how the gouernour went from aguacay to naguatex, and what happened vnto him.
the same day that the gouernour departed from aguacay he lodged in a small towne subiect to the lord of that prouince. the campe pitched hard by a lake of salt water; and that euening they made some salt there. the day following hee lodged betweene two mountaines in a thinne groue of wood. the next day hee came to a small towne called pato. the fourth day after his departure from aguacay he came to the first habitation of a prouince called amaye. there an indian was taken, which said that from thence to naguatex was a day and a halfes iourney: which they trauelled, finding all the way inhabited places. hauing passed the peopled countrie of amaye, on saturday the 20. of iulie they pitched their campe at noone betweene amaye and naguatex along the corner of a groue of very faire trees. in the same place certaine indians were discouered, which came to view them. the horsemen went out to them, and killed six, and tooke two; whom the gouernour asked, wherefore they came? they said, to know what people hee had, and what order they kept; and that the cacique of naguatex their lord had sent them, and that he, with other caciques, which came to aide him, determined that day to bid him battell. while they were occupied in these questiones and answeres, there came many indians by two waies in two squadrons: and when they saw they were descried, giuing a great crie they assaulted the christians each squadron by it selfe: but seeing what resistance the christians made them, they turned their backes and betooke themselues to flight, in which many of them lost their liues: and most of the horsemen following them in chase, carelesse of the camp, other two squadrons of indians, which lay in ambush, set vpon the christians that were in the campe, which also they resisted, who also had their reward as the first. after the flight of the indians, and that the christians were retired, they heard a great noise a crossebow shot from the place where they were. the gouernour sent twelue horsemen to see what it was. they found sixe christians, foure footemen and two horsemen, among many indians; the horsemen defending the footemen with great labour. these being of them that chased the first two squadrons, had lost themselues, and comming to recouer the campe fell among those with whom they were fighting: and so they, and those that came to succour them, slew many of the indians, and brought one aliue to the campe: whom the gouernour examined, who they were that came to bid him battell. he told him, that they were the cacique of naguatex, and of amaye, and another of a prouince called hacanac, a lord of great countries and many subiects: and that the cacique of naguatex came for captaine and chiefest of them all. the gouernour commanded his right arme and nose to be cut off, and sent him to the cacique of naguatex, charging him to tell him, that the next day hee would be in his countrey to destroy him; and if hee would withstand his entrance, hee should stay for him. that night he lodged there; and the next day hee came to the habitation of naguatex, which was very scattering: he inquired where the caciques chiefe towne was? they told him that it was on the other side of a riuer, that passed thereby: hee trauelled thitherward, and came vnto it: and on the other side he saw many indians, that taried for him, making shew as though they would defend the passage. and because hee knew not whether it could bee waded, nor where the passage was; and that some christians and horses were hurt; that they might haue time to recouer, he determined to rest certaine daies in the towne where he was. so hee pitched his campe a quarter of a league from the riuer, because the weather was very hot, neere vnto the towne, in a thinne groue of very faire and hie trees neere a brookes side: and in that place were certaine indians taken; whom hee examined, whether the riuer were wadeable or no? they said, yea, at some times, and in some places. august. they passe the riuer. within ten daies after he sent two captaines with fifteene horsemen a peece vpward and downe the riuer with indians to shew them where they should goe ouer, to see what habitation was on the other side: and the indians withstood them both, defending the passage of the riuer as farre as they were able, but they passed in despite of them: and on the other side of the riuer they saw great store of victuals; and with these newes returned to the camp.
