A Vanished Arcadia

第5章

ThuswasDomingoMartinezdeIralaleftinsolecommandinParaguay。

HenaturallyhadalltogainbynotcommunicatingwithSpain。

Hadhedoneso,thepartheplayedinreferencetoAlvarNunezmusthavebeenknown。Hehad,however,certaingoodqualities,courageinabundance,Herculeanstrengthandgreatendurance,andthepowerofmakinghimselfobeyed。ButhehadtojustifyhimselftoSpainforhisposition,andthesurestwaytodosowastodiscovergold

mines。So,namingFranciscodeMendozahislieutenant,hestarteduptheParaguay,takingwithhimthreehundredandfiftysoldiersandtwothousandGuaranis。

Aftermanyhardships,hereachedthefrontiersofPeru,onlytofindthecountryalreadyconqueredfromthePacificside,andtobemetbythemessengersofthewisePresident,LaGasca,whotoldhimtoreturn,andnamedoneDiegoCentenoGovernorofParaguayinsteadofhim。Centenodiedbeforehecouldassumethegovernorship,soitseemedthatfatedeterminedthatIralawastocontinueincommand。

AfterayearandahalfhereturnedtoParaguay,havingfoundnogoldorriches,butbringingmanythousandIndiansasslaves。

ItisimportanttorememberthatIrala,whowasremarkableforhisrelativelykindtreatmentoftheIndians,onthisoccasionledsomanyofthemcaptive。OnarrivingatAsuncionhefoundarebelliongoingon,asnotinfrequentlyoccurredwhenaSpanishGovernorlefthisdomains。Hislieutenant,Mendoza,hadbeenkilledbyoneDiegodeAbreu。AfterquietingmattersinAsuncion,hedespatchedNuflodeChaves(oneofhiscaptains)tofoundatownonthehigherwatersoftheParaguay。

Likemanyothercaptainsofthosedays,theideaofChaveswastomakehimselfquiteindependentofauthority;so,strikingintotheinterior,hefoundedthetownofSantaCruzdelaSierrainBolivia。

AftermanyadventureshewaskilledbyanIndian,whostruckhimwithaclubwhilsthewassittingeatingwithouthishelmet。

IraladiedatthelittlevillageofItain1557,andwasburiedinthecathedralatAsuncion,whichhewasbuildingatthetime。

Withhimexpiredthegenerationoftheconqueringsoldiersoffortune,who,schooledinthewarsofItaly,broughttoAmericasomeofthevirtuesandallthevicesoftheOldWorld。

Afterhimbeganthereignofthehalf

casteSpaniardswhoweretheprogenitorsofthemodernoccupantsoftheSpanish

Americanrepublics。

AtIrala\'sdeaththeusualfeuds,whichhaveforthelastthreehundredyearsdisgracedeverypartofSpanishAmerica,began。Intothemitisunnecessarytoenter,forwithIraladiedalmosttheonlyGovernorofParaguaywhoshowedthesmallestcapacitytomakehimselfobeyed。

TrueindeedthatAriasdeSaavedra,anativeofParaguayandLieutenant

GovernorunderRamirezdeVelasco,theGovernorofTucuman,displayedsometracesofabilityandofintelligence。HeitwaswhofirstappealedtoSpainformissionariestoconverttheIndians。

WhilstAlvarNunezandIrala,withNuflodeChavesandtheothercaptains,hadbeenconqueringandbuildingtowns,theJesuitshadbeenpreachinginthewildernessandgatheringtogethertheIndiantribes。

NottenyearsafterthefoundationoftheirOrder,orabout1550,theyhadlandedatSanSalvadordeBahiainBrazil。

AcquavivawasGeneraloftheOrderatthistime;hewasamanofmarkedabilityandgreatenergy。

In1554,inthedistrictofGuayra,ontheupperwatersoftheParana,andabovethecataract,thetownsofOntiveros,CiudadReal,andVillaRica,hadbeenfoundedbyDonRuyDiazdeMelgarejo。

