_How Cortes despatches two of our principal officers, each with one
hundred men, to explore the interior of the country, and what
further took place._
The next day Cortes despatched Alvarado with one hundred men, among whom
were fifteen crossbow-men and musketeers, to march six miles inland, in
order to explore the country. He was to take along with him Melchorejo,
of the punta de Cotoche, but he could nowhere be found. He had most
probably gone off in a canoe the night before with the inhabitants of
Tabasco. We conjectured this at least, because the day previous he had
left all his Spanish clothes behind him hanging in a tree. Cortes was
greatly vexed at his escape, as he might betray many things to the
inhabitants that would do us no good.
I will, however, leave the fugitive to his own fate, and continue my
narrative.
Cortes also sent out a second of our chief officers, named Francisco de
Lugo, with another hundred men; among whom were twelve crossbow-men and
musketeers, with similar instructions as to Alvarado, but to take
another direction and return to head-quarters towards evening.
Francisco de Lugo may have reached the distance of about four miles when
he fell in with vast numbers of Indians, commanded by their several
chiefs. They were armed as usual, immediately advanced towards our men,
whom they surrounded on all sides, and began pouring forth a shower of
arrows. The Indians, indeed, were in too great numbers for our small
detachment. They first threw in their lances and the stones from their
slings, then fell upon our men with sharp swords, which they wield with
both hands. Though De Lugo and his men defended themselves bravely, they
were unable to drive back such overwhelming numbers. They therefore
began to retreat in the best order possible to our head-quarters, having
first despatched an Indian of Cuba, who was a swift runner, to inform
Cortes of their situation and beg of him to send a reinforcement. During
all this time De Lugo and his troops, particularly the crossbow-men and
musketeers bravely withstood the whole body of the enemy.
In the meantime Alvarado had marched about four miles in the direction
he was commanded to take, when he came to an inlet which he was unable
to pass. Here the good Lord fortunately gave him the thought to return
in a direction which led to the spot where De Lugo was fighting with the
Indians. The firing of the muskets, the noise of the drums and trumpets,
with the yelling of the Indians, soon convinced Alvarado that the latter
had again commenced hostilities; he therefore marched in a direct line
to the place whence the noise came, and found De Lugo in the heat of an
engagement with the enemy, of whom five were already killed. Both
detachments now fell with their united forces upon the Indians, who were
speedily dispersed, yet they were unable to put them totally to the
rout; on the contrary, they would certainly have followed us to our
head-quarters, if Cortes had not come up with the rest of our troops,
when, after some sharp firing and heavy blows, they were obliged to fall
back. Cortes, on receiving information of De Lugo's dangerous position,
had immediately repaired to his assistance with the whole of his men,
and came up with the two commanders at about two miles from our
head-quarters. In this engagement we did not escape without some loss,
for two of De Lugo's detachment were killed and eight wounded; Alvarado
had only three of the latter. Having arrived at our head-quarters, we
dressed the wounds of our men, buried the dead, and posted sentinels in
proper places, that we might not be fallen upon unawares. In this
battle, the enemy lost fifteen men killed, and three were taken
prisoners, of whom one appeared to be a chief. Our interpreter Aguilar
asked them what madness could have induced them to attack us? One of the
Indians returned for answer, that Melchorejo, whom we brought with us
from the punta de Cotoche, had come over to their camp the night
previous, advising them to fall upon us, and continue to do so night and
day, for, in the end, they would, no doubt, be able to conquer our small
numbers: so that Cortes's apprehensions with respect to the flight of
this fellow were verified.
We now despatched one of our prisoners to the caziques with green glass
beads, and offers of peace: this personage, however, never returned to
bring any answer. We also learnt from our two other prisoners, who were
closely questioned by Aguilar, that the day previous all the caziques of
the neighbouring districts had been under arms to fall upon us, and that
the next day they would return to storm our head-quarters. All this was
likewise done by the advice of Melchorejo.