While Mendoza was marching to the valley of Cuiná, Oñate was preparing for the removal of Guadalajara, and had for that purpose sent Juan del Camino with twenty horsemen toward Tlacotlan, Contla, and Mesticacan, to reconnoitre. The Spaniards were surprised to find as many Indians here as formerly, who had all been frightened into submission. These natives advised Camino, however, to proceed no farther, as the fierce Cascanes were preparing for another attack on Guadalajara. He thereupon returned, bringing with him to the city a troop of natives with a large quantity of provisions.
Meanwhile Mendoza arrived at the peñol of Cuiná, the first stronghold of the Indians attacked. It was defended by ten thousand warriors, who scornfully refused offers of peace, withstood a siege of ten or fifteen days, and were finally conquered by stratagem. A party of Mexicans disguised themselves as Cuiná warriors bearing water-jars, and gained access to the fortress, after a sham fight in which other auxiliaries of Mendoza pretended to prevent the succor. The army followed; and in the hand-to-hand struggle which ensued, a large part of the defenders of the peñol, with their wives and children, were slaughtered. In their fright and confusion many threw themselves down the precipice. Over two thousand are said to have been captured and enslaved.[1]
- ↑ Navarrete, Hist. Jal., 75-7, mentions four other places in this region, one of them on the author's own estate, where bones and blood-stained stones showed battles to have taken place. Mota Padilla, Conq. N. Gal., 142, implies that there was no assault until after the stratagem. According to Beaumont, Crón. Mich., iv. 390-1, 4,000 Indians killed themselves and 10,000 were slain. Herrera, dec. vii. lib. ii. cap. v., tells us the place fell easily and no
Icazbalceta, Col. Doc., ii. 141-7. He gives this plot as a reason for the opposition to arming the Indians, while Herrera, dec. vii. lib. ii. cap. xii., and others regard it as one of the incentives to Mendoza's campaign. Lopez says Mendoza's army included one half the citizens of Mexico and from 40,000 to 50,000 natives; Herrera, 450 Spaniards and same number of Indians, dec. vii. lib. ii. cap. v.; Beaumont, Crón. Mich., iv. 387-8; Tello, 10,000 Indians, Hist. N. Gal., 396-8, 417-19; Mendoza, Visita, 180 horsemen and a number of Indian volunteers, in Icazbalceta, Col. Doc., 110-12. The date of departure was Sept. 22d, according to Lopez, and Sept. 29th, according to Acazitli, Rel., in Id., 307. Tello says Mendoza left Mexico 'á los principios de Enero 1542,' having prepared the expedition 'á los fines de 1541.'
