The English-American his travail by sea and land: or, a new svrvey of the West-Indias. Containing a journall of three thousand and three hundred miles within the main land of America ... With a grammar, or some few rudiments of the Indian tongue, called, Poconchi. Of Pocoman / By the true and painfull endevours of Thomas Gage.

  • Thomas Gage
Date:
1648
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The English-American his travail by sea and land: or, a new svrvey of the West-Indias. Containing a journall of three thousand and three hundred miles within the main land of America ... With a grammar, or some few rudiments of the Indian tongue, called, Poconchi. Of Pocoman / By the true and painfull endevours of Thomas Gage. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    lii'iljii —v »i > « -*■ lay hands on them-they prepared themfelves to battcl,and fought,defending themfelves for a while.In this fight the Indians (lew two of their Horfes, and ( as the Spaniards do witnefle )at two blowes they cut off a Horfe head,bridle and all.Then came the reft of the Horfemen,the Army al(o of the approached,for there were in fight neerfive thoufand of them in good order, to fuccour their fifteen fighting men; but they came too late for that purpcfe, for they were all flain by the Spanijb fury’ becaufe they would not render themfelves in time, and had killed two of their Horfes. Yet not- withHanding their fellowes fought,until theyefpied the Spanifi Army coming,and the Ordnance, then they returned leaving the field to the Spaniards, whofe Horfe-men fol¬ lowed them, and flew about feventy of them, without receiving any hurt. With this the Indians perceiving the great advantage which the Spaniards hzd againft them with their Horfes,and meaning to come upon them fubtilly with a more powerful Ar¬ my ,that they might the better deceive and delude them,they fent unto Cortez, two of the four Meflengers which had been fent unto them with other Indians, fay ing, that they of TlaxcaBan knew nothingof the things that had happened, certifying likewifc that thofewith whom he had fought, were of other communities, and not of their juri£ diftion, being forrowfull for that which had pafTed • and for fo nmch as it happened in their countrey, they would willingly pay for the two Horfes which were f]ain,pray- ing them to come in good time to their Towne, who would gladly receive them, and enter into their league of friendship, becaufe they feemed to bee valiant men* But all this was a feigned and a falfe meflage. Yet Corttz bekeved them, and gave them thanks for their courtefie and good will; and that according to their requefl he would goe unto their Towne, and accept their friendfhip. And touching the death of his Horfes, hce required nothing, for that within fhort time he cxpedled many more ; yet forrow- iull he was not fo much for the want of them, as that the Indians fhould thinke that Horfes could die or be flain. Cortez proceeded forwards about two leagues, where the Horfes were killed,although it was almofl fun fe£,and his men wearied,having travelled far that day. He planted his Army by a river fide,retnainingall that night with good watch both of Foot-men and Horfe-men, fearing fomeaffaultj but there was no at¬ tempt given that night. The next morning at fun rifing, CVff*departed with his Ar¬ my in good order, and in the midfl of them went the Fardage and Artillerie, and after a little marching they met with the other two Meflengers whom they had fent from Zaclotan • they came with pitifull cryes exclaiming of the Captaine3 of the power of j-laxcallan^vino had bound them and detained them from returning; but with good fortune that night they had broken loofe,and efcaped , for otherwife in the morning following they had been facrificed to the God of Vi&ory, and after the facrifice they had been eaten for a good beginning of the warres; the Tlaxcalteca’s protelling to doe the like to the bearded men ( for fo they termed the Spaniards ) and to as many as came with them. They had no fooner told their tale, when there appeared behind a little hil about a thoufand Indians psery well appointed after their falhion,and came withfuch a marvellous noife and cry, as though their voyces Ihould have pierced the heavens; hur¬ ling at the Spaniards, Hones, darts, and (hot with bowes and arrowes. Cortez made many tokens of peace unto them, and by his Interpreters defired them to leave thebattail. But fo much the more as heintreated for peace, the more hafty and ear¬ ned were they, thinking either to overcome them, orelfe to hold them play, to the in¬ tent that the Spaniards Ihould follow them to a certame ambufh that was prepared for them , of more then fourefcore thoufand men. Here the Spaniards began to ceafe from words, and to lay hand upon their weapons; for that company of a thoufand were as many as on the Spaniards fide were fighting men 5 though they were well praftP led in the warres, very valiant, and alio pitched in a better place for fight. This bat- tail endured csrtaine houres, and at the end the Indians being either wearied, orelfe meaning to take the Spaniards in the fnare appointed, began to flic towards the main battail, not as overcome, buttojoyne with their own fide, The Spaniards being hot m toe hghtand daughter, which was not little, followed them with all their fardage, and unawares fell into the ambufh, among an infinite numberof Indians armed ; they itayd not, becaufe they would not put themfelves out of order, and pafTed through their campe with gieat ha lie and fear. The Indians began to fet upon the Spanifi Horle- men, thinking to have taken their lances from them , their courage was fb flout • ma- tiy of the Spaniards had there perifhed, had it not been for their 'Indian friends, who had