"The Spaniards," pursued he, "in contempt of treaties and of justice, not content with oppressing you—you, the true possessors of the soil we tread—have traitorously seized on large, rich, and fertile territories, belonging for a very long time to the powerful monarch, my master. These territories he means to recover by force of arms. Since the perfidious Spaniards continually break, in the most dishonourable way, the treaties concluded with them, my sovereign, seizing the opportunity which presents itself, to render you that justice to which, as his children, you have a right, takes your cause in hand, makes it his own, and will protect you in everything. He engages that the hunting grounds which have been so unjustly taken from you shall be restored, and he also engages that not only your liberty, but your life, your flocks—in fact, all that you possess—shall be respected. But it is just, captains, that you should show yourselves grateful for the aid that my sovereign deigns to accord you, and that you will be as faithful towards him as he is towards you. This is what, through me, the powerful sovereign whom I represent demands of you: you shall arm your chosen warriors, of whom you shall form detachments of horsemen under the orders of experienced captains. These detachments shall abandon the Llano de Manso—or, as you call your territory, the valley of Japizlaga; at a signal given by us, and from several points at the same time, they will invade the provinces of Tucuman and Cordova, so as to effect their junction with the Indians of the Pampas, and to harass the Spaniards, to whatever faction they belong, and wherever they may be met with, only attacking isolated parties, and acting as pioneers and scouts, to the troops which the king, my master, will, under my orders, and those of the other chiefs, send into the enemy's territory. The war ended, all the promises made through this quipu," added he, throwing into the midst of the assembly a stick split halfway up, and garnished with cords of several colours in the form of chaplets, having seeds, shells, and flints strung upon it, and separated by knots tied in various ways, "their promises, I say, shall be strictly kept. Now, I have given my quipu thirty mules, loaded with lassos, bolas, ponchos, frazadas, bits for the horses, knives, &c., wait at the entrance of the llano, under the care of some soldiers. If you please, you can share among yourselves the treasures that the king, my master, deigns to present to you. On my return, if my propositions are accepted, I will give the order that all shall be given to you. I await, then, the reply through your quipu, persuaded that you will not falsify the word given, and that the king, my master, shall be able confidently to rely on your loyal assistance."
Warm applause followed the general's speech, and he sat down again with the most unequivocal manifestations of sympathy.
The slaves again sent round the maté, and the Indian captains commenced to converse among themselves, although in a low voice, and in a language incomprehensible to the Europeans.
We will here draw the reader's attention to a peculiarity that we have only met with in these regions, and especially among the Guaycurus.
The men and the women have a language which presents striking differences; moreover, when they discuss diplomatic questions before the envoys of a foreign nation—as occurred at the present time—they produce by the contraction of the lips a hissing which has received among them certain recognised modifications, and which has thus become a distinct language.
Nothing is more curious than to be present at a serious deliberation, hissed in this way by the orators, with modulations and graces, which are really remarkable, and which produce a strange and mysterious effect.
The general talked in a low voice with his officers, sipping his maté, while the captains in turn discussed his propositions, as he conjectured, at least; for it was impossible for him to understand anything, or even to seize a single word in the midst of this continual hissing and chirping.
At last Gueyma rose, and after having claimed silence by a majestic gesture, he replied to the general in Portuguese—
"The captains," said he, "have listened to the words of the grand captain of the palefaces with all the attention they deserve; they have considered attentively the propositions which he has been charged to make to them. These propositions the captains find just and equitable; they accept them, begging the captain of the palefaces to thank their white grandfather, and to assure him of the respect and devotion of his children of the desert. From the twelfth sun after today the war detachments of the allied tribes will be ready, at the first signal, to invade the enemy's frontiers. I have said it; there is my quipu; a troop of warriors shall accompany my father, the captain, to do him honour, and bring back the presents intended for the chiefs of the allied tribes."
After these words he sat down, and threw in his quipu—a movement which was imitated by the other chiefs.