Part 8

However, there were some who had been the special friends of our aforesaid chief commander, Albernunzo Cabessa de Bacha, who were not pleased. But we did not care for that.

About this time I was very weak and ill with dropsy, which I, along with my fellow-comrades, had caught in our journey to the Orthuses, when we waded so long in the water, besides suffering want and intolerable hunger, as I have related; for nearly eighty of our people fell ill, and not more than thirty men escaped death.

And when Albernunzo Cabessa de Bacha was sent to Spain there was discord among us Christians, and soon we fought day and night, so that any one would have thought that the devil governed among us; and no man was safe from the other.

We thus made war among ourselves for two whole years, the sending away Cabessa de Bacha being the occasion of it. And when the Carios, who had formerly been our friends, perceived that we Christians were disunited, and had such false and treacherous hearts one towards another, they were not at all pleased, for they thought that every realm that is divided in itself and cannot agree must be destroyed. They therefore held a council, and agreed that they would kill us and drive us out of their country. But God Almighty--praise to Him, always and everlastingly--did not grant these Carios that their designs should prosper; although the whole country of the Carios and other nations, such as the Aygais,[191] were against us Christians.

[191] Agazes.

But when we perceived this state of things we were obliged to make peace among ourselves. And we also entered into a treaty with two other tribes, one named the Jeperis, and the other the Bachacheis,[192] who numbered five thousand men in all. They eat only fish and flesh, are courageous in battle on land and water, but prefer fighting on land. Their weapons are tardes,[193] half a spear in length but not so thick, and the points are tipped with flint. They have also truncheons under their girdles four spans long with a knob at the end.

[192] Yapirús and Mbaiás.

[193] Darts.

Every one of these Indians has also ten or twelve small sticks of wood, or as many in fact as he chooses to carry, a good span long, and on the point of every stick is fixed a broad and long fish's tooth (named Palmede[194] in Spanish) that resembles a sea-tench. This tooth cuts like a razor; but you should know what they do with these teeth, or what use they put them to.

[194] Palometa.

Firstly, they fight with the aforesaid tardes, and in case they are victorious over their enemies, and that these take to flight, they abandon their tardes and run after the enemies and throw their truncheons under their feet, in order to cause them to fall to the ground; then, without looking to see if they are yet half-alive or dead, they cut their heads off with the aforesaid fish-tooth. This is done so quickly that one has scarcely time enough to turn round; afterwards they put this tooth back again under their girdle or their other clothing.

Mark you, now, what he does further with the man's head, and to what use he puts it, namely, if he has any opportunity for so doing, after such a skirmish. He takes off the skin with all the hair over the ears, then he fills the head out and leaves it to become hard; afterwards he puts this hard and dry skin on a little hoop as a souvenir, in the same way as here in Germany a knight or commander puts a scutcheon in the churches.

But to return to our narrative, and to make it short. It so happened that the Jeperis and Bachacheis[195] came to us with about one thousand men, which pleased us very much; we then went out of the town Noster Signora Desumsion with our chief commander, besides three hundred and fifty Christians and these one thousand Indians, so that every Christian had three men to look after him, whom our commander had ordered for them. And we came afterwards to a distance of three miles from the place where our enemies the Carios, who numbered fifteen thousand, were encamped in the open, in good order. Now when we were only half a mile from them we would do nothing that day for we were tired and it was raining; so we remained in the wood, where we passed the night. The following morning we marched against them at six o'clock, and coming upon them by seven, we fought together till ten. Then they were obliged to fly, and ran in haste to a place four miles distant, which they had fortified, and its name was called Froemiliere.[196] The Indian chief was Machkaria. In this skirmish the dead on the enemy's side who were killed by us numbered two thousand, whose heads the Jeperis[197] carried on their spears. And on our side there fell ten Christians besides the wounded, whom we sent back to Noster Signora Desumsion; but we pursued the enemy with all our army to their place Froemiliere, whither Machkaria their chief had fled. But these Carios had fortified their place with three wooden stockades, like a wall. The wooden posts were as thick as a man in the middle part of his body, or even thicker, three fathoms high, and sunk into the earth the height of a man.

