When they arrived in that province they found abundance of necessary things. The natives had retired, not daring to offer battle to the Christians. They now knew clearly that they were in the country of the poisonous herb, and that Diego de Rojas had been killed by it, and not by connivance of Felipe Gutiérrez as had been thought. After all were united the general Felipe Gutiérrez complained, saying that consent could not be given for Francisco de Mendoza to take over the post which had been filled by Diego de Rojas, nor could he suffer him to do so; and thus there began to be enmity between them, Felipe Gutiérrez wishing Francisco de Mendoza to remain subordinate to him like the rest, while Mendoza, knowing that he could not prevent this, had, by making use of the effects of Diego de Rojas, gained friends who gave him to understand that they would not see him deprived of the post he then held, and over this they would all stake their lives. When Felipe Gutiérrez wanted to carry his intention into effect, some of those in the league formed by Mendoza admonished him to desist from a measure that must cause scandal and bloodshed, and be followed by no advantage, but engender great evil. And mediators thereupon intervening between them they made friends, and Mendoza retained his appointment as before. But although this was then arranged, the suspicion that each felt of the other was not removed. FOOTNOTE: [159] The river Salado, which watered the province of Socotonio, first evangelized by St. Francis Solano late in the sixteenth century. They were by this time on the south-western fringe of the Gran Chaco. CHAPTER XCVIII _How the General, Felipe Gutiérrez, pursued his exploration down the river of Soconcho, and what else happened._ After the private negotiations between the captains which we have recounted had been settled, Felipe Gutiérrez, with the concurrence of the rest, went on exploring down the _Soconcho_ river towards the west.[160] This river is not very large, but there are extensive native villages near it; so that those who saw them were of opinion that some new settlements of Spaniards might be formed there, whose members could derive large _repartimientos_ and other advantages. The civil wars there have been in the Realm hindered what now, with the help of our Lord, will be achieved; but let the leaders who may contemplate expeditions in this direction go well provided with horses and defensive armour of cotton; for other kinds do not avail. Proceeding down the river with their exploration, Gutiérrez and his party came to a populous district. The natives have the same dresses and customs as those first met with; but they have different kinds of religion among themselves, and they speak many tongues. They are a people under no description of rule, and so entirely without organization that they appear like brutes.