A Vanished Arcadia

第2章

Asimpleandeasystyle,akeenhabitofobservation,longacquaintancewiththecountry,azealfortheconversionoftheinfidel,notonlytoChristianity,buttoamorecomfortablemodeoflife,towhichheaddsafaithsufficienttomovetheCordilleraoftheAndes,butatthesametimerestrictedbyacommon

senseandveracitynotalwaysobservableinreligiouswriters,renderDobrizhofferapersonalfriendaftertheperusalofhiswritings。

Dobrizhoffer\'sbookwaswritteninLatin,andprintedinViennain1784

underthetitleof`HistoriadeAbiponibus\',etc。AGermantranslationbyProfessorKeilwaspublishedatPesthinthesameyear。

TheEnglishtranslationisoftheyear1822。

EnglishissingularlybarreninregardtotheJesuitsinParaguay。

FatherFalconer,anEnglishJesuit,hasleftacuriousandinterestingbook(printedatHerefordin1774),buthetreatsexclusivelyofwhatisnowtheprovinceofBuenosAyres,theFalklandIslands,andofPatagonia。

AsanEnglishmanandaJesuit(asomewhatrarecombinationintheeighteenthcentury),andasonewhodoubtlessknewmanyoftheParaguayanpriests,histestimonywouldhavebeenmostimportant,especiallyashewasamanofgreatinformation,mucheducation,anintrepidtraveller,and,moreover,onlyenteredtheCompanyofJesusatacomparativelyadvancedage。

ItisinSpanish,orinLatinbySpanishauthors,thatthegreaterportionofthecontemporaryhistoriesandaccountsaretobefound。

Literatures,likeotherthings,havetheirtimesoffashion。

AtonetimeaknowledgeofSpanishwasasrequisiteassometinctureofFrenchisatpresent,andalmostasuniversal。

MenfromGermany,England,andHollandwhometinaforeigncountrycommunicatedinthatlanguage。IntheearlyportionofthecenturyTicknor,Prescott,andWashingtonIrvingrenderedSpanishliteraturefashionabletosomedegree。

ItistoberememberedthattheSpanishcolonistswereasaruleantagonistictotheJesuits,andthat,therefore,SpanishwritersdonotofnecessityholdabrieffortheJesuitsinParaguay。

Moreover,thenamesofEsmid(Smith),Fildo(Fields),Dobrizhoffer,CataldiniandTomasBruno(Brown,whoismentionedasbeing`naturaldeYorca\'),Filge,Limp,Pifereti,Enis,andAsperger,thequaintmedicalwriteronthevirtuesofplantsfoundinthemissionterritory,showhowmanyforeignJesuitswereactuallytobefoundinthereductionsofParaguay。Formoreinformationonthismatterseethe`ColecciondeDocumentosrelativosa/laExpulsiondelosJesuitasdelaRepublicaArgentinayParaguay\',publishedandcollectedbyFranciscoJavierBrabo,Madrid,1872。

LaterthehistoricalresearchesofSirWilliamStirlingMaxwelldrewsomeattentiontoit。To

dayhardlyanyliteratureofEuropeissolittlestudiedinEngland。Stillleavingapartthepurelyliterarytreasuresofthelanguage,itisinSpanish,andalmostaloneinSpanish,thattheearlyhistoryofAmericaistobefound。

Afterthestruggleforindependencewhichfinishedabout1825,someinterestwasexcitedintheSpanish

Americancountries,stimulatedbythewritingsofHumboldt;butwhenitbecameapparentthatonthewholethosecountriescouldneverbeoccupiedbyNorthernEuropeans,interestinthemdiedoutexceptforpurposesconnectedwiththeStockExchange。Yetthereisacharmwhichattachestothemwhichattachestonoothercountriesintheworld。Itwastherethatoneofthegreatestdramas,andcertainlythegreatestadventureinwhichthehumanracehasengaged,tookplace。WhatAfricahasbeenforthelasttwentyyears,SpanishAmericawasthreehundredyearsago,thedifferencebeingthat,whereasmodernadventureinAfricagoesonunderfullobservation,anddealsinthemainwithabsolutelyuncivilizedpeoples,theconquestofSouthAmericawasinvestedwithallthecharmofnovelty,andbroughttheconquerorsintocontactwithatleasttwopeoplesalmostasadvancedinmostoftheartsofcivilizationastheywerethemselves。

