We then proceeded on our arduous voyage up the river. The enemy watched us in order to throw obstacles in our way; but we arrived at Cavallo-quattia, (or the White Horse,) where we joined the Argentine flotilla, composed of two large launches and a balandra armed as a war-vessel. We were thus supplied with some fresh provisions, so that our condition was much improved. We had good and experienced men, but a reinforcement was agreeable enough, especially in its effects on the habits of our men. Having thus proceeded as far as the Brava coast, we were obliged to stop on account of the shallow water, the difference of which, with the draft of the Constitucion, was four palms. These difficulties began to excite some suspicions in my mind, concerning the final result of the expedition. I had no doubt that the enemy would do their utmost to defeat it; for if it should arrive at Corrientes the injury would have been very great to the enemy, by the Republicans having command of an intermediate part of the river, by holding an intermediate position between the interior provinces, the Paraguay and the capital of the Argentine confederation. It would have been a kind of nest of corsairs, to infest and destroy the enemy's commerce. The enemy accordingly resorted to every measure for our ruin; and they were greatly favored by the want of water in the river, which was altogether unexampled for half a century, according to the declaration of Governor Ferri, of Corrientes. It being impossible to proceed further, I determined to put the flotilla in the best possible state for resistance. From the left bank of the Paraná, where the depth of water was greatest, I drew a line of vessels, beginning with a merchant _yate_, in which were placed four guns; the Terceira in the middle, and the Constitucion on the right wing, thus forming a row, at right angles to the shore, and presenting to the enemy all the force possible. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XVIII. THE ENEMY APPEAR UNDER GENERAL BROWN—WE FIGHT —LABORS AND FATIGUE BY NIGHT—DESERTION—PREPARATIONS TO RENEW THE BATTLE—ANOTHER FIGHT—VESSELS BURNED —LANDING IN SMALL BOATS—LAND TRAVEL—TREATMENT BY THE INHABITANTS—TRAVERSE THE PROVINCE OF CORRIENTES —REACH SAN FRANCISCO—NOTICE OF THE BATTLE OF ARROYO GRANDE, DEC. 6, 1842—SENT BY GEN. AGUYAR TO VESSILLES WITH THE VESSELS—STRANGE PRESENTIMENT—CATCHING HORSE —BAD NEWS.