As the event of this foot conflict had proved so contrary to the wishes of the savages, they all mounted their horses, re-entered their ranks, and occupied the whole way between the palisade, and the houses of the Abipones. That they might not attempt to proceed any farther, I burst into the market-place, with the Abipon who had wounded the Toba, carrying a musket in his hand. Do not expect to hear of a field smoking with blood, and bestrown with dead bodies; that was not at all my wish. My only intention was to put these dangerous intruders to flight, and my only anxiety to prevent our being all crushed under their horses' feet. You will laugh to hear how one man can hold out against six hundred horsemen in Paraguay. No sooner had the gunpowder lighted by the Abipon thundered from the musket, than, startled by the sulphureous smoke, or perhaps somewhat touched by the shot, they all quitted their ranks, and fled precipitately with a horrid outcry, overturning rather than turning their horses, and almost forcing them backwards by the violence with which they pulled the bridle. They paused for a while in a neighbouring grove, which they reckoned secure, and ranged themselves afresh in form of battle, designing first, to entice me to pursue them, and then, by means of forty of their companions, who were concealed beneath the sloping bank of a lake in the vicinity, to intercept, surround, and slay me. Being apprized of this ambuscade by a watchman stationed in the court-yard of the house, I loaded the musket again, and stood with my Achates, the Abipon, on a little neighbouring hill, from whence I could observe the farthest motions of the enemy, and defend the chapel, and the houses of the Abipones, by which I was protected on every side from the assault of the inimical troop. The savages, beholding the musket, the sound of which still rang in their ears, were afraid to renew the attack. That they might not, however, appear to have done nothing, and return home empty-handed, since an opportunity of committing slaughter was denied them, they began to turn their attention towards plunder, and three hundred being dismissed to collect the horses of the Abipones, which were feeding on the remote shores of the river, an equal number remained to keep us at bay. The horsemen surrounded the colony at a distance, in the form of a semicircle, remaining perfectly silent and quiet, and keeping their eyes constantly fixed upon the musket. The allied company, as they consisted of three different nations, were distinguished by feathers of various colours hanging from their spears. A band of Abipones kept guard to repel the enemy if they should venture an attack. I was as anxious to preserve the situation I had chosen, as the savages were to maintain theirs. Mutual fear imposed a truce of some hours on us both; we dreading the multitude of enemies,—they the musket. At two o'clock in the afternoon, the plunderers triumphantly returned, bringing a booty of at least two thousand horses, to display which they passed on at a distance, in sight of the colony, but beyond the reach of my weapon. Though greatly distressed at the loss of their horses, my Abipones saluted the plunderers with festive drumming and joyful vociferation, exulting that they who had come with a design of carrying off men, had been forced to content themselves with beasts. After besieging us for some time, the savages joined their companions, nor was their retreat disorderly. By order of the Caciques, two companies preceded the drove of horse, as many followed it, and the rest went on each side. As usual they burnt all the dry grass they could find in the plain, that their countrymen might be apprized of their return from afar, by means of the smoke. They halted on the borders of a lake a few leagues distant from the colony, and there feasted sumptuously on our oxen, as appeared next day from the bones they had left.