e prisoners to be returned to the
caziques, and so we departed from them in perfect peace.

From this place we marched towards Cimatlan and Talatupan. At the
entrance of this township the Indians had constructed, on the top of a
hill, a species of rampart, with loop-holes, beyond which lay a marsh of
considerable extent. When we had arrived up to this outwork, the enemy
suddenly showered their arrows upon us, wounding above twenty of our men
and killing two horses; and if we had not made a hasty retreat our loss
might have been very serious.

The Indians of this province excel as archers, and fly their arrows with
so much strength that they will pierce a jacket doubly quilted with
cotton.

After this momentary attack upon us, the Indians drew back to the
marshes, and we remained two whole days in this place, during which time
we despatched several messages to them; but as they obstinately refused
to submit, and were securely posted between the swamps, where our horse
could not manoeuvre, nor would it have been an easy matter for the foot
to have got at them, and as we ourselves were quite tired of roving
about, we unanimously determined to march back to Guacasualco. We took
our route through the townships of Guimango, Nacaxu, Xuica,
Teotitan-Copilco, and several others, all belonging to the province of
Chontalpa. We then crossed the rivers Ayagualulco, and Tonala, and we
arrived safely in Guacasualco, when the owners of those horses which had
been killed in this campaign were reimbursed for their loss from the
gold collected in Chiapa and Chamula.

In the meantime Alonso de Grado reached Mexico, and presented himself to
Cortes; who, when he learnt the real state of the case, grew excessively
angry with this officer, and said to him, "It appears thus, Senor
Alonso, that you cannot live in peace with any one! I must earnestly
advise you to alter your bad disposition; if not, I will give you 3000
pesos, and send you off to Cuba. I cannot suffer you to go on in this
manner any longer!" Alonso de Grado then humbly begged his pardon, and
expressed his sorrow for what had happened, so that our general, and
even Luis Marin, became reconciled to him shortly after.

I must now conclude this chapter, in order to acquaint the reader with
what was going on at the imperial court in Spain respecting the bishop
of Burgos.

CHAPTER CLXVII.

_How our agents in Spain brought certain accusations against the
bishop of