300 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bdll.73 
true that they went immediately in pursuit they could never catch them, because 
their assaults were made at night. 1 1 has been possible to take away from them only 
twice the female slaves which they had taken as well in San Luis as elsewhere, and that 
winter and part of the summer were spent in great anxiety and alarm until they had 
finished their digging. The digging being once finished, and being on armed night 
watch in the cabin of San Luis the said chiefs, Juan Mendoza and Matheo and Benito 
Ynija, discussing the case with other leading men of the settlement of San Luis, they 
proposed to go out and hunt for the enemy. Some of them said, "We need not be 
given leave to go, " while others said, "It could not be denied us, since every day the 
enemy alarms us, and we are without tranquillity, and every day they kill our rela- 
tives, and what is more they enslave some of them and carry them off and commit all 
kinds of mockery with them; and we are all Christians and vassals of the king whom 
may God protect for many years, and we are unanimous and agree in this matter. " 
They all went and asked leave of the said Captain Juan Fernandez as of their lieu- 
tenant and war captain and the head of said province. Upon being told of their reso- 
lution, he gladly gave them said leave, and he furthermore comforted and animated 
them and promised to help them in every way possible, and they all came into this 
cabin. 1 The chiefs, the caciques, and other leading men were very well satisfied and 
joyous, and they began instantly to prepare their arms, their provisions, and bundles, 
and they sent out messengers to the people of the other places, telling their caciques 
and leading men, that, in case they should want to go and join them, they might be 
able to make their preparations. From San Luis there went 85 men with their arms; 
from the place called San Daniian went its cacique, Don Bernardo with seventy men; 
from la Chine, which is a settlement in the district of San Luis, 8 men; from los Cha- 
catos, which also lies within the boundaries of San Luis, 10 men; from Ayubale, came 
2 men, and 3 from Tomole; also 1 from Azpalaga. These latter came without being 
sent by their caciques, who for some reasons which they gave excused themselves. 
When everything was prepared and in readiness the lieutenant reported it to the 
governor and his excellency approved of it and thanked the said Indians for their good 
intentions. The captain, Juan Fernandez, all being gathered in this cabin (bujio), 
provided ammunition for all the harquebusiers, and he likewise gave us a small jar of 
powder and a "sucuche" 2 of bullets, and we left on the 2nd of September, 1677, after 
the captain, Juan Fernandez, at the meeting in the cabin, had appointed as principal 
chiefs, Juan Mendoza, captain of San Luis; Mateo Chubas, Maese del Campo, chief 
of the camp, or. in the field; and Don Bernardo, cacique and captain of the settlement 
of San Damian de Cupayca, and Ventura Ynija of this place, admonishing them to 
behave like united brothers, as well on the journey as on the battlefield. When the 
necessary orders had been given, we departed and went to sleep at the River Lagino, 
which is at a distance of two leagues from here, and where we arrived early. When all 
the people were together, we counted the men, finding that we had thirty firearms — 
15 from this place, San Luis, and 15 from San Damian, and between harquebusiers and 
archers there were 190. The chiefs made speeches to their men, telling them that they 
were men who could defend their homes, their wives, and children, and that with the 
help of God our wishes would be fulfilled and we would see our enemies. As Chris- 
tians, God and His Blessed Mother would favour us. Then they arranged that 12 men 
should explore the country inland as spies, 12 should remain behind, each group being 
protected by several harquebusiers. 
As it seemed early yet, we went to sleep on the banks of a small stream two leagues 
distant, called Lapache, which are studded with canes or reed. We placed our 
watches and night patrol, a precaution which was taken at all the places where we 
arrived. This place (Lapache) we left when the sun was high and arrived at noon at 
i This may mean the guardhouse. 
2 This is now a nautical term and means a storeroom of a ship. 
