Worn out by two years' afflictions, labours, and cares; frequently tormented by the gout; and deprived of the use of my middle finger; I requested the Provincial to substitute another priest in my place. At length, at the end of three months, Joseph Brigniel, a veteran Missionary of the Abipones and Guaranies, accompanied by Father Jeronymo Rejon, was appointed my successor. Both of them, though they had come from the city plentifully furnished with small gifts to gain the good-will of the inhabitants, and with things pertaining to domestic use, were daily called upon for the exertion of their patience, finding the Abipones little tractable, the Mocobios and Tobas ever hostile. These latter, not to mention other instances, invaded the colony whilst Brigniel was performing divine service; on which occasion an old Guarany shepherd was killed in the country, and Oahari, amongst several others, received a deep wound in battle. This Cacique died soon after of the deadly bite of a serpent. Though of mean extraction, he was famous for military deeds; politic, intrepid, courteous to his own countrymen, and formidable to strangers; qualities which gained him the title of Cacique, and the celebrated names, first of Revachigi, afterwards of Oahari. Though scarcely more than thirty years of age, he had rendered his name already illustrious, being superior to most of the Abipones in dignity and beauty of person, in dexterity in horsemanship and the handling of weapons, in contempt of danger, and in greatness of mind. He was always well-disposed towards me, and attentive to my admonitions, except that, from too great a desire to gratify his countrymen, he suffered himself to be hurried into vices, which they indeed account virtues, and was restrained from laying any commands or prohibitions on his people by the consideration that the title of Cacique did not belong to him by hereditary right, but had been conferred by the free votes of the people, and consequently was a very precarious honour. In one respect, he was more fortunate than the Caciques Debayakaikin, Ychamenraikin, and Alaykin, who, though old inhabitants of our colonies, died in battle without having received baptism; whereas he, of his own accord, desired to undergo the ceremony, when he found himself at the point of death.