98 BAHIA BLANCA. [CHAP. v. 



choly to trace liow the Indians have given way before the Spanish 

 invaders. Schirdel* says that in 1535, when Buenos Ayres was 

 founded, there were villages containing two and three thousand in- 

 habitants. Even in Falconer's time (1750) the Indians made inroads 

 as far as Luxan, Areco, and Arrecife, but now they are driven 

 beyond the Salado. Not only have whole tribes been exterminated, 

 but the remaining Indians have become more barbarous : instead 

 of living in large villages, and being employed in the arts of fishing, 

 as well as of the chase, they now wander about the open plains, 

 without home or fixed occupation. 



I heard also some account of an engagement which took place, a 

 few weeks previously to the one mentioned, at Cholechel. This is 

 a very important station on account of being a pass for horses ; and 

 it was, in consequence, for some time the head-quarters of a division 

 of the army. When the troops first arrived there they found a 

 tribe of Indians, of whom they killed twenty or thirty. The cacique 

 escaped in a manner which astonished every one. The chief Indians 

 always have one or two picked horses, which they keep ready for 

 any urgent occasion. On one of these, an old white horse, the 

 cacique sprung, taking with him his little son. The horse had 

 neither saddle nor bridle. To avoid the shots, the Indian rode in 

 the peculiar method of his nation ; namely, with an arm round the 

 horse's neck, and one leg only on its back. Thus hanging on one 

 side, he was seen patting the horse's head, and talking to him. The 

 pursuers urged every effort in the chase ; the Commandant three 

 times changed his horse, but all in vain. The old Indian father 

 and his son escaped, and were free. "What a fine picture one can 

 form in one's mind, the naked, bronze-like figure of the old man 

 with his little boy, riding like a Mazeppa on the white horse, thus 

 leaving far behind him the host of his pursuers ! 



I saw one day a soldier striking fire with a piece of flint, which I 

 immediately recognised as having been a part of the head of an 

 arrow. He told me it was found near the island of Cholechel, and 

 that they are frequently picked up there. It was between two and 

 three inches long, and therefore twice as large as those now used in 

 Tierra del Fuego : it was made of opaque cream-coloured flint, but 

 the point and barbs had been intentionally broken off. It is well 

 known that no Pampas Indians now use bows and arrows. I believe 

 a small tribe in Banda Oriental must be excepted ; but they are 

 * Purchas's Collection of Voyages. I believe the date was really 1537. 





