Page:Vol 3 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/347

Rh lines of artificial as well as natural defences, enveloped in clouds of arrows and showers of stones hurled from slings, and above all impeded continually by immense masses of rock which were precipitated from the cliff and dashed large trees into splinters as they passed! Others assert that not one of the assailants, and but one or two of the defenders, were injured—which is somewhat absurd unless with the chronicler we can regard the proceeding as miraculous; for Santiago fought with the Spaniards, and against him human missiles could not prevail. It must be confessed, that in the light of their reputed bravery and the strength of their position, the Nayarits made but a sorry show of resistance or heroism.

The author of the Afanes admits that an accidental turning aside into a by-path near the top materially aided the assailants and deranged the plans of the enemy. Following this writer, Escobedo took possession of the mesa on the afternoon of the 16th; the enemy fled after one of their bravest leaders, Tahuitole, had fallen in a last desperate and singlehanded charge, and Governor Flores arrived next morning, to find the victory won, and to chide the victor for his haste. Mota-Padilla, however, with little to say of hard fighting, tells us that Escobedo did not quite reach the summit on the first day, and that the Nayarits ran away when they heard of another force approaching from the west; so that when Flores next morning prepared for an assault, he found no foe save a few warriors forming a kind of rear-guard to the flying masses. One of this number was Tlahuitole, who was slain by Flores' men. Immediate pursuit into the barrancas was impracticable.

With the occupation of the mesa the conquest of