army. He
was totally unacquainted, he continued, with the country, which was
besides so full of hollows and narrow passes, that he should be glad of
this reinforcement to clear the roads which had been barricaded by
trees, and to transport his baggage. The inhabitants of Guatimala soon
showed they were friendly disposed, and it was not long before the
required troops, with their generals, arrived in the Spanish camp.
Alvarado staid about eight days in the province of Utatlan, during which
time he made repeated incursions into the different townships, and as
several of these again revolted after submitting to the Spanish crown,
great numbers of the male and female inhabitants were carried off as
slaves and marked with the red-hot iron. Of these slaves a fifth were
set apart for his majesty, and the remainder were immediately divided
among the troops.

Upon this Alvarado marched to Guatimala, where the inhabitants gave him
a kind and hospitable reception. Here the men enjoyed some rest, and
they congratulated each other on the success that had attended their
arms, and now they thought with pleasure on the fatigues they had
undergone. Among other things, Alvarado declared to father Olmedo and
his officers, that he had not been in any battle where he considered
himself in greater danger than in the one they had recently fought with
the tribes of Utatlan, who had combined excessive ferocity with uncommon
bravery, and he considered that his men had done wonders on that
occasion. "It was the arm of God," remarked father Olmedo, "that was
with us, and that He may not desert us in future, let us appoint a day
of thanksgiving to the Almighty and the blessed Virgin, and celebrate
high mass, and I will preach a sermon to these Indians." Alvarado and
the other officers immediately fell in with this idea, and after an
altar had been erected the whole of the men made the communion, and high
mass was performed with every solemnity. A great number of Indians were
present on the occasion, to whom father Olmedo preached so many
excellent things, and gave so many convincing proofs of the truth of our
holy religion, that above thirty of them became converts to
Christianity. In the course of the two following days they were
baptized, and several others expressed a similar wish, when they found
that the Spaniards made more of the converts than of the others. Upon
the whole, there was nothing but rejoicing and happiness between the
troops of