The scouts of the latter had obeyed punctually and diligently the orders which they had received, following step by step the advancing foe and reporting to headquarters any notable move.

They possessed the immense advantage of knowing every movement the Queres made from the very beginning, and were thus able to observe them unseen.

As soon as Tyope had concentrated his forces on the northern brink of the Canada Ancha, the main body of the Tehuas receded slightly to the west.

As soon as the Queres began to ascend in that direction, the retrograde movement of the others continued in the centre; whereas the left wing spread out, and the right slightly advanced to the east along the brink of the ravine.

The scouts were called in with all haste and reinforced, especially the body that faced the Queres in the north.