Chapter 7

To the royal jurisdictions of Buenos-Ayres and Rio de la Plata, of Tucuman and Asumpcion,must be added a region named Chaco. Its length is 300 leagues, its breadth 100. Tucuman, the region De las Charcas, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and the rivers De la Plata and Paraguay surround Chaco; on both sides it is bounded by the mountains which stretch from Cordoba to the Peruvian silver mines at the cities of Lipes and Potosi, thence to Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and lastly to the lake Mamore, where they terminate. This territory, throughout its whole extent, enjoys a salubrious climate, and a rich fertile soil. Here it gently swells into pleasant hillocks, there sinks into fertile vallies, affording rich pasturage to horses and cattle of all kinds. It is adorned with woods, and a variety of excellent trees. On the Peruvian side, stones and rocks that seem to threaten the skies, cover immense tracts of land. Towards the south, it is utterly destitute of stones, pebbles, or sand, though you dig to the depth of fourteen feet. Incredible multitudes of strange beasts, birds, amphibious animals, and fishes present themselves to the eye. Besides lakes and rivulets, the ground is watered by noble rivers, which overflow the banks and inundate the sloping plains to a great extent. The most considerable stream in Chaco is the Rio Grande, or Vermejo, which has its source in the Peruvian mountains, and is increased by the accession of many rivers, till it shortly becomesnavigable for small ships. It flows down in a very deep channel, with the most rapid course; washes the cities of Guadalcazar and Concepcion, long since devastated by the savages, and at about thirty leagues distance from thence, mingles its waters with the Paraguay, a little before its junction with the Parana. The waters of the Rio Grande, which abound in fish, are pronounced by authors to be salubrious, especially to those who labour under a difficulty of urine, or any disease of the bladder. The second place to this river is occupied by the Pilcomayo, which also flows from the Peruvian mountains. The distance between it and the Rio Grande is reckoned at thirty leagues. It is not navigable at all times, nor in all places. Nearly eighty leagues from its junction with the Paraguay, it splits into two arms, forming an island of as many leagues in length. The first of these arms which flows into the Paraguay, within sight of Asumpcion, is called by the GuaraniesAraguaaỹ, or the wise river; possibly because the greatest sagacity is requisite to effect its navigation. The whole island is annually flooded, so that both branches of the river coalescing into one channel, it must be attributed to fortune, rather than to skill, if any pilot pass over the opposing shallows, and the meanders of its waters in safety.The other arm, which retains the name ofPilcomayo, unites with the Paraguay at about the distance of nine leagues to the south of Asumpcion. The waters of the Pilcomayo are, for the most part, extremely foul.The Rio Salado derives its origin from the mountains of Salta. In sundry places it changes both its channel and its name. At first it is called Rio Arias, presently Rio Passage, and afterwards, in the neighbourhood of the castle de Val Buena, Rio Salado. Beyond the city of Santa Fè, it assumes the name of Coronda, and finally, under this name, loses itself in the mighty waters of the Parana. For a length of way, its waters are not only sweet, but very famous for their salubrity, which, however, tributary lakes and rivers corrupt with such filth and saltness, that, for the space of many leagues, the very beasts refuse to touch it. It may be worth while to notice the origin of its saltness. The neighbouring plains abound in the shrubvidriera, the ashes of which reduced to a calx are employed in the making of glass. Thevidrieraresembles the juniper; the berries are small and cylindrical, green, nearly transparent, and joined one with another, being in place both of boughs and leaves. If I remember rightly, it bears no fruit. The rain fallingupon these shrubs, contracts a saltness, and flowing down the country, communicates it to the lakes and streams, which enter rivers sweet at their source, and miserably taint them. The palm tree (carandaỹ) under which salt-petre is produced, has the same effect as thevidriera. But though the waters of the Rio Salado be salt, they are pellucid, and in the deepest parts the excellent fish, with which this river abounds, are perceptible at the bottom. Its channel is deep, and contained within narrow, though lofty and precipitous banks, through which it quietly flows, unnavigable, except near Santa Fè. Between the Salado and Dulce flows the rivulet Turugon, which, being girt with woods, even in the driest weather, affords plentiful and sweet waters to the traveller, as it is neither interrupted by shallows, nor tainted with salt. It is not far distant from the little Indian town Salabina. The Rio Dulce, which is the Nile of the territory of St. Iago, after proceeding a little southerly, overflows its banks, and is finally received by the lake of gourds (Laguna de los Porrongos) between Cordoba and Santa Fè. Not many leagues distant is the white lake, (Laguna Blanca,) where the Indians and Spaniards affirm that howlings, as of bulls, are heard in the dead of the night.The rivers and streams of lesser note whichbelong to Chaco, are the Centa, the Ocloyas, the Jujuy, the Sinancas, the Rio Negro, the Rio Verde, the Atopehenra Lauate, the Rio Rey or Ychimaye, the Malabrigo or Neboque Latèl, the Inespin or Naraheguem, the Eleya, &c.; who shall number them all, when they are almost innumerable, and often unnamed? Most of these, after a long drought, become almost dry, a no uncommon occurrence in Chaco. You may often travel many leagues where not even a bird could discover a drop of water. On the other hand, when the sky is prodigal of its hoard, the brooks seem rivers, and the rivers seas, whole plains being inundated. During many journies of many weeks, when we had to contend with water, mud, and deep marshes, there was often not a palm of dry land where we could rest at night. The Spanish soldiers who were with me sometimes ascended high trees, and perching there, like birds, enjoyed some portion of rest during the night. Several of them lighted a fire there to heat their water. But the calamity was far more intolerable when we had to ride, without resting day or night, for many leagues, under a burning sun, before we reached a situation where we could obtain water for ourselves and our horses. At other places, you might traverse immense plains without seeing a twig to light a fire with.Wherever you turn, you meet with an army of gnats, serpents, and noxious insects, besides lions, tigers, and other formidable wild beasts.This is the face of the province called Chaco! which the Spanish soldiers look upon as a theatre of misery, and the savages as their Palestine and Elysium. Hither the Indians fled, when the Spaniards first laid the yoke on the inhabitants of Peru. To escape the dreadful hands, nay the very sight of the Europeans, they betook themselves to the coverts of Chaco. For there they had mountains for observatories, trackless woods for fortifications, rivers and marshes for ditches, and plantations of fruit trees for storehouses; and there a numerous population still eludes the attempts of the Spaniards. It appears very probable, that these lurking-places in Chaco were tenanted by indigenous tribes, prior to the arrival of the Spaniards; and if so, it is indubitable that the new arrivers joined themselves to the natives, in the hope of security. Several tribes formerly existed in Chaco, but of these the names alone, or very slender relics remain. Of this number were the Calchaquis, formerly very numerous, famous for military ferocity, and hostile to the Spaniards. At present, a very few survive in a corner of the territory of Santa Fè, the rest having long since fallen victims to war, or thesmall-pox. Nearly the same fate has swept away the equestrian tribes of the Malbalaes, Mataras, Palomos, Mogosnas, Orejones, Aquilotes, Churumates, Ojotades, Tanos, Quamalcas, &c. The equestrian nations remaining in Chaco, and still formidable to the Spaniards, are the Abipones, Natekebits, Tobas, Amokebits, Mocobios, Yapitalakas, or Zapitalakas, and Oekakakalots, Guaycurus, or Lenguas. The Mbayas dwelling on the eastern shore of the Paraguay call themselves Eyiguayegis, those on the western Quetiadegodis. The pedestrian tribes are the Lules, the Ysistines Foxistines, who speak the same language, to wit the Tonocotè, and have been, for the most part, converted by us, and settled in towns: the Homoampas, Vilelas, Chunipies, Yooks, Ocoles, and Pazaines, who are in great part Christians: the Mataguayos, whom we have so often attempted to civilize, but who always proved indocile: the Payaguas, the Guanas, and the Chiquitos. By the annual excursions of men of our order to the woods, savages speaking various languages, as the Zamucos, Caypotades, Ygaronos, &c. were added to the colonies of the Chiquitos.The Chiriguanos, a nation very famous for number, fierceness and obstinacy, can scarcely, I think, be referred to Chaco, as the majority of them inhabit the territories of Tarija and Peru.Their language, which is somewhat remarkable, is a dialect of the Guarany, very little corrupted. Tradition reports, that they formerly migrated from the southern shores of the Parana and the Paraguay, to these northern tracts of Peru, through fear of the vengeance which threatened them from the Portugueze, for having murdered their countryman Alexo Garzia. This cause of their migration some reject, and contend that near a hundred years before the murder of Alexo Garzia, they had been attacked, but not vanquished, by the Inca Yupangui. This is, at any rate, most certain, that the Chiriguanos, except a few who now profess Christianity, are, at this day, hostile to the Spaniards, and formidable to the whole neighbourhood far and wide.I shall here cursorily mention the other nations yet remaining in Paraguay, without the limits of Chaco: the Guaranies, by far the most numerous of all, inhabiting thirty-two large towns, on the shores of the Parana, Paraguay, and Uruguay, and all of them sincerely attached to the King, and the Catholic Faith; as also the Ytatinguas, who occupy two colonies in the woods of Taruma. Other little towns, also, administered by secular Presbyters, or Franciscans, are inhabited by Christian Guaranies. The Tobatinguas, Tapes, and Caayguas, stillhidden in the coverts of woods, have assumed these names from the mountains, rivers, or forests which they tenant, but are in reality Guaranies, and use the Guarany tongue. The Guayaguis are a populous nation, entirely different from the Guaranies in language, customs, and fairness of complexion. They wander over the remote forests on the banks of the Mondaỹ-guazù. They leap from tree to tree, like monkies, in search of honey, little birds, and other provision. Destitute of clothing and settled habitations, a timid race, they pass their lives without injuring any one. On the craggy rocks overhanging the river Tebiguarỹ Miri, and the little city Villa Rica, dwells a race of savages, called by the Spaniards Guaycuruti, from the fairness of their faces; men tall of stature, and armed with a club, and arrows. Troops of these occasionally descend into the plain beneath their mountains, and with their missiles or clubs kill the mules and horses of the Spaniards, and cutting them into pieces, transport them on their shoulders, and feast most luxuriously upon them at home. When, therefore, this carnage of horses and mules had brought devastation on the Spanish estates, it was unanimously agreed to examine the lurking-places of the savages, and either lead them away captive, or cut them off by massacre. The expedition was weighty,but brief. For on the very first day, some unaccountable panic induced them to return. To these horse-eaters I join the Indian man-eaters, who wander in the woods between the rivers Parana and Uruguay, as also on the shores of the Mondaỹ-guazù, and Acaraỹ, constantly intent on the chase of men, whose flesh they infinitely prefer to that of any beast. They have been sought after by men of our order, often with great hardships, often at the peril of their lives, but always in vain. The extensive plains, the forest labyrinths, the difficult recesses of the Yguazu, Ygatimi, Carema, Curyi, Acaraỹ, Monday, &c. abound in hives of wood Indians, who, though differently named, according to the places where they reside, may in general be referred to the Guarany nation.Among the equestrian nations out of Chaco, the first place is held by the Guenoas, who reside between the rivers Uruguay and Plata, and the Pacific Ocean, without, however, having any fixed settlements. This very numerous nation comprehends the Charruas, the Yaros, Bohanes, Minoanes, and Costeros, all horsemen, and of the most barbarous manners. These savages, as dwelling nearest the Rio de la Plata, and being, as it were, the door-keepers of all Paraguay, have ever given the most trouble to the new arrivers from Spain, to whom they arehostile in the highest degree. In 1750, the soldiers of Santa Fè, to revenge their frequent violation of the stipulated peace, surprized the perfidious Charruas, about morning, as they were sleeping in their tents. Many were slain, and the rest led into captivity with their families. On the western shore of the Parana, a village was built for them, about twenty leagues distant from the city, a priest given them to instruct them in religion and humanity, and a guard of soldiers added to secure his personal safety, and prevent their flight. The savages were chiefly supported by the flesh of wild horses, with which the neighbouring plains are overrun. Tamed by hunger and misery, the Charruas applied themselves to agriculture, and yielded conformity to their priest, who, fearing nothing farther for his own security, and that of the colony, desired that the soldiers might be removed, as he found their presence totally useless to himself, and extremely prejudicial to his proselytes. This good man, who was a Franciscan, knew that he should lose both cost and labour, if the Indians observed the manners and discourse of the soldiers incongruous with the precepts issued from the church. On the fear of hostile aggression, soldiers are sometimes sent from the city for the defence of a new colony; but we dreaded the coming of the soldiers,more than that of the savages. For the former by their licentiousness do more harm to the women, than the savages could do to the colony with all their weapons. About the end of the last century, men of our order, by their eloquence and kindness, so far brought over the barbarous Yaros, who form a large part of the Quenoas, that, collected in a little town dedicated to St. Andrew, they suffered themselves, for some time, to be instructed in religion; but at the instigation of a certain famous juggler, they returned to their old haunts. Being asked the cause of their flight, "We don't like," said they, "to have a God who knows and sees all we do in secret. It is our fixed resolve and pleasure to enjoy our old liberty of thinking and acting as we like." The massacres committed by these worst of savages, in the territories of Corrientes, Santa Fé, and Monte-Video, alike exceed belief and calculation.That immense plain which stretches out to the south west of Buenos-Ayres, is inhabited by equestrian savages. They have not all the same name or language. By the Spaniards they are either called Pampas,—dwellers in champaigne country; or Serranos,—mountaineers. From the Indians of Peru, they receive the general name of Aucas, to wit, enemies, or rebels. In reality, however, theyare divided into Puelches, Peguenches, Thuelchùs, (whom we call Patagonians,) Sanguelches, Muluches, and Araucanos, the masters of the Chili Alps. Horrible names!—but far more horrible are the dispositions, deeds, manners and opinions of those who bear them. The country tenanted by these savages stretches an hundred leagues from north to south—from east to west full two hundred; is almost destitute of wood and water, but abounds in wild animals. Multitudes of emus wander over these solitudes. The horse supplies them with food, clothes, lodging, bed, arms, medicine, thread, and what not? Of the hide they make their couch, clothing, boots, tents, saddles, and thongs which serve alike for bridle and weapons. The sinews of the horse they use instead of thread, for the purposes of sewing. They drink melted horse-fat, and wash their heads, first with the blood of these animals, and afterwards with water, in the idea of its strengthening them. They twist horse-hair into ropes. They are terribly addicted to drunkenness, and expend their whole property in purchasing brandy from the Spaniards. When I resided in Buenos-Ayres, to sell this pestilent liquor was a crime, the absolution of which was reserved for the Bishop alone. For a single flagon of brandy, the young maid is often sold by her parents asa wife to some savage suitor. As soon as the first potation is prepared of the alfaroba mixed in water, they flock to their burying-places, not without many ceremonies, and sprinkling them with this beverage, utter the tenderest lamentations, for pity that those entombed beneath cannot enjoy their nectar. In war, these savages are extremely formidable to the neighbouring Spaniards. Fleet horses, a sword, a spear, and three stone balls covered with leather, and suspended from as many thongs, which they hurl with great dexterity, are their weapons, and weapons by no means to be despised.The Southern savages, when wrought to the highest pitch of bitterness, leave their enemy, mutilated in both feet, and writhing on the ground, like a worm, to the tortures of a protracted death. This is their most familiar threat, when angry. Those whom they despatch at a single blow, they think kindly and humanely treated. Actuated by an irrational kind of pity, they are wont to bury their dying ere the breath has left them, to shorten their pains. At other times, when they see a man struggling in the agonies of death, they paint him with various colours, and adorn him with blue beads. They compose the corpse in such a manner, that the knees touch the face. Hishorses, ornamented with small copper bells, glass beads, and emu feathers, they lead round the tent of the deceased, for a certain number of times, after which they kill them. The same fate awaits his dogs. The bodies of the horses are fastened to the grave with stakes, from which are suspended many coloured garments. They believe that the souls both of men and emus inhabit subterraneous tents. See! what multitudes of nations are yet remaining in Paraguay! numerous others, moreover, whose names exist alone in histories and maps, have perished long since from various causes. Of this number are the Caracaras, Hastores, Ohomàs, Timbus, Caracoas, Napigues, Agazes, Itapurus, Urtuezes, Perabazones, Frentones, Aguilotes, &c.In this place we may add, that within the ample confines of Paraguay, there is scarce known a single nation upon which the Jesuits have not bestowed their labours, and for which, whenever it was permitted, a colony was not founded. Above all, the nation of the Guaranies, though never to be vanquished by the arms of the Europeans, evinced such docility and obedience to the instructions of the Jesuits, and such submission to God and the Spanish monarchy, as could neither be gained nor expected from the other Americans. The Guaranies owe it to the exceeding benevolence of theSpanish Kings, that they have ever sent them Jesuits from Europe to teach them religion, that they have liberally supported them, that the annual tribute exacted from them has been lightened, and that they have protected them against envy and calumny by their royal letters. No time can erase the memory of such benefits. No one, however, will deny that the Spaniards, on the other hand, owe much to the Guaranies educated under our discipline. They have been partakers in all the wars which the Spaniards have waged in Paraguay against foreign or domestic foes, and have had a great share of all their victories. Again and again have all the Indian nations secretly conspired to the destruction of the Spaniards. And doubtless so great a number of rebels must ultimately have triumphed over so small a band as the Spaniards, had not our Guaranies, embracing the royal party, strenuously opposed the arms and purposes of its opponents. From one instance which I shall produce, you may judge of the rest.In the years 1665 and 1666, the Indians almost universally harboured designs of expelling the Spaniards from the whole province. Already were the torches of sedition and tumult scattered in every corner of Paraguay. The royal Governour Alphonso Sarmiento, alarmed by these rumours, hastened from Asumpcion,with a little band of soldiers, to the town of Arecaya, about sixty leagues distant, situate on the banks of the Yeyuy; a place of the inhabitants of which he entertained some suspicions. The greater part of them were in a state of slavery to private Spaniards, and but little content with their lot. Pretending friendship, however, they received the Governour with honour, and he, suspecting no turbulence for the present, took up his quarters on the skirts of the town, in huts of boughs and straw. In the dead of the night the Indians surprized the Spaniards with every species of weapon, and cast fire upon their huts. Some of the Spaniards were slain and more wounded; most of their clothes were burnt, their gunpowder was exploded, and some of their guns were taken by the enemy. In the trepidation excited, the soldiers betook themselves to the neighbouring church, where they thought for a little while to remain in safety. But destitute of meat and drink they must have perished of thirst and famine. The holy water was converted into a remedy for their thirst. The enemy blockading the walls, they had no opportunity of escape, no means of obtaining provision. At last, the danger of the Governour and his comrades being told to the Guarany Ytatinguas in St. Ignacio and Nuestra Señora Santa Fè, Father Quesa, whopresided over both these colonies, set out immediately with about two hundred of his Indian horsemen, in the view of assisting the Governour. After travelling incessantly for twenty-four hours, they entered Arecaya, where the Indian rebels were slain or taken prisoners by the Christian Guaranies, and the Spaniards brought forth to freedom and security. Out of the company of Guaranies three horsemen were chosen to carry the Governour's letters to Asumpcion, in which he informed them of what had happened, and what steps must be taken for his own safety and that of the province. The court of Madrid was immediately apprized of the fidelity and zeal of the Guaranies, whom the Catholic King honoured with gracious letters, which are still preserved in the register of Nuestra Señora a Santa Fè. It appears from sufficient authority that a sedition raised by factious and warlike nations, with a view to the destruction of all the Spaniards, would have broken out had they not stood in awe of the strength and immutable fidelity of the Guarany nation towards the King. On this very account they were exposed to the hatred of the savages hostile to the Catholic King. The Guaycurus for many years harassed these two towns of the Ytatinguas, and compelled them, at length, to exchange their station for one surrounded by therivers Parana and Paraguay, where yet remain the posterity of those who aided the Spaniards endangered in Arecaya.Concerning the ten towns of the Chiquitos I have spoken before. These Indians, formidable from their warlike courage and mortally poisoned arrows, whenever commanded by the royal Governours have uniformly proved brave and faithful fellow-soldiers to the Spaniards against the savages, and even against the Portugueze. Less in point of number, but highly consequential to the tranquillity of the whole province, have been the four cities of the Abipones, the two of Mocobios, one of Tobas, and another of Mbayas, warlike and equestrian nations. To these add the pedestrian nations, the Lules, Vilelas, Chiriguanos, Chunipies, Homoampas, &c. converted by us to the Roman rites and discipline in their own colonies. In language, manners, and religious observances, they differ amongst themselves; they are all, however, attached to agriculture.Very many Indian towns have long since ceased to exist, sometimes from the inconstancy of the Indians sighing for their native land, sometimes from the malevolence, the avarice, or inertness of the Europeans. Father Joseph Labrador is my authority, that seventy-three towns of various Indians perished in the provinceof Chaco. In the present age, by much labour of the Jesuits, three towns have arisen, at an immense expense, for the southern savages, the inhabitants of the Magellanic territory, all dedicated to the most holy mother of God. The first, named Concepcion, is inhabited by the Pampas, and acted as a defence to the inhabitants of Buenos-Ayres against the incursions of the savages. The rulers of the newly-built town, Father Matthias Strobl from the province of Austria, and Manuel Querini, a Venetian of noble family, were men of distinguished piety, prudence, and fortitude. Both Fathers possessed singular dexterity in managing the minds of the Indians. The neighbourhood of the city, and of the Spanish estates, where there was plenty of spirit and of bad example, incredibly retarded the conversion of the savages to a better way of life. The Serranos and Patagonians, who came backwards and forwards to visit the Pampas, won by the kindness of the Father, and taken by the conveniences of life which the inhabitants of the colonies enjoyed, began earnestly to desire a little town of this sort in their native soil. Their wishes were immediately gratified. Fathers Falconer and Cardiel, the one an Englishman of great skill in medicine, the other a Spaniard, and a man of anardent and intrepid mind, travelled to their savage wildernesses, and having felt the pulse of the people, looked about for an opportune situation, wherein to establish the intended colony. At length the town was built, and the Caciques Marike and Tschuan Tuya, with four-and-twenty hordesmen belonging to them, settled therein; it was named Nuestra Señora del Pilar. To govern this colony, Father Matthias Strobl, who knew a little of those languages, was removed thither by the mandate of the Superior. Though daily vicissitudes occurred, yet hopes of the happiest progress shone through them. But an unforeseen event almost proved fatal to the new raised colony. Thus it was: a murder happening to be committed in the territory of Buenos-Ayres, soldiers were sent by the Governour to detect the assassins. Cacique Yahati, a Serrano, accompanied by fifteen persons of both sexes, in travelling to the city, fell in with the soldiers, and without any foundation for the conjecture, was carried off on the suspicion of this murder, and kept closely confined in prison with his people in the city. With how incensed a mind the inhabitants of the town bore so great an injury done to their countryman, of whose innocence they felt assured, can scarcely be expressed. The life of Father Matthias Strobl was placedin the most imminent danger. Cacique Marike, who, though blind in both eyes, possessed the greatest authority among them, was immediately delegated by the infuriated people to make the just demand of their captive's liberty from the Spanish Governour, and to declare instant war, in the name of the whole nation, against the Spaniards if he should refuse. This threat filled Joseph Andonaegui with distracting cares, conscious, as he was, of the slender forces he had to oppose to so numerous a foe. The examination of the murder being resumed, and the witnesses being heard again and again, the innocence of the imprisoned Cacique at length appeared, some credible Spaniards asserting, that at the very time when the murder was committed he was engaged in a certain shop in the city. Which being proved, after a causeless captivity of four months, they were immediately granted their liberty and the power of returning to their friends by the equitable Governour. These things fell out on my third visit to Buenos-Ayres, about the beginning of the year 1748. Through an Indian interpreter I had a good deal of conversation with the blind Cacique Marike, and on my playing to him in my chamber, on the viol d'amour, he took such a liking to me, that he earnestly entreated me to go to their colony, as an assistant to FatherMatthias Strobl, who was growing aged. Both my feet, I confess, itched for the journey; I answered, however, "Pleased indeed should I be to mount my horse, and accompany you to the Magellanic lands. But men of our profession cannot go where we will, except we be sent by the command of our captain, (the provincial.") "Where, pray, does your captain dwell?" eagerly inquired Marike. "In this very house," returned I. On hearing this he immediately caused himself to be led into our provincial's chamber, and with importunate but vain entreaties, begged me for his companion. The provincial replied, that I was now appointed to another station, but promised to send me in two years to his colony, and the provincial would have stood to his promise, had not my labours been needed amongst the Abipones.On the departure of the captives from Buenos Ayres, the town was restored to its former tranquillity, and shortly after increased by new supplies of Patagonians. For these a single town was prepared, four leagues distant, and named Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados. The government of it was committed to Father Lorenzo Balda of Pampeluna, and to Father Augustino Vilert a Catalan. Three of the Patagonian Caciques, with eighty of their hordesmen,occupied this colony. A horde consists of three or four families, sometimes of more. Each family generally numbers four, five, and often more heads; for the Patagonians have many children, and polygamy is very common amongst them. They are docile beyond all the other southern tribes, and make less opposition to baptism, but I cannot commend the young men of this nation either for honesty or modesty. Scarce any commerce is carried on between the Spaniards and Patagonians. From a nation so populous, so tractable, and of so gentle a disposition, great accessions were reasonably expected to Christianity, but Satan confounded all these fair hopes. Cangapol, the potentate of that region, long beheld these Christian colonies with gloomy and envious eyes. Through them he thought that friendships would be formed with the Spaniards, the freedom of the southern nations endangered, and his own power in these parts gradually diminished, and ultimately suppressed. Hence he turned his whole heart and thoughts to hastening the destruction of the new town, and the banishment of the Fathers who taught the strange religion. In order to effect these purposes, as many savages as possible were associated in a contract of arms, and an expedition was at length undertaken. Matthias Strobl, being made acquaintedwith the route and immense number of the enemy, made a timely request by letter, to the Governour, for military succours from Buenos-Ayres, which city promised seventy provincial horsemen, but never supplied one. Thus having suffered a repulse from the Spaniards, whose interest it chiefly was to maintain these towns, by flying with his people, the Father eluded the enemy—eluded since he could not subdue. The towns, their flocks, and their herds were left. The neophytes and catechumens, all who were sincere in religion and friendly to the Spaniards, fled with the Fathers to the city of Concepcion. But this colony being daily harassed by hostile incursions, and but lazily defended by the Spanish guards, was entirely deserted on the 3d of February, 1753, a severe loss to the city. For the savages being now at full liberty to ravage where they would, the estates for two leagues distant from the city were presently left destitute of their guards, and the lands around the village of Magdalen, famous for large crops of wheat, of their cultivators, both having fled to safer quarters. In the city itself the most disgraceful trepidations often arose, sometimes from real danger, at others from the suspicion alone of an enemy. In the circumjacent estates and plains very many were despoiled of their substance, their cattle, andtheir life, by the assaulting savages. The light-armed cavalry, who were commanded to keep watch in the country and repress the enemy, suffered repeated losses. Waggons laden with silver from Peru, were often despoiled of their treasures, the soldiers who guarded and transported them being miserably butchered. The same savages have often proved fatal, always formidable, to the inhabitants of Barragan, a bay of the Rio de la Plata, where vessels are often drawn out and refitted. Those who went southward in great numbers for salt to the salt-pits, were sometimes slain to a man. Then at length the Spaniards perceived the utility of the southern colonies, after they had irrecoverably lost them. That so many thousand Indians who dwell in the southern parts, should be buried together in their darkness, is indeed a reflexion worthy of regret. Who will not deplore the infinite miseries of the Jesuits, who laboured for many years upon this people, the hardships of their journeys, their want of necessaries, the daily perils that threatened their lives, and the greatness of their labours,—labours almost fruitless, except indeed their sending to Heaven a considerable number of infants, baptized before their death, as also not a few adults? At first, before oxen and sheep were sent for their subsistence, the Fathers lived onhorse-flesh, the daily food of those Indians. Father Thomas Falconer, who wandered over all the plains with his Indians to kill horse-flesh, having no plate of pewter or wood, always, in place thereof, made use of his hat, which grew at length so greasy, that it was devoured whilst he slept by the wild dogs with which the plains are over-run. Father Matthias Strobl's hut being set on fire by some villain or other, and the straw roof being already in flames, he would doubtless himself have perished, had he not been awakened from his deep sleep, by one who continued faithful to him, and rescued him from the conflagration. The town of Concepcion was situated in 322° 20´ longitude, and in latitude 36° 20´; that of Nuestra Señora del Pilar was distant from Concepcion seventy leagues to the south west; from Buenos-Ayres full an hundred and ten leagues; from the town of Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados only four.Nor must you think that the care of taming and instructing the southern nations has been neglected till our time. This business was taken up by the Catholic kings, and us Jesuits, in the last century. Every method was vainly tried to unite them to Christ and the Catholic King. Omitting the rest, Fathers Nicholas Mascardi and Joseph Quilelmo, indefatigableteachers of the holy religion in that place, were murdered by their cruel, unmanageable disciples. Nothing daunted by the ferocity thus manifested in the savages, our companions, both of Chili and of Paraguay, left no stone unturned to enlighten these uttermost corners of South America with the torch of the gospel; but the attempt was ever vain and unrewarded, save by the immortal glory which their apostolic magnanimity and fortitude gained them. In the year 1745, a ship was despatched by Philip the Fifth from Cadiz to Paraguay, for the purpose of inspecting the shores of Magellan, and the neighbouring land. If any post or commodious station offered itself, it was to be fortified against an enemy. If they discovered the quarters of any savages, a colony and religious instruction were to be awarded them. Three Jesuits, therefore, were destined by the King for this perilous expedition. Father Joseph Quiroga, Father Joseph Cardiel, and Father Matthias Strobl. From the military guard of the city of Monte-Video, twenty-five soldiers were chosen for the defence of the ship and the crew. They weighed anchor in the port of Monte-Video, on the 17th of December, 1745, and set out with prosperous gales and minds full of hope.Whatever land or water came within his observation, was diligently explored, and carefullynoted in the journal of the voyage by Father Quiroga, who, in a boat, examined the harbour, the rivers, the lakes, the depth or shallowness of the water, the sandbanks, and the rocks between them; in short, every thing dangerous or favourable to the navigation of the Spaniards. Fathers Strobl and Cardiel, meantime, taking a divided route, on foot, in various directions, attended by a certain number of soldiers, traversed the plains remote from the shore, and accurately examined their nature, and whether any sign of human habitation, or convenience for the same appeared, often ascending the steepest mountains with this view. Not unfrequently they receded many leagues from the shores, in the hope of finding Indians. Father Strobl, after having proceeded four leagues without seeing a man, or any sign of man's habitation, abandoned all hope, and sent a soldier to tell Father Cardiel, who had travelled many leagues, and was quite spent with so much walking, that he thought it highly imprudent to prosecute the journey they had begun—that they might not improbably fall in with a numerous troop of savage horse, by whom they, a few wearied footmen, would undoubtedly be all cut to pieces—that he had himself long wished to fall in the cause of religion, but that he neither could norwould place the lives of others in such peril—and that even were they free from this danger, and were no enemy to meet them, yet, as their provisions were already consumed, if they prosecuted their journey, both themselves and their companions must perish of hunger. Father Cardiel however, always intrepid, dissuaded the return, urging that the habitations of the savages must be near, principally on this ground, that he saw a whitish dog barking at his men, but which soon after ran away, hastening, as might be believed, to his master. In spite of these arguments, both Fathers returned with their companions to the ship. There the matter