tard the Spanish advance. Continuing, Ronquillo writes:]

I answered their fire with so great readiness that I forced them to
withdraw their artillery. But, as if they were goblins, they remained
here behind a bush or a tree, firing at us, without being seen. Thus
did they keep us busy until one o'clock at night. I remained three
days without landing, awaiting the arrival of Lumaquan--a chief of
the tingues [_i.e._, hill-people], the best Indian of this island,
and our best friend--and five hundred Indians, who were coming to aid
us. On the very day of his arrival I landed in the following order. I
formed a square of twelve ranks of thirteen men each, closing front,
side, and rear guards with halberds and pikes. There were two captains
in the van-guard, one in the rear-guard, and two at the sides, so that,
wherever the enemy should attack, the soldiers could, by facing about,
fight without at all breaking ranks. I detailed two files of forty
arquebusiers and two captains to go ahead to discover ambushes. Under
cover of their arquebuses went the pioneers to clear the way. As
I heard, according to reports, that the enemy would halt upon this
day, I went ashore and marched straight forward at the head of the
squadron, at times going through the ranks to see if anything was
needed. Upon that day, we busied ourselves until sunset in clearing
the way as fully as great toil and diligence would allow, without the
square being thrown into any confusion, or any man falling out. But
as we could not come in sight of the fort, I returned to pass the
night in the fleet, for until the road should be open and known, and
its distance, I did not care to land my artillery, as I had so few
men. Besides those who were clearing the path, I had no men to fire
the artillery. Immediately on the following day I continued my plans
in the same order. As one of my legs pained me, because of a fall
backward two days previously down the hatchway of the galley--and by
good luck I did not break my neck--from which I am still suffering,
I did not go ashore. Also, I thought that, since the enemy had not
attacked us in the most dangerous places, they would not do so in
places not to their advantage. Thus the path was cleared, upon this
day, without encountering any enemy or sighting their fort. Again
the men returned to the fleet for the night. On the third day,
as the work of reconnoitering was proceeding, a large ambuscade of
Indians attacked us in the