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 Alvarado's leap indeed, in accordance with the old
proverb: Leap and save your life![88]

As I have above mentioned, we had certainly reached Tlacupa, but had not
escaped all danger there, for here again great numbers of Mexicans, with
the troops of Tlacupa, Escapuzalco, Tenayuacan, and of the surrounding
districts, continually assailed us; but it was from the maise
plantations they did us most injury, and here we lost three more of our
men, who had been previously wounded. The best thing we could therefore
do was to quit this terrible neighbourhood as soon as possible. Some few
of the Tlascallans knew a bye-road to Tlascalla, and they safely
conducted us to a row of houses which stood on a rising ground, and here
we quartered ourselves in a temple, which had also the appearance of a
fortress. During the whole of this march the Mexicans continually
harassed our troops, and greatly annoyed us with their arrows, slings,
and lances. The reader must not be displeased if I am forced to depict
the same miserable scenes over again.

It was not until we had reached this temple that we were able to defend
ourselves successfully. Here we lighted several fires, and dressed our
wounds.

After the conquest of Mexico, we turned this building into a church,
and dedicated it to our dear lady _de los remedios_. This church in
course of time became very celebrated, and to this day numerous people
make pilgrimages to that place, particularly females, from Mexico.

We found, however, nothing to eat here, and it was grievous indeed to
see with what miserable rags we were obliged to dress our wounds, which
had become chilled by the cold, and this increased their severity. But
what grieved us most was the great loss of horses, and of so many of our
brave companions. Of our old troops there were missing Leon, Salcedo,
Morla, the brave lancer Lares, and several others. And yet I merely
mention these few; for if I wished to mention the names of all those
whom we had to mourn, I should not finish so easily. Most of Narvaez's
men met with their death at the bridges, from the weight of the gold
with which they had overburdened themselves. The Tlascallans, who had
charge of the crown treasures, shared a similar fate. The astrologer
Botello[89] found no protection in all his art, and perished with many
others. Even Motecusuma's sons,[90] and other princes we had taken
prisoners, met with their deaths in that dreadful night.[91]

Before coming to any determination as to what our next step should be,
we proceeded to consider our present condition. The whole of us were
wounded, and only twenty-three horses had escaped alive; our cannon were
all lost, and we had not a grain of powder left; there were but few
crossbows remaining, though these, with the arrows, might speedily be
replaced. Besides all this, the enemy were day and night at our heels,
and we no longer knew on what footing we stood with our friends of
Tlascalla. Nevertheless, we resolved to continue our march towards that
country, and we set out at midnight. Our guides, with the Tlascallans,
marched in advance; those who were more severely wounded, and obliged to
use the support of a stick, were placed in the centre; and those who
were not capable of moving at all were bound fast to the horses of those
who were unable to fight. All who could bear arms were stationed in the
flanks, and had some of the cavalry to support them; while the
rear-guard was composed of the remaining horse. The Tlascallans who were
wounded likewise marched in the centre, and those who were still capable
of defending themselves joined our ranks, that we might be ready to
receive an attack at any point, as the Mexicans were still close at our
heels, yelling most hideously, and crying out from time to time, "Go on!
go on! not one of you will escape alive!" At that moment we did not
exactly understand what they meant, but soon after we discovered it, as
we shall presently see.

I must not, however, forget to mention how greatly rejoiced we were to
find that Doña Marina and Doña Luisa, who had left Mexico with the
vanguard, were quite safe; but the greater part of our other Indian
females, who had been presented to us by the Mexicans and Tlascallans,
had not been so fortunate; almost the whole of these perished at the
bridges.

On this day's march we arrived at a considerable township, named
Quauhtitlan, once the property of Alonso de Avila; there likewise we
were received with reviling language, stones, and arrows, all of which
we patiently endured. We fared no better in the numerous other small
villages we passed through, while the pursuing Mexicans were continually
increasing in numbers. They strove to lock us in on all sides, and sent
forth so many stones, arrows, and lances upon us, while we were passing
through a narrow defile, that two more of our men were killed who had
been dangerously wounded in the last conflict, and also one of our
horses; besides that, numbers of us were wounded. We certainly destroyed
some of the enemy in return, but the number was small.

This night we quartered ourselves in a few straggling houses, and supped
off the horse which had been killed.[92] The next morning early we
continued our route, and marched in closer order than on the day
previous, the half of our cavalry being always in advance. We had
marched to the distance of about four miles along an open plain, where
we considered ourselves in safety, when three of our horse came
galloping up to inform us that the fields were covered with Mexicans,
who were lying in wait for us. We were not a little dismayed at this
intelligence; however, our courage did not flag so far as to prevent us
from making immediate preparations for battle, and we determined to
defend ourselves to the last. We halted for a few moments, and Cortes
gave instructions for the cavalry to dash in a body full gallop upon the
enemy, to aim at the face, and break their line. Our infantry were to
direct their blows and thrusts at the enemy's lower quarters. In this
way it was said we should be certain to revenge our dead and wounded, if
it pleased the Almighty to spare our lives in the approaching battle.

We then commended ourselves to God and the holy Virgin, and boldly
rushed forth upon the enemy, under the cry of _Santiago! Santiago!_ Our
cavalry charged the enemy's line five abreast, and broke it, we rushing
in after them close at their heels. What a terrific battle and
remarkable victory was this! How we fought man to man! and those dogs
like the very furies themselves! and many of our men did they kill and
wound with their pikes and huge broad swords.[93]

The level ground, however, was uncommonly favorable for the manoeuvres
of our horse, which every now and then gallopped at full speed in upon
the enemy, and then retired, to watch another favorable opportunity.
Although both horse and rider were severely wounded, yet they continued
to fight most valiantly. It seemed as if we who formed the cavalry had
doub

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