at they held it to be
better council to retire, which they did. Arrived in Xauxa, they
recounted to the Governor all that had happened, with which he was well
pleased, and he received them cheerfully, thanking them all for having
borne themselves so valorously. And he told them that by all means he
intended to attack the camp of the enemy because, although they were
advised of the victory, it was certain that they would be waiting. At
once he ordered his master of the camp to lodge the men and let them
rest during what remained of the day and through the night until
moon-rise, and that then they should make ready to go and attack their
enemies. At that hour fifty light horsemen were in readiness, and at the
sound of the trumpet they presented themselves, armed and with their
horses, at the lodging of the Governor who despatched them very soon
upon their road. Fifteen horsemen remained with him in the city
together with the twenty peones who made the guard all of each night
with the horses saddled, until the captain of that sally returned, which
was in five days. He related to the governor all that had happened from
the time of his departure, telling how, on the night he left Xauxa, he
journeyed some four leagues before dawn, with much eagerness to attack
the enemy's camp before they were warned of his coming; and being now
near [the enemy] at dawn, they saw a great mass of smoke in the place of
their encampment, which seemed to be two leagues further on. And so he
spurred on with his men at a great pace, thinking that the enemy, warned
of his approach, had fled and that the buildings that there were in a
village were burning. And so it was, because they had fled, after having
set fire to that wretched hamlet. Arrived at that place, the Spaniards
followed the footsteps of the warriors through a very broad valley. And
as they overtook them they collided with the enemy who were going more
slowly with many women and children in their rear-guard, and the
Spaniards, leaving these behind them in order to catch up with the men,
ran more than four leagues, and caught up with some of their squadrons.
As some of them [the Indians] saw the Castilians from some distance,
they had time to take shelter on a mountain and save themselves; others,
who were few, were killed, leaving in the power of the Spaniards (who,
because their horses were tired, did not wish to go up the mountain)
many spoils and women and children. And as it was alrea