On they struggled, seeing
a wider way in front where the cliffs sloped, and perhaps half of them
won through. But here the archers were waiting, and now, in the place of
stones, arrows were hailed upon them, till at length, utterly bewildered
and unable to strike a blow in their own defence, they turned to fly
towards the open country. This finished the fight, for now we assailed
their flank, and once more the rocks thundered on them from above, and
the end of it was that those who remained of the Spaniards and their
Indian allies were driven in utter rout back to the plain beyond the
Pass of Pines.
After this battle the Spaniards troubled us no more for many years
except by threats, and my name grew great among the people of the
Otomie.
One Spaniard I rescued from death and afterwards I gave him his liberty.
From him I inquired of the doings of de Garcia or Sarceda, and learned
that he was still in the service of Cortes, but that Marina had been
true to her word, and had brought disgrace upon him because he had
threatened to put Otomie to the torture. Moreover Cortes was angry with
him because of our escape, the burden of which Marina had laid upon his
shoulders, hinting that he had taken a bribe to suffer us to pass the
gate.
Of the fourteen years of my life which followed the defeat of the
Spaniards I can speak briefly, for compared to the time that had gone
before they were years of quiet.
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