Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 2.djvu/57

 to destroy them, and asked me, as they had on other occasions, to send them some help. I immediately arranged to send Gonzalo de Sandoval, with  Sandoval's Victories in the Province of Chalco twenty horsemen and three hundred foot soldiers, whom I charged to make all haste and on arriving to give all the favour and help possible to those vassals of Your Majesty, our friends When he reached Calco, he found awaiting him a great many people, assembled, not only from that province, but also from Guajocingo and Guacachula; after ordering what was to be done, he left, taking his march towards a town called Guastepeque, where the Culuans were in garrison and from which place they did harm to the Calcans. At a town on the road, many of our foes appeared, but our friends were many and had besides the advantage of the Spaniards and horsemen; and all united and charged upon them and drove them from the field, pursuing them with great slaughter. They rested for the night in that town before Guastepeque and the next day they left. Just as they were about to reach the town of Guastepeque, the Culuans began to attack the Spaniards, who in a short time routed them, forcing them with great loss out of the town. The horsemen then dismounted in order to feed their horses and rest themselves. While thus off their guard, the enemy fell upon the square of the quarters, screaming and yelling most fiercely, discharging many stones and darts and arrows. The Spaniards took to their arms, and they and our friends rushed out against them and expelled them again, pursuing them for more than a league, and killing many. Very tired, they returned that night to Guastepeque where they rested for two days.

About this time the alguacil mayor learned that many hostile warriors had assembled in a town called