WhenfirstSebastianCabotandSolisascendedtheParana,theyfoundthattheGuaranisofParaguayhadextendedinnoinstancetothewesternshoreofeitherofthoserivers。

Thewesternbankswereinhabitedthen,asnow,bythewanderingIndiansofthestillnotentirelyexploredterritoryoftheGranChaco。

ChacoisaQuichuaIndianwordmeaning`hunting\'or`hunting

ground\',anditissaidthataftertheconquestofPerutheIndiantribeswhichhadbeenrecentlysubjugatedbytheIncastookrefugeinthishugedomainofforestandofswamp。

TheIncaGarcilasodelaVega,inhis`CommentariosReales\'(enMadrid1723,enlaoficinaRealya/costadeNicholasRodriguezFranco,Impressordelibros,sehallaranensucasaenlacalledeelPoc,oyenPalacio),derivesthewordfromtheQuichua`Chacu/\'=asurrounding。Ifheisright,itwouldthenbeequivalenttotheGaelic`tinchel\'。Taylor,theWater

poet,hasleftacuriousdescriptionofoneofthesetinchels。

ItwasatatinchelthattherisingundertheEarlofMarinthe\'15

wasconcocted。

Bethatasitmay,theChacoIndiansofto

day,comprisingtheremnantsoftheLulis,Tobas,Lenguas,Mocobios,andothers,arealmostassavageaswhenfirstwehearoftheminthepagesofAlvarNunezandHuldericoSchmidel。ThesetribestheJesuitsonmanyoccasionsattemptedtocivilize,butalmostentirelywithoutsuccess,asthelongrecordofthemartyrdomofJesuitmissionariesintheChacoproves,aswellasthegradualabandonmentoftheirmissionsthere,towardsthesecondhalfoftheeighteenthcentury。

CertainitisthatatvariousplacesintheChaco,inthequaintoldmapstheJesuitshaveleftus,onereads`MissiondeSantaCruzdelosVilelas\',`MissiondelaConcepciondelosFrontones\',andothers;butmuchmorefrequentlytheirmapsarestuddedwithcrosses,andsomesuchlegendas`HicoccisisuntPP。AntoniusSalinusetPetrusOrtizZarate\'。

ItwasonlywhentheJesuitsencounteredthemorepeacefulGuaranisthattheymetwithrealsuccess。

SeethecuriousmapcontainedinthenowrareworkofP。PedroLozano,entitled,`DescripcionChorographica……delGranChaco,Gualamba\',etc。

Alsointheinterestingcollectionofoldmapspublishedin1872atMadridbyFranciscoJavierBrabo。

Whatwasthenatureoftheirsuccess,howdurableitwas,whatwerethereasonswhichcausedtheexpulsionoftheorderfromAmerica,andespeciallyfromParaguay,andwhathasbeentheresultupontheremainderoftheIndians,itismyobjecttoendeavourtoexplain。

AlongresidenceintheriverPlate,togetherwithtwovisitstoParaguay,inoneofwhichIsawalmostalltheremnantsoftheParaguayanmissionsandafewofthosesituatedintheprovinceofCorrientes,andintheBrazilianprovinceofRioGrandedoSul,havegivenmesomepersonalacquaintancewiththesubject。

Itis,ofcourse,tobetakenintoconsiderationthatmytwojourneysinParaguayweremadeafterthegreatwarwhichterminatedin1870,afterlastingfouryears;butthewritingsofDemersay(`HistoireduParaguayetdesE/tablissementsdesJe/suites\',Paris,1862),thoseofBrabo,andofAzara,showthedesertedstateofthedistrictofMisionesintheperiodfrom1767,thedateoftheexpulsionoftheJesuits,tothemiddleofthenineteenthcentury。

TheactualconditionoftherichdistrictofMisiones(Paraguay)

atthetimeIvisitedit,shortlyaftertheconclusionofthegreatwarbetweenParaguayandBrazilin1870,doesnotenablemetospeakwithauthorityontheconditionofcommunities,theguidingspiritsofwhichwereexpelledasfarbackastheyear1767。

