198 



PROVINCE OF MATTO GROSSO. 



In 1743 the combined Indians observing certain signals at the mouths of the 

 Tocoary of a fleet having passed forward, they proceeded up in pursuit of it as 

 far as the reducto of Sappe, in the vicinity of the town of Cuiaba, where they 

 killed some fishermen. 



A series of such calamities produced a resolution of the ouvidor, Joam 

 Gonsalves, in a junta with the senate and the principal persons of the town, to 

 endeavour to obviate hostilities, through the medium of a firm friendship with 

 the Guaycuru Indians, they not being considered so inveterate against the 

 Portuguese, whose maledictions fell upon the Payagoa tribe, attributing to 

 them alone all the injuries they had sustained. With this intention, a squadron 

 of six canoes of war and six of transport, was sent, under the command of 

 Captain Antonio de Medeiros, with a considerable quantity of articles most 

 esteemed by the Indians, equally for the purpose of making presents as to ex- 

 change for horses. Having arrived at an island in front of a post occupied by 

 the Guaycurus, the commandant sent an Indian, versed in their language, ^vith 

 two white soldiers, to the chief of the party, soliciting him to come to the 

 island, as he was desirous to make him some presents, and to enter into a 

 negotiation. On the following day the Indian captain presented himself, with 

 a numerous band of men and women, upon the beach nearest to the island, 

 and with the three deputies sent two of his to Medeiros requesting him to come 

 and parley on land, the two Indians to remain as hostages upon the island. 

 Medeiros immediately proceeded to the other side with a considerable part of 

 his force, and an assortment of various articles, with which he complimented 

 the captain and his relations. He then proposed the projected negotiation, 

 which was to effect a cessation of hostilities with the Payagoas, and to barter 

 horses for European merchandise ; to all which the Indian promptly assented. 



On the following day a large party of Portuguese passed to the other side, in 

 order to traffic with the Indians, without any kind of arms, imprudently confiding 

 in the apparent demonstrations of sincerity which they had evinced ; when, about 

 nine o'clock, those who had remained with Medeiros in the squadron perceived 

 a tumult amongst the savages, which convinced them that their comrades were 

 lost. They immediately fired upon them, when the traitors instantly fled, fifty 

 Christians remaining dead upon the field. This disaster terminated all hopes of 

 a friendly negotiation. 



In 1744 the Indians were routed by the Paulista fleet, without the Christians 

 sustaining more loss than one negro, from the wound of a lance. Notwith- 

 standing the disaster which the savages experienced on this occasion, they 



