28 MEMOIR OF 



ferior rank, and these he turned to the best advan- 

 tage. It is interesting to observe how anxious he 

 invariably v^^as to assign to all and every one of these, 

 by name, their full share in the final result. 



The method in which Azara carried on these de- 

 tails was as follows. He supplied himself with 

 considerable quantities of brandy, glass beads, rib- 

 bons, knives, and other trifles, to conciliate the 

 good-will of the Savages, as they are called. His 

 personal baggage consisted of a few clothes, a little 

 coffee and salt, and, for his followers, a little to- 

 bacco and Paraguay plant. His suite had nothing 

 more than what they carried upon their persons. 

 They were, however, accompanied by a great num- 

 ber of horses, as they required to be well mounted : 

 they had also a number of large dogs. The party 

 rose an hour before sunrise, and breakfasted. They 

 then collected their horses, which had often wan- 

 dered to a distance ; and releasing the one they had 

 employed for the last twenty-four hours, every man 

 selected a new one. They then set off on their route 

 two hours after sunrise. As there were no traces of 

 roads in these wild countries, the guide, who'^was 

 most to be trusted, and who was kept solitary, 

 that his attention might not be distracted, led the 

 way by about three hundred paces. He was fol- 

 lowed by the relay horses, and the body of the 

 party brought up the rear. In this fashion they 

 continued, without stopping, till two hours before 

 sunset. When among hostile tribes, the order of 

 march was somewhat altered. The party then 



