They Did Not
Seem Pleased With This Change; And As Soon As Alvarado Was Completely
Clear Of The Town, He Seized The Principal Cacique, Whom He Reproached For
His Treachery, And Ordered To Be Burnt Alive.
Father Olmedo obtained a
respite of this sentence, with permission to endeavour to convert the
condemned cacique to the holy faith, in which he exerted himself a whole
day, and at length succeeded:
And, _as an indulgence_, his punishment was
commuted to hanging, and his territory given to his son. After this,
Alvarado attacked and dispersed the native warriors who were in the
neighbourhood of the town. When this success became known in Guatimala,
which was engaged in hostility with the people of Utatlan, they sent an
embassy to treat with Alvarado before his arrival on their frontiers,
bringing a present of gold, declaring their submission to the government
of our emperor, and offering to serve as allies in all our wars. Alvarado
accepted their submission and offer of service, and desired them to send
him 2000 of their warriors, with which they immediately complied; and as
the people of Utatlan had again rebelled, he remained eight days in their
country, collecting considerable spoil and making many slaves; after which
he marched to the city of Guatimala, where he was hospitably received.
As the utmost harmony subsisted between Alvarado and the natives of
Guatimala, the chiefs of that nation represented to him that a nation in
their neighbourhood, called the Altitlans, who occupied several strong
fortresses on the side of a lake, had refused to make submission to him,
and that they were a barbarous and malicious people. Alvarado sent a
message commanding these people to submit, but they abused his messengers;
on which he marched against them with 140 Spanish soldiers and 2000
warriors of the Guatimalans, and was resisted by a strong force of the
Altitlans, whom he soon defeated with considerable loss, and pursued to
their fortresses on the lake. Having driven them from these fortresses,
they took shelter in an island of the lake, to which he sent several of
their chiefs whom he had taken prisoners, to persuade them into peace and
submission, in which he at length succeeded, partly by threats and partly
by promises, and returned to Guatimala. Father Olmedo exerted himself so
effectually in his mission, that he prevailed upon the people to imitate
our example, in adoring the holy Virgin, for which purpose he erected an
altar and image of our lady, and explained the mysteries of the Christian
faith to the natives. A people named the Pipiles, who came from a
considerable distance towards the south, to enter into submission to
Alvarado, informed him that a nation in their way, called the Izcuintepecs,
were of a malignant disposition, and maltreated all travellers through
their country. He sent, therefore, a message to invite them to come in and
submit, which they refused to comply with; for which reason he marched
into their country with his whole force, united to a strong body of his
allies of Guatimala, and made great havock among them.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 184 of 421
Words from 96195 to 96712
of 221091
