eral thousand
Indians appeared, coming quickly to their rescue. Cortes seeing them,
hastily despatched a messenger to hurry up his infantry. The Indians,
having discharged their missiles, fell upon the little band of
Spaniards, striving to drag the riders from their horses and to tear
their lances from their grasp. They brought one cavalier to the ground,
who afterwards died of his wounds, and they killed two horses, cutting
their necks through with one blow of their formidable broadswords. This
was a most serious loss to Cortes, whose horses were so important, and
so few in number.

The struggle was a hard one, and it was with no small satisfaction that
the Spaniards saw their comrades advancing to their aid. No sooner had
the main body reached the field of battle, than, hastily falling into
position, they poured such a volley from their muskets and cross-bows as
fairly astounded the enemy, who made no further attempt to continue the
fight, but drew off in good order, leaving the road open to the
Spaniards, who were only too glad to get rid of their foes and pursue
their way. Presently they met two Tlascalan envoys, accompanied by two
of the Cempoallans. The former, on being brought to the general, assured
him of a friendly reception in the capital, and declared the late
assault upon the troops to have been quite unauthorised. Cortes received
his message courteously, pretending to believe that all was as he said.
As it was now growing late the Spaniards quickened their pace, anxious
to reach a suitable camping-ground before nightfall, and they chose a
place upon the bank of a stream, where a few deserted huts were
standing. These the weary and famishing soldiers ransacked in search of
food, but could find nothing but some animals resembling dogs, which,
however, they cooked and ate without ceremony, seasoning their unsavoury
repast with the fruit of the Indian fig, which grew wild in the
neighbourhood. After several desperate battles with the Tlascalans,
Cortes finally won a great victory.

The next day--as he usually did after gaining a battle--the Spanish
commander sent a new embassy to the Tlascalan capital, making as before
professions of friendship, but this time threatening that if his offers
were rejected he would visit their city as a conqueror, razing their
house to the ground and putting every inhabitant to the sword. Of course
this message was given to the envoys by the aid of the Lady Marina, who
became d