In1586FathersAlfonsoBarcenaandAnguloleftthetownofSantaMariadelasCharcas(Bolivia)attherequestofFranciscoVitoria,BishopofSantiago,whohadappealedformissionariestotheSocietyofJesus。

TheyreachedtheprovinceofGuayra,andbegantheirlabours。

ShortlyafterwardstheywerejoinedbyFathersEstezanGrao,JuanSolano,andThomasFields;SolanoandFieldshadalreadyvisitedsomeofthewanderingtribesupontheRioVermejointheChaco。

In1593othersarrived,asJuanRomero,GaspardeMonroy,andMarcelinoLorenzana。ShortlyafterthistheyfoundedthecollegeinAsuncion。ThenFathersOrtegaandVellarnaopenetratedintothemountainsoftheChiriguanas,andbegantopreachtheGospeltotheIndians。

In1602Acquaviva,seeingthenecessityofcommonaction,calledallthescatteredJesuitsofParaguayandtheriverPlatetoaconferenceatSaltatodeliberateastotheirfuturepolicy。In1605

FatherDiegoTorreswasnamedProvincialoftheJesuitsofParaguayandChile,thusprovingboththepaucityofJesuitsinSouthAmericaatthetime,andthelittleideatheGeneralinRomehadoftheimmensityofthecountrieshewasdealingwith。

BeforethisdatetheJesuitsinParaguayhadbeenundertheecclesiasticaljurisdictionoftheBishopsofPeru。

TorresarrivedinLimawithfifteenpriests,andalmostatthesametimesomeothersarrivedatBuenosAyres;bothpartiesproceededtoParaguay。

AlreadytheJesuitsfoundthemselvesapreytocalumny。

BothinTucumanandParaguaytheywereexpectedtolendthemselvestotheenslavementoftheIndians。InChileFatherValdiviawasexpelledfromSantiago,andtookrefugeatTucuman。TherehefoundtheconditionofaffairssointolerablethathewenttoMadridtosolicittheprotectionoftheKing,PhilipIII。,forhisIndiansubjects。

In1608PhilipissuedhisroyalletterspatenttotheSocietyofJesusfortheconversionoftheIndiansintheprovinceofGuayra。

TheBishopandtheGovernor,AriasdeSaavedra(himselfaParaguayanbybirth),offerednoobjection,andtheschemeofcolonizationwasagreeduponatonce。

ThustheJesuitsobtainedtheirfirstofficialstatusinAmerica。

FathersSimonMacetaandJoseCataldino(bothItalians)

leftAsunciononOctober10,1609,andarrivedinFebruary,1610,onthebanksoftheriverParanapane。

Paranapane=theWhiteParana,or,accordingtoothers,theParanawithoutfish。

TheretheymettheIndiansamongstwhomFieldsandOrtegahadbeguntolabour,andtheretheyfoundedtheReductionofLoreto,thefirstpermanentestablishmentinstitutedbytheJesuitsamongsttheGuaranis。Thus,inthewoodsofParaguay,uponatributaryoftheParanabutlittleknownevento

day,didtheSocietyofJesuslaythefirstfoundationoftheirfamousmissions。

ButlittlemorethanfiftyyearsfromthefoundationoftheirOrder,thushadtheypenetratedtowhatwasthen,andisperchanceto

day,aftertheirmissionsallareruined,oneoftheremotestcornersoftheworld。

Reduction(`reduccion\')wastheSpanishnameforamissionaryestablishment。

Theretheybuiltupthesystemwithwhichtheirnameislinkedforever

thesystemwhichfortwohundredyearswasabletoholdtogetherwanderingIndiantribes,restlessasArabs,suspiciousaboveeveryotherraceofmen

andwhichto

dayhasdisappeared,leavingnothingofalikenatureinalltheworld。

ChapterII

Earlydaysofthemissions

Newsettlementsfounded

RelationsofJesuitswithIndiansandSpanishcolonists

DestructionofmissionsbytheMamelucos

FatherMaceta

PadreAntonioRuizdeMontoya

Hisworkandinfluence

RetreatoftheJesuitsdowntheParanaItdoesnotseemdoubtfulbutthattheworkdonebyFathersOrtegaandFilds

