The horses
were distributed among the best riders, and each horse was provided with a
breast-plate hung with bells.
He likewise directed his small body of
cavalry, while engaged with the enemy, to point their lances at the faces
of the natives, and on no account to stop for the purpose of making
thrusts, but always to ride straight onwards, bearing down all before them.
Of this body he took the command in person for the approaching battle,
being twelve in all besides himself. The infantry were placed under the
chief command of Diego de Ordas, the artillery under the charge of Mesa,
and the colours were carried by Antonio de Villareal. The army thus
arranged, marched out early in the morning of Lady-day, 25th March, after
hearing mass, and proceeded to the plain of Cintia[7], where the enemy
awaited us, our cavalry making a detour to avoid some marshy ground, and
on purpose to gain the rear of the enemy. After marching about a league,
we saw the enemy advancing towards us in the plain, making a vast noise of
trumpets, horns, and drums. They wore plumes of feathers on their heads,
having their faces painted black, red, and white, all wearing defensive
armour of quilted cotton with large shields, and bearing lances,
two-handed swords or maces, darts, large bows and arrows, and slings.
Their numbers covered the whole plain, and they immediately rushed
forwards to the attack, wounding above seventy of our soldiers at the
first discharge of their arrows, and one man named Saldana, was slain
outright by an arrow which pierced him under the ear.
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