69. An Inftance of the fatal Effects of Flattery.

the AUTHOR of the LONDON difappeared, and left me to recover

662

The State of the Jefuits in Paraguay.

App.

indifcretions, though in favour of The State of the Jefuits in Paraguay; himself, were apparently remembered by him, and instead of being the ob

continued from p. 616. OUT there is one thing, greatly

ject of the tendereft regard and approВ their honour, univerfally allowed

bation, I found myfelf the object of difefteem, nay, of actual difguft. The world that never fails to judge from events, that world, which would have been eager to applaud any proceedings which had improved my fortune, now poured in its condemnation; to aggravate the evils that could not be concealed from its fight: not a friend to compaffionate, not a friend to protect, one month only led on to new infults, new infringements on my liberty, new interruptions of my peace, and a new diminution of my poffeffions; at last, to complete all, I difco vered that my gentleman had his private attachments, which I and my children were compelled to defray the expences of. I now loft all patience upbraided him with all his ungrateful actions, and in the end only haftened on my otherwife flowly advancing deftruction. In an evil hour, having tripped me of all the money I poffelfed, and borrowed fums to the utmoft that the furniture and remnants of my fortune could answer, he abfconded with his favourite; and a feizure of all my effects reduced me to the dreadful neceflity of mounting a garret with my undone family for prefent fhelter.

I was mean enough in this exigence to apply to my relations, but met with an equitable return-they one and all forfook me; yet one and all melted at the miferies of the innocent. Thank heaven, my children are now protected from thofe rough blafte to which I expofed them; on hard conditions though, for I, fir, am never to fee them more: the moment I renew my claim, they are to be caft back on a merciler's world, and it is confidered as no mighty merit to fubdue the maternal concern, now I know them comfortably fituated, fince I could fubdue

it to their deftruction.

I that was once mistress of a habitation, fervants, and hand fome income, am now under the moft fervile circumftances, work hard, yet am unincouraged and unregarded, and from the infatuation of love, at thirty three, have facrificed every ray of

confolation.

by all the Europeans fettled in South
America; which is, that they no
longer difcover any traces of their
former proneness to vengeance, cru
elty, licentioufnefs, and the groffer
vices; in a word, that they are no
longer, in any refpect, the fame men
they formerly were; that what prevails
moft in their character at prefent, is
a moft cordial love and affection for
each other, and charity for all men,
that charms all who frequent them,
the infidels efpecially, whom their be
haviour ferves to infpire with the most
favourable opinion of the chriftian re-
ligion. The readiness with which they
relieve each other in their wants; the
lively joy they exprefs as often as they
fee any addition made to the number
of those who adore Jefus Chrift; leave
no room to doubt, that the true love
of their neighbour, and the warmes
zeal for the glory of God, are become
their ruling paffions. There is nothing,
in fact, which they are not ready to
do or fuffer to extend the kingdom of
God; and we hall, perhaps, have oc
cafion to mention, hereafter, fome in
ftances of this difpofition. There is a
kind of emulation among them to fa
cilitate to the new millionaries, the
acquifition of their language; and one
of their caciques has been known to
learn Spanish merely to be able to
tranflate pious tracts in that tongue;
and he, accordingly, tranflated fome
of them. When a new reduction is to
be founded, all contribute to the un-
dertaking with the greatest earneftaels
and alacrity; and with a generofity,
that knows no bounds.

The publick rejoicings, which they are from time to time permitted to make, appeared neceflary to the mif fionaries, as well to preferve their health, as to keep up among them an air of cheerfulness and good humour, which are fo far from being contrary to virtue, that they greatly contribute to render it amiable, and increase de votion, as often as, after the example of the royal prophet, chriftians propofe to themfelves their celeftial coun try, as the principal object of their joy. Another view the miffionaries

had

1769.

The State of the Jefuits in Paraguay.

had in this toleration, was to ftrengthen
the union between all the members of
this republick; and experience proves,
that nothing could be better imagined
to answer fo defirable an end. The
women never affift at these rejoicings,
otherwife than as fpectators; and

the prefence of the priests ferves to
keep the whole company within thofe
bounds, which chriftians fhould never
trefpals. The leaft indecency on thefe
occafions would fubject the offender to
immediate punishment.

From all we have faid it evidently follows, that there can no where be found fo great a degree of happiness as that enjoyed by the members of this new church; and that it was with great reafon Monfieur Muratori intitled his defcription of it, Il chriflianefi. no felice. In fact, what can chriftians defire, who have confined themselves to the neceffaries of life, and are, morally, fure never to come fhort of them; who even know, after the apostle's example, to enjoy plenty, without making an ill ufe of it; and, without murmuring, fuffer want; who never entertain the least thoughts of defpair ing in Providence, which never fails to fupply them againft unexpected accidents with refources equally unexpected; who regulate all their fentiments and all their actions by the purest maxims of the golpel; who live under the conduct of thofe, to whom they owe all the bleffings they enjoy; who poffefs, in fine, all the advantages of fubordination and dependence, without feeling any of that uneasiness usually attending restraint?

