understand it favourable or otherwise.  Meaning to remain on shore for the night, we formed ourselves in a compact body, with sentinels on every side, and consulted together as to our farther proceedings.  We heard at this time a great noise among the Indians, which we suspected to threaten us with evil; and some of us proposed to embark, which was considered as too dangerous in the face of the enemy, while others were for making an immediate attack, on the old principle, that the assailant usually conquers; but the odds against us was at least 300 to one, and this council was rejected as too rash.  Day at length broke, and gave us a view of our danger.  Great bodies of warriors were seen advancing with their standards displayed to join those who had assembled on the preceding evening, and we soon found that we must exert our utmost efforts for our defence, putting our trust in the mercy of GOD to relieve us from our dangerous situation.  The Indians surrounding us on every side, immediately attacked us hand to hand, and soon wounded ten of our men; but the execution made by our swords and fire-arms made them draw off to some distance, whence they plied their arrows to good effect.  They continually called out, al calachioni, al calachioni, which we understood to mean, Aim at the captain, who was wounded by arrows in twelve different places.  I also had three wounds, one of which in my left side, was very dangerous, and two of our men were carried off alive.  Seeing all our exertions ineffectual, as the enemy continually received reinforcements, and above fifty of our number were already slain, Cordova gave orders to force our way through the enemy, which we effected in a compact body, the enemy keeping up a close pursuit, continually pouring in their arrows, and even attacking us with their spears.  We at last reached our boats, which sunk in the hurry and pressure of our embarkation, and many of us had to endeavour to reach the bark, which came as near as possible to receive us, half wading and half swimming.  In this last effort many of our soldiers were wounded, and it was with the utmost difficulty that any of us escaped.  This disastrous action lasted half an hour, and on mustering our force after we got back to the ships, we found we had lost fifty-seven men.  Our wounds soon became very painful, owing to the cold and the sea water, and we cursed Alaminos and his discoveries, who still persisted that this land was an island.  We gave this bay the name of de Mala Prelea, or of the unlucky fight.  One soldier only of those who escaped was unwounded, most of us having three or four wounds, and our captain twelve.  Many of the sailors likewise were disabled; for which reason we set the smallest vessel on fire, distributing her crew to the others.  Our greatest misfortune was that we had been forced to leave our casks behind, so that during the rest of the time we remained at sea we were reduced to inexpressible distress for want of water, our lips and tongues becoming full of cracks from intolerable thirst.  Such are the cruel hardships attendant on voyages of discovery.