how the indians set againe vpon the christians, and how the gouernour went to alimamu, beyond which towne in warlike sort they tarried for him in the way.

vpon wednesday the 15. of march 1541. after the gouernour had lodged 8. daies in a plaine, halfe a league from the place which he had wintered in, after he had set vp a forge, and tempered the swords which in chica?a were burned, and made many targets, saddles, and lances, on tuesday night, at the morning watch, many indians came to assault the campe in three squadrons, euery one by themselues: those which watched gaue the alarme. the gouernour with great speed set his men in order in other three squadrons, and leauing some to defend the campe, went out to incounter them. the indians were ouercome and put to flight. the ground was champion and fit for the christians to take the aduantage of them; and it was now breake of day. but there happened a disorder, whereby there were not past thirtie or fortie indians slaine: and this it was: that a frier cried out in the campe without any iust occasion, to the campe, to the campe: whereupon the gouernour and all the rest repaired thither, and the indians had time to saue themselues. there were some taken, by whom the gouernour informed himselfe of the countrie, through which he was to passe. the 25. of aprill, he departed from chica?a, and lodged at a small towne called alimamu. they had very little maiz, and they were to passe a desert of seuen daies iournie. the next day, the gouernour sent three captaines euerie one his way with horsemen and footemen to seeke prouision to passe the desert. and iohn dannusco the auditor went with fifteene horsemen, and 40. footemen that way that the gouernour was to goe, and found a strong fort made, where the indians staied for him, and many of them walked on the top of it with their weapons, hauing their bodies, thighes and armes okered and died with blacke, white, yellow and red, striped like vnto paines, so that they shewed as though they went in hose and doublets: and some of them had plumes, and others had hornes on their heads, and their faces blacke, and their eies done round about with strakes of red, to seeme more fierce. assoone as they saw that the christians approched, with a great crie sounding two drummes with great furie they sallied foorth to receiue them. iohn dannusco and those that were with him, thought good to auoid them, and to acquaint the gouernour therewith. they retired to a plaine place, a crossebowshot from the fort in sight of it, the footemen, the crossebowmen, and targetters placed themselues before the horsemen, that they might not hurt the horses. the indians sallied out by seuen and seuen, and eight and eight to shoote their arrowes, and retired againe: and in sight of the christians they made a fire, and tooke an indian, some by the feete, and some by the head, and made as though they went to cast him into the fire, and gaue him first many knocks on the head: signifying, that they meant so to handle the christians. iohn danusco sent three horsemen to aduertise the gouernour hereof. he came presently: for his intent was to driue them from thence, saying, that if he did it not, they would be emboldened to charge him another time, when they might doe him more harme. he made the horsemen to alight, and set his men in foure squadrons: the signe being giuen, they set vpon the indians, which made resistance till the christians came neere the fort, and assoone as they saw they could not defend themselues, by a place where a brooke passed neere the fort, they ran away, and from the otherside they shot some arrowes: and because at that instant we knew no ford for the horses to passe, they had time enough to get out of our danger. three indians were slaine there, and many christians were hurt, whereof within few daies, there died fifteene by the way. all men thought the gouernour to bee in fault, because he sent not to see the disposition of the place on the other side of the riuer, and to know the passage before hee set vpon them. for with the hope they had to saue themselues by flight that way, when they saw none other meanes, they fought til they were broken, and it was an incouragement to defend themselues vntill then, and to offend the christians without any danger to themselues.