_How we landed at Champoton._
From this point we sailed in the same direction we had taken under
Cordoba, and arrived after eight days' sail off the coast of Champoton,
the place where the Indians had so ill used us, as has been related in
the proper place. The sea being very shallow in these parts we dropt our
anchor at about three miles distance from the shore, and immediately
landed in all our boats with half of our men, as near to the village as
possible. The inhabitants and other Indians in the neighbourhood
gathered themselves together as they had the time before, when they
killed fifty-six of our men and wounded all the rest of us. From their
bearing and proud demeanour we could easily perceive that they had not
forgotten their victory. They were all well armed according to their
fashion, with bows, lances, shields, and broadswords, which they wield
with both hands. Added to all this they had slings, cotton cuirasses,
drums and trumpets, while most of them had their faces painted black and
white. They had arranged themselves along the sea shore in order to fall
upon us as soon as we landed. But, as our previous loss had taught us
prudence, we took with us this time some falconets, and otherwise well
armed ourselves with crossbows and matchlocks.
When we were near enough they let fly such a shower of arrows and lances
that the half of our men were speedily wounded. As soon, however, as we
got on shore, we quickly gave them an evil return with our matchlocks
and sabres. Nothing daunted by this they each selected their man, whom
they particularly aimed at with their arrows, but we had taken the
precaution to put on cotton cuirasses. They continued to combat with us
for some time, until the arrival of another of our long boats, when we
drove them back to the wells near the village. In this conflict we lost
Juan de Quitera and many other soldiers. Our commander, Juan de
Grijalva, got three arrow wounds and lost two of his teeth, and above
sixty of our men were wounded. Immediately upon our putting the enemy to
flight, we entered the village, dressed our wounds, and buried the dead.
Not a single person had remained behind in the village, and even those
whom we had driven back to the wells had merely staid there a sufficient
time to carry off their property. In this skirmish we made three
prisoners, one of whom was a person of rank. Our commander set them at
liberty, desiring them to go and call the cazique of the district. He
also presented them with green glass beads and small bells to distribute
among the inhabitants, in order to gain their friendship. We treated the
three prisoners upon the whole with every kindness, and gave them glass
corals to encourage them and gain their good faith. They left us indeed,
but took good care not to return; we thought it possible, however, that
Julianillo and Melchorejo had misrepresented our commission to them. We
staid four days in this place, and I shall never forget it on account of
the immense sized locusts which we saw here. It was a stony spot on
which the battle took place, and these creatures, while it lasted, kept
continually flying in our faces; and as at the same moment we were
greeted by a shower of arrows from the enemy, we also mistook these
locusts for arrows. But, as soon as we had discovered our mistake, we
deceived ourselves in another more direful way, for we now mistook
arrows for locusts, and discontinued to shield ourselves against them.
In this way we mistook locusts and arrows to our great sorrow, were
severely wounded in consequence, and otherwise found ourselves in a very
awkward predicament.