hadbornesomefruit。PerhapsnotquiteafterthefashionthattheJesuitsbelieved;butwhenMacetaandCataldinoarrivedatGuayraandfoundedtheReductionofLoreto,theirsuccessatfirstwasofanaturethatalmostjustifiedtheepithet`miraculous\',anepithetwhichindeedallmenapplytoanyenterpriseoftheirswhichmeetssuccess。Almostfromthefirstinceptionofthemissions,theJesuitsfoundthemselvesinthestrangepositionof,thoughbeinghatedbytheSpanishsettlers,yetrecurredtoasmediatorswhenanyofthewildtribesprovedtoopowerfulfortheSpanisharms。Thus,farfromcities,farfromevensuchelementarycivilizationasParaguayshouldshow,almostupontheedgeofthegreatcataractoftheParana,theJesuitsfoundedtheirfirstreduction;towhichtheIndiansflockedinsuchnumbersthatasecondwassoonnecessary,towhichtheygavethenameofSanIgnacio,inmemoryofthefounderoftheirrule。

SomeoftheSpanishwritersrefertoFildsasPadreTomFilds。

HisrealnamewasFields,andhewasaScotchman。

ForthefirstfewyearsallwentwellwiththeJesuits。TheIndians,happytoescapethepersecutionsoftheSpaniardsontheonehand,andtheincursionsofthePaulistasontheother,flockedtothereductions,missionaftermissionwassoonformed,andthewildIndiansgatheredupintotownshipsandtaughttheartsofpeace。

ButthoughtheGuaranisatfirstenteredintotheJesuitreductionsasarefugeagainsttheirpersecutors,thePortugueseandSpaniards,soon,aswasonlynaturaltomenaccustomedtoawildforestlife,theyfoundtheJesuitdisciplinetooirksome,andoftenfledbacktothewoods。Thenthepoorpriest,leftwithouthisflock,hadtotakeupthetrailoftheflyingneophytes,followthemtotherecessesoftheforests,andpersuadethemtocomeback。

ThePaulistasweretheinhabitantsofthePortuguese(nowBrazilian)

townofSaoPaulo。Azara,whohatedtheJesuits(hisbrother,DonNicolasdeAzara,havingbeenconcernedintheirexpulsion),saysthatfearofthePaulistascontributedtothesuccessoftheJesuitswiththeIndians。DeanFunes(`HistoriadelParaguay\',etc。)

saysjustasreasonablythatitwasfearoftheSpanishsettlers。

AsameanstosecuretheconfidenceoftheIndians,theJesuitsfoundthemselvesobligedtocommunicateasrarelyaspossiblewiththeSpanishsettlements。Thus,fromthefirstthepolicyofisolation,whichwasoneofthechiefchargesbroughtagainsttheOrderinlateryears,wasofnecessitybegun。Voltaire,noloverofreligiousOrders,saysoftheJesuits:`Whenin1768themissionsofParaguayleftthehandsoftheJesuits,theyhadarrivedatperhapsthehighestdegreeofcivilizationtowhichitispossibletoconductayoungpeople,andcertainlyatafarsuperiorstatethanthatwhichexistedintherestofthenewhemisphere。

Thelawswererespectedthere,moralswerepure,ahappybrotherhoodunitedeveryheart,alltheusefulartswereinaflourishingstate,andevensomeofthemoreagreeablesciences;plentywasuniversal。\'

Therewas,however,aroyalOrder(`cedulareal\')whichappliedtoallAmerica,whichespeciallyprohibitedSpaniardsfromlivingintheIndiantowns,and,moreover,providedthatevenforpurposesoftradenoSpaniardshouldremainformorethanthreedaysinanIndiantown。