being prudently discussed, and all the officers consulted, it was finally resolved that Father Cardiel, at his earnest desire, should be permitted to repeat the journey, on this condition, that he should set out with four and thirty men, soldiers as well as sailors, who were willing to follow him of their own accord, and with provisions sufficient to last them eight days. The journey was begun on the 20th of February, and each day they travelled about eight leagues. For the most part, they walked in a narrow and almost obliterated path of the Indians. Drinkable water was every where at hand. Except emus, and a few huanacos, no beasts were any where seen. On the fourth day of their journey,about evening, they perceived a high hill, from the top of which they beheld a plain, entirely destitute of grass and trees. They all thought the cold of the night air intolerable; for though shrubs were at hand to supply their fires, yet when the side nearest to it grew warm, the other, being exposed to the most piercing wind, seemed frozen. Amidst all this cold, the courage of the soldiers daily inflamed more and more, but their bodies were observed sensibly to fail and break down. Their shoes being worn by the roughness of the roads, many of them crept along with naked, and not a few with wounded feet. Father Cardiel too was first afflicted with nephritic pains, and afterwards with such a debility in his feet, that he could not advance a step without crutches. With all this, however, the ardent desire of discovering the habitations of the savages never cooled. But their provisions, which were destined for an eight days' journey, being now, after five days, in great measure consumed, they were obliged to hasten back again to the ship. One effect however was produced by this calamitous journey—it was now finally determined, by ocular demonstration, that the hordes of the savages were at a great distance from the sea; and that immense tracts of land bordering upon the shore were uninhabitable, as destitute either offresh water, grass, or trees, or of all together; so much so at least, that, except a few emus and huanacos, you could find scarce any sort of beast. All things, therefore, having been considered, since there was no opportunity of erecting a colony for the Indians, or a fortress for the Spaniards, they unanimously resolved upon a return; to be conducted, however, in such a way, that they should repeatedly disembark and explore those places they were obliged to pass by in coming. At length, on the 4th day of April, about sun-set, they cast anchor in the port of Buenos-Ayres. The journal which Quiroga had made of the shore and harbours, soon after printed and published at Madrid, with plates of whatever seemed remarkable, will be of the highest use to Spaniards hereafter in navigating this turbulent sea. I may here add, that Father Joseph Cardiel, not having discovered the savages of the coast of Magellan, either in his naval or his pedestrian journey, set out on horseback in search of them, with a few companions. But their pains were as fruitless as before. After wandering much and long over these solitary plains, and consuming all the provisions he had brought with him, he was reduced to such straights as to be obliged to feed on grass, unless he preferred dying of emptiness, the extremity of which obliged him to return toBuenos-Ayres, his business left unfinished, but himself, for his signal fortitude, his magnanimity, and apostolic ardour, truly deserving of honour and imitation.In the year 1765, a large merchant-ship freighted to the value of some millions, destined to Callao, a harbour of Lima, was stranded and lost off the island of Terra del Fuego. The crew fortunately escaped, and reached the island in a boat, the ship gradually foundering. Part of the provision, the cannon, and other necessaries for supporting life, were providently got out of the leaking vessel. A hill, neighbouring to the sea, was occupied by the shipwrecked Spaniards, and fortified by I don't know how many cannon. These being discharged, a troop of the Indian inhabitants was seen advancing from afar. They were entirely naked, and each kept rubbing his belly with his hands. On a second explosion, they all fell on the ground, still continuing, however, to rub their bellies. This ridiculous action of the savages the Spaniards were in doubt whether to construe into a sign of friendship, or of hostility. As no one understood their language, they were invited by gentle tones, friendly nods, and little gifts displayed to them, till at length they approached the station of the Spaniards, still rubbing their bellies without intermission.Which custom surprizing the Spaniards, they now call themRascabarrigas, or the belly-rubbers. To conciliate the minds of the islanders, elegant weapons, food, and various other little gifts were offered them; except, however, some strings of glass beads, nothing was accepted by the savages, who feared some fraud from the strangers. They were, however, peaceable and quiet, so that the Spaniards mixed amongst them, without fear of injury or hostile designs, and solicitous only respecting the means and opportunity of sailing back to their friends. It was resolved to build a vessel after their own model, sufficient for the number of the shipwrecked. Trees adapted for ship-building abounded in this island, nor did they want workmen or carpenters' tools. The Indians themselves faithfully indicated the places which supplied the hardest and largest wood, and with more good-will than usefulness assisted the Spaniards in cutting and sawing the beams; but after three or four strokes of the axe, or lifts of the saw, they retired fatigued, being utterly unaccustomed to labour. The Spaniards, however, longing to revisit their native soil, made up for the deficiencies of the Indians, by their own sedulity. And now when every thing was ready and prepared, iron nails were wanted to fasten the joints of theship. But the sea, bringing up various chests from the foundered ship with the tide, one was found amongst them full of the requisite nails, a circumstance looked upon by all as a signal favour of Providence. Some of the tackling, which they had prudently taken from the lost ship, proved of great service. With these aids the finishing stroke was put to the little vessel, in which, after a prosperous voyage of about a thousand leagues, they arrived safe at the harbour of Monte-Video. All this which I have written on the shipwreck and navigation of the Spaniards was related to me in the city of Santa Fé, by an old Biscayan, builder of the foundered ship, companion of all their perils, and architect of the vessel constructed in the island. In the year 1788, when with my companions I was awaiting my passage to Europe, at Buenos-Ayres, a ship set sail from that port, for Terra del Fuego, with two priests, who being liberally provided with every thing from the royal treasury, were ordered to establish a settlement in that island, and to teach the natives religion. But not long after, they returned to Buenos-Ayres in the same ship, without effecting their business. What was done, or attempted, and what was the occasion of their hasty return, I know not: but I heard the groans of the noble Spaniards, whoearnestly desired the Jesuits for this momentous expedition: they, however, were recalled, God knows why, that same year to Europe. In succeeding years the Spaniards have wished to subdue and instruct that island, which lies near to the Maloine islands, in south lat. 51° 30´, and west long. 60° 50´ from the meridian of Paris. This isle, named from St. Maló, a town of Bretany, was taken possession of with the labour and expense of Louis Antoine de Bourgainville, then colonel of foot, and of Messieurs de Nerville and de Arboulin, his relatives, and in the year 1763, or more probably 1764, delivered to some loyal and industrious families of Nova Scotia, to be civilized. Three years after, to wit in 1767, it was sold for eighty thousand Spanish crowns to the Catholic King Charles, who thought that this colony of strangers, as neighbouring to the provinces of Peru and Chili, so rich in gold and silver, might prove dangerous to his monarchy, in case of war, and cause a disunion between the Spanish and French monarchies. The French families being transported to Europe, their places were supplied, for the most part, by Spanish convicts, scarce one of whom did not prefer a prison, or speedy death, to the constant and lasting calamities of this province. Philip Ruiz Puente, of the king's war-shipLa Liebre, who brought outnew settlers, warlike implements, and provisions, was appointed to the government. He was accompanied by another ship of war,La Esmeralda, commanded by Matteo Callao.—This captain, returning in the same, from the Maloine islands, to Monte-Video, transported me, with one hundred and fifty of my associates, back to Europe. We had with us the Frenchman Nerville, who had just discharged the government of that unhappy island; from him, as well as from the Spaniards employed there, I learnt most of what I have written on this subject.On sufficient grounds have I bestowed the epithet unhappy on an island, which is, nevertheless, by some Frenchmen pronounced equal to the Fortunate Islands: and no wonder, for do we not always cry up the goods we want to sell? Attend to what I have learnt on good authority, respecting the island of St. Maló. It was never habitable either by Indians, or beasts, so destitute is it of every thing pertaining to the support of life. Rushes instead of trees, moss instead of grass, marsh and mud for earth, cold always the most severe for air, and night almost perpetual, with darkness and clouds, instead of sun, are what it offers to the new inhabitants. The longest day lasts but a very few hours. From its propinquity to the antarctic pole, it generally rages with furioussouth winds, whirlwinds, and tempests. The frost, joined to almost perpetual snow, is on this account the more intolerable, because throughout the whole island, which is far from extensive, there is not wood sufficient to make a fire, or build a hut, unless it be brought from Terra del Fuego, which cannot be done without danger. The goats which the French had brought, either from the want of pasture, or the noxious qualities thereof, soon perished. The corn, from the ooziness of the soil, never attained maturity, the stalk being always stunted, and the ear seldom formed at all. Hence, the European supplies being now consumed, frequent famine was added to their other miseries. Provision was afforded them by the water-fowl called by the English, Penguins. In place of bread, powder and shot were given to the Spanish soldiers and others to shoot birds with. These, though at the coming of the French exceedingly numerous, yet partly from being constantly shot, partly from being scared away, were so diminished, that the succeeding Spaniards were deprived of this solitary benefit of that most sterile island. Nevertheless, it must be confessed, that this island, though calamitous to its inhabitants, is of service to the Spaniards, as affording a refuge to vessels in distress, an harbour capable of containing a moderate fleet, and conveniencefor procuring water. The places open to the attack and ascent of an enemy, were fortified by a mound and a tier of cannon. Antonio Catani, then colonel of foot, commanded the small garrison. But in discoursing on the devastated cities of Paraguay, I have suffered myself to be carried away into the lands of Magellan. Let me now return to the straight road.To record every Indian town which has been overturned in Paraguay, and the causes and periods of the fall of each, were a task of infinite time and labour. It appears on record that upwards of four hundred towns, which formerly stood around Guadalcazar, a city of Tucuman now destroyed, utterly perished. Within the limits of the cities Cordoba, Rioja, St. Iago, St. Miguel of Tucuman, Corrientes, and Asumpcion, I might almost say that innumerable colonies have fallen to the ground. Those which remain are mere shadows of towns, consisting of a few miserable inhabitants—miserable, for they are slaves to Spanish individuals. Before I relate the devastation of many of our Guarany towns by the Mamalukes, inhabitants of Brazil, allow me to make a few premises. The soldiers, fresh arriving from Spain, subdued the lands and nations bordering on the Parana and Paraguay only: as for those more remote, they did not want courage to explore them, but means. Nota few of the Guaranies were enlightened by the torch of the Gospel, chiefly by the Franciscan Fathers, and, if circumstances permitted, placed in colonies. St. Francisco Solano and Lewis Bolaños were famous for their apostolic expeditions in that age; but the want of associates like themselves, and of successors, rendered them unequal to the harvest which lay before them; and infinite was the number of Guaranies which lurked within the coverts of the woods and shores—a multitude hostile, on every opportunity, to the Spaniards, then few in number. In 1610, Ferdinand Arias, the governor both of Buenos-Ayres and Asumpcion, marched out with numerous forces against the Guaranies inhabiting the banks of the Uruguay, but alarmed by their numbers and ferocity, returned to the city. Not by the fire-vomiting arms of soldiers, but by the sweet eloquence of the Fathers, by love, not by fear, were the Guaranies vanquished. In the same year, Father Marcello Lorenzana, a Spaniard, and master of our college at Asumpcion, at length prevailed upon the Guaranies who wandered between the Paraguay and Parana, to embrace the Roman Catholic religion, in the large town which he had built for them, under the illustrious name of St. Ignatius Loyola. Near about the same time, Fathers Giuseppe Cataldino and Simone Mazzeta,Italians, Antonio Ruiz de Montoya, an American Spaniard, and their successors, in after years, Roque Gonzalez, a Spaniard of Paraguay, Pedro Romero, Diego Boroa, &c., all Jesuits, explored the province of Guayra, as also those forest and mountain coverts toward the river Uruguay, which had proved inaccessible to the Spanish soldiery, where they discovered many thousands of Guaranies, who were assembled in colonies, and brought over to God and the Catholic King.These rapid progresses in the Christian cause have been miserably retarded by the Mamalukes from Brazil, a bordering country, and principally from St. Paulo. The Mamalukes are a set of people born of Portugueze, Dutch, French, Italians and Germans, and Brazilian women, celebrated for skill in shooting and robbing, ready for any daring enterprize, and thence distinguished by the foreign name of Mamalukes: for it was their constant custom to carry off the Indians, led by the Fathers into the freedom of the children of God, into the hardest slavery. By their incursions, repeated for a number of years, they overthrew the towns of Asumpcion in Ỹeyuỹ, of Todos Santos in Caarõ, of the holy Apostles in Caazapaguazù, of St. Christopher on the opposite side of the Ỹgaỹ, of St. Joachim in the same place, of SantaBarbara, on the western bank of the Paraguay, and of St. Carlos in Caapi. The Guarany inhabitants of these colonies, with the exception of a few who escaped by flight, were led away to Brazil, chained and corded, in herds, like cattle, and there condemned to perpetual labour in the working of sugar, mandioc, cotton, mines, and tobacco. The sucking babes were torn from the bosoms of their mothers, and cruelly dashed upon the ground by the way. All whom disease or age had rendered imbecile were either cut down or shot, as being unequal to the daily march. Others, in sound health, were often thrown by night into trenches prepared for them, lest they should take advantage of the darkness, and flee. Many perished by the way, either from hunger or the hardships of a journey protracted for many leagues. In this hunting of the Indians, they sometimes employed open violence, sometimes craft, equally inhuman in both. They generally rushed into the town in a long file, when the people were assembled in the church at divine service, and, blocking up every street and corner, left the wretched inhabitants no way of escape. They frequently disguised themselves as Jesuits, wearing rosaries, crosses and a black gown, and collected companies of Indians in the woods. Many towns that were liable to the treacherous hostilities of theMamalukes, such as Loretto, St. Ignatius, &c. were removed to safer places, by a journey of many months, and with incredible labour, both of the Fathers and of the Indians. Nor did the Mamalukes spare our colonies of the Chiquitos and Moxos, nor others in the lands of the Spaniards, which were administered both by the secular and regular clergy. The Indian towns settled on the banks of the Yeyuỹ, in Curuquati, and many others, were entirely destroyed by the Mamalukes. The same fate attended Xerez, Guayra, (Ciudad real,) Villarica, &c. cities of the Spaniards. Who can describe all the devastation committed in Paraguay? Hear what is said on this subject in the collection ofLettres Curieuses et Edifiantes:—"It is asserted," say they, "that in the space of one hundred and thirty years, two millions of Indians were slain, or carried into captivity by the Mamalukes of Brazil; and that more than one thousand leagues of country, as far as the river Amazon, was stripped of inhabitants. It appears from authentic letters, (sent by the Catholic King —— in the year 1639, 16th Sept.) that in five years three hundred thousand Paraguayrian Indians were carried away into Brazil." Pedro de Avila, Governour of Buenos-Ayres, declared that Indians were openly sold, in his sight, by the inhabitants of the town of St. Paulo, at RioJaneiro; and that six hundred thousand Indians were sold, in this town alone, from the year 1628 to the year 1630.But this their rapacity did not always remain unpunished; for, after the Guaranies were permitted by the King to carry fire-arms, they were frequently repulsed, and chastised with bloody slaughters. Memorable above the rest, was that victory which four thousand Guarany neophytes obtained at the river Mborore over a numerous flotilla of Brazilian banditti. Four hundred of the inhabitants of St. Paulo were present, in three hundred barks, with two thousand seven hundred of their allies the Tupies, the most ferocious savages in Brazil. The Guaranies, headed by Ignacio Abiazù, a chief of their nation, went to meet the enemy in five ships, and firing the cannon upon them, overturned three of their boats, many of the Brazilians being either killed or wounded. Most of them, terrified at this unexpected salutation, leaped from their boats on to the shore, and despairing of success in a naval fight, assaulted the army of Guaranies in the rear by surprize; but were bravely repulsed on every side, and partly slain: and indeed they would all have been massacred, had not night put an end to the fight and the victory. Next day they pursued the remnant of the enemy through the wood with suchsuccess, that the very few who remained alive, forsaking their camps and their boats, hastened home in great trepidation, and covered with wounds. Three only of the victorious Guaranies were slain about the beginning of the conflict, and forty wounded. This event rendered the men of St. Paulo afraid of the emboldened Guaranies. Peace and security were restored to their towns, and Christianity, which the perpetual incursions of the Mamalukes had not only disturbed, but almost banished, was every where greatly forwarded.Nor should you imagine, that these things, relating to the Brazilians, are calumniously represented or exaggerated by Spanish writers. The Most Faithful King Joseph I. himself confesses, in a decree issued on the 6th of July, in the year 1755, and inserted into the new code of Portugueze laws, that many millions of Indians were destroyed, and that, at the present time, very few Brazilian towns remain, and equally few inhabitants. He adds, that this was occasioned by the depriving the Indians of their liberty, contrary to the laws of Portugal. He declares the Indians free, orders the captives to be set at liberty, &c. Likewise other pious kings of Spain and Portugal, his predecessors, prohibited all robbery, sale, oppression, and persecution of the Indians whatsoever, under theseverest penalties, by repeated laws. Many governours of provinces urged, but rarely brought about the observance of these decrees. For innumerable persons, who profit by the captivity and services of the Indians, care more about riches than about conscience and honour. The barbarity of these men towards the Indians was pourtrayed in lively and faithful colours by the Jesuit Father Antonio Vieyra, who preached on this subject at the Court of Lisbon, in the year 1662, when his persecutors had turned him out of the province of Maranham, on account of his defending the liberty of the Indians.As the royal laws were disregarded in Brazil, in order to eradicate this abominable custom of enslaving and ill-treating the Indians, the King found it necessary to have recourse to the threats and penalties of the Pope. Paul III., Urban VIII. and Benedict XIV. threatened to excommunicate all who should presume, in the words of the Roman Court, to reduce the Indians to a state of servitude; to sell, buy, exchange, or give them away; to separate them from their wives and children, or in any way whatsoever to deprive them of their liberty, or retain them in servitude; or to do the aforesaid under any pretext whatsoever of lending them counsel, aid, favour, or service; or to declare, or teach it to be lawful so to do, or to effect it in any way whatsoever.All this was prohibited, under pain of excommunication, in favour of all the Indians then dwelling in the provinces of Brazil and Paraguay, and at the river Plata, as well as in all other regions both of the western and southern Indies. The Pontifical and Royal letters against the oppression of the Indians were intended also to correct and intimidate the Spaniards, who, though they had formerly been less eager in captivating the Indians, were accustomed nevertheless to make use of them as slaves, in opposition to the commands of the king. It is incredible how wickedly they strove to disturb the colonies of the Chiquitos and other savages, because they feared that no Indians would be left in the woods for them to take and sell. For from this traffic of the Indians many thousands of crowns were yearly collected; but on account of it the savages were forcibly deterred from embracing religion, perceiving that, if they became Christians, and the friends of the Spaniards, they must be eternally enslaved and miserable.The Spanish historians complain that the Indians were hardly treated and oppressed with labour by their masters, in many cities of Paraguay. The Indians, wearied with miseries, returned, whenever they could, to the ancient recesses of their forests. The Lules, who had formerly been baptized by St. Francisco Solano,and cruelly enslaved by the inhabitants of the city Esteco, fled to the woods which they had formerly inhabited; from whence the Jesuit Father Antonio Machoni, a Sardinian, brought them back, and with incredible labour civilized them in Valle Buena, and they have remained to this day in the town of St. Estevan. The warlike Calchaquis, deserting their Spanish masters, and scorning miserable servitude, returned to the caves of their native land, whence sallying forth, they afflicted Tucuman with frequent and bloody slaughters. The citizens of Concepcion, on the banks of the river Bermejo, were all destroyed by the Indians whom intolerable slavery had exasperated. The Jesuits, whilst, intent upon disseminating religion, they endeavoured to vindicate the liberty of the Indians, were often punished with exile, often with calumny and abuse, by those who had their own private interest more at heart than the augmentation of religion, or of the royal authority. The Indian towns, the inhabitants of which were subjected to private individuals, named Encomenderos, have long since been reduced, as I said, to such wretchedness, that they rather seemed shadows of towns, than the reality: whilst, on the other hand, the thirty-two towns of the Guaranies, ten of the Chiquitos, and smaller ones of other nations, the inhabitants of which were subjectonly to the Catholic Monarch, continually increased in population, and always remained and flourished under our discipline. I do not pretend to say that Paraguay and Brazil were at all times utterly destitute of Portugueze and Spaniards who paid strict obedience to the laws, who execrated the avarice and cruelty of their countrymen in regard to the Indians, and left no stone unturned to restore and protect their liberty, and to aid the progress of religion. But alas! those few with grief beheld themselves unable to correct a multitude of barbarians. Ability, not inclination was wanting.Some mention has been made of the rivers which flow through Chaco: yet much remains to be said of the Parana, the chief and receptacle of them all, which at Buenos-Ayres obtains the splendid but inappropriate title of La Plata. Historians have made many mistakes respecting the source of this river, and the origin of its name. For they think that La Plata takes its rise chiefly from the Paraguay, and that this latter comes from the lake Xarayes. But in both these conjectures they are wide of the mark. For the river La Plata is in reality the vast Parana, enriched in its course by the Paraguay, Uruguay, and innumerable other streams. From its distant source, as far as the Pacific Ocean, it is invariably distinguished by theGuarany natives with the name of Parana, which word signifies something akin to, or resembling the sea.In the year 1509, Juan Diaz de Solis, sailing from Europe, discovered the river Parana, and gave it his own name, Solis. In the year 1527, Sebastian Cabot and Diego Garcia called it the Silver River, Rio de la Plata, because they found among the Indians dwelling near it some plates of silver, brought from Peru by the Portugueze, and robbed from them, but suspected by the Spaniards to have been taken out of the bosom or shores of this river. But after nearly three centuries had elapsed, no silver had yet been discovered there. This river, which, though destitute of silver, is perhaps the greatest in the world, retains to this day the name of the Parana, which it received at its rise. It first bears the name of La Plata at the river Las Conchas, six leagues distant from Buenos-Ayres, where appears a remarkable rock, La Punta Gorda, a little beyond which place, on the western shore, it absorbs the Uruguay, which has already received the waters of the Rio Negro. By which means, the Parana is augmented to such a degree, that at Las Conchas it is ten leagues in width. Hence vessels that have sailed through the Paraguay and Parana rest here as in port, and are here unloaded, andloaded afresh before their return. For those small vessels which are sent from the cities of Asumpcion and Corrientes and from the Guarany towns, could not safely proceed farther.The source of the river Parana has afforded as much matter of controversy as the native city of Homer. The Spaniards who first went to subdue Paraguay, after travelling for the space of full five hundred leagues, either on the stream itself, or on its banks, are said never to have been able to arrive at its source. The Brazilian Indians think the Parana originates in an immense lake arising from the Peruvian mountains, perhaps that called Lauricocha, near the Guanuco, about the 11th degree of latitude. Others, with more appearance of probability, derive the river Amazon from the lake above-mentioned, though the Indians insist upon it that the Amazon and the Parana both proceed from the same source. But who would pay any attention to what the Indians say? Many rivers flowing from the Peruvian mountains vary their course every now and then, and are mingled one with another: now who, amid such a labyrinth of streams, could so exactly distinguish the Parana from the rest as to leave no room for doubt? It has been ascertained that this river, in its various turnings and windings, travels more than eight hundred leagues before it disgorges itselfinto the sea, by a huge mouth. In this long journey it receives the waters of many rivers and innumerable brooks. Who can enumerate this crowd of confluent streams? I will mention the principal ones which occur to my memory, following its course from lands situate between north and south.On the western shore the Parana receives the waters of the Ỹgayrỹ, the Ỹmuncina, the Monicỹ, the Amambaỹ, the Ygatimỹ, navigable to middle-sized vessels, the Ỹgureỹ, the Yguairỹ, the Acaraỹ, a noble river, as large as, perhaps larger than the Danube at Vienna. For on the shore itself I measured it to be full six fathoms deep, and that not during the time of inundation. It flows in a very wide channel, but so quietly that you can hardly hear it. It is joined on the way by thirty rivers of various sizes, and would certainly be navigable to large ships, were it not impeded by rocks, which might perhaps be removed could the Spaniards be brought to perceive the advantages of its navigation. For the herb of Paraguay, which abounds in the woods near its banks, might be transported along this river to the Parana, and thence to the city of Buenos-Ayres, with a great saving both of time and expense. But they are blind to these advantages. The Mondaỹ, which springs from the Tarumensian woods, near thetown of St. Joachim, and afterwards other moderate-sized rivers, such as the Ỹhu, the Tarumaỹ, the Yuguirỹ, the Guirahemguaỹ, the Cambay, &c. augment it to such a degree that it becomes navigable to larger kinds of skiffs and boats—the Caapivarỹ, the Aguapeỹ, which has a narrow but very deep channel, and is dangerous to swimmers by reason of its water monsters, (the Yaguaro, a kind of water tiger, often devours horses and mules as they are swimming in this river)—the Atingỹ. All these, which I have mentioned, are of lesser note; they are quite ignoble streams. But now listen attentively whilst I give you some description of the place where the city Corrientes is situated and which lies in lat. 27° 43´ and in long. 318° 57´. You must know that the great Paraguay, swelled by the waters of so many rivers which it has received in its progress, here becomes the prey of the greater Parana, and, at the same time, loses the name it has hitherto borne. For that vast body of water formed by the junction of both rivers is never called the Paraguay but always the Parana, because the former brings a far greater quantity of water than the latter. But though both rivers flow within the same banks and in the same channel, the limpid Parana, scorning the muddy waters of the Paraguay, for some time refuses to mix entirelywith it. It is certain that, about three miles apart, you may perceive the waters to be different both in colour and taste. The Parana, which, a little before, flowed westerly, following the Paraguay, changes its course, hastening towards the sea, the mother of streams. However you may despise this conjecture, it seems to me to possess some probability. In the country of St. Iago del Estero, the rivers Dulce and Salado have frequently changed their channel on this very account, and the same has been the case with regard to some other rivers. In the city of St. Iago, St. Francisco Solano built a dwelling-house, and a handsome church, for his companions, in such a manner that the door of it did not look toward the market-place of the city, but towards the plain. The brothers not approving of this plan, the architect Solano, who was famous for the gift of prophecy, bade them wait a little, saying, that what they now desired, in ignorance of the future, would some day really happen. Some years after, the river Dulce, which washes the city, changed its channel. The city was forced to be changed also, which being done, the door of the church fronted the market-place, as it does at this day. The event verified the prediction, which the native Spaniards related to me when I was there. But let us now return to the Parana.The eastern shore of it is, in great measure, steep and stony; the western shore, on the contrary, is low, muddy, and subject to floods. All that part of this province which looks towards the west, beyond the Parana, abounds in immense trees of various kinds, (fit for building ships and waggons,) in fertile pastures and tracts of land, now sinking into plains, now rising into gentle hills; yet you can scarce ever meet with a situation fit for human habitations or fixed towns, either from the superfluity or deficiency of water, or, which comes to the same thing, the saltness and bitterness of it; for if you build a colony on the shores of the Parana, it will be inundated with water on the next flood, extending for two leagues beyond: if you remove it two or three leagues from the shore, both the inhabitants and the beasts will perish of thirst.The rivers of lesser note, and more uncertain duration, which unite with the Parana, after its junction with the Paraguay, are the rivers Negro, Verde, Blanco, Rubeo, the Rio de Gomez, the Atopehenra-lauatè, or the place of Capibaris, the Alcaray, the Cayman, the Embalzado, the Rio del Rey, called by the Abipones Ychimaye, the Malabrigo, called by the Abipones Neboquelatèl, the Eleya, the Saladillo, the Inespin, called by the Abipones, Narahaguem, the Rio de Martin, the Salado, the Carcaranal, theTortugas, or river of tortoises, the Matanza, the Rio de los Arrecifes, the Areco, the Lujan, the Rio de las Conchas. We have now reached the port where vessels, coming from the east or west of Paraguay, are in danger; for here the Parana, swelled by the accession of so many rivers, and by that of the vast Uruguay, and the equally vast Rio Negro, takes the appearance of a sea. But just as the Parana does really show itself akin to the sea, it suddenly receives the name of La Plata. What is the reason of this? Has it any silver in its bosom or on its shores? Nothing is to be found there but mud. However, as Scipio received the title of Africanus, from having devastated Africa, by the same right may the Parana be called La Plata from the Peruvian silver which it has often swallowed up, along with the ships that contained it. Here the river is ten leagues wide, yet, not content with its own magnitude, it joins with itself the other ignobler streams which flow towards the west. The most noted of them is that by the Spaniards called Riachuelo.The more considerable rivers which join the Parana, on the eastern side, beginning at the north, are the Añembỹ, the Parana-panè, the Guitaỹ, the Iguazu, flowing from Brazil, by which the Mamalukes formerly came to plunder the Guaranies. This river is of no inconsiderablesize, and will bear tolerably large vessels. Four leagues from the bank of the Parana you meet with a cataract thirty ells high, from which the river falls headlong, with a frightful noise, and such a foam proceeds from it that the thick vapour, covering the place like a cloud, may be seen at four leagues distance. As this cataract is utterly impassable, navigators travel by land, for some time, and drag their boats along with their hands. Three leagues from the cataract the river is only one league in width. The Ybiraytỹ, the Yabebirỹ, which flows past the Guarany towns of St. Ignatius-miri, and Nuestra Senhora de Loretto, is narrow but very deep, the St. Ambrose, the Rio de los Astores and the Rio de Sta. Lucia. Through these last-mentioned rivers we have often known those cruel pirates the Payaguas come to plunder the estates of the Spaniards, and slay the inhabitants. The Corrientes, a moderate-sized river, which rises from the neighbouring lake Yberà, formerly called Lago de los Caracaras, said to be about four miles in length, but of inconsiderable and varying breadth. Many islands which it contains, are chosen at this time by Indian runaways, as places of concealment; and we learn that, in the last century, they were inhabited by the Caracara Indians who proved very formidable, and almost invincible, to the Spaniards.However, at the command of the Governour of Buenos-Ayres, a party of our Guaranies, under Juan de Garay, happily attacked and conquered them, most of the enemies being either slain or taken captive after an obstinate defence of all the islands. These are the names of the other rivers which join the Parana. The Guanguilarò, the Espinosa, the Alcaràz, the Hernand Arias, the Pardia, the Rio de los Charruas and the Pacu. But all those streams are of lesser importance.Jam paulò major a canamus.We have now arrived at the place where the Uruguay, a river of the first magnitude, submits to the Parana. It rises in the mountains of Brazil, between the twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth degrees of latitude, in the Captaincy of St. Vicente, (according to Bourgainville,) and flows for the space of full two hundred leagues; the rocks and cataracts with which it is here and there impeded render navigation extremely difficult, even to middle-sized skiffs. The largest of all the cataracts blocks up the whole river at the Guarany town Yapeyù, and denies a passage to skiffs coming from the port of Buenos-Ayres, so that the sailors are obliged to carry them on their shoulders by land, in order that they may proceed on their journey. It is proper in this place to describe that kind of vessel in use amongst the Uruguayan Indians,and which in the Spanish language is calledbalsa. Two very large boats, sometimes seventy feet long, are firmly joined together with cross-planks, and over them they strew reeds carefully matted by way of a pavement. In the midst a little reed hut is erected, covered with bulls' hides to defend it from the inclemencies of the weather. Oars, not sails, are made use of, both in going up and down the stream, with more security than despatch. There is, moreover, need of many rowers; in all directions you meet with islands rich in palms, citrons, peaches and various other trees, but which abound likewise in tigers, serpents and other wild animals either dangerous, or fit for food. The immense rocks, of which these cataracts are composed, being blasted, were indeed hurled aloft into the air, but falling back again into the river, obstructed the passage of even the smallest vessels. Thus remedies are often worse than the disease itself.

