The last vain endeavour of the two Vice-Governors confirmed the Abipones in their old opinion, that they could never be subdued, whilst scattered up and down the country, and acknowledging no other authority than their own; and this confidence doubled their boldness in disturbing the province. The remembrance of those three Abipones, who were kept in chains in the fort of Monte-Video, was a bitter wound to the Nakaiketergehes, and one which they declared incurable except by a plentiful effusion of Spanish blood. To appease them, therefore, the Vice-Governors of Sta. Fè and St. Iago requested the Governor of Buenos-Ayres, to give liberty to those three captives, and restore them to their countrymen. The Vice-Governor complied. But what they had looked upon as a remedy to the disturbed province, proved, on the contrary, the torment and destruction of the Spaniards. The one whose name has slipped my memory, had died, long before, in fetters; and Zapancha, attempting flight, had thrown himself from a high tower, and injured the spine of his back, so as to render him unfit for a journey. Pachieke, son of Alaykin, alone remaining, was permitted to return to his own country. Incredible were the testimonies of joy with which he was received by his people. He revisited his wife in the town of St. Jeronymo, and, dissembling his furious thirst for vengeance on the Riikahés, the authors of his captivity, became apparently unmindful of his injuries, desirous of a better way of life, eager for quiet, in short, extremely unlike himself. But the fire concealed beneath the ashes at length broke out into flames. After much secret deliberation, he and his companions departed from the town of St. Jeronymo; and that his doing so might not be attributed to fear of any one, he chose that his flight should be accompanied by considerable rapine. Hastening towards the north, he renewed a fellowship with Debayakaikin, both in arms and place of abode. In the prime of his age, and of a handsome person, ready to engage in any bold enterprize, and extremely expert in plundering, he was soon surrounded by men of accordant years and purposes, who were disposed to follow him, and to distress, under his guidance, the colonies of the Spaniards. There was scarce a corner of the province which they did not afflict with hostile incursions. The town of St. Jeronymo was what Pachieke aimed most to ravage and devastate; but the vigilance and activity of the inhabitants defeated almost all his endeavours. CHAPTER XXII. THE CACIQUE DEBAYAKAIKIN SLAIN BY YCHOALAY IN BATTLE, AND HIS HEAD SUSPENDED FROM A GIBBET.