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.