CONCERNING REPEATED EXPEDITIONS UNDERTAKEN BY
YCHOALAY AGAINST OAHERKAIKIN, AND THE OTHER
ABIPONES NAKAIKETERGEHES.
Ychoalay, on returning from Sta. Fè, was highly incensed when he heard
of the events that had taken place in his absence, and bitterly
reproached his countrymen for their want of diligence in watching the
enemy whilst they were approaching, and of energy in repelling them,
when present. He continually revolved in his mind the injury done to his
town by Debayakaikin, and not being able to digest it, appointed a new
excursion against him. Hastening therefore to the city of Sta. Fè, he
requested soldiers to attend him on the purposed expedition, but
obtained only thirty, which the Royal Vice-Governor was chiefly actuated
to grant by the consideration, that the death of the Spaniard slain by
Debayakaikin's soldiers ought to be revenged by the arms of Spaniards.
The soldiers sent on the Vice-Governor's account, however, little
interested about the success of the expedition, wished to remain as
guards in the town of St. Jeronymo, whilst Ychoalay went with his people
against the enemy: but on his sternly declaring that guards for the
Abiponian women in the absence of their husbands were neither necessary,
nor even endurable, they at last began the journey with the other
company of Abipones. But, alas! how short a one did it prove! The ways
had been rendered impassable by the spreading inundations of so many
rivers, and the whole country was flooded to such a degree, that not a
turf appeared on which the horsemen might lie down, or their horses take
pasture. All hope of further progress being at a stop, they were obliged
to return to the town, and thus an expedition undertaken with so much
noise, was terminated in three days, without any advantageous result.
Ychoalay, though naturally of an iron constitution, was seized, on his
return home, with a burning fever, and a kind of small-pox, called by
the Spaniards _Las viruelas bobas_. Without waiting for his complete
recovery, he set off, with a small troop, against Oaherkaikin, by whom
he was wounded, in a bloody skirmish, with two arrows, as I have related
in a former part of this work.
The wounds that had been inflicted, though now healed, exasperated
Ychoalay's mind, and stimulated him to a fresh excursion against
Oaherkaikin. Not only all the Abipones of the towns of St. Jeronymo, and
Concepcion, but numbers of Christian Mocobios followed Ychoalay. They
penetrated to the enemies' stations and fought long and desperately.
Debayakaikin himself was dangerously wounded in the side with a spear,
and would have been slain by Ychoalay had not some one else thrown
himself before him. Although both armies had fought with equal success,
and though victory inclined to neither side, yet Debayakaikin, alarmed
at his wound, and the ferocity of those who had inflicted it, did not
like to engage any more with Ychoalay, and sought how he might avoid the
dangerous necessity of meeting him again in the field. He also began to
entertain suspicions of his neighbours the northern Mocobios, ever since
his colleague Kaapetraikin, with his two sons and three other Abipones,
had been treacherously murdered by them whilst passing the night in the
open plain. For the benefit of his affairs, therefore, he removed with
his whole horde to the colony of St. Ferdinand, the residence of the
Yaaukaniga Abipones, by means of whose friendship and the support of the
Corrientine Spaniards, he trusted to enjoy tranquillity. But in avoiding
Charybdis, he fell upon Scylla.
For Ychoalay, deeming this union with the Yaaukanigas a measure pursued
with no peaceful intention, and far from conducive to the advantage of
his own town, went thither with a great number of Abipones and Christian
Mocobios, and denounced battle against his implacable foe, Debayakaikin.
The provident care of the Fathers prevented them from coming to blows.
They sent to Corrientes for the Vice-Governor Patron, who, though he
came accompanied by a number of soldiers, was more desirous to perform
the office of peace-maker, than to espouse the cause of either of the
enemies. Things fell out according to his wish. Peace was established on
the following conditions, which were dictated by Ychoalay; that
Debayakaikin should restore the three spears which he had taken from
Ychoalay in the first engagement, as well as the captives from the
estate of St. Jeronymo; that he should not devise frauds against the
colonies of the Spaniards, and the Indians in amity with them; and that
he should remain quiet and harmless in the colony of St. Ferdinand,
bearing it in mind that, if he departed to any other place, war would be
renewed against him. Debayakaikin's present trepidation compelled him
eagerly to embrace these conditions, which, however, he neglected at his
pleasure, when free from fear. He was repeatedly attacked in the town
itself, and robbed of all his horses by the northern Mocobios, under
pretext of some injuries they had received from him. His countrymen with
their place of residence did not change their line of conduct,
continuing still intent upon secretly plundering and slaughtering the
Spaniards; which Debayakaikin foresaw would neither remain long
concealed from Ychoalay, nor be tamely endured by him. In continual fear
therefore of his enemies, the Mocobios in the north, and in the south of
Ychoalay and his allies, who were still nearer to him, he removed with
his people to the more distant town of Concepcion, then near the
colonies of St. Iago: which, though contrary to the conditions of the
peace, was digested in silence by the Abipones Riikahés, till fresh
injuries, like a hostile trumpet, stirred them up to fresh rage, and
fresh contests.
Some Abipones complained to Ychamenraikin, that as they were returning
from hunting wild horses, they had been scourged and plundered by some
of Debayakaikin's people. Moreover they announced that a very numerous
horde of Nakaiketergehes had been discovered by them in the country
between the cities of Sta. Fè and St. Iago. The Cacique pronounces this
station dangerous to travelling Spaniards, and an infringement upon the
peace established, and exclaims that he will set out the next day, and
discover these hostile Abipones. The Christian Mocobios are called upon,
and within a few hours a company of almost three hundred men is
assembled. After a few days' journey they discovered the hostile horde,
but did not make a sudden attack upon it. Not to appear deficient in
courtesy, they sent forward two heralds to desire the enemies, in a
friendly manner, instantly to restore the horses they had unjustly
carried off, and to ask pardon for the injury they had committed. The
blast of trumpets, by which twenty men challenged three hundred to the
fight, was their answer. From words they proceeded to blows.
Ychamenraikin, the Commander in Chief, and the foremost in the foremost
rank, was pierced by an arrow in the left eye, and instantly expired.
Inconceivable was the fury that inflamed the minds of the soldiers, at
sight of their dead leader. "Come on," was the universal cry: "let none
of the enemy depart alive." Their hands answered to their tongues: for
all the spearmen rushed at once upon the adverse army. In truth, twenty
might thus have been destroyed with little difficulty by three hundred,
had they not with incredible firmness opposed themselves as a wall to
their adversaries. Though wounded all over, they still continued to
oppose spears to spears, and weapons to weapons, not receding a hair's
breadth from the line of battle. The victors cut off the heads of those
most renowned for valour, and carried them home as trophies. Two, who
fell amongst the dead bodies and, being thought lifeless, had, the one
an ear, the other a finger cut off by a Mocobio, appeared a few months
after alive, in the town of St. Ferdinand.
All the men being slain, the Mocobios, irritated by the death of their
Cacique, took delight in venting their fury on the women, who had taken
refuge in a neighbouring wood. Forty women and children were slain, and
many taken captive; which cruelty, as it was exercised towards the
defenceless, we all condemned in the strongest manner. Many of our
Abipones and Mocobios were wounded, but none slain except Ychamenraikin.
The bones of this Cacique, after being stripped of the flesh, received
the last obsequies, accompanied by the tears of the whole town, and by
funeral rites, as has been related elsewhere.