`HistoirePolitiqueetPhilosophiquedesIndes\',vol。i。,p。289

(Gene\\ve,1780)。

Itis,however,toberememberedthatVoltairewroteasaphilosopher,andnotasaneconomist,andthathisstatementmostprobablywouldbetraversedbythosewhoseeadvancementratherinmaterialimprovementthaninmoralhappiness,forwithoutdoubt,inLimaandinMexicouponthewhole,societymusthavemadeamongsttheSpanishandSpanish

descendedcitizensgreateradvancesthanintheJesuitreductionsofParaguay。InsomerespectstheiralmostinaccessiblesituationclosetothecataractoftheParanawasfavourabletotheearlyJesuits,andinquicksuccessionthevillagesofLoreto,SanFranciscoXavier,SanJose,SanIgnacio,SanPedro,andothersoflessimportance,werefounded,containinginallaboutfortythousandsouls。

CretineauJoly,`HistoireReligieuse,PolitiqueetLitte/rairedelaCompagniedeJe/sus\',vol。iii。,cap。v。,p。322(Paris,1846)。

SointheJesuitreductionsoftheprovinceofGuayrawasfirstbegunthesystemoftreatingtheIndianskindly,andstandingbetweenthemandtheSpanishsettlers,whichmadetheCompanyofJesussohatedafterwardsinParaguay。

Littlebylittletheirinfluencegrew,sothatwhen,in1614,PadreAntonioRuizdeMontoyaarrived,hefoundthattherewerealreadyonehundredandnineteenJesuitsinGuayraandinParaguay。

OfalltheJesuitswho,duringthelongperiodoftheirlabours,appearedinParaguay,hewasthemostremarkable;oneofthemostlearnedmenoftheageinwhichhelived,heyetunitedinhimselfthequalitiesofamanofactiontothoseofscholarandofmissionary。

WithouthispresencemostlikelynotatenthpartoftheIndianswouldhaveescapedafterthedestructionofthemissionsofGuayrain1630and1631atthehandsofthehalf

civilizedhordesknownasPaulistasorMamalucos,whofromthecityofSanPaulocarriedfireandswordamongsttheGuaranis。

ItiseasytounderstandthattheSpanishcolonists,whohadlookedonalltheIndiansasslaves,wererenderedfuriousbytheadventoftheJesuits,whotreatedthemasmen。

To

daytheEuropeancolonistinAfricalabourslesstoenslavethantoexterminatethenatives;butifabodyofclergyofanysecthavingtheabnegationanddisregardofconsequencesoftheJesuitsofoldshouldarise,fancythefurythatwouldbeevokediftheyinsistedthatitwereastrulymurdertoslayablackmanasitistokillamanwhoseskiniswhite。Mostfortunately,ourclergyofto

day,especiallythoseofthevariouschurchesmilitantinUganda,thinkotherwise,andholdthatChristwasthefirstinventorofthe`colour

line\'。

AtthefirstsettlementofSouthAmericagreatsemi

feudalfiefscalled`encomiendas\'weregrantedtotheconquerors。Oneoftheconditionsoftheirtenurewasthatthe`encomenderos\'(theownersofthefiefs)

`shouldseetothereligiouseducationoftheIndians\'。

MuchthesamekindofthingastoenjoinkindnessandChristianforbearanceuponthedirectorsofamodernCharteredCompany。But,inadditiontothe`encomiendas\',twoothersystemswereinvoguecalled`yanaconas\'and`mitayos\',whichwereinfactdesignedtoreducetheIndianstotheconditionofmereslaves。

Herrerasaysthatthe`"yanaconas"weremendestinedfrombirthtoperpetualslaveryandcaptivity,andintheirclothing,treatment,andtheconditionsoftheirtoil,weredifferentlytreatedfromfreemen。\'

`HistoriaGeneraldeloshechosdelosCastellanosenlasIslasytierrafirmedelMarOceano\',decad。v。,lib。iv。,cap。xl。

InParaguaythese`yanaconas\'wereknownas`IndiosOriginarios\',andgenerallyweredescendantsofIndiansconqueredinwar;they,too,wereinaconditionofserfdom。Theylivedinthehouseofthe`encomendero\',andcouldnotbesold,andthe`encomendero\'was(intheory)obligednotonlytofeedandclothethem,buttoinstructtheminreligioustruths。

Inordertoseethattheseconditionsweredulycarriedout,visitorsweresenteachyeartohearwhatmutuallythe`encomenderos\'andtheIndianshadtosay。

