Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 1.djvu/329

Rh I remained twenty days in this province of Tascaltecal, healing my wounds which with the poor care on the road had become much worse, especially the  Events in Tlascala wound on my head; and I also had all the wounded of my company cared for. Some of them died, not only from their wounds, but also on account of our past troubles; others remained maimed in their arms, and others lame in their legs, for their wounds were very bad, and for curing them there was very little means. I myself lost two fingers of my left hand.

Seeing that many of ours were dead, and that those who survived were wounded, and disheartened by the dangers and troubles through which they had passed, and fearing others still ahead, my men entreated me many times to go to Vera Cruz; for there we could fortify ourselves before those natives, whom we still considered our friends, seeing our rout and diminished numbers, could join with our enemies, and, taking the passes over which we had to cross, attack us on the one side, and our people at Vera Cruz on the other. Being there together, and having ships we would be stronger and better able to defend ourselves, in case they should attack before we summoned aid from the Islands. I, however, remembered that Fortune is always on the side of the daring, and that we were Christians, confiding in the very great mercy of God, who would never permit us to perish; and I considered that to show so little courage before the natives, especially our friends, might cause them to abandon us the sooner, and turn against us; that this great and noble country, at peace and on the point of being secured under Your Majesty, would be lost. The war must be continued, to bring about the pacification of this country as it was before, and I determined on no account to go to the sea-port, but rather, disregarding all difficulty and danger which might offer, I said that I would not abandon