CHAPTER XXI.

AN INEFFECTUAL EXPEDITION OF THE SPANIARDS AGAINST THE ABIPONES.

At length the Vice-Governors of Sta. Fè and St. Iago resolved upon attacking the Abipones, who had deserted the colonies, in their northern retreats, in order to chastise and restrain their intolerable licence in plundering. Francisco de Vera Muxica, with fifty horse of Sta. Fè, came to St. Jeronymo and joined Barreda, who, though accompanied by five troop of horse of St. Iago, admitted into his society the Abipones who inhabit the town of Concepcion, with the Caciques Malakin, Debayakaikin, and Ypirikin, as these persons were well acquainted with the ways, and the retreats where the savages are accustomed to conceal themselves. Having, in a few days, travelled more than thirty leagues northward, they reached a place famous for capibaris, but could not discover a trace of the hostile Abipones, who, betaking themselves to the well known recesses of the woods, lakes, and marshes, daily eluded the Spaniards. Seven armed Abipones showed themselves on the border of a certain wood, defended by an unfordable river, and in mockery, challenged the Spaniards who passed by to fight. Ybarra, a brave master of the watch, ill enduring this jest, swam across the river with only five of his St. Iagans. But as the rest of his fellow-soldiers, whom he expected to follow him, either delayed or refused to do so, he quickly swam back again to the road, fearing, that as the sun was almost set, he should be overtaken by the shades of night, and by a multitude of savages lurking within the wood. At last despairing of a reencounter with the enemy, the Spaniards returned ingloriously home, with empty hands, and horses miserably fatigued. Some blamed Barreda for taking, as companions of his journey, the Caciques Malakin and Debayakaikin, whom, though apparently friends to the Spaniards, they thought to be treacherous in reality. More concerned for the safety of their countrymen, than for the success of the Spaniards, wherever they went, they sent secret intelligence of their approach to the wandering Abipones. That Debayakaikin was ill inclined towards the Spaniards, when he accompanied Barreda, may be inferred from this circumstance, that he shortly after quitted the town of Concepcion with the rest of his companions, rejoined those who had gone before him to the North, and became openly inimical to the Spaniards. But there, as you will presently hear, he at the same time ceased to live and to be dreaded.

The last vain endeavour of the two Vice-Governors confirmed the Abipones in their old opinion, that they could never be subdued, whilst scattered up and down the country, and acknowledging no other authority than their own; and this confidence doubled their boldness in disturbing the province. The remembrance of those three Abipones, who were kept in chains in the fort of Monte-Video, was a bitter wound to the Nakaiketergehes, and one which they declared incurable except by a plentiful effusion of Spanish blood. To appease them, therefore, the Vice-Governors of Sta. Fè and St. Iago requested the Governor of Buenos-Ayres, to give liberty to those three captives, and restore them to their countrymen. The Vice-Governor complied. But what they had looked upon as a remedy to the disturbed province, proved, on the contrary, the torment and destruction of the Spaniards. The one whose name has slipped my memory, had died, long before, in fetters; and Zapancha, attempting flight, had thrown himself from a high tower, and injured the spine of his back, so as to render him unfit for a journey. Pachieke, son of Alaykin, alone remaining, was permitted to return to his own country.

Incredible were the testimonies of joy with which he was received by his people. He revisited his wife in the town of St. Jeronymo, and, dissembling his furious thirst for vengeance on the Riikahés, the authors of his captivity, became apparently unmindful of his injuries, desirous of a better way of life, eager for quiet, in short, extremely unlike himself. But the fire concealed beneath the ashes at length broke out into flames. After much secret deliberation, he and his companions departed from the town of St. Jeronymo; and that his doing so might not be attributed to fear of any one, he chose that his flight should be accompanied by considerable rapine. Hastening towards the north, he renewed a fellowship with Debayakaikin, both in arms and place of abode. In the prime of his age, and of a handsome person, ready to engage in any bold enterprize, and extremely expert in plundering, he was soon surrounded by men of accordant years and purposes, who were disposed to follow him, and to distress, under his guidance, the colonies of the Spaniards. There was scarce a corner of the province which they did not afflict with hostile incursions. The town of St. Jeronymo was what Pachieke aimed most to ravage and devastate; but the vigilance and activity of the inhabitants defeated almost all his endeavours.