[195] Yapirús and Mbaiás.

[196] It is impossible to interpret this name, which certainly is not Guaraní.

[197] Yapirús.

They had also dug pits or deep holes, and planted in each of them five or six pointed stakes as sharp as needles. So this town of theirs was very strong, and contained many valiant warriors; there can be no doubt about that. And we lay three days before that place without being able to do anything or to win anything from them.

However, at length, by God's help, we became stronger than they were.

We soon made great _Bodelle_ or _Pabesse_[198] out of the skins of deer and of the _amida_.[199] This is a big beast, like a good-sized mule; it has feet like a cow, but on the whole resembles an ass; and its flesh is suitable to be eaten. There are plenty of them in this country; and their skin is half a finger thick. Such a pabesse we gave to every Indian of the Jeperis, and to others a good hatchet, and between two such Indians we placed an arquebuss shooter. There were over four hundred of these targets.

[198] Spanish words, _rodela_ or _pavés_, _i.e._, shields and targets.

[199] Anta or tapir.

Then we again attacked the enemy's town from three sides between two and three o'clock in the morning; and, in less than three hours, the three stockades were destroyed and won; we then came with all our people into the town and slew many men, women, and children. But most of them escaped and fled to another place of theirs called Carieba, twenty miles distant from this place Froemiliere. This town they also fortified, and there was a great mass of these Carios there together. This town stood very close to a big forest, in order that if we Christians again conquered it, they might retain the forest as a protection, as will be seen hereafter. Now, when we Christians, along with our Commander Martino Domingo Eijolla,[200] together with the aforesaid Jeperis and Bachacheis, had followed our enemies the Carios up to this place Carieba, at about five o'clock in the evening, we established our army on three sides of the place, on a concealed eminence in the forest. There came also reinforcements to us from Noster Signora Desumsion,[201] two hundred Christians and five hundred Jeperis and Bachacheis,[202] because many of our people, Christians and Indians, had been wounded before the aforesaid place, so that we were compelled to send them back and to have these fresh soldiers instead of them. Now, therefore, we numbered four hundred and fifty Christians and one thousand three hundred Jeperis and Bachacheis. But our enemies the Carios had now fortified their place more strongly than ever, namely with palissadoes (stockades) and very many trenches.

[200] Domingo Martinez de Irala.

[201] Asuncion.

[202] Yapirús and Mbaiás.

They had also prepared iron plates,[203] which were made like rat traps, of which a single one, if it had gone according to their wish, would have each time slain twenty or thirty men. There were plenty of these traps in the place, but God Almighty willed otherwise, so praise be to Him everlastingly. We lay, therefore, before this place, Carieba, four days without being able to do them any harm; but at length, by treachery (such as is to be found everywhere), there came an Indian from our enemies, the Carios, at night to our commander, Martin Domingo Eijolla.[204] That Indian was one of the chiefs of the Carios, and to him belonged the town. This man bade us not to burn down his town, nor to destroy it; and if we consented, he was willing to show us the manner in which we could take the place. Our commander promised this to him, and that no harm should be done him. Accordingly this Cario showed us two paths in the forest by which we could penetrate into the place, and said that he would light a fire in his town, and during that time we should break into it. All this having been done, we Christians entered the town and slew a great number of people. Those who took to flight ran right into the hands of their enemies, the Jeperis, by whom the greater part were killed. But this time they had not their wives and children with them, having concealed them in a great wood four leagues distant from that place.

[203] This is a mistake of the author's; the Indians having no iron.

[204] Domingo Martinez de Irala.

