440 APPENDIX. 



for safety. They were pursued six leagues, and received very little mercy 

 from the enraged soldiers. The Indians, with their long lances, gratified 

 themselves exceedingly on their enemies. Late in the evening the carnage 

 abated ; and fifty-four soldiers, with seven officers, were taken prisoners. We 

 were employed that night in gathering those who were badly wounded on the 

 field, and conducting them to our encampment, where they received every 

 attention in our power to bestow ; and next morning the field was again in- 

 spected, the arms gathered, and such wretches as were languishing under the 

 pain of incurable wounds were shot from principles of humanity. The 

 wounded who were dreadfully carved, but still curable, were sent under the 

 charge of a guard of peasants to San Luis, with a letter from Carrera to the 

 governor Ortiz, recommending them to his humanity. Ortiz, though he did 

 not answer Carrera's first letter, answered the latter in such a polite manner 

 as induced us to believe that he would sooner allow us to pass through his 

 province unmolested than run the risk of opposing us. 



We continued our route towards San Luis, and discovered on our right a 

 faint glimmering light, which appeared and disappeared alternately. A party 

 was sent to reconnoitre, and found an advanced guard, which they pursued. 

 As the enemy's guard reached the line and gave the alarm, they supposed 

 themselves attacked, and made several discharges. The flash from their arms, 

 in a night extremely dark, showed their position and the extent of their line 

 perfectly ; but as the ground was covered with wood, and little known by 

 us, we resolved to hold the position in which we were for that night, and at- 

 tack them at day-break. Our party returned, having lost a few men ; and 

 the enemy effected a retreat, notwithstanding the darkness of the night. One 

 of the enemy's guides deserted, and came to join us early next morning ; from 

 whom we learned, that the force which we had seen that night belonged to 

 San Luis, consisted of 800 men, and was commanded by Colonel Videla and 

 Lieutenant-Colonel Suasti, who were expecting large reinforcements every hour 

 from San Juan, Mendoza, and Arioja, besides infantry which they_expected 

 from San Luis. Soon as daylight appeared we pursued the enemy; but 

 could not overtake him, as he had had considerable advantage of us in the 

 time of starting. However, after marching fifteen leagues, we arrived on the 

 banks of the Rio Quinto, in whose thick impenetrable woods the Puntanos had 

 taken up a position, in order to hinder us from obtaining water for ourselves 

 and horses. They sent out a flag of truce, to inform the General that they 

 had orders from their governor not to attack him, as Ortiz was coming out 



