d Tanchinalchapa, complaining bitterly of
some Spaniards, who, they said, had horses, and were otherwise armed
like ourselves. These men plundered the inhabitants of all their
property, and forcibly carried off their wives and daughters in iron
chains.

Sandoval, it may be imagined, was exceedingly vexed at this
intelligence. On inquiring of the caziques how far distant their
townships lay, they told him only one day's journey. He then immediately
marched out with sixty of us, all well-armed, and we arrived in the
above-mentioned townships before the Spaniards there had the least
notice of our approach; yet the instant they saw us they flew to their
arms, but we came so suddenly upon them, that we took the greater part
of the men with their captain prisoners, without so much as a drop of
blood being spilt on either side. Sandoval, to use a common phrase, blew
them up in fine style, and asked them whether theirs was justifiable
conduct thus to ill-use his majesty's subjects, and whether the course
they pursued was the proper method of making conquests in his majesty's
name? He then commanded the men and women they had taken prisoners, and
around whose necks they had fastened iron collars, to be instantly
released and restored to the caziques of the district.

We then marched back to Naco, carrying along with us our Spanish
prisoners and their captain, whose name was Pedro de Garro. Almost the
whole of these men had horses, and were followed by numbers of female
Indians of Nicaragua, some of whom were uncommonly handsome; besides a
great many female slaves to attend upon them. We others, who had
suffered so many hardships in this expedition, had none of these
comforts, and, in comparison with our miserable appearance, these
Spaniards looked like so many wealthy noblemen. When we arrived in Naco,
Cortes quartered each of them according to his respective rank and
station, as there were several men of distinction and quality among
them.

When these men found that we formed part of Cortes' troops, their
captain, Garro, did all in his power to ingratiate himself in Sandoval's
and our favour, and the whole of them declared they were delighted to be
with us. Respecting their arrival in this neighbourhood, they gave the
following explanation.

Pedro Arias de Avila was governor of Terra Firma, and had sent out
Francisco Hernandez, one of his most distinguished officers, with a
considerable body of foot and horse, in order to