Theactualbuildingsofthemissions,thechurchesinadismantledstate,haveindeedsurvived;inmanyinstancesthetalldate

palmstheJesuitsplantedstillwaveoverthem。GenerallythecollegewasoccupiedbytheIndianAlcalde,whocameouttomeetthevisitoronahorseifhepossessedone,withasmuchsilveraboutthebridleandstirrupsashecouldafford,clothedinwhite,withacloakofredbaize,alarge`jipi

japa\'hat,andsilverspursbuckledonhisnakedfeet。

Ifhehadneverleftthemission,hetalkedwithwonderandrespectofthetimesoftheJesuits,andatthe`oracion\'kneltdowntopraywhereverthesoundoftheangelusmightcatchhim。

Hischildrenbeforebedtimekneltallinarowtoaskhisblessing。

IfhehadbeentoAsuncion,heprobablyremarkedthatthepeopleunderthoseaccursedpriestswerenaughtbutanimalsandslaves,andlaunchedintosomedisquisitionhehadheardinthesolitarycafewhichAsuncionthenboasted。Inthelattercase,aftermuchoftherightsofmanandthedutiesofhospitality,hegenerallypresentedyouwithaheavybillforIndiancornand`pindo\'whichyourhorsehadeaten。

Intheformer,usuallyhebadeyougowithGod,and,ifyouspokeofpayment,said:`Well,sendmeabookofHourswhenyougettoAsuncion。\'

`CocosAustralis\'。

OfIndians,hardlyanywerelefttojudgeof,forinthevillagesinwhich,accordingtothereportsfurnishedtoBucareli,theViceroyofBuenosAyresatthetimeoftheexpulsionoftheJesuits,thepopulationnumberedinthethirtytownsofthemissionsonehundredandtwentythousand,

apopulationofatmosttwentythousandwastobefound。

Oneverysidethepowerfulvegetationhadcoveredupthefields。

Onruinedchurchandchapel,andonbrokentower,thelianasclimbedasifontrees,creepingupthebelfries,andthrowinggreatmassesofscarletandpurpleflowersoutoftheapertureswhereoncewerehungthebells。Inthethickjunglesafewhalf

wildcattlestillweretobefound。Thevast`estancias\',whereoncetheJesuitsbrandedtwoandthreethousandcalvesayear,andfromwhencethousandsofmuleswentforthtoChileandBolivia,wereallneglected。Horseswerescarceandpoor,cropsfewandindifferent,andtheplantationsmadebytheJesuitsofthetree(`IlexParaguayensis\')

fromwhichismadethe`yerbamate\',werealldestroyed。

SeethereportsoftheMarquesdeValdeliriosandothersinthepublicationsofFranciscoJavierBrabo,Madrid,1872,andinthe`EnsayodelaHistoriaCivildeParaguay,Buenos

AyresyTucuman\',porDr。DonGregorioFunes,BuenosAyres,1816。

Inthevastforests,stretchingtotheSaltodeGuayra,afewscatteredtribes,knownasCaaguas,roamedthroughthethickets,orencampeduponthestreams。Inthethirtytowns,oncefulloflifeandstir,ineveryoneofwhichtherewasachurch,finer,asanoldSpanishwritersays,thananyinBuenosAyres,therewasnaughtbutdesolationanddespair。TheIndianseitherhadreturnedintothewoods,beenkilledintheceaselessrevolutionarywars,orhadbeenabsorbedintotheGauchopopulationsofCorrientes,RioGrande,EntreRios,andofSantaFe。

ItmaybethatallIndianracesaredestinedtodisappeariftheycomeintocontactwithEuropeans;certainly,experiencewouldseemtoconfirmthesupposition。ThepolicyoftheJesuits,however,wasbasedonisolationoftheirmissions,andhowthismighthaveworkedismatteratleastforspeculation。Itwasonaccountoftheisolationwhichtheypractisedthatitwaspossiblefortheextravagantcalumnieswhichwerecirculatedastotheirruleandrichestogainbelief。

Itwasonaccountofisolationthatthefirstconflictsarosebetwixtthemandtheauthorities,bothclericalandlay。ThattheJesuitsweremorehighlyesteemedthantheotherreligiousordersinSpanishAmericaintheseventeenthcentury,thesayingcurrentinthosedays,`Losdemasvana/un~a,losJesuitasa/una\'

i。e。,Theothersgetalltheycan,buttheJesuitshaveoneaim(theconversionoftheIndians)

seemstoshow。

ItisnotmypurposetodealwiththeprobablereasonswhichinducedtheirexpulsioninEurope。Sufficeittosaythat,whatevercrimesormisdemeanourstheywereguiltyof,theywerenevercalledontoanswerbeforeanytribunals,andthatinmanyinstancestheyweretreated,especiallyinPortugal,withgreatcrueltyandinjustice。

