Diario de la expedicion reduccional del ano 1780, mandada practicar por orden del Virey de Buenos Aires

A vivid record from the late eighteenth‑century frontier, this diary follows Colonel Francisco Gavino Arias as he prepares a modest force to enforce a treaty in the Gran Chaco. The opening pages lay out the political friction between colonial officials and the indigenous groups who, surprisingly, show more steady loyalty than the Spanish themselves. Readers get a close‑up view of the bureaucratic debates, the budget constraints, and the uneasy anticipation that fuels the expedition’s planning.

Beyond the paperwork, the narrative captures the cultural exchanges that shape the journey. Missionaries like Father Lapa describe encounters with Mocobí and Toba leaders, the prophetic arrival of the bird ytiminí, and the symbolism of a golden‑staff relic returned by a grieving widow. Their observations of daily life, superstition, and the harsh landscape give a textured picture of a world on the brink of change—laying the groundwork for the challenges that will unfold once the party finally sets out.