The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo, Vol 1 (of 2): Written by Himself Containing a True and Full Account of the Discovery and Conquest of Mexico and New Spain.Díaz del Castillo, Bernal
History
The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo, Vol 1 (of 2): Written by Himself Containing a True and Full Account of the Discovery and Conquest of Mexico and New Spain.
Díaz del Castillo, Bernal
Mexico -- History -- Conquest, 1519-1540
Day now began to dawn, and we emboldened each other to meet the coming
severe conflict by putting our trust in God and commending our cause to
him, while every one was determined to defend himself to the utmost. As
soon as daylight had fully broken forth, we perceived more troops of
armed natives moving towards the coast with flying colours. They had on
their feather-knots, and were provided with drums, bows, lances,
shields, and joined themselves to the others who had arrived in the
night. They divided themselves into different bodies, surrounded us on
all sides, and commenced pouring forth such showers of arrows, lances,
and stones, that more than eighty of our men were wounded at the first
onset. They next rushed furiously forward and attacked us man to man:
some with their lances, others with their swords and arrows, and all
this with such terrible fury that we were compelled also to show them
earnest. We dealt many a good thrust and blow amongst them, keeping up
at the same time an incessant fire with our muskets and crossbows; for
while some loaded others fired. At last, by dint of heavy blows and
thrusts we forced them to give way; but they did not retreat further
than was necessary, in order that they might still continue to hem us in
in all safety; constantly crying out in their language, _Al calachoni,
al calachoni_; which signifies, kill the chief! And sure enough our
captain was wounded in no less than twelve different places by their
arrows. I myself had three; one of which was in my left side and very
dangerous, the arrow having pierced to the very bone. Others of our men
were wounded by the enemy's lances, and two were carried off alive; of
whom, one was called Alonzo Bote, the other was an old Portuguese.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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