Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 2.djvu/288

 of Mazatlan, with their bows and arrows, who were apparently sentries on the road, and who, on the approach of our people, wounded one of our men with their arrows, after which they fled, and, the forest being so dense, only one was captured; this one was given in charge to three of my Indians, and the Spaniards ran on believing that there were more of them; but, no sooner had the Spaniards gone, than the fugitives, who, as it appeared, had concealed themselves close by, returned, and fell upon our Indian friends who held their companion a prisoner, and, fighting with them, they liberated him. Mortified by this, our Indians pursued their enemies through the forest, and, having overtaken them, they fought with them, and wounded one by a great gash in the arm, taking him prisoner, while the others escaped, for they perceived that some of our people were coming up. I asked this Indian if his countrymen knew of my coming, and he answered that they did not; I then asked why he and his companions had been there as sentries, and he answered that this was their custom, for they were at war with some of their neighbours, and, to protect their farms, the lord had ordered sentinels always to be kept on the road to forestall any surprise. Having learnt from him that the first village of that province was near at hand, I made all possible haste to arrive there before any of his companions who had fled should give the alarm, and I ordered those of my people who went ahead to stop as soon as they came in sight of the plantations and to hide themselves in the forest until I arrived.

When I came to the place, it was already late, so I made haste, thinking we might reach the town that night, but, perceiving that our baggage train was somewhat scattered, I ordered a captain, with twenty horsemen, to remain at the plantations and collect the bearers as they came up, and, after sleeping there with them, to