They Continually
Called Out, Al Calachioni, Al Calachioni, Which We Understood To Mean,
Aim At The Captain, Who Was Wounded By Arrows In Twelve Different Places.
I Also Had Three Wounds, One Of Which In My Left Side, Was Very Dangerous,
And Two Of Our Men Were Carried Off Alive.
Seeing all our exertions
ineffectual, as the enemy continually received reinforcements, and above
fifty of our number were already
Slain, Cordova gave orders to force our
way through the enemy, which we effected in a compact body, the enemy
keeping up a close pursuit, continually pouring in their arrows, and even
attacking us with their spears. We at last reached our boats, which sunk
in the hurry and pressure of our embarkation, and many of us had to
endeavour to reach the bark, which came as near as possible to receive us,
half wading and half swimming. In this last effort many of our soldiers
were wounded, and it was with the utmost difficulty that any of us escaped.
This disastrous action lasted half an hour, and on mustering our force
after we got back to the ships, we found we had lost fifty-seven men. Our
wounds soon became very painful, owing to the cold and the sea water, and
we cursed Alaminos and his discoveries, who still persisted that this land
was an island. We gave this bay the name of de Mala Prelea, or of the
unlucky fight. One soldier only of those who escaped was unwounded, most
of us having three or four wounds, and our captain twelve.
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