To the royal jurisdictions of Buenos-Ayres and Rio de la Plata, of Tucuman and Asumpcion,must be added a region named Chaco. Its length is 300 leagues, its breadth 100. Tucuman, the region De las Charcas, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and the rivers De la Plata and Paraguay surround Chaco; on both sides it is bounded by the mountains which stretch from Cordoba to the Peruvian silver mines at the cities of Lipes and Potosi, thence to Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and lastly to the lake Mamore, where they terminate. This territory, throughout its whole extent, enjoys a salubrious climate, and a rich fertile soil. Here it gently swells into pleasant hillocks, there sinks into fertile vallies, affording rich pasturage to horses and cattle of all kinds. It is adorned with woods, and a variety of excellent trees. On the Peruvian side, stones and rocks that seem to threaten the skies, cover immense tracts of land. Towards the south, it is utterly destitute of stones, pebbles, or sand, though you dig to the depth of fourteen feet. Incredible multitudes of strange beasts, birds, amphibious animals, and fishes present themselves to the eye. Besides lakes and rivulets, the ground is watered by noble rivers, which overflow the banks and inundate the sloping plains to a great extent. The most considerable stream in Chaco is the Rio Grande, or Vermejo, which has its source in the Peruvian mountains, and is increased by the accession of many rivers, till it shortly becomesnavigable for small ships. It flows down in a very deep channel, with the most rapid course; washes the cities of Guadalcazar and Concepcion, long since devastated by the savages, and at about thirty leagues distance from thence, mingles its waters with the Paraguay, a little before its junction with the Parana. The waters of the Rio Grande, which abound in fish, are pronounced by authors to be salubrious, especially to those who labour under a difficulty of urine, or any disease of the bladder. The second place to this river is occupied by the Pilcomayo, which also flows from the Peruvian mountains. The distance between it and the Rio Grande is reckoned at thirty leagues. It is not navigable at all times, nor in all places. Nearly eighty leagues from its junction with the Paraguay, it splits into two arms, forming an island of as many leagues in length. The first of these arms which flows into the Paraguay, within sight of Asumpcion, is called by the GuaraniesAraguaaỹ, or the wise river; possibly because the greatest sagacity is requisite to effect its navigation. The whole island is annually flooded, so that both branches of the river coalescing into one channel, it must be attributed to fortune, rather than to skill, if any pilot pass over the opposing shallows, and the meanders of its waters in safety.The other arm, which retains the name ofPilcomayo, unites with the Paraguay at about the distance of nine leagues to the south of Asumpcion. The waters of the Pilcomayo are, for the most part, extremely foul.

