We Were Hardly Returned To Coatzacualco, When Rangel Took It Into His Head
To Go Upon An Expedition Against The
Indians of Cimatan and Tatupan, who
continued in rebellion, confiding in the impracticability of their country,
among large rivers and
Trembling marshes; being also very formidable
warriors, who used very long bows of great strength. We were all very
averse from this, but as Rangel produced his commission from Cortes, we
were under the necessity to obey, and accordingly set out on the
expedition, with about 100 horse and foot. We soon arrived at a pass among
lakes and marshes, where the Indians had thrown up a strong circular
entrenchment of large trees and pallisades, having loop-holes to shoot
through, and where they gave us a very warm reception with a flight of
darts and arrows, by which they killed seven horses, and wounded Rangel
and eight of our men. We had often told him what stout warriors these
Indians were, and he now declared that in future the old conquerors should
command him, and not he us, for he would not have been now in such
jeopardy if he had listened to our advice. When our wounded men and horses
were dressed, he requested me to go forward to reconnoitre, on which I
took two comrades, and a fierce dog belonging to Rangel, desiring the
infantry to follow close behind, but that Rangel and the cavalry might
keep at a good distance in the rear. In this order we pursued our march
for Cimatan, and soon fell in with another post, fortified like the former,
and as strongly defended, whence the Indians assailed us with a shower of
arrows, which killed the dog, and wounded us all three.
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