They kept in the woods toward the mountains, expecting their foes to approach on a line closer to the river.

The plan was to allow the Queres to come up undisturbed as far as the north side of the Canada.

As the men from the Rito advanced, the Tehua scouts were to close in from the rear and follow them cautiously, until the enemies were all gathered on the desired spot, with the woods to their left and rugged, barren cliffs and peaks to their right.

Then the trap would be sprung; and if the Queres took to those bleak fastnesses for defence it would be easy to surround them, cut them off from water, and thus exterminate them completely.
Night had fallen when another message came, to the effect that the numbers of the enemy were increasing, and beginning to spread over the timber in small groups.

The war-chief sent a messenger to the Puye, and after midnight the great medicine-man of war appeared in person.