, and proclaim him a
traitor. The murder was perpetrated, and thus was the expedition
deprived of one who is described as an honest and generous good soldier.

Experience had not yet taught the Spaniards that any large body of
settlers in a land of savages must starve unless well supplied with food
from other sources until they can raise it for themselves. The
Quirandies, who possessed the country round about this new settlement,
were a wandering tribe who, in places where there was no water, quenched
their thirst by eating a root which they called _cardes_, or by sucking
the blood of the animals which they slew.

About three thousand of these savages had pitched their movable
dwellings some four leagues from the spot which Mendoza had chosen for
the site of his city. They were well pleased with their visitors, and
during fourteen days brought fish and meat to the camp; on the fifteenth
day they failed, and Mendoza sent a few Spaniards to them to look for
provisions, who came back empty-handed and wounded. Upon this, he
ordered his brother Don Diego, with three hundred soldiers and thirty
horsemen, to storm their town, and kill or take prisoner the whole
horde. The Quirandies had sent away their women and children, collected
a body of allies, and were ready for the attack. Their weapons were bows
and arrows and _tardes_--stone-headed tridents about half the length of
a lance. Against the horsemen they used a long thong, having a ball of
stone at either end. With this they were wont to catch their game;
throwing it with practised aim at the legs of the animal it coiled round
and brought it to the ground. In all former wars with the Indians the
horsemen had been the main strength and often the salvation of the
Spaniards. This excellent mode of attack made them altogether useless;
they could not defend themselves. The commander and six hidalgos were
thrown and killed, and the whole body of horse must have been cut off if
the rest had not fled in time and been protected by the infantry. About
twenty foot-soldiers were slain with tardes. But it was not possible
that these people, brave as they were, could stand against European
weapons and such soldiers as the Spaniards: they gave way at last,
leaving many of their brethren dead, but not a single prisoner. The
conquerors found in their town plenty of flour, fish, what is called
"fish-butter"--which probably means inspissated oil--otter-skins, and
fishing-nets. They left a h