The Rio Salado derives its origin from the mountains of Salta. In sundry places it changes both its channel and its name. At first it is called Rio Arias, presently Rio Passage, and afterwards, in the neighbourhood of the castle de Val Buena, Rio Salado. Beyond the city of Santa Fè, it assumes the name of Coronda, and finally, under this name, loses itself in the mighty waters of the Parana. For a length of way, its waters are not only sweet, but very famous for their salubrity, which, however, tributary lakes and rivers corrupt with such filth and saltness, that, for the space of many leagues, the very beasts refuse to touch it. It may be worth while to notice the origin of its saltness. The neighbouring plains abound in the shrubvidriera, the ashes of which reduced to a calx are employed in the making of glass. Thevidrieraresembles the juniper; the berries are small and cylindrical, green, nearly transparent, and joined one with another, being in place both of boughs and leaves. If I remember rightly, it bears no fruit. The rain fallingupon these shrubs, contracts a saltness, and flowing down the country, communicates it to the lakes and streams, which enter rivers sweet at their source, and miserably taint them. The palm tree (carandaỹ) under which salt-petre is produced, has the same effect as thevidriera. But though the waters of the Rio Salado be salt, they are pellucid, and in the deepest parts the excellent fish, with which this river abounds, are perceptible at the bottom. Its channel is deep, and contained within narrow, though lofty and precipitous banks, through which it quietly flows, unnavigable, except near Santa Fè. Between the Salado and Dulce flows the rivulet Turugon, which, being girt with woods, even in the driest weather, affords plentiful and sweet waters to the traveller, as it is neither interrupted by shallows, nor tainted with salt. It is not far distant from the little Indian town Salabina. The Rio Dulce, which is the Nile of the territory of St. Iago, after proceeding a little southerly, overflows its banks, and is finally received by the lake of gourds (Laguna de los Porrongos) between Cordoba and Santa Fè. Not many leagues distant is the white lake, (Laguna Blanca,) where the Indians and Spaniards affirm that howlings, as of bulls, are heard in the dead of the night.

