The Sides Of This River Were Covered With Mangrove Trees, Among Which Were
Many Canoes Filled With Armed Indians, Above 12,000 Warriors Being
Assembled In The Town Of Tabasco, Which At That Time Enjoyed An Extensive
Dominion Over The Neighbouring Country.
We who had been formerly received
at this place in a friendly manner, were astonished at the present
appearance
Of hostilities; but we learned afterwards, that the
neighbouring nations of Pontonchan and Lazarus, as we called it, had
reproached the timidity of the Tabascans for receiving us amicably,
instead of falling upon us as they had done, and they had resolved,
therefore, to take the present opportunity of regaining their character.
On perceiving these demonstrations of hostility, Cortes desired Aguilar to
inquire the reason from some native chiefs who were passing near us in a
canoe, and to inform them that they would have sore cause to repent any
hostilities they might attempt against us. In reply, they threatened to
put us all to death if we dared to come near their town, which was
fortified with parapets and palisades. Aguilar then desired an interview
between their chiefs and our general, saying that he had matters of high
importance, and of a holy nature to inform them of, and requested
permission to supply our fleet with wood and water: But they only repeated
their former threats. Seeing no other alternative but retreat or war,
Cortes ordered three guns to be placed in each vessel, and divided the
musketeers and cross-bows among them. We who had been here before
recollected a narrow path which led from the point of Palmares, through
some marshes and across several brooks to the town of Tabasco, of which we
informed Cortes; who accordingly detached early next morning 100 soldiers
under Alonzo de Avila, with orders to march into the rear of the town by
that path; and, as soon as he heard the discharge of artillery, he was to
attack the town on that side, while the main body did the same on the
other side. Cortes then proceeded up the river with the vessels, intending
to disembark as near as possible to the town; and as soon as the enemy saw
us approaching, they sallied out in their canoes from among the mangroves,
and a vast multitude collected against us at the place where we meant to
land, making a prodigious noise of trumpets, horns, and drums. Before
commencing the attack, Cortes ordered Diego de Godoy, a royal notary, to
make a formal demand of liberty to supply ourselves with wood and water,
and to listen to what we had to communicate in the service of GOD and our
king, protesting that in case of violence, they should be held responsible
for all the mischief that might follow. But, after all this was explained
to them, they remained inflexibly determined to oppose us. They made the
signal with their drums to commence a general attack, and immediately
assailed us with a flight of arrows.
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