'
As Otomie spoke I heard a trumpet blare without the walls. Hurrying to
the gates by the first light of day, I could see that the Spaniards were
mustering their forces for attack. They did not come at once, however,
but delayed till the sun was well up. Then they began to pour a furious
fire upon our defences, that reduced the shattered beams of the gates
to powder, and even shook down the crest of the earthwork beyond them.
Suddenly the firing ceased and again a trumpet called. Now they charged
us in column, a thousand or more Tlascalans leading the van, followed by
the Spanish force. In two minutes I, who awaited them beyond it together
with some three hundred warriors of the Otomie, saw their heads appear
over the crest of the earthwork, and the fight began. Thrice we drove
them back with our spears and arrows, but at the fourth charge the wave
of men swept over our defence, and poured into the dry ditch beyond.
Now we were forced to fly to the next earthwork, for we could not hope
to fight so many in the open street, whither, so soon as a passage had
been made for their horse and ordnance, the enemy followed us. Here the
fight was renewed, and this barricade being very strong, we held it
for hard upon two hours with much loss to ourselves and to the Spanish
force. Again we retreated and again we were assailed, and so the
struggle went on throughout the live-long day.
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