The Province of Corrientes, after the battle of Arroyo Grande, had fallen again under the dominion of Rosas: but the admirable resistance of Montevideo, and some other favorable circumstances, called the people again to independence; and Madariaga and the principal authorities in that revolution had invited General Paz from Montevideo, to take command of the army. That old and virtuous chief, by his own fame and capacity, induced Paraguay to make an offensive and defensive alliance; and that state collected at Corrientes a respectable contingent for the army. Things thus proceeded wonderfully well for that part of the country; and not the least important object was the opening of communications with those interior provinces, to collect in the Department of Salto the Oriental emigrants who were in Corrientes and Brazil. I then sent from the Hervidero a _balenera_, on a mission to General Paz: but, being observed and pursued by the enemy, the men in it were obliged to abandon the boat, and take refuge in the woods. I was obliged to repeat the same thing three times; when at length a brave officer of the Italians, Giacomo Casella, taking advantage of a strong flood in the river, succeeded in overcoming every obstacle, and arrived in the Province of Corrientes. During the same flood I arrived at Salto with the flotilla. The city was governed by Lavalleja, who attacked the Hervidero with a force of about three hundred men, infantry and cavalry. He had been engaged for some days in making the inhabitants evacuate the town; and for them and his troops he formed a camp on the left bank of the Capebi, at the distance of twenty-one miles from Salto. The Republicans took the town, without any resistance, and designed to make some fortifications. That point being occupied, they remained there, but, of course, besieged on the land-side, as the enemy were superior in cavalry. One of the principal inconveniences which they suffered was the want of meat, all the animals having been driven away. But that evil did not last long.