The Guide of the Desert

t fury against the invasion of their territory by the whites. At the present day this war, commenced in the early days of the conquest, is continued implacab

ms of which little is known in Europe. They are all the more interesting, as at an early day they will no longer exist but in legend, by reason of the inc

ittle before sunset, in a vast glade situated on the left bank of the Rio Paraguai, at the entrance of a considerable coting

Indians, belonged to tri

roportioned figure his vigorous and well-set limbs, displayed great strength; his regular features would have been beautiful, had they not been disfigured by strange painting and tattooing. But, on examining him with

tionality, but also his position as a chief. A necklace of jaguar teeth encircled his neck; a poncho of gaudy colours was thrown over his shoulders; his large leather drawers reaching to the knee, were fastened at the hips by a girdle of tapir skin, in which was stuck a long knife;

. A polished and glittering bow of palo d'arco of uncommon strength and size was lying near the quiver, and within reach of his hand; leaning against the palm

, and his countenance possessed great flexibility. He was dressed and armed like the first; only by the headdress, made with the fibrous and elastic

ing of the two chiefs whose horses he was charged to watch. These horses, painted like their masters, of different colours, had no harness, but a th

ll the while a kind of calumet, made of the leaves of the palm tree, rolled together, and was listened to

ome," said he. "The sun descends rapidly, several hours have

mised; although degenerate, he is not a paleface.

e of this man?"

im? He is a mameluco; h

d the chief, letting his head fall

ome instants; it was the

," he said, "the jaguars

lied the Pay

an blood, if he has some drops of it, is so mingled in his veins wi

re just; only it is not on the good

en?" asked

tred first

he

is av

gs only that we must trust when we wish to ally ourselves with

ontrary, he i

s bad. What guarantee

ng me the message, has come into my village with two black slaves

his the prudence of my brother Emavidi-Chaime; i

hall

or a considerable time

enveloped the forest in which these two men were. Already in the inexplorable depths of the deser

urus-for the Indians of this nation have adopted the Portuguese titles-gathered some dry wood, formed a

late," said

re is long," laconicall

r what reason he wished the me

master, and sell his secret to an enemy. The mameluco reserves i

man to me? I have only come on the invitation o

for his opinion of me; for a long

ard-slight, and almost inappreciable

d for some seconds, and

op of a horse,"

inutes he w

on the branches snapped, the shrubbery separated under the powerful effort the

p his horse, leaped to the ground, and gave the bridle to the sl

the mameluco, saluted the Indians

arried long," sa

ught to have been here long before, but that was impossible. My master camped in a place farther off

ertanejo; some hours lost are nothing, if t

ll resolved to break the truce that seven

sertanejo?" drily a

re explaining to you

aptains will hear him; they will

f you consent, as I know for some days they have begged you, to prolong the truce, I should have nothing to propose to you, for the simple

th, and for the honesty which they import into their relations with their mort

nswered the Guaycurus, "since I notified

self, could not suppress a gesture

ecommenced the

fly answere

well," said t

ng," said t

o the rendezvous that he himself made, that he may speak of

llecting his thoughts for so

s?" said he, casting at the

shes to gain some advantage by the war that is recommencing,

ironical meaning of the words pronounced by the Guaycurus chi

rprise as not having the least mistrust, and believing that the

d the two

f what I advance, as, for two moons-that is to say, from the da

s not possible,"

o res

at part is this

stop until they come to

Paulistas?" a

y answered t

iefs excha

lthough they may not be Pauli

" said th

eize upon the riches it contains without the a

the chief of this cara

thought, but

e the riches which thes

diamonds which a

hen, that the

ste smiled

hey know so well all the bearings of the coun

ns, fixing upon him

d he without be

rmed them about the riches of ou

ly answer

ou Niom, "Then y

shrugged hi

f your people; do I belong to your nation; have yo

our secret to these men, why d

as to you, see if it will suit you to allo

ur colour shows you; that is to say, a faithless white man. You s

at this rude apostrophe; then

aking prisoner whomsoever may suit me, and to ch

l, it sha

you ac

t aware of the rupture of the truce, and as it would not be honourab

rted from the eyes

ng they were to renounce

thout fear of being disturbed in their

ry, but after a moment a smile

tarou, sun, niom,