said to all: "Gentlemen, let us withdraw from
here step by step down this declivity in such a way that the enemy may
think that we are fleeing from them, in order that they may come in
search of us below, for, if we can attract them to this plain, we will
attack them all of a sudden in such a manner that I hope not one of them
will escape from our hands. Our horses are already somewhat tired, and
if we put the enemy to flight, we shall end by gaining the summit of the
mountain." And thus it was that some of the Indians, thinking that the
Spaniards were retreating, came down below, throwing stones at them,
with their slings, and shooting arrows.[51] When this was seen by the
Christians, [they knew] that now was their time, [and] they turned their
horses' heads, and before the Indians could gather together on the
mountain where they were before, some twenty of them were killed. When
this was seen by the others, and when they perceived that there was
little safety in the place where they were, they left that mountain and
retired to another one which was higher. The captain, with his men,
finished climbing the mountain, and there, because it was already night,
he camped with his soldiers. The Indians also camped two cross-bow shots
away, in such a manner that in either camp could be heard the voices in
the other. The captain caused the wounds to be cared for and posted
patrols and sentinels for the night, and he ordered that all the horses
were to remain saddled and bridled until the following day, on which he
was to fight with the Indians. And he tried to cheer his men up and
renew their valor, saying: "that by all means it was necessary to attack
the enemy the following morning without delaying an instant, because he
had news that the captain Quizquiz was coming with great reenforcements,
and by no means should they wait until he joined forces with them." All
showed as much spirits and confidence as if they already had the victory
in their hands, and again the captain comforted them, saying: "he held
the day just passed through to be more perilous than that which awaited
them on the morrow, and that God Our Lord who had delivered them from
danger in the past would grant them victory in the future, and that they
should look to it whether, on the day before, when their horses were so
weary, they had attacked their enemies with disadvantage and had routed
them and driven them from their fortresses, even though their own number