ling to risk his life by paying a visit to the Tovas
town, and, if possible, induce these Indians to enter into a new
treaty--one of its terms to be their surrendering up the white man, who
had been so long the guest of their deceased cacique.

Fully commissioned and furnished with sufficient funds--gold coin which
passes current among the savages of the Chaco, as with civilised
people--the plenipotentiary had started off, and made his way up the
Pilcomayo, till reaching the old town of the Tovas. Had Halberger's
estancia stood on the river's bank, the result might have been
different. But situated at some distance back, Valdez saw it not in
passing, and arrived at the Indian village to find it, as did the
hunter-naturalist himself, deserted. An experienced traveller and
skilled tracker, however, he had no difficulty in following the trail of
the departed people, on to their other town; and it was the track of his
horse on the way thither, Halberger has observed on the edge of the
influent stream--as too well he now knows.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

A COMPACT BETWEEN SCOUNDRELS.

What the upshot of Valdez's errand as commissioner to the Tovas tribe
may be told in a few words. That he has been successful, in some way,
can be guessed from his being seen in close fellowship with him who is
now their chief. For, otherwise, he would not be there with them or
only as a prisoner. Instead, he is, as he appears, the accepted friend
of Aguara, however false the friendship. And the tie which has knit
them together is in keeping with the character of one, if not both. All
this brought about without any great difficulty, or only such as was
easily overcome by the Paraguayan plenipotentiary. Having reached the
Tovas town--that where the tribe is now in permanent residence--only a
day or two after Naraguana's death, he found the Indians in the midst of
their lamentations; and, through their hearts rendered gentle by grief,
received friendly reception. This, and the changed _regime_, offered a
fine opportunity for effecting his purpose, of which the astute
commissioner soon availed himself. The result, a promise of renewal of
the old peace treaty; which he has succeeded in obtaining, partly by
fair words, but as much by a profuse expenditure of the coin with which
Francia had furnished him. This agreed to by the elders of the tribe;
since they had to be consulted. But without a word said about their
late chiefs protege--the