Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 1.djvu/324

300 because both the wounded and the sound ones of my people were very weary and exhausted with hunger and thirst, and the horses likewise were well tired out, but also because we found there some maize which we ate and carried away with us on the road, boiled and roasted. We left the next day, always pursued by our adversaries, who attacked us on the vanguard and rear-guard with many yells. We continued our march, guided by the Indian of Tascaltecal, during which we suffered much trouble and fatigue, for many times we lost our way. When it was already late, we reached a plain, where there were some small houses in which we lodged that night, suffering great want of food.

Early next morning we began our march, and, before we reached the road, our enemies still followed our rearguard. Constantly skirmishing with them, we arrived at a large town, two leagues distant, where there were some Indians stationed on the top of a small hill to the right. Believing that we might capture them, as they were near the road, and also discover if there were just behind the hill, any more than those who were visible, I started round the said hill with five horsemen and twelve foot-soldiers, and behind it there was a great city of many people with whom we engaged fiercely. On account of the rocky country, and the great number of their people, and our small numbers, we had to retire to the town where our people were. I came out of this, very badly