The rivers and streams of lesser note whichbelong to Chaco, are the Centa, the Ocloyas, the Jujuy, the Sinancas, the Rio Negro, the Rio Verde, the Atopehenra Lauate, the Rio Rey or Ychimaye, the Malabrigo or Neboque Latèl, the Inespin or Naraheguem, the Eleya, &c.; who shall number them all, when they are almost innumerable, and often unnamed? Most of these, after a long drought, become almost dry, a no uncommon occurrence in Chaco. You may often travel many leagues where not even a bird could discover a drop of water. On the other hand, when the sky is prodigal of its hoard, the brooks seem rivers, and the rivers seas, whole plains being inundated. During many journies of many weeks, when we had to contend with water, mud, and deep marshes, there was often not a palm of dry land where we could rest at night. The Spanish soldiers who were with me sometimes ascended high trees, and perching there, like birds, enjoyed some portion of rest during the night. Several of them lighted a fire there to heat their water. But the calamity was far more intolerable when we had to ride, without resting day or night, for many leagues, under a burning sun, before we reached a situation where we could obtain water for ourselves and our horses. At other places, you might traverse immense plains without seeing a twig to light a fire with.Wherever you turn, you meet with an army of gnats, serpents, and noxious insects, besides lions, tigers, and other formidable wild beasts.

This is the face of the province called Chaco! which the Spanish soldiers look upon as a theatre of misery, and the savages as their Palestine and Elysium. Hither the Indians fled, when the Spaniards first laid the yoke on the inhabitants of Peru. To escape the dreadful hands, nay the very sight of the Europeans, they betook themselves to the coverts of Chaco. For there they had mountains for observatories, trackless woods for fortifications, rivers and marshes for ditches, and plantations of fruit trees for storehouses; and there a numerous population still eludes the attempts of the Spaniards. It appears very probable, that these lurking-places in Chaco were tenanted by indigenous tribes, prior to the arrival of the Spaniards; and if so, it is indubitable that the new arrivers joined themselves to the natives, in the hope of security. Several tribes formerly existed in Chaco, but of these the names alone, or very slender relics remain. Of this number were the Calchaquis, formerly very numerous, famous for military ferocity, and hostile to the Spaniards. At present, a very few survive in a corner of the territory of Santa Fè, the rest having long since fallen victims to war, or thesmall-pox. Nearly the same fate has swept away the equestrian tribes of the Malbalaes, Mataras, Palomos, Mogosnas, Orejones, Aquilotes, Churumates, Ojotades, Tanos, Quamalcas, &c. The equestrian nations remaining in Chaco, and still formidable to the Spaniards, are the Abipones, Natekebits, Tobas, Amokebits, Mocobios, Yapitalakas, or Zapitalakas, and Oekakakalots, Guaycurus, or Lenguas. The Mbayas dwelling on the eastern shore of the Paraguay call themselves Eyiguayegis, those on the western Quetiadegodis. The pedestrian tribes are the Lules, the Ysistines Foxistines, who speak the same language, to wit the Tonocotè, and have been, for the most part, converted by us, and settled in towns: the Homoampas, Vilelas, Chunipies, Yooks, Ocoles, and Pazaines, who are in great part Christians: the Mataguayos, whom we have so often attempted to civilize, but who always proved indocile: the Payaguas, the Guanas, and the Chiquitos. By the annual excursions of men of our order to the woods, savages speaking various languages, as the Zamucos, Caypotades, Ygaronos, &c. were added to the colonies of the Chiquitos.

The Chiriguanos, a nation very famous for number, fierceness and obstinacy, can scarcely, I think, be referred to Chaco, as the majority of them inhabit the territories of Tarija and Peru.Their language, which is somewhat remarkable, is a dialect of the Guarany, very little corrupted. Tradition reports, that they formerly migrated from the southern shores of the Parana and the Paraguay, to these northern tracts of Peru, through fear of the vengeance which threatened them from the Portugueze, for having murdered their countryman Alexo Garzia. This cause of their migration some reject, and contend that near a hundred years before the murder of Alexo Garzia, they had been attacked, but not vanquished, by the Inca Yupangui. This is, at any rate, most certain, that the Chiriguanos, except a few who now profess Christianity, are, at this day, hostile to the Spaniards, and formidable to the whole neighbourhood far and wide.

I shall here cursorily mention the other nations yet remaining in Paraguay, without the limits of Chaco: the Guaranies, by far the most numerous of all, inhabiting thirty-two large towns, on the shores of the Parana, Paraguay, and Uruguay, and all of them sincerely attached to the King, and the Catholic Faith; as also the Ytatinguas, who occupy two colonies in the woods of Taruma. Other little towns, also, administered by secular Presbyters, or Franciscans, are inhabited by Christian Guaranies. The Tobatinguas, Tapes, and Caayguas, stillhidden in the coverts of woods, have assumed these names from the mountains, rivers, or forests which they tenant, but are in reality Guaranies, and use the Guarany tongue. The Guayaguis are a populous nation, entirely different from the Guaranies in language, customs, and fairness of complexion. They wander over the remote forests on the banks of the Mondaỹ-guazù. They leap from tree to tree, like monkies, in search of honey, little birds, and other provision. Destitute of clothing and settled habitations, a timid race, they pass their lives without injuring any one. On the craggy rocks overhanging the river Tebiguarỹ Miri, and the little city Villa Rica, dwells a race of savages, called by the Spaniards Guaycuruti, from the fairness of their faces; men tall of stature, and armed with a club, and arrows. Troops of these occasionally descend into the plain beneath their mountains, and with their missiles or clubs kill the mules and horses of the Spaniards, and cutting them into pieces, transport them on their shoulders, and feast most luxuriously upon them at home. When, therefore, this carnage of horses and mules had brought devastation on the Spanish estates, it was unanimously agreed to examine the lurking-places of the savages, and either lead them away captive, or cut them off by massacre. The expedition was weighty,but brief. For on the very first day, some unaccountable panic induced them to return. To these horse-eaters I join the Indian man-eaters, who wander in the woods between the rivers Parana and Uruguay, as also on the shores of the Mondaỹ-guazù, and Acaraỹ, constantly intent on the chase of men, whose flesh they infinitely prefer to that of any beast. They have been sought after by men of our order, often with great hardships, often at the peril of their lives, but always in vain. The extensive plains, the forest labyrinths, the difficult recesses of the Yguazu, Ygatimi, Carema, Curyi, Acaraỹ, Monday, &c. abound in hives of wood Indians, who, though differently named, according to the places where they reside, may in general be referred to the Guarany nation.

Among the equestrian nations out of Chaco, the first place is held by the Guenoas, who reside between the rivers Uruguay and Plata, and the Pacific Ocean, without, however, having any fixed settlements. This very numerous nation comprehends the Charruas, the Yaros, Bohanes, Minoanes, and Costeros, all horsemen, and of the most barbarous manners. These savages, as dwelling nearest the Rio de la Plata, and being, as it were, the door-keepers of all Paraguay, have ever given the most trouble to the new arrivers from Spain, to whom they arehostile in the highest degree. In 1750, the soldiers of Santa Fè, to revenge their frequent violation of the stipulated peace, surprized the perfidious Charruas, about morning, as they were sleeping in their tents. Many were slain, and the rest led into captivity with their families. On the western shore of the Parana, a village was built for them, about twenty leagues distant from the city, a priest given them to instruct them in religion and humanity, and a guard of soldiers added to secure his personal safety, and prevent their flight. The savages were chiefly supported by the flesh of wild horses, with which the neighbouring plains are overrun. Tamed by hunger and misery, the Charruas applied themselves to agriculture, and yielded conformity to their priest, who, fearing nothing farther for his own security, and that of the colony, desired that the soldiers might be removed, as he found their presence totally useless to himself, and extremely prejudicial to his proselytes. This good man, who was a Franciscan, knew that he should lose both cost and labour, if the Indians observed the manners and discourse of the soldiers incongruous with the precepts issued from the church. On the fear of hostile aggression, soldiers are sometimes sent from the city for the defence of a new colony; but we dreaded the coming of the soldiers,more than that of the savages. For the former by their licentiousness do more harm to the women, than the savages could do to the colony with all their weapons. About the end of the last century, men of our order, by their eloquence and kindness, so far brought over the barbarous Yaros, who form a large part of the Quenoas, that, collected in a little town dedicated to St. Andrew, they suffered themselves, for some time, to be instructed in religion; but at the instigation of a certain famous juggler, they returned to their old haunts. Being asked the cause of their flight, "We don't like," said they, "to have a God who knows and sees all we do in secret. It is our fixed resolve and pleasure to enjoy our old liberty of thinking and acting as we like." The massacres committed by these worst of savages, in the territories of Corrientes, Santa Fé, and Monte-Video, alike exceed belief and calculation.

That immense plain which stretches out to the south west of Buenos-Ayres, is inhabited by equestrian savages. They have not all the same name or language. By the Spaniards they are either called Pampas,—dwellers in champaigne country; or Serranos,—mountaineers. From the Indians of Peru, they receive the general name of Aucas, to wit, enemies, or rebels. In reality, however, theyare divided into Puelches, Peguenches, Thuelchùs, (whom we call Patagonians,) Sanguelches, Muluches, and Araucanos, the masters of the Chili Alps. Horrible names!—but far more horrible are the dispositions, deeds, manners and opinions of those who bear them. The country tenanted by these savages stretches an hundred leagues from north to south—from east to west full two hundred; is almost destitute of wood and water, but abounds in wild animals. Multitudes of emus wander over these solitudes. The horse supplies them with food, clothes, lodging, bed, arms, medicine, thread, and what not? Of the hide they make their couch, clothing, boots, tents, saddles, and thongs which serve alike for bridle and weapons. The sinews of the horse they use instead of thread, for the purposes of sewing. They drink melted horse-fat, and wash their heads, first with the blood of these animals, and afterwards with water, in the idea of its strengthening them. They twist horse-hair into ropes. They are terribly addicted to drunkenness, and expend their whole property in purchasing brandy from the Spaniards. When I resided in Buenos-Ayres, to sell this pestilent liquor was a crime, the absolution of which was reserved for the Bishop alone. For a single flagon of brandy, the young maid is often sold by her parents asa wife to some savage suitor. As soon as the first potation is prepared of the alfaroba mixed in water, they flock to their burying-places, not without many ceremonies, and sprinkling them with this beverage, utter the tenderest lamentations, for pity that those entombed beneath cannot enjoy their nectar. In war, these savages are extremely formidable to the neighbouring Spaniards. Fleet horses, a sword, a spear, and three stone balls covered with leather, and suspended from as many thongs, which they hurl with great dexterity, are their weapons, and weapons by no means to be despised.

The Southern savages, when wrought to the highest pitch of bitterness, leave their enemy, mutilated in both feet, and writhing on the ground, like a worm, to the tortures of a protracted death. This is their most familiar threat, when angry. Those whom they despatch at a single blow, they think kindly and humanely treated. Actuated by an irrational kind of pity, they are wont to bury their dying ere the breath has left them, to shorten their pains. At other times, when they see a man struggling in the agonies of death, they paint him with various colours, and adorn him with blue beads. They compose the corpse in such a manner, that the knees touch the face. Hishorses, ornamented with small copper bells, glass beads, and emu feathers, they lead round the tent of the deceased, for a certain number of times, after which they kill them. The same fate awaits his dogs. The bodies of the horses are fastened to the grave with stakes, from which are suspended many coloured garments. They believe that the souls both of men and emus inhabit subterraneous tents. See! what multitudes of nations are yet remaining in Paraguay! numerous others, moreover, whose names exist alone in histories and maps, have perished long since from various causes. Of this number are the Caracaras, Hastores, Ohomàs, Timbus, Caracoas, Napigues, Agazes, Itapurus, Urtuezes, Perabazones, Frentones, Aguilotes, &c.