They would, no doubt, be still happier, had it been poffible to hinder them from knowing fo much as the name of war; but, even in the very infancy of their republick, they experienced all the horrors of it, as will prefently appear; and they have to this day neighbours, from whom they can expect neither no reft, but in proportion as they can command it. It was, therefore, abfolutely requifite to put arms into their hands, and instruct them in an art, which is the great eft plague of mankind. But it is not to make conquefts, or to enrich themfelves at the expence of other nations, they practife it. As neither their countrymen, nor those strangers, who, in a hostile manner, formerly carried on fo cruel a perfecution against them,

663

dare any longer attack them, they
have, for many years paft, no other
occafion to ufe their arms, but in the
fervice of the prince, to whom they
have fworn an implicit obedience.
Thofe, therefore, who are charged
with the conduct of them, have this
confolation, that they never take the
field but through a wife and neceffary
precaution, or by the orders of their
fovereign; thus fanctifying them-
felves, it may be faid, in a profes
fion fo dangerous to virtue.

Every town keeps on foot a body of
cavalry, and another of infantry. The
infantry, befides the macana, and the
bow and arrow, carry a fling, a fword,
and a mufket; the cavalry use fabres
and lances, and likewife a mufket, as
they fome times do duty on foot, like
the European dragoons. They thèm-
felves make all their fmall arms, their
field pieces, and even their heavy artil-
lery. They never ufe the heavy artillery
but to keep their neighbours in awe; or
the field pieces, but when they are com-
manded on the king's fervice. But,
as I already faid, they never keep any
of their arms, of any kind, by them,
unless when there is some reason
to apprehend a furprize. At all other
times, the foldier is not to be diftin-
guifhed from the mere citizen; and
thofe brave fellows, on whom the fe-
curity of the republick depends, and
who fo often come home loaded with
laurels, as foon as they have laid by
their arms, might ferve as models of
piety and fubmiffion to the most re-
tired monk.

Every Monday the corregidor of every town, not only reviews his troops in the great fquare, but makes them perform their exercise. On these Occafions they form two divifions, which attack each other, and fometimes do it with fo much ardour, that the commanding officer, to prevent mifchief, is obliged to order the retreat to be founded fooner than he intended. Prizes are likewife propofed, from time to time, for thofe who perform beft at the bow, lance, fling, and fire-arms. The most diverting exercife of all is that of the lance. That of the fling is very furpring, on account of the juftnets with which the fingers hit the mark; and it may be truly affirmed, that there are no troops in all America capable of making head against them with fling or lance. I may even, I

P 2

think,

664

The State of the Jefuits in Paraguay.

think, venture to pronounce this miitia invincible by equal numbers. They are befides very docile, never give way, and, when broke, rally at the first order. However they would not, it is to be prefumed, fight the worfe, were they properly headed by Spanish officers.

The ambufcades and fudden irruptions and attacks, which used formerly to prove fo fatal to them, are now no longer to be dreaded, on account of the great care taken to keep them conftantly on their guard. There is always a party of horfe employed in fcouring the country, with orders to give notice of every thing that paffes; and all the defiles by which an enemy could penetrate into the country, are well guarded. But as, in fpite of all thefe precautions, fome of an enemy's parties might, by the favour of the woods, fteal upon a town, and storm it while the inhabitants were at church, the military men are permitted to carry their arms there along with them, when there is any reafon to fufpect fuch an attack, that they may be in readiness to flop a coup de main, and give the rest of the inhabitants time to look about them.

App.

compofed this republic; and they are
ftill the bulk of them. Next to them
are the Tapé, who fpoke the fame
language, and are probably of the fame
extraction. Nay, their name is often
given to all the fubjects of this repub-
lic in the refcripts of the catholic
kings. But there are few nations be-
tween the Parana, the province of
Uraguay and Brazil, that have not
fupplied the reductions with recruits.
Befides, the miffionaries frequently
take the field, in company with fome
of their Neophytes, to make spiritual
conquefts; and they feldom return un-
fuccefsful. The most difficult to re-
duce are the Guanoas, of whom we
fhall fay fomething in another place;
not only because they are very lazy,
and very diffolute, but more ftill be-
caufe their blood is mixed with that of
the Spaniards, fome of whom, from
time to time, take refuge among them
to avoid juftice, and cannot, by their
bad example, but give them a diflike
to the chriftian religion. Some of
thefe Guanoas, however, who through
curiofity, or a defire of feeing their
countrymen, come to the reductions,
are retained there by the kind recep-
tion they meet. This is likewife the
cafe with fome other Indians, and even
with the Charuas, a wandering and
very favage people who maffacred
great numbers of Spaniards, during
the first building of Buenos Ayres and
the neighbouring establishments. But
thofe, who, next to the Guaranis and
the Tapés, have contributed moft to
fill up the vacancies, which war, and
efpecially fickness, pretty often occa
fion in the reductions, are the Guana-
nas, who live between the Parana and
Brazil. For, as thefe Indians culti
vate the earth, admit no outlaws a
mong them, and are pretty docile and
laborious, there is the lefs trouble to
gain them over.

