The Manatitlans or, A record of recent scientific explorations in the Andean La Plata, S. A.

On the 15th of April the members of the corps, instruments, camp utensils, and travelling gear, were safely stowed on board the little steamer Tortuga,—a name that implied slow progress, which to our satisfaction her speed decried. At eleven A. M., having bid farewell to our newly acquired friends, we left the anchorage with their “Good speed,” and after threading her way among the vessels in the roadstead the little steamer puffed her way up the broad expanse of the La Plata estuary. The balance of the day was occupied in arranging instruments for river observations, the while listening to praises lavished by the captain upon the “worthy” qualities of his little propeller, of which he was the architect and builder. During the evening he regaled us with incidents of his life in California and the East Indies. His adventures in California received occasional illustrations from a genial individual introduced as Padre Simon, the prefix having been conferred—as we afterwards learned—from his zealous support of the Catholic dogmas, theoretically. As the padre was eventually enlisted in our corps, we will foreshadow some of his peculiar characteristics. In form he was of medium height, with a rotund outline visibly inclining to jovial obesity; his face was in-dyed with a complexion blending with the Roman auburn of his hair, which gave a warm glow to his expression when lighted with a smile. In the first generation of descent from Irish parentage, he retained the full impression of inconsistency in the practical adaptation of his habits to the faithful index of goodness ingrafted from the maternal stock. Guileless in thought, when free from temptation, he possessed a ready facility of excusing his habits of excess with the plea of saving grace administered under the seal of confession. With this hint, in forecast of development, we will proceed in the relation of events transpiring during the river voyage.

On the morning of the 21st of May, after having been subjected to our full share of vexatious delays, incident to the provincial poco pocoism of the guarda and custom-house officials, the steamer gained the river post of Santa Anna on the Pilcomayo, two miles above its mouth. At Santa Anna they found the well-known American naturalist, Diego Dow, waiting for an opportunity to obtain sufficient aid to attempt the exploration of the Pilcomayo as far as the reputed settlement of Tenedos, which rumor located on a confluent stream rising and flowing eastward through the valleys of the Andean spur that reached into central La Plata.

The ultra-savage disposition of the wandering tribes on the banks of these rivers, having defeated every previous attempt made to establish trading-posts, but few had been found willing to incur the hazard proposed by Mr. Dow. Even the indomitable Jesuits had been foiled in all their endeavors to conciliate the Indians in degree sufficient for the establishment of missions preliminary to their subjugation.

The magnet of Mr. Dow’s desire had been drawn thitherward by the reputed existence of a walled city inhabited by a white race of great beauty. He considered the report sufficiently well authenticated to warrant the adventure of his life for its discovery and relief from the constant siege to which it had been subjected by the savage tribes from time beyond date. His chief authority, which had incited him to engage in the emprise, was his Auraucanian servant, who had, in his wanderings and progress northward, served in an Indian marauding expedition, which invaded the valley of the city for the purpose of lifting the cattle of the inhabitants, who were in seasons of drought obliged to protect them while feeding beyond the walls. As Indian forays were expected, the herds were well guarded by shepherd escorts, whose persons were safely protected with defensive armor, so that with the exception of the face the other parts of the body were proof to the poisoned arrows. In addition they were armed with a bow which in their practiced hands sent the arrow sure to its mark far beyond the range of their savage foes’ weapons, so that in the open valley they were safe. Besides, their tactics embraced so many precautionary variations that the Indians were almost invariably decoyed and blinded from real intention. These feints caused the savages to become over wary, never venturing an attack unless with the advantage of overwhelming numbers. The party with which Aabrawa, Mr. Dow’s servant, was engaged, met with a severe repulse that indisposed them to renew the attempt, notwithstanding an opportunity was offered on the succeeding day. So well managed were the citizens’ plans of protection that they rarely lost either men or cattle, and without being aggressive frequently administered well merited punishment upon their foes, who were inspired with wholesome fear from a superiority so manifest in deadly effect. Unable to cope with their white antagonists in the open field, they, with constant wariness peculiar to the savage, neglected no opportunity to harass, hoping at some time with constant worrying to catch them off their guard. The cause of this implacable hatred was hereditary, reaching, as Aabrawa learned, far back to a time when the forefathers of the citizens abused their supremacy by enslaving their Indian benefactors. The Indians having surprised and overcome their oppressors, a remnant of the whites obtained refuge in the present city, which had since been kept under constant espial. As the city was overlooked from an adjacent height, but little passed in the streets unknown to the besiegers, who were quick to discover any relaxation of vigilance; and whenever from pestilence or other cause it did occur, couriers were dispatched to summon aid from distant tribes.