In this place we may add, that within the ample confines of Paraguay, there is scarce known a single nation upon which the Jesuits have not bestowed their labours, and for which, whenever it was permitted, a colony was not founded. Above all, the nation of the Guaranies, though never to be vanquished by the arms of the Europeans, evinced such docility and obedience to the instructions of the Jesuits, and such submission to God and the Spanish monarchy, as could neither be gained nor expected from the other Americans. The Guaranies owe it to the exceeding benevolence of theSpanish Kings, that they have ever sent them Jesuits from Europe to teach them religion, that they have liberally supported them, that the annual tribute exacted from them has been lightened, and that they have protected them against envy and calumny by their royal letters. No time can erase the memory of such benefits. No one, however, will deny that the Spaniards, on the other hand, owe much to the Guaranies educated under our discipline. They have been partakers in all the wars which the Spaniards have waged in Paraguay against foreign or domestic foes, and have had a great share of all their victories. Again and again have all the Indian nations secretly conspired to the destruction of the Spaniards. And doubtless so great a number of rebels must ultimately have triumphed over so small a band as the Spaniards, had not our Guaranies, embracing the royal party, strenuously opposed the arms and purposes of its opponents. From one instance which I shall produce, you may judge of the rest.

In the years 1665 and 1666, the Indians almost universally harboured designs of expelling the Spaniards from the whole province. Already were the torches of sedition and tumult scattered in every corner of Paraguay. The royal Governour Alphonso Sarmiento, alarmed by these rumours, hastened from Asumpcion,with a little band of soldiers, to the town of Arecaya, about sixty leagues distant, situate on the banks of the Yeyuy; a place of the inhabitants of which he entertained some suspicions. The greater part of them were in a state of slavery to private Spaniards, and but little content with their lot. Pretending friendship, however, they received the Governour with honour, and he, suspecting no turbulence for the present, took up his quarters on the skirts of the town, in huts of boughs and straw. In the dead of the night the Indians surprized the Spaniards with every species of weapon, and cast fire upon their huts. Some of the Spaniards were slain and more wounded; most of their clothes were burnt, their gunpowder was exploded, and some of their guns were taken by the enemy. In the trepidation excited, the soldiers betook themselves to the neighbouring church, where they thought for a little while to remain in safety. But destitute of meat and drink they must have perished of thirst and famine. The holy water was converted into a remedy for their thirst. The enemy blockading the walls, they had no opportunity of escape, no means of obtaining provision. At last, the danger of the Governour and his comrades being told to the Guarany Ytatinguas in St. Ignacio and Nuestra Señora Santa Fè, Father Quesa, whopresided over both these colonies, set out immediately with about two hundred of his Indian horsemen, in the view of assisting the Governour. After travelling incessantly for twenty-four hours, they entered Arecaya, where the Indian rebels were slain or taken prisoners by the Christian Guaranies, and the Spaniards brought forth to freedom and security. Out of the company of Guaranies three horsemen were chosen to carry the Governour's letters to Asumpcion, in which he informed them of what had happened, and what steps must be taken for his own safety and that of the province. The court of Madrid was immediately apprized of the fidelity and zeal of the Guaranies, whom the Catholic King honoured with gracious letters, which are still preserved in the register of Nuestra Señora a Santa Fè. It appears from sufficient authority that a sedition raised by factious and warlike nations, with a view to the destruction of all the Spaniards, would have broken out had they not stood in awe of the strength and immutable fidelity of the Guarany nation towards the King. On this very account they were exposed to the hatred of the savages hostile to the Catholic King. The Guaycurus for many years harassed these two towns of the Ytatinguas, and compelled them, at length, to exchange their station for one surrounded by therivers Parana and Paraguay, where yet remain the posterity of those who aided the Spaniards endangered in Arecaya.

Concerning the ten towns of the Chiquitos I have spoken before. These Indians, formidable from their warlike courage and mortally poisoned arrows, whenever commanded by the royal Governours have uniformly proved brave and faithful fellow-soldiers to the Spaniards against the savages, and even against the Portugueze. Less in point of number, but highly consequential to the tranquillity of the whole province, have been the four cities of the Abipones, the two of Mocobios, one of Tobas, and another of Mbayas, warlike and equestrian nations. To these add the pedestrian nations, the Lules, Vilelas, Chiriguanos, Chunipies, Homoampas, &c. converted by us to the Roman rites and discipline in their own colonies. In language, manners, and religious observances, they differ amongst themselves; they are all, however, attached to agriculture.

Very many Indian towns have long since ceased to exist, sometimes from the inconstancy of the Indians sighing for their native land, sometimes from the malevolence, the avarice, or inertness of the Europeans. Father Joseph Labrador is my authority, that seventy-three towns of various Indians perished in the provinceof Chaco. In the present age, by much labour of the Jesuits, three towns have arisen, at an immense expense, for the southern savages, the inhabitants of the Magellanic territory, all dedicated to the most holy mother of God. The first, named Concepcion, is inhabited by the Pampas, and acted as a defence to the inhabitants of Buenos-Ayres against the incursions of the savages. The rulers of the newly-built town, Father Matthias Strobl from the province of Austria, and Manuel Querini, a Venetian of noble family, were men of distinguished piety, prudence, and fortitude. Both Fathers possessed singular dexterity in managing the minds of the Indians. The neighbourhood of the city, and of the Spanish estates, where there was plenty of spirit and of bad example, incredibly retarded the conversion of the savages to a better way of life. The Serranos and Patagonians, who came backwards and forwards to visit the Pampas, won by the kindness of the Father, and taken by the conveniences of life which the inhabitants of the colonies enjoyed, began earnestly to desire a little town of this sort in their native soil. Their wishes were immediately gratified. Fathers Falconer and Cardiel, the one an Englishman of great skill in medicine, the other a Spaniard, and a man of anardent and intrepid mind, travelled to their savage wildernesses, and having felt the pulse of the people, looked about for an opportune situation, wherein to establish the intended colony. At length the town was built, and the Caciques Marike and Tschuan Tuya, with four-and-twenty hordesmen belonging to them, settled therein; it was named Nuestra Señora del Pilar. To govern this colony, Father Matthias Strobl, who knew a little of those languages, was removed thither by the mandate of the Superior. Though daily vicissitudes occurred, yet hopes of the happiest progress shone through them. But an unforeseen event almost proved fatal to the new raised colony. Thus it was: a murder happening to be committed in the territory of Buenos-Ayres, soldiers were sent by the Governour to detect the assassins. Cacique Yahati, a Serrano, accompanied by fifteen persons of both sexes, in travelling to the city, fell in with the soldiers, and without any foundation for the conjecture, was carried off on the suspicion of this murder, and kept closely confined in prison with his people in the city. With how incensed a mind the inhabitants of the town bore so great an injury done to their countryman, of whose innocence they felt assured, can scarcely be expressed. The life of Father Matthias Strobl was placedin the most imminent danger. Cacique Marike, who, though blind in both eyes, possessed the greatest authority among them, was immediately delegated by the infuriated people to make the just demand of their captive's liberty from the Spanish Governour, and to declare instant war, in the name of the whole nation, against the Spaniards if he should refuse. This threat filled Joseph Andonaegui with distracting cares, conscious, as he was, of the slender forces he had to oppose to so numerous a foe. The examination of the murder being resumed, and the witnesses being heard again and again, the innocence of the imprisoned Cacique at length appeared, some credible Spaniards asserting, that at the very time when the murder was committed he was engaged in a certain shop in the city. Which being proved, after a causeless captivity of four months, they were immediately granted their liberty and the power of returning to their friends by the equitable Governour. These things fell out on my third visit to Buenos-Ayres, about the beginning of the year 1748. Through an Indian interpreter I had a good deal of conversation with the blind Cacique Marike, and on my playing to him in my chamber, on the viol d'amour, he took such a liking to me, that he earnestly entreated me to go to their colony, as an assistant to FatherMatthias Strobl, who was growing aged. Both my feet, I confess, itched for the journey; I answered, however, "Pleased indeed should I be to mount my horse, and accompany you to the Magellanic lands. But men of our profession cannot go where we will, except we be sent by the command of our captain, (the provincial.") "Where, pray, does your captain dwell?" eagerly inquired Marike. "In this very house," returned I. On hearing this he immediately caused himself to be led into our provincial's chamber, and with importunate but vain entreaties, begged me for his companion. The provincial replied, that I was now appointed to another station, but promised to send me in two years to his colony, and the provincial would have stood to his promise, had not my labours been needed amongst the Abipones.

On the departure of the captives from Buenos Ayres, the town was restored to its former tranquillity, and shortly after increased by new supplies of Patagonians. For these a single town was prepared, four leagues distant, and named Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados. The government of it was committed to Father Lorenzo Balda of Pampeluna, and to Father Augustino Vilert a Catalan. Three of the Patagonian Caciques, with eighty of their hordesmen,occupied this colony. A horde consists of three or four families, sometimes of more. Each family generally numbers four, five, and often more heads; for the Patagonians have many children, and polygamy is very common amongst them. They are docile beyond all the other southern tribes, and make less opposition to baptism, but I cannot commend the young men of this nation either for honesty or modesty. Scarce any commerce is carried on between the Spaniards and Patagonians. From a nation so populous, so tractable, and of so gentle a disposition, great accessions were reasonably expected to Christianity, but Satan confounded all these fair hopes. Cangapol, the potentate of that region, long beheld these Christian colonies with gloomy and envious eyes. Through them he thought that friendships would be formed with the Spaniards, the freedom of the southern nations endangered, and his own power in these parts gradually diminished, and ultimately suppressed. Hence he turned his whole heart and thoughts to hastening the destruction of the new town, and the banishment of the Fathers who taught the strange religion. In order to effect these purposes, as many savages as possible were associated in a contract of arms, and an expedition was at length undertaken. Matthias Strobl, being made acquaintedwith the route and immense number of the enemy, made a timely request by letter, to the Governour, for military succours from Buenos-Ayres, which city promised seventy provincial horsemen, but never supplied one. Thus having suffered a repulse from the Spaniards, whose interest it chiefly was to maintain these towns, by flying with his people, the Father eluded the enemy—eluded since he could not subdue. The towns, their flocks, and their herds were left. The neophytes and catechumens, all who were sincere in religion and friendly to the Spaniards, fled with the Fathers to the city of Concepcion. But this colony being daily harassed by hostile incursions, and but lazily defended by the Spanish guards, was entirely deserted on the 3d of February, 1753, a severe loss to the city. For the savages being now at full liberty to ravage where they would, the estates for two leagues distant from the city were presently left destitute of their guards, and the lands around the village of Magdalen, famous for large crops of wheat, of their cultivators, both having fled to safer quarters. In the city itself the most disgraceful trepidations often arose, sometimes from real danger, at others from the suspicion alone of an enemy. In the circumjacent estates and plains very many were despoiled of their substance, their cattle, andtheir life, by the assaulting savages. The light-armed cavalry, who were commanded to keep watch in the country and repress the enemy, suffered repeated losses. Waggons laden with silver from Peru, were often despoiled of their treasures, the soldiers who guarded and transported them being miserably butchered. The same savages have often proved fatal, always formidable, to the inhabitants of Barragan, a bay of the Rio de la Plata, where vessels are often drawn out and refitted. Those who went southward in great numbers for salt to the salt-pits, were sometimes slain to a man. Then at length the Spaniards perceived the utility of the southern colonies, after they had irrecoverably lost them. That so many thousand Indians who dwell in the southern parts, should be buried together in their darkness, is indeed a reflexion worthy of regret. Who will not deplore the infinite miseries of the Jesuits, who laboured for many years upon this people, the hardships of their journeys, their want of necessaries, the daily perils that threatened their lives, and the greatness of their labours,—labours almost fruitless, except indeed their sending to Heaven a considerable number of infants, baptized before their death, as also not a few adults? At first, before oxen and sheep were sent for their subsistence, the Fathers lived onhorse-flesh, the daily food of those Indians. Father Thomas Falconer, who wandered over all the plains with his Indians to kill horse-flesh, having no plate of pewter or wood, always, in place thereof, made use of his hat, which grew at length so greasy, that it was devoured whilst he slept by the wild dogs with which the plains are over-run. Father Matthias Strobl's hut being set on fire by some villain or other, and the straw roof being already in flames, he would doubtless himself have perished, had he not been awakened from his deep sleep, by one who continued faithful to him, and rescued him from the conflagration. The town of Concepcion was situated in 322° 20´ longitude, and in latitude 36° 20´; that of Nuestra Señora del Pilar was distant from Concepcion seventy leagues to the south west; from Buenos-Ayres full an hundred and ten leagues; from the town of Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados only four.

Nor must you think that the care of taming and instructing the southern nations has been neglected till our time. This business was taken up by the Catholic kings, and us Jesuits, in the last century. Every method was vainly tried to unite them to Christ and the Catholic King. Omitting the rest, Fathers Nicholas Mascardi and Joseph Quilelmo, indefatigableteachers of the holy religion in that place, were murdered by their cruel, unmanageable disciples. Nothing daunted by the ferocity thus manifested in the savages, our companions, both of Chili and of Paraguay, left no stone unturned to enlighten these uttermost corners of South America with the torch of the gospel; but the attempt was ever vain and unrewarded, save by the immortal glory which their apostolic magnanimity and fortitude gained them. In the year 1745, a ship was despatched by Philip the Fifth from Cadiz to Paraguay, for the purpose of inspecting the shores of Magellan, and the neighbouring land. If any post or commodious station offered itself, it was to be fortified against an enemy. If they discovered the quarters of any savages, a colony and religious instruction were to be awarded them. Three Jesuits, therefore, were destined by the King for this perilous expedition. Father Joseph Quiroga, Father Joseph Cardiel, and Father Matthias Strobl. From the military guard of the city of Monte-Video, twenty-five soldiers were chosen for the defence of the ship and the crew. They weighed anchor in the port of Monte-Video, on the 17th of December, 1745, and set out with prosperous gales and minds full of hope.

