At the mouth of the river was a peninsula, formed by it and a small stream, and there was the residence of the family before mentioned. The infantry embarked in the small vessels in which they had sailed; the cavalry marched by land to the peninsula, leading the horses they had taken; and there they again remained. The labor of embarking and disembarking horses was not new to them; and in a few days everything was carried away—some to the island of the Biscaino, and some to the other island in the upper part of the river, to serve in future operations.
The expedition then proceeded into the interior, as far as Paysandù, with the occurrence of little or nothing worthy of notice. In that city was a large guard, and the enemy had constructed some batteries and sunk a number of vessels, in different parts of the channel of the river, to obstruct the passage. All obstacles were overcome; and a few shot in the vessels, and a few wounded men, were the only consequences of a heavy cannonade with the batteries. Two officers deserved my particular notice: one a Frenchman, and the other an Englishman, who commanded two small vessels of war of their nations, and accompanied me in almost the whole of that expedition, although their instructions were not to fight. The English Lieutenant was named Tench; and he remained but a short time; the French officer was Hypolite Marier, commander of the schooner L'Eclair. The latter was with me the whole time, and became very dear to me, being an officer of great merit.
We reached Hervidero, formerly a most beautiful establishment, then abandoned and deserted, but still very rich in animals, which were highly valuable to the expedition all the time of our stay. That point of the Uruguay was named Hervidero, from the Spanish word Hervir, which means to boil; and indeed it looks like a boiling cauldron under all circumstances, but especially when the river is low, abounding in whirlpools formed by the numerous rocks lying under water, over which a very rapid current pours all the year. The passage is very dangerous. A very spacious house stands on an eminence, built with a terrace on the roof, called Azotea, and overlooks all the left bank of the river. Around it was a multitude of Ranchos, or barracks, with roofs of straw, which attested the great number of slaves possessed by the masters in more quiet times. When I first approached the house, I found herds of the Ganado manso, or domestic oxen, near the deserted habitations, in search of their exiled masters; and with them a majada, or flock of sheep, amounting to about forty thousand, while the ganado cuero or alzado,—that is, the wild cattle,—of about the same number, were scattered over the fields. Besides these there were innumerable horses, ginetes and Poledres, chiefly wild, and many quadrupeds of various kinds. These few lines may give some idea of the aspect of that kind of immense estates in South America, called Estancias.
The Hervidero, however, a Saladero, or place for salting meat for exportation, as well as for preparing hides, tallow, and, in short, everything furnished by the animals slaughtered in their country. The depth of the river did not permit them to take any other in larger vessels. Anzani, with the infantry, lodged in the establishment, occupying it in a military manner. The measures taken were very useful in repressing an unexpected attack, arranged between the enemies of Entre Rios, under the command of General Garzon, and those of the Oriental State, under Colonel Lavalleja. That was undertaken while I was not at the Hervidero.
And, in the first place, as for the reason of my absence. Among the cares of Juan de la Cruz, was that of sending some of his martreros to inform the others, who were scattered along the left bank of the river, and those of the Gueguay, who were quite numerous. A certain Magellano, and one José Dominguez were among the most famous of them all. They were then in the neighborhood of the Gueguay. José Mundell had come to that country when a child, and had become identified with the inhabitants and accustomed to their habits. He had a present of an estancia, one of the best in that part of the country. Mundell was one of those privileged persons, who seem to have come into the world to govern all around them. With nothing extraordinary in his physical nature, he was strong and active, "a free cavalier," and of a most generous disposition; he had gained the hearts of all, on whom he bestowed benefits whenever they were in want, thus securing their love and tempering their natures. He was above all things adventurous. It may be added that Mundell, although he had spent the most of his life in the desert, had, from his own taste, cultivated his mind and acquired by study more than an ordinary share of information. He had never taken any part in political affairs, beyond those connected with the choice of men for the Presidency, etc. But when the foreigners, under the orders of Ourives, invaded the territory of the Republic, he regarded indifference as a crime, and threw himself into the ranks of the defenders. With the influence which he had acquired among his brave neighbors, he soon collected several hundred men, and then sent me word that he was going to join me with them. The bold fellows, commanded by Juan de la Cruz, had brought in that news to the Hervidero; and I immediately resolved to meet with Mundell in the Arroyo Malo, about thirty miles below the Salto, or Falls. On the first night after my departure the attack was made on the Hervidero. Hearing the cannon and musketry while I was near Arroyo Malo, I was thrown into the greatest anxiety, as was very natural; but I confided much in the capacity of Anzani, whom I had left in charge of everything.
The attack on the Hervidero had been conceived and planned in such a manner that, if the execution had corresponded, its results must have been fatal. Garzon, whose forces were not fewer than two thousand men, most of them infantry, was to have approached the right bank of the river, while Lavalleja was to attack the Hervidero. In order that they might strike at the same moment, they had placed two fireships in the Yuy, a small river of Entre Rios, a few miles above, intended, if not to burn the flotilla, at least to occupy the sailors, and render it impossible for them to give any assistance by land. The courage and coolness of Anzani, and the bravery of the troops, rendered all the efforts of the active enemy unavailing. Garzon effected nothing by his steady fire of musketry, because it was too distant, and the side of the river's bank was commanded by the cannon of the flotilla, which opened upon it. The fireships, being abandoned to the current, passed at a distance from the vessels, and were destroyed by their guns. Lavalleja pressed his troops against the brave Legionaries in vain, they being intrenched in the buildings, and terrifying the enemy with their silence and proud resistance.
Anzani had given orders that not a musket should be fired, until the enemy were near enough to have their clothes burnt by the powder; and this plan succeeded well, for, supposing the houses to have been evacuated, they advanced without apprehension: but a general discharge of musketry, when close at hand, from all quarters, put them immediately to flight, making it impossible to rally again.
Having arranged with Mundell about his entering Salto when occupied by the Republicans, I returned to the Hervidero. I received notice, about that time, from Colonel Baez, who was making arrangements to join me with some men. The only vessel of the enemy stationed in the Yuy deserted to us, with a portion of the crew.
Thus everything smiled on the expedition.