_How the General, Felipe Gutiérrez, pursued his exploration down
the river of Soconcho, and what else happened._
After the private negotiations between the captains which we have
recounted had been settled, Felipe Gutiérrez, with the concurrence
of the rest, went on exploring down the _Soconcho_ river towards the
west.[160] This river is not very large, but there are extensive
native villages near it; so that those who saw them were of opinion
that some new settlements of Spaniards might be formed there, whose
members could derive large _repartimientos_ and other advantages.
The civil wars there have been in the Realm hindered what now,
with the help of our Lord, will be achieved; but let the leaders
who may contemplate expeditions in this direction go well provided
with horses and defensive armour of cotton; for other kinds do not
avail. Proceeding down the river with their exploration, Gutiérrez
and his party came to a populous district. The natives have the same
dresses and customs as those first met with; but they have different
kinds of religion among themselves, and they speak many tongues. They
are a people under no description of rule, and so entirely without
organization that they appear like brutes.
They came out to the Christians with a great yelling, astonished at
seeing them on horses, and took them for immortals, some of them
thinking that horse and man were one animal. Diego Maldonado had
been left with the baggage, and Felipe Gutiérrez waited at a place
that seemed to secure the best supply of food. Felipe Gutiérrez felt
sore that Francisco de Mendoza should occupy the position he held,
and sought to deprive him of it. He sent to him to claim the stores
and provisions which had been collected when Diego de Rojas died.
Francisco de Mendoza would not give them up. On the contrary, he
assembled his friends, and asked them whether they would be faithful
to him, and not allow him to be deprived of his present post by
Felipe Gutiérrez. They replied that he need have no fear of Felipe
Gutiérrez, for that they would be such true friends that it would not
be possible to deprive him of the position. It was reported to Felipe
Gutiérrez that Francisco de Mendoza always went about closely attended
by some of those in camp; but he did not dare to arrest Mendoza, and
for the time being dropped the subject. He decided to advance to a
large village also called _Soconcho_,[161] like the river. Leaving
Sotomayor on guard at the camp, he set out from thence, taking
Francisco de Mendoza with him; and here we will leave them awhile.
FOOTNOTES:
[160] East? Its general direction thereabouts is S.S.E.
[161] The village Soconcho is shown on the Abbé Jolís' map, in his
_Historia del Chaco_ (1789), on the east bank of the Rio Dulce, or
Saladillo, in lat. 28° 40' S. Its true latitude is 28° 55'.