them as Oc- 
cafion fhould require. As foon as the Indian Army 
came up within a proper Diftance, they firft fliot their 
Arrows, and then fell upon the Spaniards with fuch Fury 
and Precipitation, that the Fire-arms and Crofs-bows not 
being able to ftop them, they were obliged to make ufe of 
their Swords. Great was the Slaughter made among them, 
and as they prelTed on in Throngs, the Artillery deftroy- 
ed whole Comipanies •, but they were fo obftinate, that, 
as foon as the Bail was palTed they clofed again, and 
covered the Lofs they had fuftained ^ making loud Cries, 
and throwing Dull into the Air that the Spaniards might 
not fee thofe who fell, or hear their Lamentations. 
VoL. IL Numb. 74. 
Diego de Ordaz acquitted himfelf as a good Captain 
and valiant Soldier. But the Enemies being ib very nu- 
merous, the had enough to do to ftand their 
Ground; and the Inequality of their Strength began to 
appear, when Cortes, vrho could not come fooner to the 
Affiftance of his Men, by reafon of feme Brooks he had 
to pafs, fallied forth from the Wood, and fell upon ail 
that Arm.y, breaking through the thickeft of their 
Batallions, and doing fuch Execution with his Horfe, 
that the Indians, wounded and trodden under Foot, 
thought of nothing but getting From them, throwing 
away their Arms as an Obftacle to their Flight. Diego 
de Ordaz, fenfible that the Relief he expefted was come, 
by the weak Refiftance of the Enemies Van-guard v/hich 
began to face about by Reafon of the Confufion in the 
Rear, without Lofs of time advanced v/ith liis Foot, 
charging thofe who had oppreffed him, with fo much 
Refolution, that he obliged them to give way till he 
came to the Place where Cortes and his Captains had 
cleared off the Enemy. 
They all joined to make the laft Effort, and were 
forced to mend their Pare, for the Indians were reti- 
ring in an hafty Manner ; yet ftill making head, and em- 
ploying their miffive Weapons ; and this manner 
of renewing, and withdrawing from Fight in good 
Order they continued till the Spaniards came up to 
them, when finding themfelves again attacked, they turn- 
ed their Backs, and inftead of retreating, fled outright. 
Cortes commanded his Men to halt, to avoid the ftiedding 
of more Blood ; ordering only fome Prifoners to be taken 
whom he might make ufe of to fet on foot a Treaty of 
Peace, which he chieflv had in view, looking on this War 
as no more than a Circumiftance of his principal De- 
fign. Above eight hundred Indians remained dead upon 
the Spot, and the Number of the Wounded was very 
great. Of the Spaniards, two Soldiers were killed, and 
threefcore and ten v/ounded. The Enemy’s Army, accord- 
ing to the Accounts we have, confifted of forty thou- 
fand Men •, who, although they were naked Barbarians, 
yet had Hands to do Mifchief. And fhould we grant 
that they wanted Courage, which is proper to Men, yet 
they could not be deftitute of that Fiercenefs of which 
brute Beafts are capable. . 
4. The next Day Cortes 'caufed the Prifoners to be 
brought before him, among whom were two or three 
Officers. They difeovered in their Countenances great Fear, 
expedling to be treated after the fame cruel Manner they 
ufed to treat the V anquifhed. But' Cortes received them 
with great Courtefy, encouraged them with a chear- 
ful Countenance, and fet them at Liberty, giving them 
fome trifling Prefents, and telling them at the fame time, 
that he knew both how to conquer and to forgive. This 
Piece of Humanity had fo good an Effedl, that within 
a few Flours feveral Indians came to the (^larters with 
Indian Wheat, Flower, and other Provifions ; defigning 
by that Prefent to facilitate the Peace, which they v/ere 
to propofe from the principal Cazique of A abafeo. The 
People who came on this Embafly were of the meaneft 
Sort, and made no Figure, which Jerom de Aguilar took 
notice of ; becaufe it was the Cuftom of that Country, 
upon all Occafions, to fend Perfons of the firft Rank. 
And although Cortes was very defirous of Peace, he re- 
fufed to admit their Propofals, as not coming in due 
Form, and fent back the Indians without fo much as 
feeing them ; bidding them, by liis Interpreter, acquaint 
their Cazique, That if he defire d his Friendfhip, he 
muft fend Perfons of greater account, and after a more 
decent Manner, to follicit it. The Cazique acknowledged 
his Fault, and the next Day fent thirty Indians of better 
Quality, with their Ornaments of Plumes and Jewels, 
wherein all their Pride confifted *, they were followed by 
a Train of Indians loaded with another Prefent of the 
fame kind as before, but in greater abundance. Cortes 
gave them Audience, attended by all his Captains, affeft- 
ing a grave and fevere Countenance. 
They approached with very great Submiflion, and hav- 
ing perfumed him v/ith Gum Anime, or Gum Copal, and 
other fweet Scents, they delivered their Embafly, which 
began wnth fome frivolous Excufes for their iiaft War, 
U ■ and 