Curiosity and love of exciting adventure had enlisted the members of the corps in favor of aiding Mr. Dow’s projected enterprise, and through their continued solicitation, M. Hollydorf consented to waive the strict interpretation of his commission, designating a particular field of operation, by using his discretionary power in favor of the proposed scheme for raising the siege of the beleaguered city. Captain Greenwood without hesitation tendered the aid of his steamer, and being one of those peculiar persons who are accustomed to take the head of time by the forelock, he immediately commenced the precautionary labors to protect his vessel from the wily tricks of surprise practiced by the savages. The commandante of Santa Anna, being well acquainted with the methods of attack that led to the defeat of the various expeditions directed against the Chacas, proved of great use in suggesting precautions. The chief dread arose from the poisoned arrows of the savages, which inflicted incurable wounds, adding to death the horrors of lingering putrefaction. The fears anticipated from this source were relieved by the confidence inspired through the energetic character of the captain, whose experience with the superior cunning of the North American Indians prepared him to cope with the lower instincts of their southern congeners.

On the morning of the 23d of May the Tortuga’s bow was turned against the swift middle current of the Pilcomayo’s bayou expanse, then at its height from the copious contributions of the rainy season in the high lands and mountain sources of its tributaries. Night still found us in the broad sea of waters, baffled in search of the interior mouth which was made more difficult from the confluent branches uniting with it near its Paraguayan embouchure. The commandante, anticipating the difficulty likely to be encountered, had been particular in giving directions; but although strictly followed, from a calculation of the steamer’s speed, twice the distance had been run without discovering the described landmarks. Uncertainty was rendered still more uncomfortable by the shallowing of the water, showing plainly that we were inland from the river’s channel. At midnight, while anchored, a hurricane, heralded by a thunder-storm, made the waters seethe with its force, causing our little craft to careen and bob with a politeness to the gusts that impaired our confidence in its self reliance. Padre Simon declared that the lightning set his teeth on edge, prompting him from its dazzling flashes to pray, but that the thunder so startled and confused him that he was unable to think, and as a dernier ressort was obliged to drink. This remedy finally rendered him proof to the best efforts of Jupiter Tonans; but on waking in the morning he complained that he could still hear the roll of the thunder in his head.

On the morning of the 24th the sun rose bright and clear in a cloudless sky, compensating with its splendor the discomforts of the night; its reflected light glancing upon the waters discovered far to the south a broad ripple, indicating the sought-for channel. The river’s stream was soon gained, and followed in a southwesterly course until the river’s limits were defined by partially submerged trees growing upon its banks. Having at Santa Anna filled every available portion of the vessel with fuel, sufficient for a run of four days, the boat was enabled to keep on her course under a full head of steam, without anxiety from the dull prospect offered for replenishing.

May 25th, at sunrise, after a good night’s run, we discovered a headland above the surface of the water covered with fire-scathed trees, from which the captain, for a surety, concluded to add to his diminished supply of fuel. The labor of taking in wood from this source was by no means pleasant, but the sailors with good-will made the “virtue of necessity” cheerful with songs and jokes, the “passengers,” suitably clothed, contributing with the zest of energy their labor for its stowage, so that by eight o’clock we were again under way. With the exception of this wooded bluff nothing but sky, water, and foliage had met our eyes since leaving Santa Anna, the monotonous compound making us well content with cabin associations.