In 1743 the combined Indians observing certain signals at the mouths of the Tocoary of a fleet having passed forward, they proceeded up in pursuit of it as far as the _reducto_ of Sappe, in the vicinity of the town of Cuiaba, where they killed some fishermen. A series of such calamities produced a resolution of the ouvidor, Joam Gonsalves, in a junta with the senate and the principal persons of the town, to endeavour to obviate hostilities, through the medium of a firm friendship with the Guaycuru Indians, they not being considered so inveterate against the Portuguese, whose maledictions fell upon the Payagoa tribe, attributing to them alone all the injuries they had sustained. With this intention, a squadron of six canoes of war and six of transport, was sent, under the command of Captain Antonio de Medeiros, with a considerable quantity of articles most esteemed by the Indians, equally for the purpose of making presents as to exchange for horses. Having arrived at an island in front of a post occupied by the Guaycurus, the commandant sent an Indian, versed in their language, with two white soldiers, to the chief of the party, soliciting him to come to the island, as he was desirous to make him some presents, and to enter into a negotiation. On the following day the Indian captain presented himself, with a numerous band of men and women, upon the beach nearest to the island, and with the three deputies sent two of his to Medeiros requesting him to come and parley on land, the two Indians to remain as hostages upon the island. Medeiros immediately proceeded to the other side with a considerable part of his force, and an assortment of various articles, with which he complimented the captain and his relations. He then proposed the projected negotiation, which was to effect a cessation of hostilities with the Payagoas, and to barter horses for European merchandise; to all which the Indian promptly assented. On the following day a large party of Portuguese passed to the other side, in order to traffic with the Indians, without any kind of arms, imprudently confiding in the apparent demonstrations of sincerity which they had evinced; when, about nine o’clock, those who had remained with Medeiros in the squadron perceived a tumult amongst the savages, which convinced them that their comrades were lost. They immediately fired upon them, when the traitors instantly fled, fifty Christians remaining dead upon the field. This disaster terminated all hopes of a friendly negotiation. In 1744 the Indians were routed by the Paulista fleet, without the Christians sustaining more loss than one negro, from the wound of a lance. Notwithstanding the disaster which the savages experienced on this occasion, they boldly advanced up the Paraguay the same year, as far as the passage from Cuiaba to Matto Grosso; and, disembarking at an early hour near the establishment of Joam d’Oliveira, set fire to his house, and killed several people.