Theburning,attheageofeighty,oftheunfortunateMalagridainLisbonundertheauspicesofPombal,forabookwhichitseemsimprobablehecouldhavewritteninprisonatsogreatanage,andwhich,moreover,wasneverbroughtintocourt,onlysupposedextractsfromitbeingread,mayserveasanexample。InorderclearlytounderstandthepositionoftheJesuitsinAmerica,andespeciallyinParaguayandBolivia,itisnecessarytoglancebrieflyatthehistoryofthefirstconquestoftheriverPlate。

ThediscoveryofAmericaopeneduptoEurope,andespeciallytoSpain,opportunitiesforexpansionofnationalterritoryandindividualadvancementwhichnoepoch,eitherbeforeorsince,hasequalled。

FromaclusterofsmallStates,strugglingforexistenceagainstapowerfulenemyontheirownsoil,inafewyearsSpainbecamethegreatestempireoftheworld。Theresultwasthataspiritofadventureandadesiretogrowrichspeedilypossessedallclasses。Inadditiontothis,everySpaniardinAmericaduringthefirstfewyearsoftheconquestseemedtoconsiderhimself,tosomeextent,notonlyasaconqueror,butalsoasamissionary。

Now,missionariesandconquerorsaremen,onthewhole,moreimbuedwiththeirownimportanceandsanctity,andlessdisposedtoconsiderconsequences,thanalmostanyotherclassesofmankind。Theconjunctionofthetwoinonedisposedthe`conquistadores\'ofAmericatoimaginethat,nomatterhowcrueloroutrageoustheirtreatmentoftheIndianswas,theyatonedforallbytheintroductionofwhattheyconsideredtheblessingoftheknowledgeofthetruefaith。Itwillbeseenatoncethat,ifonecandeterminewithaccuracywhichofthemany`faiths\'preachedabouttheworldisactuallythetruefaith,amanwhoisinpossessionofitisactingproperlyinendeavouringtodiffuseit。ThemeanestsoldierinthevariousarmieswhichleftSpaintoconquerAmericaseemstohavehadnodoubtaboutthematter。

BernalDiazdelCastillo,who,ashehimselfrelates,cametoAmericaattheageofeighteen,andthereforecouldhavehadlittlepreviousopportunityofstudyingtheology,andwho,moreover,wasunfittedtodosobythewantofknowledgeofLatin,towhichhehimselfconfesses,yetattheendofhishistoryoftheconquestofMexico,oneofthemostinterestingbookseverwritten,hasthefollowingpassage:

`Butitistobenotedthat,afterGod,itwaswe,therealconquerors,whodiscoveredthem[theIndians]andconqueredthem;andfromthefirstwetookawaytheiridols,andtaughtthemourholydoctrine,andtousisduetherewardandcreditofitall,beforeanyotherpeople,eventhoughtheybechurchmen:forwhenthebeginningisgood,themiddleandendingisgood,whichthecurious[i。e。,attentive]readermayseeintheChristianpolityandjusticewhichweshowedtheminNewSpain。

`AndIwillleavethematter,andtelltheotherbenefitswhich,afterGod,byouragency,cametothenativesofNewSpain。\'

BernalDiaz,`HistoriadelaConquistadelaNuevaEspan~a\',vol。iv。,cap。207,Madrid,1796。

Onewouldimagine,onreadingtheaboveextract,BernalDiazhadneverkilledanIndianinhislife,andthathehadsacrificedhisprospectsincomingtoMexicosolelytointroduce`aChristianpolityandjustice\'

amongsttheinhabitants。Yethewasnohypocrite,butastoutsagacioussoldier,evenkindly,accordingtohislights,andwithaloveofanimalsuncommoninaSpaniard,forhehaspreservedthenamesandqualitiesofallthehorsesandmareswhichcameoverinthefleetfromtheHavanawithCortes。Thephrase,`despuesdeDios\'

(afterGod)occursrepeatedlyinthewritingsofalmostallthe`conquistadores\'ofAmerica。Having,afterGod,conqueredAmerica,thefirstactionoftheconquerorswastosetaboutmakingtheirfortunes。

