Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 2.djvu/65

 come to their help. Seeing this blunder, and that by taking the peaks they would be at a great disadvantage, I very quietly ordered a captain to mount quickly with his people and capture the steepest points which they had abandoned; and he succeeded. I, with the rest of my force, began to mount the hillock where most of the enemy was gathered; and it pleased God that I should capture the slope and that we should reach a height almost equal to that whence they fought, which result had appeared almost impossible without infinite danger. One of the captains had already planted his banner on the highest point, and from there he began to discharge muskets and cross-bows at the enemy, and they, seeing the injury they sustained, and that the battle was lost, made signs of surrender, laying down their arms. As my policy is always to convince these people that I do not wish to injure them, no matter how blameworthy they may be, especially when they are willing to become vassals of Your Majesty; and as they are intelligent and understand this very well, I ordered the fighting to cease, and when they came to speak to me I received them very well. Observing how well they were treated, they made this known to those on the other hillock, who although they were victorious, decided to give themselves as vassals to Your Majesty, and came to me asking pardon for the past.

I remained two days in this town near the hill, from where I sent the wounded to Tesaico. Starting again, I arrived at ten o'clock in the morning at Guastepeque, which I have already mentioned, where we lodged in the chief's house, situated in the most refreshing gardens ever seen. These gardens have a circuit of two leagues, and in their midst flows a very beautiful rivulet, and at intervals of two cross-bow shots are kiosks and very gay flower beds, and an infinite number of different fruit trees, many herbs, and fragrant flowers; certainly