They Had Along With
Them A Very Fat Aged Woman, Whom They Esteemed A Wizard, Who Had Promised
Them The Victory.
Her body was all covered over with paint mixed with
cotton wool; and she advanced fearlessly amid our allies, who were
regularly formed by companies, by whom she was cut to pieces.
At length,
by a violent effort, we forced the enemy to fly, some taking to the rocks
and others to the river, and being excellent swimmers they made their
escape. We then halted and sang the _Salve regina_: After which we took
possession of a town on the river, where we halted for the night, taking
care of our wounded, and carefully concealing our dead.
About midnight, ten chiefs of neighbouring districts came down the river
in five canoes, and were brought to our captain, whom they informed that
they belonged to the nation of the Xaltepecs, who were at war with the
people of Chiapa, and came to offer their assistance to us against them,
on condition that we should afterwards support the independence of their
nation against the people of Chiapa. This was very satisfactory to us, as
we could not have passed the river, which was both broad and deep, without
their assistance; the chiefs were therefore dismissed with a promise on
our part of protection, and on theirs to bring us canoes and auxiliaries.
During the remainder of the night we had to keep strict guard, as the
drums and horns of the enemy were heard on the opposite banks of the river,
where their warriors were collecting from all sides to attack us. As soon
as it was light, our new friends joined us with the promised canoes, and
shewed us a very dangerous ford, which they urged us to pass without delay,
that we might endeavour to save the lives of some of their people who had
been recently made prisoners by the enemy. We accordingly passed the river
in a solid column at the ford, which reached our armpits, and where we
lost one of our cavalry. On gaining the opposite bank, we were so hotly
assailed by the enemy with darts and arrows, that every one of us had two
or three wounds before we got out of the water. But as we were now joined
by large bodies of those Indians who had offered their assistance, we soon
compelled the enemy to fly for shelter to their city, against which we
immediately advanced in good order, accompanied by our new allies. On
arriving there, it seemed too closely built to be occupied with safety,
and we encamped therefore in the open field, sending messengers to invite
them to peace, with which they complied, by sending a deputation of their
chiefs, who submitted to become subject to our sovereign, and requiring
that the neighbouring tribes might be prevented from destroying their
houses and plantations. All these things being settled to our mutual
satisfaction, we went into the town, where we found many prisoners
confined in wooden cages, who had been seized by the Chiapese while
travelling from place to place, all of whom we set free. In the temples of
this place we found several idols of horrible figures, and many remains of
men and boys, who had been recently sacrificed. Our reverend father Fra
Juan, broke all the idols to pieces, and preached so successfully that
many were baptized. Many of the chiefs of the neighbouring tribes came in
and made their submission: Among these were the chiefs of Cinacatan,
Papanahaustla, Pinola, Guehuistlan, Chamula, the Quilenes, and others who
spoke the Zoque language, and many other tribes, the names of which I do
not now remember. These people were much surprised when they perceived the
smallness of the force with which we had ventured to attack a nation so
warlike as the Chiapese, whom the Mexicans were never able to subdue.
While our captain was thus occupied in arranging matters with the chiefs
of the surrounding districts, one of our soldiers went accompanied by
eight Mexicans, to a town called Chamula, where he demanded a contribution
of gold in the name of our captain, though entirely without authority. A
quantity was accordingly offered him; but not being satisfied with the
amount, he attempted to seize the cacique, by which violent proceeding he
occasioned an insurrection of that town, and another in the neighbourhood
called Quiahuitlan, or Guehuistlan. When this improper transaction came to
the ears of our captain, he sent the soldier a prisoner to Mexico, and
immediately marched to Chamula to quell the insurrection, being assisted
on this occasion by the inhabitants of Cinacatan, a polished tribe which
was addicted to merchandize. On our arrival at Chamula, we found the place
strongly fortified by art and nature, and the people well armed, having a
peculiar species of large shield which covered the whole body, and could
be rolled up into a small compass when not in use. Our cavalry were
ordered to keep guard in the plain in our rear, to watch the motions of
the insurgents in the neighbouring districts; while the infantry
endeavoured to force their way into the town; but our musketeers made very
little impression, as the enemy were covered by their walls, while their
missiles injured us materially, being exposed without any defence. We
continued the attack during the whole day to very little purpose, being
unable to force the ramparts, which were guarded by above 2000 men armed
with lances. We therefore drew off for the time, and procured some timber
from a depopulated town in the neighbourhood, with which we constructed
certain machines named _mantas_ or _burros_, under cover of which twenty
men or more could approach the walls in safety, to work a passage through
them. On our first attempt to do this, the enemy threw down upon our
machines, heavy stones, fire, and scalding water, so that we were
constrained to remove our machines to repair the injury they had sustained.
We again brought forward our machines to the walls, and at length
succeeded in making several breaches.
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