Those among the Carios who had escaped this conflict fled to another Indian chief, named Thabere,[205] and the village which entertained them is called Juberich Sabaije.[206] It is at one hundred and forty miles distance from Carieba, and we could neither pursue them, nor make that journey, because the whole way they had passed they had wasted far and near with fire, in order that we might not find anything to eat; but we remained fourteen days at Carieba, where we healed the wounded and rested the while.

[205] Tabaré.

[206] Yeruquihaba.

Then we went again to our town, Noster Signora Desumsion, in order to be enabled to sail up the river and seek out the aforesaid place, Juberich Sabaije, where the Indian chief Thabere lived.

When we came to our town, Noster Signora Desumsion, we also remained there fourteen days, in order to provide ourselves with all sorts of victual and ammunition for the journey. Our commander now took reinforcements with him--Christians and Indians--because many had been wounded and many were ill.

We then went up the river Paraboe[207] to our enemies' town, Juberich Sabaije, with nine Bergentin ships and two hundred canoes and one thousand five hundred Indians. According to the Jeperis it was forty-six miles distant from Noster Signora desumsion to Juberich Sabaije, whither our enemies, the Carieba, had fled.

[207] Paraguai.

On the way thither the chief of the Carios, the same who had betrayed the town, met us; and he brought with him one thousand Carios to aid us against the aforesaid Thabere.[208] Now, when our commander, Martin Domingo Eijolla,[209] had assembled all these people together at two miles distance from Juberich Sabaije, he sent two Carios Indians to their enemies in the town to warn them that the Christians were there again; and to tell them that they should return to their country, each of them to his wife and children, and should be obedient to the Christians and serve them again, as they had done before, and if they refused we would drive them all out of the country.

[208] Tabaré.

[209] Domingo Martinez de Irala.

Thereupon the chief Cario, Thabere,[208] answered that they should tell the Christian chiefs that he knew neither them nor the Christians, and would put us Christians to death; indeed they severely beat our two Indians and told them to disappear very quickly out of their camp else they would kill them.

The two messengers came back to our commander, and brought him the tidings how they had been treated. Thereupon Martin Domingo Eijolla was at one accord with us, and we advanced against our enemy, Thabere,[210] and the Carios, in order of battle, dividing our army into four parts.

[210] Tabaré.

We came to a river called Sthuesia,[211] which is as wide as the river Danube in our land, half the height of a man deep, and in some places even deeper, and it becomes at times very great and causes much harm in the country, and by reason of such inundation it is impossible to travel through the country.

[211] This may be the river Xejuy, or the Ipané, affluents of the river Paraguai.

As we had to cross this river, our enemies being on the other side with their camp, they resisted us and did us a great deal of harm in the crossing, so that I even believe that none of us had come out of it with his life but for the grace of God which was beforehand on our side and but for the guns that we had.

So God Almighty gave us His divine grace that we crossed the water by His divine benediction, and landed on the other side. Now, when the enemies saw that we had passed, they fled at once towards their town, which was half a mile from the river, but we, seeing it, pursued them with all our forces and came to the town as quickly as they themselves and besieged it, so that none should enter or come out of it; we also armed ourselves forthwith with our guns and pikes, and by the grace of God Almighty we had only to stay from the morning till night to overpower them, and become masters over them. We took the place, and slaughtered much people.

However, before we attacked them, our commander ordered us not to kill the women and children, but to take them prisoners; and we dutifully obeyed his commands. But all the men we could get hold of had to die; yet many escaped by flight, and our friends, the Jeperi,[212] took nearly one thousand heads from our enemies, the Carios.

[212] Yapirús. This word is sometimes rendered in the original "Jeperus".

After all this had happened, those Carios who had escaped came with their chief, Thaberus,[213] and several other chiefs to our commander, and entreated him for mercy that their wives and children might be restored them, and then they would become friends again with us, and serve us faithfully.

[213] Tabaré.

