On Coming To A Wood, The Cacique Called Out To A
Great Number Of Armed Men Who Lay In Ambush; When There Immediately
Appeared A Great Number Of Men In Armour Of Quilted Cotton, With Targets,
Wooden Swords Edged With Flints, Large Clubs, Spears, Bows And Arrows, And
Slings.
These warriors had their faces painted of many colours, and were
all adorned with plumes of feathers.
They gave a hideous shout, pouring in
at the same time such a shower of stones and arrows, that they wounded
fifteen Spaniards at the first onset; after which they fell on sword in
hand, and fought with great resolution. The Spaniards had only twenty-five
cross-bows and muskets, which were well plied; but when the Indians felt
the sharpness of the Spanish swords, they soon fled, having seventeen
killed and many wounded. Two youths were taken in this action, who
afterwards became Christians by the names of Julian and Melchior. The
Spaniards returned to their ships, well pleased at having discovered a
more civilized people than any which had been hitherto seen at Darien, or
in any of the islands; more especially as they had houses of stone and
lime, which had not till then been seen in the West Indies.
They held their course along the coast for fifteen days, always laying to
at night, when they came to a large town with a bay, which they believed
to be a river in which they might find water, of which they were now in
great need.
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Words from 182820 to 183074
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