Inthosecountrieswhichproducedgoldandsilver,asMexicoandPeru,theyworkedtheminesbythelabouroftheIndians,thecrueltiesandhardshipsbeingsogreatthat,inaletterofPhilipII。totheComedeChinchon,theViceroyofPeru,datedMadrid,April30,1639,writtenfiftyyearsafterthediscovery,hesays:`TheseIndiansflee,becomeill,anddie,andhavebeguntodiminishgreatlyinnumber,andtheywillbefinishedsoonunlessanefficientremedyisprovidedshortly。\'

Especiallynotingdowntheappearanceandqualitiesof`elcaballoMotilla\',thehorseofGonzalodeSandoval。ThusdoesheminutelydescribeMotilla,`thebesthorseinCastilleortheIndies\'。`Elmejorcaballo,ydemejorcarrera,revueltoa/unamanoya\\otraquedecianquenosehabiavistomejorenCastilla,nienesatierraeracastan~oacastan~ado,yunaestrellaenlafrente,yunpieizquierdocalzado,quesedeciaelcaballoMotilla;

e/quandohayahoradiferenciasobrebuenoscaballos,suclendeciresenbondadtanbuenocomoMotilla。\'

InParaguaytherewerenomines,buttherewereothermethodsofextractingmoneyfromtheIndians。AtthefirstconquestParaguaywasnotthelittlecountryboundedonthewestbytheParaguay,onthesouthbytheParana,onthenorthbytheAquidaban,andontheeastbySierraofMbaracavu,asitisatpresent。

Onthecontrary,itembracedalmostallthatimmenseterritoryknownto

dayastheArgentineConfederation,someoftheRepublicofUruguay,andagreatportionofBrazil,embracingmuchoftheprovincesofMisiones,RioGrandedoSul,Parana,andMattoGrosso,aswellasParaguayitself。

Howthelittlecountry,twelvehundredmilesfromthesea,cametogiveitsnametosuchanenormousterritory,andtohavetheseatofgovernmentatAsuncion,demandssomeexplanation。

PeruandChilewerediscoveredandoccupiedsometimebeforetheeasternsideofSouthAmerica。Theirrichesnaturallydrewgreatattentiontothem;butthevoyage,firsttoCartagenadeIndias,andthenacrosstheisthmus,andthere

embarkationagainonthePacific,werebothcostlyandarduous。IthadbeentheambitionofallexplorerstodiscoversomeriverwhichwouldleadfromtheAtlantictotheminesofPeruandwhatisnowBolivia,thenknownasAltaPeru。

Ofcourse,thismighthavebeenachievedbyascendingtheAmazon,especiallyaftertheadventurousdescentofitbyOrellana,ofwhichFrayGaspardeCarbajalhasleftsocuriousadescription;

but,whetheronaccountofthedistanceorforsomeotherreason,itneverseemstohavebeenattempted。

In1526SebastianCabotleftSpainwiththreesmallvesselsandacaravelfortheobjectofreachingtheMoluccasorSpiceIslands。

ItwashispurposetoreachthemthroughtheStraitsofMagellan。

Beingcompelledbywantofsuppliestoabandonhisroute,heenteredabroadestuary,andascendeditundertheimpressionthathehaddiscoveredanotherchanneltothePacific。Hesoonfoundhismistake,andbegantoexplorethesurroundingcountry。Fifteenyearsbefore,withthesameobject,JuandeSolishadenteredthesameestuary。

OntheislandofMartinGarciahewaskilledbyaChanaIndian,andhisexpeditionreturnedhome。Hearingthattherewasmuchsilveratthehead

waters,hehadcalledittheRiodelaPlata。

Ifwetakethehead

watersoftheriverPlatetobesituatedinBolivia,therecertainlywasmuchsilverthere;butCabotwasunawarethatthehead

waterswereabovetwothousandmilesfromtheestuary,andhewasnotdestinedtocomenearthem。HedidgoasfarasapointontheriverCaracara,inwhatisnowtheprovinceofSantaFe,andtherehebuiltafortwhichhenamedEspirituSanto,thefirstSpanishsettlementinthatpartofAmerica。