Thereupon our commander promised them to be merciful, and took them into favour, and ever afterwards they continued our good friends so long as I remained in the country. This war with the Carios lasted for one year and a half, _i.e._, that we never had peace with one another, and that we were never sure of them; and this happened in the year 1546.

Afterwards we again went to Noster Signora desumsion,[214] and remained there fully two years. But when during all this time no ships or tidings arrived from Spain, our commander, Martin Domingo Eijolla,[215] assembled all the people and asked them if it pleased them that he should go with some people into the country to inquire if gold and silver were to be found. The people answered him to do it in God's name.

[214] The town of La Asuncion.

[215] Domingo Martinez de Irala.

Accordingly he collected together three hundred and fifty Spaniards, and asked them if they would accompany him, provided he found them in all necessaries for the journey, such as Indians, horses, and clothing; they declared their willingness to go. Then he had the chiefs of the Carios assembled, and asked them if two thousand of their number would go with him. They declared themselves ready to go and be obedient unto him.

With such friendly accord on both sides our commander, Martin Domingo Eijolla, in a little more than two months went with this folk in the year 1548 up the river Paraboe,[216] with seven Bergentin ships and two hundred canoes. Those of the people who could not go in the ships or canoes went on foot by land with the one hundred and thirty horses.[217] And coming by land and by water all together to a round and high mountain, called S. Fernando, where the aforesaid Peyembas[218] live, our commander there ordered the five ships and the canoes to go back to Noster Signora Desumsion. The other two Bergentin ships he left there at S. Fernando, with fifty Spaniards, under the command of Peter Diess[219]; he gave them also victuals and other necessaries for one year, and ordered them to wait there till he returned from the country, that the fate which befell the good gentleman Johann Eijollas[220] and his companions, all of whom were so dreadfully killed by the Peyembas,[221] might not also happen to him and his folk. God have mercy upon them all. I have narrated this before.

[216] Paraguai.

[217] The expedition was composed of 250 Spaniards, and twenty-seven of them were cavalry.

[218] Payaguás.

[219] Ruy Diaz.

[220] Juan de Ayolas; cf. _supra_, p. 24.

[221] Payaguás. The Sierra de San Fernando is a small ridge of mountains extending from 17° to 21° of south lat.

Then our commander went straight on with three hundred Christians, one hundred and thirty horses, and three hundred Carios, for eight full days without finding any people at all. On the ninth day we found a nation called Naperus, who have nothing to eat but meat and fish; they are tall and powerful; their wives have their nakedness covered, and are not at all beautiful.

From the aforesaid mountain S. Fernando to this nation the distance is thirty-six miles. Here we passed the night, and then went travelling seven days more, when we came to a people called Maipai.[222] They are a very numerous people, and have subjects who must plough the land and fish for them, and generally do whatever they are ordered, just as at home the peasants are subject to the noble lords. This nation is well provided with Turkish corn, mandeochade, mandepore parpii, padades, mandues,[223] bachkeku, and other roots useful for eating. They also have deer, Indian sheep, ostriches, ducks, geese, poultry, and other fowl.

[222] Mepenes, who are Abipones.

[223] These victuals are: maize, manioc, potatoes, sweet potatoes, pea-nuts, and perhaps bananas, which the author calls "bachkeku".

Their forests are full of honey out of which wine is prepared and other things are made, and the farther you go into the country the more fertile you will find it. They have all the year round Turkish corn in the fields, and other roots as well. Their sheep, which are in a wild state, they use as we do our horses, for riding and carrying purposes.[224] I myself, having one foot ailing, once rode on such a sheep for more than forty miles, though not in this journey. In Peru goods are conveyed on these sheep as on horses at home.

[224] These are the Peruvian llamas, and guanacos, from which the Indians took the wool, and wove rough cloth.

