region where the sun rises, there is reason for supposing
that the tradition which came down to them from their forefathers was
not altogether vague; namely, that a people would come from the east and
take possession of their country. (p. 150.)

CHAPTER LXV.

_Of the great battle we fought with the Tlascallans, and what
further took place._

It was the following morning, on the 5th of September, 1519, that we
equipped ourselves for battle. Our horse were first arranged in order,
then the foot soldiers, and even our wounded were forced to go along
with us, if only to swell out our numbers, and do what lay in their
power. The crossbow-men received orders that some were merely to load,
while others fired, and this always in platoons. The musketeers received
similar orders, and the remaining portion of our men, who were armed
with swords and shields, were principally to strike at the enemy in the
region of the belly, in order to stop them from venturing so near to us
as they had the time before. Every one was also particularly cautioned
not to leave the ranks. It was also the particular duty of our cavalry
not to leave each other in the lurch, always to attack in full gallop,
and only aim at the face and eyes. The ensign Corral received a guard of
four men, and in this way we sallied forth from our camp, with our
standard flying.

We had scarcely proceeded a quarter of a mile when we found the fields
covered with warriors; they had large feather-knots on their heads,
waved their colours, and made a terrific noise with their horns and
trumpets: indeed, the pen that would wish to describe everything we saw
here, would not find it such an easy task! this was indeed a battle of
as fearful and dubious an issue as well could be. In an instant we were
surrounded on all sides by such vast numbers of Indians, that the plain,
here six miles in breadth, seemed as if it contained but one vast body
of the enemy, in the midst of which stood our small army of 400 men, the
greater part wounded and knocked up with fatigue. We were also aware
that the enemy had marched out to battle with the determination to spare
none of us, excepting those who were to be sacrificed to their idols.
When, therefore, the attack commenced, a real shower of arrows and
stones was poured upon us; the whole ground was immediately covered with
heaps of lances, whose points were provided with two edges, so very
sharp that they pierced through eve