ing over the plain at full speed, with a drove of horses in advance. The general followed at a rapid gallop, passing abandoned horses and many cattle that had strayed out from the woods, whither they had been hurriedly driven. Twice during this run of three hours the Indians lassoed and mounted fresh horses from the herd. It seemed to be the work of a minute, but each time we gained a little upon them; and after the second change, when within less than a quarter of a mile, a party of the savages turned, rose to their full height upon the bare backs of their animals, as if to count the force in pursuit, and then, with defiant whoop and gestures, challenged them to come on. Up to this moment we had kept pace with the general; but not considering it my duty to be speared, I now took a position aside to watch the fight. There was no hesitation on the part of the handful of soldiers in advance of the main body. They charged at a gallop. The Indians shook their long lances,* dashed into their midst, spearing right and left, and wheeling suddenly, followed at full speed the rest of their party, now almost out of sight. The cacique was wounded, and lost his horse; but seizing that of a wounded soldier, he fled into the forest, followed by some of his men.

Orders having been given to make provision for the safety and comfort of the soldiers who had suffered in the skirmish, the general continued the pursuit at half speed. We passed ricados, horses lanced and abandoned,† cattle, the skins of animals and other trappings; but as we were a second time gaining on the Indians, they suddenly wheeled, and dashed into the forest, which they had closely skirted during the chase, abandoning their horses, and disappearing as completely as if the earth had opened to receive them. This great body of wood, extending a three days' journey, was indeed an impregnable fortress, for its walls of vegetation rendered farther pursuit impossible. The result of this skirmish and chase was the recapture of two hundred horses and two hundred and fifty horned cattle.

As may be supposed, our horses, after floundering through a morass, traveling all night, and without a moment's rest making a run of 36 miles at an unbroken gallop, were fatigued. But five minutes were allowed for a halt; and again at 9 A.M., under a sun of tropical intensity, we were retracing our steps over the

*The Chaco Indian never throws the lance.

A few Indians have ricados, generally the spoils of their forays. When they abandon a horse broken down, under such circumstances, he is invariably lanced.

A SLEEP IN THE RAIN.

381 plain. Now that the excitement of the pursuit was over, we were tormented by thirst. No water was to be had on the march of that long, hot spring day; and our bivouac for the night was near a slightly saline marsh, in which the deep tracks of stray cattle alone afforded a little brackish water. The sufferings of the horses may be imagined, for they had been under the saddle twenty hours, and in that time, with only a rest of five minutes, had made one hundred and twenty miles. Tethered by a lasso, the pasturage of a circle of about one hundred feet across was now their only food. As for ourselves there was neither water, maté, nor food; but spite of hunger and thirst we spread our ponchos on the grass, and slept soundly. At daylight we were again moving along the plain at a walk, for there were no fresh horses, and of those recaptured from the Indians, some were unbroken, while others were in a worse condition than our own.

1

This day's travel brought us to the Salado, where we had pure fresh water and a supper of asado, the first food we had tasted for forty hours. This was scarcely ended when the rain poured in such torrents as to drive us to the shelter of a deserted ranch, where we remained for some hours like packed herrings. This close stowage was far less comfortable than the wet grass; and at midnight, finding the rain was over, I spread my India-rubber blanket on the pampa, and soon fell into a sound sleep. In the morning I awoke refreshed, as if my night had been passed in the most luxurious apartment. So much for habit and the health of this climate!

I was much impressed by the hardy, patient endurance of the Santiago soldiers. Their only compensation is a suit of clothes, a ration of beef, and a little tobacco; and yet the general told me that they served most cheerfully, rarely deserted, and would make a march of two or three successive days without food or 'water; and with a sack of pounded parched corn, which each man carries behind him, would uncomplainingly pass through a campaign of two weeks. But when meat is placed before them, they consume the most enormous quantities. A beeve is the usual daily ration for twenty-five men.

In this Indian chase we passed through one hundred and thirty-five miles of the Chaco over a plain or strip of rich pasture-land five miles in breadth, which is bounded on one side by an unbroken forest extending about one hundred and fifty miles north and south, and on the other by the Salado. In returning from their

382

INDIAN DEPREDATIONS.

incursions into Cordova and Santiago, the Indians drive before them large herds and flocks, the plunder of different estancias. Pasturage and water are therefore all-essential; and, to secure these they invariably pass along this plain, coasting the Salado as far as the lake Tostado, where they double the southeastern termination of the forest, and taking their last draught of sweet water, push across north to the Vermejo.

The opposite or Santiago side of the Salado was, before the Revolution, one of the most populous in La Plata. For hundreds of miles pastoral establishments bordered the river, several of them being the property of the crown, and, within the recollection of many, the estancieros resided upon these estates. The Indians, always defiant and hostile, were yet held somewhat in check by the power of Spain. But after the Revolution, encouraged by a knowledge of the civil factions that disturbed the country, and not unfrequently guided by army-deserters or refugees from justice, not only the tribes bordering on the Salado, but migratory hordes from the north, poured down upon these frontier estancias, killed the men, carried their wives and children into hopeless slavery, and, driving before them herds of cattle, regained, without molestation, the interior of the Chaco. These Indians. have never learned the use of fire-arms, and, by examining the map, it may be seen how easily a chain of small military posts could have protected the whole Salado country.

Fort Bracho, the eastern frontier post of Santiago, about one and a half miles west of the old position, and in latitude 28° 21′ 15" south, longitude 63° 12' west, is simply a collection of wellconstructed mud houses, surrounded by a palisade of stout quebracho trunks fifteen feet high. It is commanded by a major, but its use as a military post may be doubted in witnessing the impunity with which the savages continue their forays. The revenues of the state estancias, formerly the crown property, on this river, would at one time have been fully adequate for the defense of the frontier, had they been properly applied by the last governor under Rosas.

The boat was again transported to Narvicha,* six leagues southeast from Fort Bracho and the eastern extremity of the lagoon. From thence I proposed to continue my exploration, accompanied by the governor and a detachment of fifty mounted infantry.

*All proper names here introduced indicat points in the wilderness once known as estancias.