And, having spoken thus, they
surrounded and fell upon us. I defended myself as well as I
could; but finding myself wounded, and seeing the embassador,
with his servants and mine, lying on the ground, I made use of
what strength yet remained in my horse, who was also very much
wounded, and separated myself from the crowd, and rode away as
fast as he could carry me; but he, happening all of a sudden to
fall under me by weariness and the loss of blood, fell down dead;
I got rid of him in a trice; and finding that I was not pursued,
it made me judge the robbers were not willing to quit the booty
they had got.
Here you see me alone, wounded, destitute of all help, and in a
strange country. I durst not betake myself to the high- road,
fearing I might fall again into the hands of these robbers. When
I had bound up my wound, which was not dangerous, I marched on
the rest of the day, and arrived at the foot of a mountain, where
I perceived a passage into a cave; I went in, and staid there
that night with little satisfaction, after I had eaten some
fruits that I had gathered by the way.
I continued my journey for several days following, without
finding any place of abode; but, after a month's time, I came to
a large town well inhabited, and situtate very advantageously,
being surrounded with several rivers, so that it enjoyed a
perpetual spring.
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