This republic occupies a great extent of country, the air of which is, in general, moift, and the weather pretty temperate. In fome of the fouthern districts of it the winters are pretty fevere; but the lands are every where fruitful, and yield fugar, tobacco, and all the neceffaries of life. Not only grains peculiar to the country, but those brought from Europe, thrive very well in them. The crops of cotton generally amount to two thoufand arobes for every reduction. The country likewife yields, as we faid before, great quantities of honey and wax, which require no trouble but that of going into the woods to gather them. When the Indians have laid up a stock of every thing for the prefent year's confumption, and a fufficiency of feed to provide for the next; what remains is, along with the weed of Paraguay, carried to Santafé, to be exchanged for commodities; or fold for money to pay the king's tribute, and bay fuch things as cannot be had in the way of barter.

The Guaranis were for a long time the only Indians, in a manner, that

It will no doubt appear furprizing, that a republic fo well regulated, and in which so much care is taken to prevent every thing that may impair the health of its members, thould not peo ple fafter. But befides the Neophytes having been for a long time the sport of revolutions and a prey to wars, by which an infinite number of them perifhed; befides their long and frequent expeditions at a great distance from home in the king's fervice, fince by

1769.

The State of the Jefuits in Paraguay.

being permitted the ufe of fire arms, they have had nothing to fear from other Indians; no method has been as yet difcovered to fecure them from certain epidemical difeafes, which fometimes carry off half the inhabitants of the towns, in which they break out. And it is this that has deceived feveral perfons, who from feeing the tribute rolls of one year, formed an estimate of what was to be paid into the treasury the next; not confidering, or perhaps not willing to confider, that the number of those subject to the tribute was not only not increased, but confiderably leffened.

The commoneft of these disorders, which are often called plagues, on account of their becoming general in a fhort time, are the fmall pox, the purples, malignant fevers, and a fourth, of which we are barely told, that it is attended with very tharp pains. Thefe disorders are fo much the more dangerous, as the Indians, quite careless of themselves, can scarce ever be prevailed on by others to take any pains to prevent them, or ftop their progrefs; and as befides there is not a fingle physician in all the reductions, nor any other furgeons, but a few lay brother jefuits; and it has not as yet been found poffible to establish hofpitals or good difpenfaries. The miffionaries fupply, as much as poffible, the want of all thefe neceffaries, by all the care the moft induftrious and tender charity can fuggeft, especially for the relief of the fick; and it must be owned, that two men, and fometimes but one, obliged to attend at once to all the neceffities of body and foul, and make frequent excursions into the country, where feveral men ftationed there to carry on fome branches of husbandry, or take care of their cattle, are overtaken by the diforder; and who often have not, by day or by night, a moment's repofe; it must be granted, I say, that perfons having fo many calls to answer, cannot poffibly anfwer them all. It is even furprising, and in fome fort miraculous, that breathing on these occafions, as they conftantly do, an infected air; and being inceffantly employed in ferving the fick, adminiftring the facraments to the dying, and burying the dead, they fo feldom catch any diforder

665

themselves, or fink under the fatigue of attending others.

The Indians know all this perfectly well. Nothing makes a greater impreffion upon them, or the infidels, many of whom are often witneffes to it, than this charity, which takes in every neceffity, and expofes itself to every danger; which no labours can frighten, no drudgery. difguft. It is therefore no way furprizing, that fenfible as they are of the great difference between their fituation, and that of the other Indians obliged to do perfonal fervice, they are fo attached to thofe, to whom they are indebted for their liberty; and that, as often as other paftors have been fent to them, they immediately difperfed. This has happened more than once. The Jefuit miffionaries have, on their fide, for the Neophytes a tenderness, that is fcarce conceivable; and is inspired chiefly by that undeferved confidence in them, which these poor Indians exprefs on every occafion, by their pa tience and refignation in ficknesses the most painful, during which, though deftitute of many things fit for perfons in their condition, and with which it is not in the power of these fathers to fupply them, they feldom are heard to utter a fingle complaint. They receive with fubmiffion, and even with thanks, every thing from the hand of God; and figh after nothing but their heavenly country.

The confolation of the apoftolic men, when the Lord ftrikes their flock in this manner, confifts in their having all the certainty, that can be expected, that heaven is peopled by their loffes; and that they thereby gain fo many new interceffors with the mafter of the harvest, to give them a more abundant crop in their spiritual excurfions. Thefe diforders often attack the Neophytes in their journies, in which they are quite deftitute of all manner of affistance. It fometimes happens, that when they have scarce got half way, the fmall-pox overtakes them, and obliges them to ftop fhort, in imminent danger of perithing on fome defart fhore, or of falling into the hands of barbarians. Father Cattaneo, who, at his very first entrance upon this miffion in the year 1730, happened to be prefent at one of thefe fudden fur