Page:Letters from the Battle-fields of Paraguay (1870).djvu/363



A VISIT TO THE GRAN CHACO. 333

projects from the north-west to the south-east, and which forms the salient angle opposite the concave of Humaita, is called the " Albardon" — neck or peninsula. Lieutenant Day- makes it far too broad and massive. As usual in this swampy- region, accidents of ground are very complicated, and can hardly be explained without detailed plans. At the first sight it is evident that the Brazilians should have cut a deep channel across the Albardon, which is nowhere six feet above the water level : this would probably have changed the (bourse of the stream, when Humaita would have become an inland defence. The plan was suggested by Dr. McDonald, Surgeon - Major in the Argentine service, and naturally enough he was much derided by ignorant men.

In April, 1868, the Allied armies, having driven the Para- guayans into Humaita, determined to complete the invest- ment of their stronghold by surrounding it on the Gran Chaco side, and by cutting off all its supplies of provisions. General Rivas, with 1200-1500 Argentine troops, landed on April 30 at the Riacho de Oro to the south, marched north- wards, and after repulsing a Paraguayan sortie from Humaita, met on the third day 2500 Brazilian troops under Colonel Falcao. The latter had landed to the north below Timbo, whose defenders had attacked him to no purpose. The two corps amalgamated on May 3, and tlirew up the redoubt " Andai." The Paraguayans, also pushing on from Timbo, opposed this with a new work, the "Cora." General D. Ignacio Rivas, determining to dislodge them, sent an attack headed by Colonel Campos and Martinez de la Hoz, a man of family and reputation. His "gallant rashness," however, served him an ugly turn : the men fled, and both commanders were taken prisoners. An Argentine flag- bearer ran into the water, and his colours were picked up by the Monitor Para : she refused to restore them without taking a receipt, and the proceeding bred abundant iU-wiU