contain a more indigent or calamitous colony, of which I, who was forced to struggle, for two years, with extreme poverty, and the insolence of these savages, had full and ocular demonstration. The Abipones, solicitous for their security above all things, themselves pointed out a situation for the colony, seventy leagues south of Asumpcion, four leagues distant from the western shore of the Paraguay, and beset with woods, rivers, and marshes, which rendered it difficult of access to the Spaniards, who had to cross that vast river whenever they approached it from their own city. This plain is called Timbò in the Guarany tongue, from a tree of that name which abounds here; by some it has been named La Herradura, or the horse-shoe, because the river Paraguay, being forced into a curve by the interjection of an island, presents, in this place, the appearance of a horse-shoe. Besides this, two tolerably large rivers, (both having salt waters,) flow past the spot where the colony stood, and uniting, in sight of it, into one channel, form a large lake which afterwards discharges itself into the Paraguay. After a long drought, you can seldom find any fresh water, or any of the larger kind of fish, in this labyrinth of waters; innumerable crocodiles, by which the fish are either consumed or kept away, are every where to be seen. In the desire of concealment, however, the Abipones pitched upon this incommodious situation, which the Tobas lay claim to: and the Spaniards willingly ratified their choice, because their enemies, the Mocobios and Tobas, used generally to cross the Paraguay in this place, when they made their excursions against the Paraguayrians. In this sequestered place, the Abipones were ordered to remain, till things being properly settled, and priests appointed, a little town should be built there. In the mean time, oxen were given them for their support, yet they still continued to drive vast herds of horses from the estates of Sta. Fè and St. Jeronymo: but Ychoalay, accompanied with a troop of horse, surprized this horde of thieves by night, and carried off all the horses they had plundered; irritated by which nocturnal assault, they industriously made up for the loss by repeated rapine. Fulgentio de Yegros visited these Abipones with a numerous band of soldiers, for the purpose of making a dwelling-house for the expected priests. After staying two days there, and consuming an incredible number of the oxen intended for the use of the colony, the soldiers built only two little huts, so narrow and low, and so badly constructed, of wood and mud, that the Governor himself pronounced them absolutely uninhabitable.