Elcano and the First Circumnavigation of the World
Copyright© 2024 by Mark West
Chapter 15
The life of the Mayan city seemed to be peaceful, but the fact that there were warriors indicated that this tribe had enemies. Guerrero confirmed that this was true, and that the inhabitants of the city had to be constantly on their guard in case there was a warning of an impending attack. In this case, all the old men, most of the women, and the children would take refuge in the hall of the king. The warriors would position themselves in a defensive ring around the hall, with the workers and some women behind them. These were not warriors, but they were trained to step into the place of any Mayan warrior who was badly injured or killed by the attackers. In this way, the defensive line would remain intact and prevent the enemy from entering the hall of the king.
The king would also lead the defence of his hall and his people. If he or any of his people were captured by an enemy, they knew that they would be sacrificed to their gods, so surrender was not an option. It was better to die fighting and killing or injuring as many of the enemy as possible than to be taken captive and sacrificed with their hearts ripped from their bodies while still alive.
The city did not have a wall around it as defence, so it was vulnerable to an attack. Guerrero told me that Mayan cities depended on trade, but also on war to obtain the goods and slaves they needed to function as societies. And I soon discovered how true that was.
I had been living with Guerrero and his family for almost a week when, as day was breaking, I was suddenly aware of people shouting and running towards the king’s hall. I had been standing outside Guerrero’s house to relieve myself when I heard the sounds that presaged an attack. As Guerrero, his wife and three sons joined the throng of people moving quickly to the central point of the city, he urged me to follow them to safety.
When we arrived at the large stone building, the ring of warriors was already forming, but allowing people to pass through to positions of safety, and auxiliary aides to stand behind the warriors. Guerrero took his place beside the king who presented a fine figure in his black cloak of animal skin and feathered headband. Both he and Guerrero were armed with the typical wooden club spiked with sharp obsidian and a stone axe. After hesitating about where I should position myself, I decided that I would be more useful in the front rank of warriors instead of with the auxiliaries.
I made this decision because I had concealed my wheellock hand cannon in a bag that had not left my side since I entered the Mayan city. I also had my sword and dagger of steel, and I knew that these weapons would be superior to any weapon that the attackers might wield. I took my stance beside Guerrero who expressed his surprise that I should venture to expose myself to mortal danger in the front rank of warriors. However, when he saw me extract my hand cannon from the bag that was slung from my shoulder, and load it with powder and shot, he did not object to my presence at his side. Furthermore, when he saw me draw my sword and grasp it with my right hand while aiming the hand cannon with my left hand, he nodded his appreciation at the assistance I would be sure to offer his people with the use of my superior weapons.
The ring of warriors had surrounded the king’s hall, and all waited grimly for the arrival of the enemy. I soon understood why the city had no walls because the way the houses were built so close together meant that it was impossible for an army to approach the king’s hall as a massed force. Instead, the army which now could be heard uttering shrill cries designed to terrify us had to approach through a narrow path that led directly to the entrance of the royal palace where the king, Guerrero, and I stood awaiting their onslaught.
As was customary among these people, the king had to lead his army into battle in order to prove his bravery. As the attackers in single file burst into the open space in front of our defensive line, it was not difficult to single out their king because of his elaborate headdress and his gestures as he instructed his followers to take up their positions. I could see that soon there would be enough men to make it possible for them to charge our defensive line, so I knew that I had to try to prevent this from occurring.
I did the only thing in my power to stop the enemy without the support of the men-at-arms who were now securely at anchor somewhere off the coast. I aimed my hand cannon at the king but then realised that he was too far away for me to be certain to hit him with my shot. So, without thinking of the danger I would face, I stepped forward from my position and walked calmly towards the attackers. Probably because of my strange dress and my appearance, the warriors of this army did not throw spears or clubs at me. Instead, they watched my approach with curiosity and confusion. Their king assisted me in my plan by separating himself from his subjects and approaching me. When I judged that he was within distance of my weapon’s lead shot, I stuck my sword into the ground in front of me and used both hands to aim and hold steady the hand cannon. Then, I prayed to Saint George, who had slain a dragon, to aid me; I pointed the hand cannon at the king; and pulled the trigger. The sound of the explosion made the warriors fall silent, and the impact of the shot hitting his chest made the king fall to the ground.
I had not planned what I did next, but the result was decisive in overcoming the superior force about to engage us in combat. I let my hand cannon fall to the ground and grasped my sword with both hands while walking to where the king lay on his back. I could see that he was still breathing but that blood was staining the earth around him. Then, as I stood over the prostrate body of the enemy king, I raised my sword high and, with all my might, I struck the exposed neck of the king several times. Somehow, I had found the strength to sever his head from his body with my blows, and bending down, I lifted the head dripping blood by the hair and exhibited it to the opposing army.
A wail of grief was the response to my impulsive action, although fortunately no one attempted to retaliate, but when I removed the elaborate headdress and placed it roughly on my own head that was the final action that broke their spirit. The line of warriors turned as if by order and began to flee through the narrow way they had just used to enter the main square. Now, the warriors of Guerrero’s tribe broke ranks and came running after them while screaming what I assumed to be insults at their leaderless enemies.
The rout became a massacre as many of the defeated band were killed as they fled. I did not join in the pursuit of the fleeing enemy as I suddenly felt faint and weak in the knees. Dropping the head I clutched in my hand, I almost sank to the ground beside the body of the dead king, but the friendly arm of Guerrero grasped me around my shoulders and prevented me from falling. We were joined by the king and a large throng of the people who did not participate in the pursuit of the defeated enemy.
The king bent down, and, with a knife of obsidian, he cut open the chest of the dead man and severed the vessels that held the heart in place. Holding the bloody heart, he retrieved the head of his enemy and carried both to the base of the pyramid. Shortly, the victorious warriors returned from their pursuit of the vanquished army, and they set about the task of removing the heads and hearts of the men who had been killed while attempting to flee. These were then placed beside those of the dead king at the base of the stone pyramid.