WhilstatEspirituSanto,severalexploringpartiesweresenttoscourthecountry。Oneofthem,underasoldierofthenameofCesar,neverreturned。Tradition,alwayseagertomakeuptohistoryforitswantofinterest,assertedthataftermarchingforyearstheyreachedacity。PerhapsitwasthemysticTrapalandaofwhichtheGauchosusedtodiscourseatnightwhenseatedroundafireofbonesuponthepampa。Perhapssomeother,forenchantedcitiesandEldoradoswereplentifulinthosedaysinAmerica,alternatingwithoccasionalempires,asthatofPuytita,neartheLagunadelosXarayes,Manoa,andtheCiudaddelosCesares,supposedtobesituatednearAraucointheChilianAndes。However,oneofthepartyactuallyreturnedafteryears,andrelatedhisadventurestoRuyDiazdeGuzman,

thefirsthistorianofParaguay。ThusitwasthatthestreamofadventurerswaseverseekingforachanneltotheminesofPerufromtheAtlanticcoast。

CabotappearstohaveascendedtheParanatotheislandofApipe,andthen,returning,enteredtheriverParaguay。HavingascendedpastwhatisnowAsuncion,thecapitalofParaguay,CabotencounteredIndiansfromthenorthwhotoldhimoftheminesinPeruandinBolivia,probablyunawarethatCabotknewofthemalready。Atthispoint,encouragedbywhatheheard,hegavethenameofRiodelaPlatatowhathadpreviouslybeenknowneitherasLaMarDulceorElRiodeSolis。

Likemostnameswhicharewronglygiven,itremainedtotestifytothewantofknowledgeofthegiver。Fouryearsafter,CabotreturnedtoSpain,havingfailedtoattractattentiontohisdiscoveries。

InthefaceofthewealthwhichwaspouringinfromthePeruvianmines,anotherexpeditionstartedfortheriverPlate。ItsGeneral

forinSpainthetitlewasusedindifferentlybylandandsea

wasDonPedrodeMendoza,agentlemanofGuadixinAlmeria,andamemberofthehouseholdofCharlesV。

`LaArgentina\',includedinthe`ColecciondeAngelis\',BuenosAyres,1836。

DonPedrohadseenserviceintheItalianwars,andseemstohavebeenamanofcharacterandbravery,butwantinginthediscretionandthenecessarytactessentialinthefounderofacolony。

In1534theexpeditionstarted,unfortunatealmostfromthefirst。

Ina`certainisland\',asthehistorianoftheexpedition,HuldericoSchmidel,aGermanorFlemishsoldier,callsRioJaneiro,adisputeoccurredbetweenDonPedroandhissecondincommand,JuandeOsorio。

Atacourt

martialhelduponOsorio,DonPedroappearstohaveletfallsomeremarkswhichJuandeAyolas,theAlguazilMayor(ChiefConstable),seemstohavetakenupasanorderforinstantexecution。

Thisheperformeduponthespot,plunginghisdaggerrepeatedlyintoOsorio,or,asHuldericoSchmidelhasit,`sewinghimupwithcuts\'

(`cosiendolea\\pun~aladas\')。Thismurderorexecution

forwhoshalltellwhenmurderfinishesanditslegalcounterpartbegins?

renderedDonPedroveryunpopularwithallthefleet;for,asSchmidelhasitinhishistory,`thesoldierslovedOsorio。\'TobelovedbythesoldierswastheonlychanceaSpanishofficerhadinthosetimesofholdinghisown。

BothSchmidelandBernalDiazdelCastillo,whohadbothbeencommonsoldiers,andwho,curiously,bothwrotehistories,losenooccasionofvilifyingofficerswhousedthesoldiershardly。ItistruethatBernalDiaz(who,unlikeSchmidel,wasamanofgenius)doessowithsomediscretion,andalwaysapparentlywithreason。Schmidel,ontheotherhand,seemstohaveconsideredthatanyofficerwhointerferedbetweenthesoldiersandtheIndianswasatyrant,andhencehisdenunciationofAlvarNunez,underwhomheserved。

`HistoriayDescubrimientodeelRiodelaPlatayParaguay\',HuldericoSchmidel,containedinthecollectionmadebyAndresGonzalezBarcia,andpublishedin1769atMadridunderthetitleof`HistoriadoresPrimitivosdelasIndiasOccidentales\'。

In1535theexpeditionenteredtheriverPlate。HereMendoza,withhisusualwantofjudgment,pitcheduponwhatisnowthesiteofBuenosAyresasthespotonwhichtofoundhiscolony。