Whatever land or water came within his observation, was diligently explored, and carefullynoted in the journal of the voyage by Father Quiroga, who, in a boat, examined the harbour, the rivers, the lakes, the depth or shallowness of the water, the sandbanks, and the rocks between them; in short, every thing dangerous or favourable to the navigation of the Spaniards. Fathers Strobl and Cardiel, meantime, taking a divided route, on foot, in various directions, attended by a certain number of soldiers, traversed the plains remote from the shore, and accurately examined their nature, and whether any sign of human habitation, or convenience for the same appeared, often ascending the steepest mountains with this view. Not unfrequently they receded many leagues from the shores, in the hope of finding Indians. Father Strobl, after having proceeded four leagues without seeing a man, or any sign of man's habitation, abandoned all hope, and sent a soldier to tell Father Cardiel, who had travelled many leagues, and was quite spent with so much walking, that he thought it highly imprudent to prosecute the journey they had begun—that they might not improbably fall in with a numerous troop of savage horse, by whom they, a few wearied footmen, would undoubtedly be all cut to pieces—that he had himself long wished to fall in the cause of religion, but that he neither could norwould place the lives of others in such peril—and that even were they free from this danger, and were no enemy to meet them, yet, as their provisions were already consumed, if they prosecuted their journey, both themselves and their companions must perish of hunger. Father Cardiel however, always intrepid, dissuaded the return, urging that the habitations of the savages must be near, principally on this ground, that he saw a whitish dog barking at his men, but which soon after ran away, hastening, as might be believed, to his master. In spite of these arguments, both Fathers returned with their companions to the ship. There the matter being prudently discussed, and all the officers consulted, it was finally resolved that Father Cardiel, at his earnest desire, should be permitted to repeat the journey, on this condition, that he should set out with four and thirty men, soldiers as well as sailors, who were willing to follow him of their own accord, and with provisions sufficient to last them eight days. The journey was begun on the 20th of February, and each day they travelled about eight leagues. For the most part, they walked in a narrow and almost obliterated path of the Indians. Drinkable water was every where at hand. Except emus, and a few huanacos, no beasts were any where seen. On the fourth day of their journey,about evening, they perceived a high hill, from the top of which they beheld a plain, entirely destitute of grass and trees. They all thought the cold of the night air intolerable; for though shrubs were at hand to supply their fires, yet when the side nearest to it grew warm, the other, being exposed to the most piercing wind, seemed frozen. Amidst all this cold, the courage of the soldiers daily inflamed more and more, but their bodies were observed sensibly to fail and break down. Their shoes being worn by the roughness of the roads, many of them crept along with naked, and not a few with wounded feet. Father Cardiel too was first afflicted with nephritic pains, and afterwards with such a debility in his feet, that he could not advance a step without crutches. With all this, however, the ardent desire of discovering the habitations of the savages never cooled. But their provisions, which were destined for an eight days' journey, being now, after five days, in great measure consumed, they were obliged to hasten back again to the ship. One effect however was produced by this calamitous journey—it was now finally determined, by ocular demonstration, that the hordes of the savages were at a great distance from the sea; and that immense tracts of land bordering upon the shore were uninhabitable, as destitute either offresh water, grass, or trees, or of all together; so much so at least, that, except a few emus and huanacos, you could find scarce any sort of beast. All things, therefore, having been considered, since there was no opportunity of erecting a colony for the Indians, or a fortress for the Spaniards, they unanimously resolved upon a return; to be conducted, however, in such a way, that they should repeatedly disembark and explore those places they were obliged to pass by in coming. At length, on the 4th day of April, about sun-set, they cast anchor in the port of Buenos-Ayres. The journal which Quiroga had made of the shore and harbours, soon after printed and published at Madrid, with plates of whatever seemed remarkable, will be of the highest use to Spaniards hereafter in navigating this turbulent sea. I may here add, that Father Joseph Cardiel, not having discovered the savages of the coast of Magellan, either in his naval or his pedestrian journey, set out on horseback in search of them, with a few companions. But their pains were as fruitless as before. After wandering much and long over these solitary plains, and consuming all the provisions he had brought with him, he was reduced to such straights as to be obliged to feed on grass, unless he preferred dying of emptiness, the extremity of which obliged him to return toBuenos-Ayres, his business left unfinished, but himself, for his signal fortitude, his magnanimity, and apostolic ardour, truly deserving of honour and imitation.

In the year 1765, a large merchant-ship freighted to the value of some millions, destined to Callao, a harbour of Lima, was stranded and lost off the island of Terra del Fuego. The crew fortunately escaped, and reached the island in a boat, the ship gradually foundering. Part of the provision, the cannon, and other necessaries for supporting life, were providently got out of the leaking vessel. A hill, neighbouring to the sea, was occupied by the shipwrecked Spaniards, and fortified by I don't know how many cannon. These being discharged, a troop of the Indian inhabitants was seen advancing from afar. They were entirely naked, and each kept rubbing his belly with his hands. On a second explosion, they all fell on the ground, still continuing, however, to rub their bellies. This ridiculous action of the savages the Spaniards were in doubt whether to construe into a sign of friendship, or of hostility. As no one understood their language, they were invited by gentle tones, friendly nods, and little gifts displayed to them, till at length they approached the station of the Spaniards, still rubbing their bellies without intermission.Which custom surprizing the Spaniards, they now call themRascabarrigas, or the belly-rubbers. To conciliate the minds of the islanders, elegant weapons, food, and various other little gifts were offered them; except, however, some strings of glass beads, nothing was accepted by the savages, who feared some fraud from the strangers. They were, however, peaceable and quiet, so that the Spaniards mixed amongst them, without fear of injury or hostile designs, and solicitous only respecting the means and opportunity of sailing back to their friends. It was resolved to build a vessel after their own model, sufficient for the number of the shipwrecked. Trees adapted for ship-building abounded in this island, nor did they want workmen or carpenters' tools. The Indians themselves faithfully indicated the places which supplied the hardest and largest wood, and with more good-will than usefulness assisted the Spaniards in cutting and sawing the beams; but after three or four strokes of the axe, or lifts of the saw, they retired fatigued, being utterly unaccustomed to labour. The Spaniards, however, longing to revisit their native soil, made up for the deficiencies of the Indians, by their own sedulity. And now when every thing was ready and prepared, iron nails were wanted to fasten the joints of theship. But the sea, bringing up various chests from the foundered ship with the tide, one was found amongst them full of the requisite nails, a circumstance looked upon by all as a signal favour of Providence. Some of the tackling, which they had prudently taken from the lost ship, proved of great service. With these aids the finishing stroke was put to the little vessel, in which, after a prosperous voyage of about a thousand leagues, they arrived safe at the harbour of Monte-Video. All this which I have written on the shipwreck and navigation of the Spaniards was related to me in the city of Santa Fé, by an old Biscayan, builder of the foundered ship, companion of all their perils, and architect of the vessel constructed in the island. In the year 1788, when with my companions I was awaiting my passage to Europe, at Buenos-Ayres, a ship set sail from that port, for Terra del Fuego, with two priests, who being liberally provided with every thing from the royal treasury, were ordered to establish a settlement in that island, and to teach the natives religion. But not long after, they returned to Buenos-Ayres in the same ship, without effecting their business. What was done, or attempted, and what was the occasion of their hasty return, I know not: but I heard the groans of the noble Spaniards, whoearnestly desired the Jesuits for this momentous expedition: they, however, were recalled, God knows why, that same year to Europe. In succeeding years the Spaniards have wished to subdue and instruct that island, which lies near to the Maloine islands, in south lat. 51° 30´, and west long. 60° 50´ from the meridian of Paris. This isle, named from St. Maló, a town of Bretany, was taken possession of with the labour and expense of Louis Antoine de Bourgainville, then colonel of foot, and of Messieurs de Nerville and de Arboulin, his relatives, and in the year 1763, or more probably 1764, delivered to some loyal and industrious families of Nova Scotia, to be civilized. Three years after, to wit in 1767, it was sold for eighty thousand Spanish crowns to the Catholic King Charles, who thought that this colony of strangers, as neighbouring to the provinces of Peru and Chili, so rich in gold and silver, might prove dangerous to his monarchy, in case of war, and cause a disunion between the Spanish and French monarchies. The French families being transported to Europe, their places were supplied, for the most part, by Spanish convicts, scarce one of whom did not prefer a prison, or speedy death, to the constant and lasting calamities of this province. Philip Ruiz Puente, of the king's war-shipLa Liebre, who brought outnew settlers, warlike implements, and provisions, was appointed to the government. He was accompanied by another ship of war,La Esmeralda, commanded by Matteo Callao.—This captain, returning in the same, from the Maloine islands, to Monte-Video, transported me, with one hundred and fifty of my associates, back to Europe. We had with us the Frenchman Nerville, who had just discharged the government of that unhappy island; from him, as well as from the Spaniards employed there, I learnt most of what I have written on this subject.

On sufficient grounds have I bestowed the epithet unhappy on an island, which is, nevertheless, by some Frenchmen pronounced equal to the Fortunate Islands: and no wonder, for do we not always cry up the goods we want to sell? Attend to what I have learnt on good authority, respecting the island of St. Maló. It was never habitable either by Indians, or beasts, so destitute is it of every thing pertaining to the support of life. Rushes instead of trees, moss instead of grass, marsh and mud for earth, cold always the most severe for air, and night almost perpetual, with darkness and clouds, instead of sun, are what it offers to the new inhabitants. The longest day lasts but a very few hours. From its propinquity to the antarctic pole, it generally rages with furioussouth winds, whirlwinds, and tempests. The frost, joined to almost perpetual snow, is on this account the more intolerable, because throughout the whole island, which is far from extensive, there is not wood sufficient to make a fire, or build a hut, unless it be brought from Terra del Fuego, which cannot be done without danger. The goats which the French had brought, either from the want of pasture, or the noxious qualities thereof, soon perished. The corn, from the ooziness of the soil, never attained maturity, the stalk being always stunted, and the ear seldom formed at all. Hence, the European supplies being now consumed, frequent famine was added to their other miseries. Provision was afforded them by the water-fowl called by the English, Penguins. In place of bread, powder and shot were given to the Spanish soldiers and others to shoot birds with. These, though at the coming of the French exceedingly numerous, yet partly from being constantly shot, partly from being scared away, were so diminished, that the succeeding Spaniards were deprived of this solitary benefit of that most sterile island. Nevertheless, it must be confessed, that this island, though calamitous to its inhabitants, is of service to the Spaniards, as affording a refuge to vessels in distress, an harbour capable of containing a moderate fleet, and conveniencefor procuring water. The places open to the attack and ascent of an enemy, were fortified by a mound and a tier of cannon. Antonio Catani, then colonel of foot, commanded the small garrison. But in discoursing on the devastated cities of Paraguay, I have suffered myself to be carried away into the lands of Magellan. Let me now return to the straight road.

To record every Indian town which has been overturned in Paraguay, and the causes and periods of the fall of each, were a task of infinite time and labour. It appears on record that upwards of four hundred towns, which formerly stood around Guadalcazar, a city of Tucuman now destroyed, utterly perished. Within the limits of the cities Cordoba, Rioja, St. Iago, St. Miguel of Tucuman, Corrientes, and Asumpcion, I might almost say that innumerable colonies have fallen to the ground. Those which remain are mere shadows of towns, consisting of a few miserable inhabitants—miserable, for they are slaves to Spanish individuals. Before I relate the devastation of many of our Guarany towns by the Mamalukes, inhabitants of Brazil, allow me to make a few premises. The soldiers, fresh arriving from Spain, subdued the lands and nations bordering on the Parana and Paraguay only: as for those more remote, they did not want courage to explore them, but means. Nota few of the Guaranies were enlightened by the torch of the Gospel, chiefly by the Franciscan Fathers, and, if circumstances permitted, placed in colonies. St. Francisco Solano and Lewis Bolaños were famous for their apostolic expeditions in that age; but the want of associates like themselves, and of successors, rendered them unequal to the harvest which lay before them; and infinite was the number of Guaranies which lurked within the coverts of the woods and shores—a multitude hostile, on every opportunity, to the Spaniards, then few in number. In 1610, Ferdinand Arias, the governor both of Buenos-Ayres and Asumpcion, marched out with numerous forces against the Guaranies inhabiting the banks of the Uruguay, but alarmed by their numbers and ferocity, returned to the city. Not by the fire-vomiting arms of soldiers, but by the sweet eloquence of the Fathers, by love, not by fear, were the Guaranies vanquished. In the same year, Father Marcello Lorenzana, a Spaniard, and master of our college at Asumpcion, at length prevailed upon the Guaranies who wandered between the Paraguay and Parana, to embrace the Roman Catholic religion, in the large town which he had built for them, under the illustrious name of St. Ignatius Loyola. Near about the same time, Fathers Giuseppe Cataldino and Simone Mazzeta,Italians, Antonio Ruiz de Montoya, an American Spaniard, and their successors, in after years, Roque Gonzalez, a Spaniard of Paraguay, Pedro Romero, Diego Boroa, &c., all Jesuits, explored the province of Guayra, as also those forest and mountain coverts toward the river Uruguay, which had proved inaccessible to the Spanish soldiery, where they discovered many thousands of Guaranies, who were assembled in colonies, and brought over to God and the Catholic King.

These rapid progresses in the Christian cause have been miserably retarded by the Mamalukes from Brazil, a bordering country, and principally from St. Paulo. The Mamalukes are a set of people born of Portugueze, Dutch, French, Italians and Germans, and Brazilian women, celebrated for skill in shooting and robbing, ready for any daring enterprize, and thence distinguished by the foreign name of Mamalukes: for it was their constant custom to carry off the Indians, led by the Fathers into the freedom of the children of God, into the hardest slavery. By their incursions, repeated for a number of years, they overthrew the towns of Asumpcion in Ỹeyuỹ, of Todos Santos in Caarõ, of the holy Apostles in Caazapaguazù, of St. Christopher on the opposite side of the Ỹgaỹ, of St. Joachim in the same place, of SantaBarbara, on the western bank of the Paraguay, and of St. Carlos in Caapi. The Guarany inhabitants of these colonies, with the exception of a few who escaped by flight, were led away to Brazil, chained and corded, in herds, like cattle, and there condemned to perpetual labour in the working of sugar, mandioc, cotton, mines, and tobacco. The sucking babes were torn from the bosoms of their mothers, and cruelly dashed upon the ground by the way. All whom disease or age had rendered imbecile were either cut down or shot, as being unequal to the daily march. Others, in sound health, were often thrown by night into trenches prepared for them, lest they should take advantage of the darkness, and flee. Many perished by the way, either from hunger or the hardships of a journey protracted for many leagues. In this hunting of the Indians, they sometimes employed open violence, sometimes craft, equally inhuman in both. They generally rushed into the town in a long file, when the people were assembled in the church at divine service, and, blocking up every street and corner, left the wretched inhabitants no way of escape. They frequently disguised themselves as Jesuits, wearing rosaries, crosses and a black gown, and collected companies of Indians in the woods. Many towns that were liable to the treacherous hostilities of theMamalukes, such as Loretto, St. Ignatius, &c. were removed to safer places, by a journey of many months, and with incredible labour, both of the Fathers and of the Indians. Nor did the Mamalukes spare our colonies of the Chiquitos and Moxos, nor others in the lands of the Spaniards, which were administered both by the secular and regular clergy. The Indian towns settled on the banks of the Yeyuỹ, in Curuquati, and many others, were entirely destroyed by the Mamalukes. The same fate attended Xerez, Guayra, (Ciudad real,) Villarica, &c. cities of the Spaniards. Who can describe all the devastation committed in Paraguay? Hear what is said on this subject in the collection ofLettres Curieuses et Edifiantes:—"It is asserted," say they, "that in the space of one hundred and thirty years, two millions of Indians were slain, or carried into captivity by the Mamalukes of Brazil; and that more than one thousand leagues of country, as far as the river Amazon, was stripped of inhabitants. It appears from authentic letters, (sent by the Catholic King —— in the year 1639, 16th Sept.) that in five years three hundred thousand Paraguayrian Indians were carried away into Brazil." Pedro de Avila, Governour of Buenos-Ayres, declared that Indians were openly sold, in his sight, by the inhabitants of the town of St. Paulo, at RioJaneiro; and that six hundred thousand Indians were sold, in this town alone, from the year 1628 to the year 1630.

But this their rapacity did not always remain unpunished; for, after the Guaranies were permitted by the King to carry fire-arms, they were frequently repulsed, and chastised with bloody slaughters. Memorable above the rest, was that victory which four thousand Guarany neophytes obtained at the river Mborore over a numerous flotilla of Brazilian banditti. Four hundred of the inhabitants of St. Paulo were present, in three hundred barks, with two thousand seven hundred of their allies the Tupies, the most ferocious savages in Brazil. The Guaranies, headed by Ignacio Abiazù, a chief of their nation, went to meet the enemy in five ships, and firing the cannon upon them, overturned three of their boats, many of the Brazilians being either killed or wounded. Most of them, terrified at this unexpected salutation, leaped from their boats on to the shore, and despairing of success in a naval fight, assaulted the army of Guaranies in the rear by surprize; but were bravely repulsed on every side, and partly slain: and indeed they would all have been massacred, had not night put an end to the fight and the victory. Next day they pursued the remnant of the enemy through the wood with suchsuccess, that the very few who remained alive, forsaking their camps and their boats, hastened home in great trepidation, and covered with wounds. Three only of the victorious Guaranies were slain about the beginning of the conflict, and forty wounded. This event rendered the men of St. Paulo afraid of the emboldened Guaranies. Peace and security were restored to their towns, and Christianity, which the perpetual incursions of the Mamalukes had not only disturbed, but almost banished, was every where greatly forwarded.

