Ychoalay, on returning from Sta. Fè, was highly incensed when he heard of the events that had taken place in his absence, and bitterly reproached his countrymen for their want of diligence in watching the enemy whilst they were approaching, and of energy in repelling them, when present. He continually revolved in his mind the injury done to his town by Debayakaikin, and not being able to digest it, appointed a new excursion against him. Hastening therefore to the city of Sta. Fè, he requested soldiers to attend him on the purposed expedition, but obtained only thirty, which the Royal Vice-Governor was chiefly actuated to grant by the consideration, that the death of the Spaniard slain by Debayakaikin's soldiers ought to be revenged by the arms of Spaniards. The soldiers sent on the Vice-Governor's account, however, little interested about the success of the expedition, wished to remain as guards in the town of St. Jeronymo, whilst Ychoalay went with his people against the enemy: but on his sternly declaring that guards for the Abiponian women in the absence of their husbands were neither necessary, nor even endurable, they at last began the journey with the other company of Abipones. But, alas! how short a one did it prove! The ways had been rendered impassable by the spreading inundations of so many rivers, and the whole country was flooded to such a degree, that not a turf appeared on which the horsemen might lie down, or their horses take pasture. All hope of further progress being at a stop, they were obliged to return to the town, and thus an expedition undertaken with so much noise, was terminated in three days, without any advantageous result. Ychoalay, though naturally of an iron constitution, was seized, on his return home, with a burning fever, and a kind of small-pox, called by the Spaniards _Las viruelas bobas_. Without waiting for his complete recovery, he set off, with a small troop, against Oaherkaikin, by whom he was wounded, in a bloody skirmish, with two arrows, as I have related in a former part of this work.