The general thanked the council, requested his aide-de-camp to gather up the quipus; and the treaty was thus concluded.
An hour later the Brazilians, to whom the hostages had been given up, left the Rincón del Bosquecillo in company with a detachment of chosen warriors, and again took the road to the plantations, after having derided, with Gueyma, Tarou Niom, and the principal captains, upon supplementary measures for the success of the projected invasion, and upon the means to be employed for the Brazilians and the Indians, under all circumstances, to communicate with each other.
[CHAPTER III.]
THE COUGAR.
About a month had passed since the conclusion of the treaty between the Brazilians, the Guaycurus, and their allies of the Rincón del Bosquecillo. At the foot of a steep mountain, surrounded by ridges and ravines, the rugged soil of which was covered with a thick forest of oaks, a numerous troop of horsemen was camped at the entrance of a canyon—the dry bed of a torrent—the soil of which was covered with stones rounded and smoothed by the action of the water, which was at this moment exhausted.
This troop, composed of some 250 or 300 men at the most, wore the characteristic costume of Guaycurus Indians.
It was evening. The camp, firmly established and watched over by active sentinels, was, by its position, completely sheltered from attack.
The warriors were sleeping, lying before the fires, enveloped in their ponchos, their arms placed within reach of their hands, so as to be ready to make use of them at the least alarm.