APPENDIX. 4] 9 
‘manner as practised amongst them, and not in any other way customary 
among Christian armies. All their formalities being agreed to; one of the 
deputies was sent to announce to the Indians that we had acquiesced in their 
desire, and that they might advance; whilst the rest remained with us, to 
assist-us in going through the manceuvres. : 
Our men were formed in one rank, officers to the front, with an equal 
distance between them. On our left flank were about sixty Indians, formed 
in the same manner. Our Indian allies were about 900 in number, not 
including those which accompanied us from Rosario. They were formed in 
line, with an interval of about three yards between each troop; the captain of 
each troop in front of its centre, and the caciques, at equal distances, in front 
of the whole. The Indians were naked, with exception of the waist, to 
which was suspended a small triangular piece of tanned sheep-skin, orna- 
mented on the border by a silver fringe; their long black hair (which they 
wore all alike), after coming down over the ears and forehead, was again 
turned upwards, wound round the head, and tied at the extremity by a 
riband used amongst them for that purpose; their lances were about 14 
feet long, and were held perpendicular in their right hands; their horses 
(which were covered with many fantastic trappings) were excellent; and 
their line was actually the best formed I ever saw. 
All being ready, the ceremony began by each line advancing at a trot; and 
on approaching each other at a full gallop, as in a charge, the Indians. 
brought their lances to the position of attack, and whilst they advanced with 
the greatest fury raised a hideous yell, which (as we were little acquainted 
with our new allies) made us doubt very much whether this were a real or 
mock charge. However, on coming within forty yards of us, the Indians 
halted on a sudden, their formation not having suffered the smallest alteration 
or confusion in their rapid advance. We wheeled to our left, and continued 
to gallop round them (according to our instructions) till we had encircled 
them three times, keeping up a fire during the whole, which very much 
gratified them. We then halted, and they returned us the same compliment 
by galloping round us three times in the same manner. 
The honours being over, they halted in front of our line; and the prin- 
cipal cacique, with his subaltern caciques and captains, marched out in 
front of theirs, where they were joined by Carrera and his officers. After a 
long, but (I may say) unintelligible conversation, they offered us their hands, . 
which we accepted, in token of our mutual attachment and promise to defend 
3H 2 
