The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo Vol. 2

1/25/22, 8:50 PM The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo written by himself, containing a true an…
day, which arrived punctually at the time mentioned. In the meantime we laid ourselves
downto enjoy a little rest, but took every precaution in posting our watches,as we could
plainly hear the wild music of shell-trumpets and drums each time a fresh body of the
enemy arrived on the banks of the river.
When day began to dawn we again recognized our new friends as they were secretly
coming up with their canoes; but the Chiapanecshad already suspected these people would
turn their arms against them, and run over to our side, and had taken several of them
prisoners; therest had fled to the top of an elevated temple, where they fortifiedthemselves,
and so it happened that the battle should first commence between the enemy and their
former slaves.
Our new allies now led us to the place where we were to ford theriver, and they exerted
themselves to the utmost to hasten our passage across, for they feared the enemy would
sacrifice those of their countrymenwhom they had captured in the night, unless we arrived
speedilyto their rescue. When we came to the ford our horse and foot unitedin a close body
together, in order to stand the better against the rapidstream; we then boldly marched into
the water, which reached up toour breasts; but the canoes kept close up with us at our side,
and in this way we fortunately reached the opposite shore; but here we were suddenly
attacked by the enemy with excessive fury before the half ofus could get on dry ground.
The greater part of us were instantlywounded, some severely so in two places; two of the
horses were lost,and one cavalry soldier, named Guerra or Guerrero, a native of Toledo,
had unfortunately got with his horse into a whirlpool, where he himselfwas drowned, but
his horse swam on shore.
[Pg 185]
We were unable for a length of time to gain a firm footing on dryland, and drive back the
enemy; nor could we succeed till our new allies fell upon their rear, and richly did they
repay them for their lasttwelve years of oppression. The whole of us now leaped on shore,
andattacked the enemy so vigorously that they fled away in disorder. Ourcaptain then drew
up the troops in order of battle, desired our newallies, who had assembled in great numbers,
to join our ranks, and inthis way, with flying colours, we marched in a direct line for the
metropolisitself. When we arrived in the principal quarter of the town,where the temples
stood, we found the houses so crowded together,that we durst not risk to quarter ourselves
there, from fear of fire, butencamped in an open space, where we were out of all danger.
Ourgeneral then despatched three of our new allies, and six Chiapanecchiefs, whom we
had taken prisoners, with a message to the enemy,desiring them to submit peaceably to our
emperor. These messengerswere also commissioned to inform the enemy that if they sued
forpeace without delay, their recent hostilities would be pardoned; butin case they refused
to do so, we were determined to punish themseverely, and would commence by setting fire
to the town. Thesethreats soon brought the enemy to their senses, and they immediately
despatched ambassadors to us with a present in gold, offered various excuses for having
commenced hostilities with us, and declared themselvesvassals of our emperor. At the same
time they begged of our captain to forbid our allies setting fire to any more of their
dwellings;for they had burnt down several houses in a small township nearChiapa. Luis
Marin willingly complied with this request, and strictlycommanded both our allies and the
inhabitants of Cachula not tocommit any further destruction of property.
[Pg 186]
In this town we found three large wooden cages filled with prisoners, all of whom were
merchants, who had been purposely waylaid on the high road by the Chiapanecs, and
thrown into these dens to fatten fortheir sacrifices, and they were all fastened by means of
collars to strongbeams. Some of these unfortunate beings belonged to the country ofthe
Tzapotecs, others to that of the Quilenes, and several of them wereinhabitants of Guautepec
and of the province of Soconusco.
We instantly liberated the whole of these prisoners, and sent themto their respective homes.
We also found in the temples diabolicallooking idols, all of which father Juan ordered to be
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/32475/32475-h/32475-h.htm 126/282