Herrera1describestheIndiansunderthe`mitayo\'systembythenameof`mitayostindarunas\',explainingthattheword`tindaruna\'

signifies`forcedlabour\'。Thechiefshadtoprovideacertainnumberofthemeveryyeartoworkinminesandmanufactories,andsowellwasthelabourintheminesknowntobefatal,thattheIndiansuponbeingdrawnforservicedisposedofalltheirproperty,andnotinfrequentlydivorcedtheirwives。The`mitayos\'wereatthebeginningIndianswhohadnotfoughtagainsttheSpaniards,buthadsubmittedtotheirrule。TheyweregroupedintownshipscomposedofportionsofatribeunderachieftowhomtheSpaniardsgavethepositionofAlcalde。Inthetownsthusformedonlythemenbetweeneighteenandfiftywereliabletobedrawnforserviceinthemines;

originallytheirtermofservicewasforonlytwomonthsintheyear,andfortheremainingtenmonthstheywereintheoryasfreeasweretheSpanishsettlers。By1612theabusesoftheirsystemhadsodiminishedthenumberoftheIndiansthatDonFranciscodeAlfarowasnamedbytheSpanishGovernmenttoreportuponit,andtoreformabuseswherehefounditpossible。HisreportdeclaredthattheGuaranisandGuaycurusshouldnotbemadeslavesof,anditabolishedintheirfavourtheforcedlabourwhichtheyhadpreviouslyendured。TheEuropeansettlersinAsuncionthoughtthatthiswasowingtotheinfluenceoftheJesuits,andthereforetheyexpelledthemfromthetown。RecalledtoSantiago,theyfoundedthereacollege,andthosewhoremainedinParaguaypushedonthemission

work。Brabo2pointsoutthatthefirsttwentyreductionsfoundedbytheCompanyofJesusweresettledinthefirsttwentyyearsfromtheirfirstappearanceintheland,3

andthatfromthefoundationoftheMissionofSt。George(thelastestablishedofthefirsttwentytowns)tothatofSanJoaquim,inthewildforestsoftheTaruma,theyemployedahundredandtwelveyears。

Intheintervaltheychieflyoccupiedthemselvesintheconsolidationoftheirfirstsettlements,andinvariousunsuccessfulattemptstoinstitutesimilarreductionsamongsttheIndiansoftheChacoacrosstheParaguay。

1`HistoriaGeneraldeloshechosdelosCastellanosenlasIslasytierrafirmedelMarOceano\',decad。v。,lib。x。,cap。lxxx。

2`Inventariosdelosbieneshalladosa/laExpulsiondelosJesuitas\'

(Madrid,1872)。

3TheFranciscanshadalreadyfiveorsixsettlements。

ButwhilsttheJesuitsweresettlingtheirreductionsintheprovinceofGuayraandthoseupontheParanaandUruguay,anestofhawkslookedattheirneophytesaspigeonsreadyfatteningfortheiruse。Almosteighthundredmilesaway,atthecityofSanPaulodePiritinanga,inBrazil,astrangesocietyhadcomeintoexistencebydegrees。PeopledatfirstbyPortugueseandDutchadventurersandmalefactors,ithadbecomeanestofpiratesandahomeforallthedesperadoesofBrazilandParaguay。

Thisengagingpopulation,beinginwantofwiveswherebytopropagatetheirvirtues,tooktothemselvesIndiansandnegresses,andbredaraceworsetentimesthanwerethemselves,asoftenhappensbothinthecasesofMulattosandMestizosinAmerica。

UnderthenameofMamelucos(giventothemnooneknowswhy)

theysoonbecametheterroroftheland。Equallyathomeonhorseback,incanoesupontherivers,orinschoonersonthesea,excellentmarksmenandcourageousfighters,theysubsistedchieflybyprocuringIndiansasslavesfortheplantationsinBrazil。

InashorttimetheyexhaustedalltheIndiansnearSanPaulo,andwereforcedtosearchfarinthedepthsoftheunknowninterior。

