The enemy fled to their fortified city of Tabasco. The fortifications consisted only of a row of stakes driven into the ground, after the style of our palisades, and surrounding the city in circular form. Both ends overlapped, and between them a single narrow road led into the city with many windings. Great as the peril seemed to be, Cortes unhesitatingly advanced along this narrow passage, but upon entering the city found the streets blocked up with stakes and the people ready to oppose him. The Indians were forced back again and yet the battle was not ended. They gathered anew in the market place of the city, again offered stubborn resistance, and again were overcome. Thereupon they fled to the woods. Tabasco was captured, and the battle was over. Cortes did not pursue the Indians but took possession of the city for the Spanish crown. He made three incisions with his sword in a large tree and announced that he occupied the city in the name and in favor of the Catholic sovereign, and that he would maintain and defend it with sword and shield against all who should gainsay it. The same declaration was made by his soldiers, and the proceedings were written down and formally attested. The plunder taken by the Spaniards did not come up to their expectations, for the Indians carried off the greater part of articles of value, leaving only some provisions which came in good stead for the tired and hungry Spaniards.
At night Cortes quartered his force—in three divisions—in temples at different places and stationed watchmen to guard against a night attack. He made the rounds at different times to see that they were performing their duty. At daybreak he searched the woods near by, but not an Indian was to be seen or heard, which made him a little suspicious. He sent spies to the adjacent region, who brought him the disquieting news that a multitude of Indians, forty thousand at least, were collected, whom they had watched at some distance, while they were getting ready for an attack. Such news as that might well alarm one in Cortes’ situation! He was confronted with a force a hundred times as large as his own, compelled to fight for their fatherland, their temples, and their lives. He realized the danger, but, master of himself and his emotions, he maintained as calm and composed a mien as if the report were a mere joke. His example inspired his men with like fearlessness, and they stood ready to follow him wherever he should lead.