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VOYAGES
A N D D I S C O V E R I E S OF
beings who could thus arise with renovated vigor from the grave. Various petty actions and skirmishes afterwards took place, in which the Indians were defeated.
Agueybanà, however, dis
dained this petty warfare, and stirred up his countrymen to assem ble their forces, and by one grand assault to decide the fate of themselves and their island.
Juan Ponce received secret tidings
of their intent, and of the place where they were assembling.
He
had at that time barely eighty men at his disposal, but they were cased in steel and proof against the weapons of the savages. With out stopping to reflect, the high-mettled old cavalier put himself at their head, and led them through the forest in quest of the foe. It was nearly sunset when he came in sight of the Indian camp, and the multitude of warriors assembled there made him pause, and almost repent of his temerity. however, as he was hardy and resolute.
He was as shrewd, Ordering some of his
men in the advance to skirmish with the enemy, he hastily threw up a slight fortification with the assistance of the rest.
When it
was finished he withdrew his forces into it, and ordered them to keep merely on the defensive.
The Indians made repeated
attacks but were as often repulsed with loss.
Some of the Span
iards, impatient of this covert warfare, would sally forth in open field with pike and cross-bow, but were called back within the fortification by their wary commander. The cacique Agueybanà was enraged at finding his host of warriors thus baffled and kept at bay by a mere handful of Span iards.
He beheld the night closing in, and feared that in the
darkness the enemy would escape.
Summoning his choicest war
riors round him, therefore, he led the way in a general assault, when, as he approached the fortress, he received a mortal wound from an arquebuse, and fell dead upon the spot.