Itwouldbedifficulttoselectamoreinconvenientplaceinwhichtofoundatown。ThesiteofBuenosAyresisalmostlevelwiththewatersoftheriverPlate,whichthereareshallow

soshallowthatlargevesselscouldnotapproachnearerthantentofifteenmiles。Withoutaharbour,theanchoragewasexposedtothefullfuryofthesouth

westgales,knownas`pamperos\'。

However,ifthesitewasbadtheairwasgood;atleast,itseemsso,foracaptainoftheexpeditionexclaimedonlanding,`Quebuenosairessonestos!\'andhencethename。Hereeverysortofevilchancecameonthenewborncolony。ThePampaIndians,whomthehistorianSchmidelseemstohaveonlyknownbytheirGuaraninameofQuerandis,atfirstwerefriendly。Afteralittlewhiletheyceasedtobringprovisions,andtheGeneralsentoutanexpeditiontocompelthemunderhisbrother,DonDiegodeMendoza。ItdoesnotseemtohaveoccurredtoDonPedrodeMendozathat,hadthe`cacique\'oftheQuerandislandedinSpain,noonewouldhavebroughthimprovisionsforasingledaywithoutreceivingpayment。However,DonPedrohadcometoAmericatointroducecivilizationandChristianity,andtherefore,knowing,likeBernalDiazandtheotherconquerors,hisownmoralworth,wasjustlyindignantthatafteradayortwotheIndiansrefusedhimmoresupplies。IntheencounterwhichtookplacebetweentheSpaniardsandtheIndians,DonDiegodeMendozawasslain,andwithhimseveralothers。Hereforthefirsttimewehearofthebolas,orthreestonesunited,likeaManxman\'slegs,withstripsofhide,withwhich,asHuldericoSchmideltellsus,theIndianscaughtthehorsesbythelegsandthrewthemdown。AfterthisforetasteofEuropeanjustice,theIndiansbesiegedthenewly

builttownandbroughtittogreatstraits,somuchsothat,afterthreemenhadbeenhungforstealingahorse,inthemorningitwasdiscoveredtheyhadbeencutdownandeaten。

InthisdesperatestateDonPedrodespatchedJuandeAyolastogetsupplies。

He,havingobtainedsomemaizefromtheTimbuIndians,returned,leavingahundredofhismeninalittlefort,calledCorpusChristi,closetoEspirituSanto,thefortwhichCabothadconstructed。

ThefriendlinessoftheTimbusinducedDonPedrotoabandonBuenosAyresandmovetoCorpusChristi。Thereherepairedwithaboutfivehundredmen,allwhoremainedofthetwothousandsixhundredandthirtywithwhichhesailedfromCadiz。Thehorsesheabandonedonthepampa;

theretheybecametheancestorsoftheinnumerableherdswhichatonetimeoverspreadtheArgentineRepublicfromtheChacotoPatagonia,andwhosedescendantstothisdaystockthe`estancias\'ofthatcountry。

ThegreatLasCasas,whomadesevenvoyagesfromAmericatoSpain

thelastattheageofseventy

two

toprotecttheIndians,hadastrongopinionabout`conquerors\'and`conquests\'。

InthededicationofhisgreattreatiseonthewrongsoftheIndians,hesays:`Quenopermita(FelipeII。)lasatrocidadesquelostiranosinventaron,yqueprosiguenhaciendocontitulode"conquistas"。Losquesejactandeser"conquistadores"

aquedesciendendeellossonmuchomasorgullososarrogantesyvanosquelosotrosEspan~oles。\'Strangethatevento

daythesame`atrocidades\'of`tiranos\'aregoingoninAfrica。

Nodoubtthedescendantsofthese`conquerors\'willbeasarrogant,proud,andvainasthedescendantsofthe`conquistadores\'

ofwhomLasCasaswrites。

Mendozaleft(`AzaraApuntamientosparalaHistoriaNaturaldelosQuadrupedesdelParaguay\',etc。)fivemaresandsevenhorsesintheyear1535。In1580DonJuandeGaray,atthesecondfoundingofthecity,alreadyfoundtroopsofwildhorses。Thecattleincreasedtoamarvellousextent,andbytheendofthecenturywerewildinPatagonia。Sarmiento(`CivilisationetBarbarisme\')

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