Read Online Casca 10: The Conquistador by Barry Sadler - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Barry Sadler
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seen ships similar to those of Cortes when Juan de Grijalba had anchored in these same waters, though he had not set foot on shore.
Cortes took the brigantine and a few of the ship's small boats loaded with men and several pieces of artillery up the river half a league, reaching a large city inside a wall of logs. It was filled with adobe houses roofed with straw. As they approached, several of the native boats, called tahacups, filled with warriors and set out to meet the Spaniards. The Indians seemed ready to fight. Casca watched over Cortes's shoulder, taking a long look at the men paddling toward them. Their faces were painted in whorls and circles of scarlet and black. They were armed with bows and light spears.
Cortes spoke to them through Geronimo de Aguilar, offering them friendship, saying only that they wished to trade for food and water. The warriors in the tahacups said that they would take the strangers' words to their chief and return with his answer. Casca was still pleased that Cortes appeared to be behaving in a most gentle and conciliatory manner toward the Indians they met. Perhaps Cortes would be able to put the lie to the visions of the old priest. He hoped so.
In a short time, the Indians returned in their dugouts, bringing cakes of flat bread, fruit, and turkeys. These they offered as a gift from their chief. Cortes argued that what they had brought was too little for the number of mouths he had to feed and asked for permission to enter the city walls to buy more food. The Indians refused him, saying that they would return in the morning with word as to whether he would be permitted to land.
Cortes took his men to a small island in the center of the river to wait. While he was there, the Indians took all their goods and hid them, along with their women and children, in the woods. Cortes landed all his men with their matchlock arquebuses and crossbows on the island and then sent a strong scouting party upriver to look for a crossing in the event they were denied access to the village from the river. He sent word back to the fleet for the soldiers on board to join him on the island. These he took with him to where his scouts had located a place where they could cross. The waters were only waist deep, and the current was not strong enough to drag down the heavily armed Spaniards.
Casca hoped that the waters they were crossing didn't hide any of the large crocodiles he knew lived in many of the rivers and waters of these lands. Through thick brush and trees, they were able to get near the town without being detected by the Indians, who thought the Spaniards were still on the island. Cortes had left behind enough men in sight of the Indians' side of the river to make them think that all the men they had seen earlier were still there. He left two of his captains, Alonso de Avila and Pedro de Alvarado, with fifty men each. They were concealed in the brush with orders to make no sound or fires. They would be in a good position to attack the town from the land side if the Indians proved hostile to them and their demands.
The night was uneventful, the only activity being the endless droning of mosquitos and gnats, which did their best to make the new arrivals welcome. With dawn, eight of the tahacups came toward them. The warriors in them were armed more heavily than those of the preceding day. Cortes didn't like the looks of it but was determined to put on a good face for them.
The Indians stopped short of bow range from the Spaniards on the island and cried out for them to accept what they had been given and go home. There was nothing more for them in these lands. Cortes responded with arguments, asking them to reconsider. If they did, the Spaniards would show them how much they could bring to the Indians. The leader of those in the tahacups cried out: "We have no need of advice from such as you. You are not welcome here. We do not trust you or want anything from you. If you want water, dig wells for it
Cortes took the brigantine and a few of the ship's small boats loaded with men and several pieces of artillery up the river half a league, reaching a large city inside a wall of logs. It was filled with adobe houses roofed with straw. As they approached, several of the native boats, called tahacups, filled with warriors and set out to meet the Spaniards. The Indians seemed ready to fight. Casca watched over Cortes's shoulder, taking a long look at the men paddling toward them. Their faces were painted in whorls and circles of scarlet and black. They were armed with bows and light spears.
Cortes spoke to them through Geronimo de Aguilar, offering them friendship, saying only that they wished to trade for food and water. The warriors in the tahacups said that they would take the strangers' words to their chief and return with his answer. Casca was still pleased that Cortes appeared to be behaving in a most gentle and conciliatory manner toward the Indians they met. Perhaps Cortes would be able to put the lie to the visions of the old priest. He hoped so.
In a short time, the Indians returned in their dugouts, bringing cakes of flat bread, fruit, and turkeys. These they offered as a gift from their chief. Cortes argued that what they had brought was too little for the number of mouths he had to feed and asked for permission to enter the city walls to buy more food. The Indians refused him, saying that they would return in the morning with word as to whether he would be permitted to land.
Cortes took his men to a small island in the center of the river to wait. While he was there, the Indians took all their goods and hid them, along with their women and children, in the woods. Cortes landed all his men with their matchlock arquebuses and crossbows on the island and then sent a strong scouting party upriver to look for a crossing in the event they were denied access to the village from the river. He sent word back to the fleet for the soldiers on board to join him on the island. These he took with him to where his scouts had located a place where they could cross. The waters were only waist deep, and the current was not strong enough to drag down the heavily armed Spaniards.
Casca hoped that the waters they were crossing didn't hide any of the large crocodiles he knew lived in many of the rivers and waters of these lands. Through thick brush and trees, they were able to get near the town without being detected by the Indians, who thought the Spaniards were still on the island. Cortes had left behind enough men in sight of the Indians' side of the river to make them think that all the men they had seen earlier were still there. He left two of his captains, Alonso de Avila and Pedro de Alvarado, with fifty men each. They were concealed in the brush with orders to make no sound or fires. They would be in a good position to attack the town from the land side if the Indians proved hostile to them and their demands.
The night was uneventful, the only activity being the endless droning of mosquitos and gnats, which did their best to make the new arrivals welcome. With dawn, eight of the tahacups came toward them. The warriors in them were armed more heavily than those of the preceding day. Cortes didn't like the looks of it but was determined to put on a good face for them.
The Indians stopped short of bow range from the Spaniards on the island and cried out for them to accept what they had been given and go home. There was nothing more for them in these lands. Cortes responded with arguments, asking them to reconsider. If they did, the Spaniards would show them how much they could bring to the Indians. The leader of those in the tahacups cried out: "We have no need of advice from such as you. You are not welcome here. We do not trust you or want anything from you. If you want water, dig wells for it
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