Littlebylittle,followingthecourseofthegreatriversintheircanoes,theyreachedtheJesuitsettlementsupontheupperwatersoftheParana,wheretheyburnedthetownsandthechurches,madecaptivesoftheconverts,andkilledthepriests。MontoyarelatesthataJesuit,havingclaspedanIndianinhisarmstosavehim,wasdelugedwithhisblood,aMamelucohavingcreptupbehindhimandplungedhislanceintotheIndianbehindtheJesuit\'sback。TheMameluco,onbeing,asMontoyasays,`reprehended\'bytheJesuit,dogmaticallyremarked,`IshallbesavedinspiteofGod,fortobesavedamanhasonlytobelieve,\'

aremarkwhichshowedhimclearlyanhonestopponentoftheJesuits,astheyinsistedgreatlyonthedoctrineofgoodworks。

ThewordinBrazilisusedtodesignateahalf

breed,buttheetymologyseemsunknown。

`MehedesalvarapesardeDios,porqueparasalvarseelhombrenohamenestermasquecreer\'(RuizMontoya,`ConquistaEspiritual\')。

MontoyaaddswithatouchofhumourquiteinCervantes\'vein:

`Este,sabeyaporexperiencialafalsedaddesudoctrina,porquelematarondetresbalazos,sinconfesion。\'

RuizMontoyaandotherstellusthattheplanofactionofthePaulistaswaseithertoattacktheJesuitreductionsonSunday,whenthesheepweregatheredinthefoldlisteningtoMass,surroundthechurch,murderthepriest,andcarryofftheneophytesasslaves;orelse,disguisedasJesuits,enteramission,gaintheconfidenceoftheIndians,andthencommunicatewiththeirsoldiers,whowerewaitinginthewoods。

Butnotcontentwiththis,itseems,sooftendidtheypractisesingingMasstopassasJesuits,thatonreturningtoSanPaulo,intheirorgies,theirgreatdiversionwastomasqueradeaspriests。Sothattherascalsnotonlyprofitedbytheirvillainy,butextractedmuchamusementfromtheirwickeddeeds。This,inMontoya\'sopinion,wasevenmoredamnablethantheactualcrime。Andsonodoubtitwas,andweinEngland,byhavingmadeourviceasdullasvirtueisinotherlands,havegonesomewaytowardsmorality,forviceandvirtue,bothdeprivedofhumour,becomenotsofarseparatedassomevirtuousdullfolkmaythink。

TheMamelucossometimespushedtheirforaysrightthroughParaguayintothedistrictoftheMoxos,andPadrePatricioFernandez,inhiscurious`RelaciondelosIndiosChiquitos\'(Madrid,1726),relatestheiradventuresinthatfar

distantdistrict,andtheconflictswhichtheIndians,ledbytheirpriestsandhelpedbytheSpanishsettlers,sustained。

Quitenaturally,theseredoubtablelandandriverpiratessawintheJesuitreductionsupontheParanapane,andgenerallythroughoutthedistrictofGuayra,merelyanopportunityofcapturingmoreIndiansthanusualatahaul。In1629theyfirstappearedbeforetheMissionofSanAntonioanddestroyeditutterly,burningthechurchandhouses,anddrivingofftheIndianstosellasslaves。

SanMiguelandJesus

Mariashortlysufferedthesamefate。InConcepcionPadreSalazarwasregularlybesieged,andheandallthepeoplereducedtoeatingdogs,cats,rats,mice,andevensnakes。Atthelastmoment,whenabouttosurrender,FatherCataldino,hastilyarmingsomeIndianswithanyrudeweaponsathiscommand,marchedontheplaceandraisedthesiege。

AworthymemberoftheChurchmilitantthisexploring,fighting,intrepidItalianpriest,andonetheCompanyofJesusshouldhonour,fortohim,perhapsasmuchastoanyofthesefirstexplorersoftheUpperParana,iscreditdue。

ButstilltheMamelucosrantheircourse,destroyingtownaftertown,sothatintheshortspaceofayear(1630

