After Binding Up Our Wounds And
Those Of The Horses, Which We Dressed With The Fat Of Dead Indians, We
Examined The Field Of Battle, Where We Found Upwards Of 800 Of The Enemy
Dead Or Dying Of Their Wounds, The Slain Being Particularly Numerous Where
The Cavalry Had Charged.
After burying two of our soldiers, one of whom
was killed by a wound in the ear, and the other by one in the throat, we
retired to our quarters at Tabasco towards evening, where we eat our
suppers, and having placed sufficient guards, we went to sleep.
Gomara relates that in this battle, previous to the arrival of Cortes with
the cavalry, one of the holy apostles, either St Jago or Peter, appeared
on a dapple-grey horse under the semblance of Francisco de Morla. All our
victories were assuredly guided by the hand of the Lord Jesus Christ; but
if this were the case, I, a poor sinner, was not worthy to be permitted to
see it, neither was it seen by any of our army, above 400 in number. I
certainly saw Francisco de Morla along with Cortes, but he rode a chesnut
horse that day. We certainly were bad Christians indeed, if, according to
the account of Gomara, GOD sent one of his holy apostles to fight at our
head, and we ungratefully neglected to give thanks for so great a mercy:
But, till I read the chronicle of Gomara, I never heard of this miracle,
neither was it ever mentioned by any of the conquerors who were present in
the battle.
In the battle we took only five prisoners, two of whom appeared to be
chiefs. These were kindly treated by Cortes, who exhorted them by means of
Aguilar to induce their countrymen to enter into terms of peace and
friendship with us; and having given them a number of beads and artificial
diamonds, he set them at liberty. These Indians faithfully executed the
commission with which they were entrusted; insomuch that the chiefs
immediately sent fifteen Indians, in wretched habits, and with their faces
blackened in token of contrition, and bearing a present of fowls, roasted
fish, and maize, Cortes received them with kindness; but Aguilar spoke to
them sharply, saying that we were disposed to treat with the chiefs, and
not with slaves. Next day thirty natives of rank came in good dresses with
another present, and begged permission to bury their dead, that they might
not be eaten by lions and tigers[9]. This was immediately granted, and
they proceeded to bury and inter the slain. On the following day, ten
chiefs arrived in great ceremony in rich dresses, who respectfully saluted
Cortes and the rest of us, fumigating us with fragrant gums; after which
they asked pardon for their hostilities, and promised to behave well for
the future. Cortes told them with a severe countenance, that they deserved
death for having rejected our former offers of peace; but that Don Carlos,
our great sovereign, had ordered us to favour them in all things if they
would now deserve it by peace and submission, and they might be sure to
feel the effects of our vengeance if they again revolted.
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