These Maijeaijs[225] are tall, erect, and warlike, giving all their care to warlike affairs. Their wives are very beautiful and have their nakedness covered. They do no work in the fields; the man has to look after the food. Neither at home does the woman anything else but spin wool, and prepare food, and also what pleases the man and other good companions who pray her to do it, etc. We won't say anything more about it; he who likes to see it, shall go thither, and if he does not otherwise believe it, he will find it out for himself.

[225] Mbaiás.

When we were not above half a mile distant from this people they met us on the way, where there was a small clearing, where they told our commander that we should remain for the night, and they would bring us whatsoever we had need of, but they did this out of malice; and to win more confidence, they presented our commander with four silver crowns to wear on the head, and they gave him besides six silver plates, each of which was one and a half span long and half a span wide.

These plates they bind on the forehead as ornaments, as we have told before. They also presented our commander with three beautiful young women. However, whilst we remained in that place, after supper we stationed sentries, in order that the people might be on the alert for the enemy, and afterwards we went to rest.

About midnight our commander lost his young wenches. In short, there was great excitement in the camp for that reason, and as soon as the morning dawned, our commander ordered that each of us should stand to his quarters with his arms ready.

So the aforesaid Maijeaijs,[226] numbering twenty thousand, came to attack us unawares, but they did not do us much harm. On the contrary, in this conflict, more than one thousand of their men were left dead; and they fled and we pursued them to their town, but we did not find anything therein, not so much as their wives and children. Then our commander, taking with him one hundred and fifty gunners and two thousand five hundred Indian Carios, ordered us to follow the Maijeaijs, which we did for three days and two nights together, taking no more rest than the time necessary for our dinner and four or five hours for sleep at night.

[226] Mbaiás.

The third day we suddenly came upon the Maijaijs,[227] with their women and children gathered together in a forest with them; these were not the people we sought, but their friends. They did not fear at all our coming to them. Nevertheless, the innocent had to pay for the guilty, for when we lighted upon them we killed many, and took over three thousand prisoners, men, women, and children; and, if it had been day-time instead of night, none of them would have escaped, for there was a goodly number of people gathered together on the hill, at the summit of which was a great wood.

[227] Mbaiás.

I, for my part, in this skirmish, captured over nineteen persons, men and women, who were not at all old--I have always had more esteem for young than for old people--also I took Indian mantles and other things besides as my share of the booty. Then we returned to our camp and remained there for eight days, because there was now plenty of victual. The distance from these Maijaijs to Mount S. Fernando, where we left our two ships, is seventy miles. Afterwards we went further, to a people called Zchemui,[228] who are subject to the aforesaid Maijaijs, as here at home the peasants are subject to their landlords.

[228] Perhaps Chanés. To the tribe which Schmidt calls Zchemui, and to all the other tribes mentioned in his voyage north in search of _El Dorado_, he gives such queer and extraordinary names, that it is impossible to interpret them. De Barcia, the Spanish translator from the Latin version, who consulted other documents, declares that they are unintelligible, and generally puts down the equivalents as given by the Latin translator. The last named of those tribes is the one that Schmidt calls Machkokios, on arriving at the Salinas del Jaurú in lat. 16° S. Not far from there he finds another river, to which he gives the same name. This was the river Guapay. He goes across it and meets Spaniards, who tell him they belong to the Gobernacion (Government) of Pero Anzures. Irala stops there and sends messengers to the Governor of Peru, La Gasca, to whom he offers his services. La Gasca refuses them, and orders him back to the Gobernacion of the River Plate.

The translators, who in other languages have tried to interpret these names, have done it in an arbitrary manner. The unintelligible names are the following: Peihoni, Tohanna, Symani, Barchkoni, Zeyhanni, Karchkoni, Siberi, Peijesseni, Jeronimus, Maigeni, Karchkockies, Marchkockios and rio Machkasies. None of them are Indian names.

On the way we found many fields sown with Turkish corn and other roots, of which one can eat all the year round, for before one crop is stored another is already ripe for harvest, and when this too is gathered it is time to sow a third, so that there is always abundance of food.