Nor should you imagine, that these things, relating to the Brazilians, are calumniously represented or exaggerated by Spanish writers. The Most Faithful King Joseph I. himself confesses, in a decree issued on the 6th of July, in the year 1755, and inserted into the new code of Portugueze laws, that many millions of Indians were destroyed, and that, at the present time, very few Brazilian towns remain, and equally few inhabitants. He adds, that this was occasioned by the depriving the Indians of their liberty, contrary to the laws of Portugal. He declares the Indians free, orders the captives to be set at liberty, &c. Likewise other pious kings of Spain and Portugal, his predecessors, prohibited all robbery, sale, oppression, and persecution of the Indians whatsoever, under theseverest penalties, by repeated laws. Many governours of provinces urged, but rarely brought about the observance of these decrees. For innumerable persons, who profit by the captivity and services of the Indians, care more about riches than about conscience and honour. The barbarity of these men towards the Indians was pourtrayed in lively and faithful colours by the Jesuit Father Antonio Vieyra, who preached on this subject at the Court of Lisbon, in the year 1662, when his persecutors had turned him out of the province of Maranham, on account of his defending the liberty of the Indians.

As the royal laws were disregarded in Brazil, in order to eradicate this abominable custom of enslaving and ill-treating the Indians, the King found it necessary to have recourse to the threats and penalties of the Pope. Paul III., Urban VIII. and Benedict XIV. threatened to excommunicate all who should presume, in the words of the Roman Court, to reduce the Indians to a state of servitude; to sell, buy, exchange, or give them away; to separate them from their wives and children, or in any way whatsoever to deprive them of their liberty, or retain them in servitude; or to do the aforesaid under any pretext whatsoever of lending them counsel, aid, favour, or service; or to declare, or teach it to be lawful so to do, or to effect it in any way whatsoever.All this was prohibited, under pain of excommunication, in favour of all the Indians then dwelling in the provinces of Brazil and Paraguay, and at the river Plata, as well as in all other regions both of the western and southern Indies. The Pontifical and Royal letters against the oppression of the Indians were intended also to correct and intimidate the Spaniards, who, though they had formerly been less eager in captivating the Indians, were accustomed nevertheless to make use of them as slaves, in opposition to the commands of the king. It is incredible how wickedly they strove to disturb the colonies of the Chiquitos and other savages, because they feared that no Indians would be left in the woods for them to take and sell. For from this traffic of the Indians many thousands of crowns were yearly collected; but on account of it the savages were forcibly deterred from embracing religion, perceiving that, if they became Christians, and the friends of the Spaniards, they must be eternally enslaved and miserable.

The Spanish historians complain that the Indians were hardly treated and oppressed with labour by their masters, in many cities of Paraguay. The Indians, wearied with miseries, returned, whenever they could, to the ancient recesses of their forests. The Lules, who had formerly been baptized by St. Francisco Solano,and cruelly enslaved by the inhabitants of the city Esteco, fled to the woods which they had formerly inhabited; from whence the Jesuit Father Antonio Machoni, a Sardinian, brought them back, and with incredible labour civilized them in Valle Buena, and they have remained to this day in the town of St. Estevan. The warlike Calchaquis, deserting their Spanish masters, and scorning miserable servitude, returned to the caves of their native land, whence sallying forth, they afflicted Tucuman with frequent and bloody slaughters. The citizens of Concepcion, on the banks of the river Bermejo, were all destroyed by the Indians whom intolerable slavery had exasperated. The Jesuits, whilst, intent upon disseminating religion, they endeavoured to vindicate the liberty of the Indians, were often punished with exile, often with calumny and abuse, by those who had their own private interest more at heart than the augmentation of religion, or of the royal authority. The Indian towns, the inhabitants of which were subjected to private individuals, named Encomenderos, have long since been reduced, as I said, to such wretchedness, that they rather seemed shadows of towns, than the reality: whilst, on the other hand, the thirty-two towns of the Guaranies, ten of the Chiquitos, and smaller ones of other nations, the inhabitants of which were subjectonly to the Catholic Monarch, continually increased in population, and always remained and flourished under our discipline. I do not pretend to say that Paraguay and Brazil were at all times utterly destitute of Portugueze and Spaniards who paid strict obedience to the laws, who execrated the avarice and cruelty of their countrymen in regard to the Indians, and left no stone unturned to restore and protect their liberty, and to aid the progress of religion. But alas! those few with grief beheld themselves unable to correct a multitude of barbarians. Ability, not inclination was wanting.

Some mention has been made of the rivers which flow through Chaco: yet much remains to be said of the Parana, the chief and receptacle of them all, which at Buenos-Ayres obtains the splendid but inappropriate title of La Plata. Historians have made many mistakes respecting the source of this river, and the origin of its name. For they think that La Plata takes its rise chiefly from the Paraguay, and that this latter comes from the lake Xarayes. But in both these conjectures they are wide of the mark. For the river La Plata is in reality the vast Parana, enriched in its course by the Paraguay, Uruguay, and innumerable other streams. From its distant source, as far as the Pacific Ocean, it is invariably distinguished by theGuarany natives with the name of Parana, which word signifies something akin to, or resembling the sea.

In the year 1509, Juan Diaz de Solis, sailing from Europe, discovered the river Parana, and gave it his own name, Solis. In the year 1527, Sebastian Cabot and Diego Garcia called it the Silver River, Rio de la Plata, because they found among the Indians dwelling near it some plates of silver, brought from Peru by the Portugueze, and robbed from them, but suspected by the Spaniards to have been taken out of the bosom or shores of this river. But after nearly three centuries had elapsed, no silver had yet been discovered there. This river, which, though destitute of silver, is perhaps the greatest in the world, retains to this day the name of the Parana, which it received at its rise. It first bears the name of La Plata at the river Las Conchas, six leagues distant from Buenos-Ayres, where appears a remarkable rock, La Punta Gorda, a little beyond which place, on the western shore, it absorbs the Uruguay, which has already received the waters of the Rio Negro. By which means, the Parana is augmented to such a degree, that at Las Conchas it is ten leagues in width. Hence vessels that have sailed through the Paraguay and Parana rest here as in port, and are here unloaded, andloaded afresh before their return. For those small vessels which are sent from the cities of Asumpcion and Corrientes and from the Guarany towns, could not safely proceed farther.

The source of the river Parana has afforded as much matter of controversy as the native city of Homer. The Spaniards who first went to subdue Paraguay, after travelling for the space of full five hundred leagues, either on the stream itself, or on its banks, are said never to have been able to arrive at its source. The Brazilian Indians think the Parana originates in an immense lake arising from the Peruvian mountains, perhaps that called Lauricocha, near the Guanuco, about the 11th degree of latitude. Others, with more appearance of probability, derive the river Amazon from the lake above-mentioned, though the Indians insist upon it that the Amazon and the Parana both proceed from the same source. But who would pay any attention to what the Indians say? Many rivers flowing from the Peruvian mountains vary their course every now and then, and are mingled one with another: now who, amid such a labyrinth of streams, could so exactly distinguish the Parana from the rest as to leave no room for doubt? It has been ascertained that this river, in its various turnings and windings, travels more than eight hundred leagues before it disgorges itselfinto the sea, by a huge mouth. In this long journey it receives the waters of many rivers and innumerable brooks. Who can enumerate this crowd of confluent streams? I will mention the principal ones which occur to my memory, following its course from lands situate between north and south.

On the western shore the Parana receives the waters of the Ỹgayrỹ, the Ỹmuncina, the Monicỹ, the Amambaỹ, the Ygatimỹ, navigable to middle-sized vessels, the Ỹgureỹ, the Yguairỹ, the Acaraỹ, a noble river, as large as, perhaps larger than the Danube at Vienna. For on the shore itself I measured it to be full six fathoms deep, and that not during the time of inundation. It flows in a very wide channel, but so quietly that you can hardly hear it. It is joined on the way by thirty rivers of various sizes, and would certainly be navigable to large ships, were it not impeded by rocks, which might perhaps be removed could the Spaniards be brought to perceive the advantages of its navigation. For the herb of Paraguay, which abounds in the woods near its banks, might be transported along this river to the Parana, and thence to the city of Buenos-Ayres, with a great saving both of time and expense. But they are blind to these advantages. The Mondaỹ, which springs from the Tarumensian woods, near thetown of St. Joachim, and afterwards other moderate-sized rivers, such as the Ỹhu, the Tarumaỹ, the Yuguirỹ, the Guirahemguaỹ, the Cambay, &c. augment it to such a degree that it becomes navigable to larger kinds of skiffs and boats—the Caapivarỹ, the Aguapeỹ, which has a narrow but very deep channel, and is dangerous to swimmers by reason of its water monsters, (the Yaguaro, a kind of water tiger, often devours horses and mules as they are swimming in this river)—the Atingỹ. All these, which I have mentioned, are of lesser note; they are quite ignoble streams. But now listen attentively whilst I give you some description of the place where the city Corrientes is situated and which lies in lat. 27° 43´ and in long. 318° 57´. You must know that the great Paraguay, swelled by the waters of so many rivers which it has received in its progress, here becomes the prey of the greater Parana, and, at the same time, loses the name it has hitherto borne. For that vast body of water formed by the junction of both rivers is never called the Paraguay but always the Parana, because the former brings a far greater quantity of water than the latter. But though both rivers flow within the same banks and in the same channel, the limpid Parana, scorning the muddy waters of the Paraguay, for some time refuses to mix entirelywith it. It is certain that, about three miles apart, you may perceive the waters to be different both in colour and taste. The Parana, which, a little before, flowed westerly, following the Paraguay, changes its course, hastening towards the sea, the mother of streams. However you may despise this conjecture, it seems to me to possess some probability. In the country of St. Iago del Estero, the rivers Dulce and Salado have frequently changed their channel on this very account, and the same has been the case with regard to some other rivers. In the city of St. Iago, St. Francisco Solano built a dwelling-house, and a handsome church, for his companions, in such a manner that the door of it did not look toward the market-place of the city, but towards the plain. The brothers not approving of this plan, the architect Solano, who was famous for the gift of prophecy, bade them wait a little, saying, that what they now desired, in ignorance of the future, would some day really happen. Some years after, the river Dulce, which washes the city, changed its channel. The city was forced to be changed also, which being done, the door of the church fronted the market-place, as it does at this day. The event verified the prediction, which the native Spaniards related to me when I was there. But let us now return to the Parana.

The eastern shore of it is, in great measure, steep and stony; the western shore, on the contrary, is low, muddy, and subject to floods. All that part of this province which looks towards the west, beyond the Parana, abounds in immense trees of various kinds, (fit for building ships and waggons,) in fertile pastures and tracts of land, now sinking into plains, now rising into gentle hills; yet you can scarce ever meet with a situation fit for human habitations or fixed towns, either from the superfluity or deficiency of water, or, which comes to the same thing, the saltness and bitterness of it; for if you build a colony on the shores of the Parana, it will be inundated with water on the next flood, extending for two leagues beyond: if you remove it two or three leagues from the shore, both the inhabitants and the beasts will perish of thirst.

The rivers of lesser note, and more uncertain duration, which unite with the Parana, after its junction with the Paraguay, are the rivers Negro, Verde, Blanco, Rubeo, the Rio de Gomez, the Atopehenra-lauatè, or the place of Capibaris, the Alcaray, the Cayman, the Embalzado, the Rio del Rey, called by the Abipones Ychimaye, the Malabrigo, called by the Abipones Neboquelatèl, the Eleya, the Saladillo, the Inespin, called by the Abipones, Narahaguem, the Rio de Martin, the Salado, the Carcaranal, theTortugas, or river of tortoises, the Matanza, the Rio de los Arrecifes, the Areco, the Lujan, the Rio de las Conchas. We have now reached the port where vessels, coming from the east or west of Paraguay, are in danger; for here the Parana, swelled by the accession of so many rivers, and by that of the vast Uruguay, and the equally vast Rio Negro, takes the appearance of a sea. But just as the Parana does really show itself akin to the sea, it suddenly receives the name of La Plata. What is the reason of this? Has it any silver in its bosom or on its shores? Nothing is to be found there but mud. However, as Scipio received the title of Africanus, from having devastated Africa, by the same right may the Parana be called La Plata from the Peruvian silver which it has often swallowed up, along with the ships that contained it. Here the river is ten leagues wide, yet, not content with its own magnitude, it joins with itself the other ignobler streams which flow towards the west. The most noted of them is that by the Spaniards called Riachuelo.

The more considerable rivers which join the Parana, on the eastern side, beginning at the north, are the Añembỹ, the Parana-panè, the Guitaỹ, the Iguazu, flowing from Brazil, by which the Mamalukes formerly came to plunder the Guaranies. This river is of no inconsiderablesize, and will bear tolerably large vessels. Four leagues from the bank of the Parana you meet with a cataract thirty ells high, from which the river falls headlong, with a frightful noise, and such a foam proceeds from it that the thick vapour, covering the place like a cloud, may be seen at four leagues distance. As this cataract is utterly impassable, navigators travel by land, for some time, and drag their boats along with their hands. Three leagues from the cataract the river is only one league in width. The Ybiraytỹ, the Yabebirỹ, which flows past the Guarany towns of St. Ignatius-miri, and Nuestra Senhora de Loretto, is narrow but very deep, the St. Ambrose, the Rio de los Astores and the Rio de Sta. Lucia. Through these last-mentioned rivers we have often known those cruel pirates the Payaguas come to plunder the estates of the Spaniards, and slay the inhabitants. The Corrientes, a moderate-sized river, which rises from the neighbouring lake Yberà, formerly called Lago de los Caracaras, said to be about four miles in length, but of inconsiderable and varying breadth. Many islands which it contains, are chosen at this time by Indian runaways, as places of concealment; and we learn that, in the last century, they were inhabited by the Caracara Indians who proved very formidable, and almost invincible, to the Spaniards.However, at the command of the Governour of Buenos-Ayres, a party of our Guaranies, under Juan de Garay, happily attacked and conquered them, most of the enemies being either slain or taken captive after an obstinate defence of all the islands. These are the names of the other rivers which join the Parana. The Guanguilarò, the Espinosa, the Alcaràz, the Hernand Arias, the Pardia, the Rio de los Charruas and the Pacu. But all those streams are of lesser importance.Jam paulò major a canamus.

We have now arrived at the place where the Uruguay, a river of the first magnitude, submits to the Parana. It rises in the mountains of Brazil, between the twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth degrees of latitude, in the Captaincy of St. Vicente, (according to Bourgainville,) and flows for the space of full two hundred leagues; the rocks and cataracts with which it is here and there impeded render navigation extremely difficult, even to middle-sized skiffs. The largest of all the cataracts blocks up the whole river at the Guarany town Yapeyù, and denies a passage to skiffs coming from the port of Buenos-Ayres, so that the sailors are obliged to carry them on their shoulders by land, in order that they may proceed on their journey. It is proper in this place to describe that kind of vessel in use amongst the Uruguayan Indians,and which in the Spanish language is calledbalsa. Two very large boats, sometimes seventy feet long, are firmly joined together with cross-planks, and over them they strew reeds carefully matted by way of a pavement. In the midst a little reed hut is erected, covered with bulls' hides to defend it from the inclemencies of the weather. Oars, not sails, are made use of, both in going up and down the stream, with more security than despatch. There is, moreover, need of many rowers; in all directions you meet with islands rich in palms, citrons, peaches and various other trees, but which abound likewise in tigers, serpents and other wild animals either dangerous, or fit for food. The immense rocks, of which these cataracts are composed, being blasted, were indeed hurled aloft into the air, but falling back again into the river, obstructed the passage of even the smallest vessels. Thus remedies are often worse than the disease itself.

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