31)theydestroyedpartiallythereductionsofSanFranciscoXavier,SanJose,SanPedro,andLaConcepcion;andthetwofirstfounded,SanIgnacioandLoreto,wereruinedutterly。ThewretchedIndians,towhombylawtheJesuitswereforbiddentoserveoutfirearms,stoodnochanceagainstthewell

trainedPaulistas,withtheirhorses,guns,andbloodhounds,assistedastheywerebytroopsofsavageIndianswhodischargedpoisonedarrowsfromblowpipesandfrombows。Smallwonderthat,asMontoya,Charlevoix,Lahier,1andFilibertoMonero2allagree,despairtookholdofthem,sothatinmanyinstancestheycursedtheJesuitsandfledbacktothewoods。WhenonereflectsthatmanyoftheIndiantribeslookeduponbaptismasapoison,3

itisnotstrangethattheyshouldhaveassociatedeffectwithcause,andsetdownalltheirsufferingstotheinfluenceofthemalignantritetowhichtheJesuitshadsubjectedthem。TheisolatedJesuitsranconsiderableriskfromtheirownsheep,andPadreMola,aftertheruinofSanAntonio,wassuspectedbythemofbeinginleaguewiththePaulistas,andhadtofleeforsafetytoanothertown;

andasatouchofcomedyisseldomwantingtomakethingsbitterertothoseinmisfortune,atroopofsavageIndians,havingarrivedtoattacktheReductionofSanAntonio,andfindingitalreadyburning,instantlythoughtpoorPadreMolahadbeentheinstigator,and,startingonhistrail,almostsurprisedhimbeforehereachedarefugefromtheirpatrioticrage。

1Lahier(Francisci)S。I。,`AnnaeParaguarie,Annor。1635,etduor。sequ。\'

2`RelazionidellaProvinciadelParaguai\'。

3Brabo。

Thusinthegreaterworldreformersofallsortshavenotinfrequentlyintimesofscarcityanddangerbeentakenbytheirprotegesfortheauthorsoftheirtrialsandstoned,whilstthesmugGovernmentwhichcausedtheruin,wellbolsteredupintheaffectionofits`taxables\',chuckled,serenelyconfidentintheunendingfollyofmankind。

MostcertainlytheJesuitsstruggledtodotheirdutytotheirneophytesinwhattheythoughttheysawwasright。OnfootandunattendedFathersMacetaandMansillafollowedthefifteenthousandcaptivestoBrazil,confessingthosewhofellupontheroadbeforetheydied,andinstantinsupplicationtothePaulistasfortheprisoners\'release。

FatherMacetaespeciallybehavedheroically,carryingthechainsofthosewhocouldhardlydragthemselvesalong,himselfhalfdeadwithhungerandhisconstanttoil。EspeciallyhestrovetoeffectthereleaseofacaptivechiefcalledGuiravera,whohadbeenoneofhisbitterestenemies,andstrovesohardthataPaulistacaptain,eithertouchedbyhiszealorweariedwithhispleading,releasedthechief,hiswifeandfamily,andsixoftheIndiansofhistribe。

ThechiefreturnedtobecometheJesuits\'bestfriend,andthetwopriestsonfootfollowedthecaptives\'train。

Whattheyenduredonfootwithoutprovisions,torturedbyinsects,andindangerfromwildbeasts,aswellasconstantperilsfromthePaulistas,whonowandthenprickedthemwithlancesorfiredpistolsovertheirheadstofrightenthemaway,nonebutthosewhohavejourneyedintheforestsofthatforgottencorneroftheworldcanestimate。

Iseethemintheirtornandsun

brownedcassocksstrugglingthroughthe`esteros\'1inwatertotheknees,fallingandrisingoft,afterthefashionofthesupposititiousChristianonlife\'sway;

pushingalongthroughforestpathsacrosswhichdartedhumming

birds,nowcomingonadyingmanandkneelingbyhisside,nowgatheringtheberriesoftheguavirami2toeatupontheroad,andthenagaincatchingsightofajaguarasitslunkbesidethetrail,andallthetimeconvincedthatalltheirefforts,liketheeffortsofmostofthosewhostrive,wouldbeinvain。Sostumblingthroughthewoods,crossingtheriversoninflatedox

skins,bakedbythesunupontheopenplains,atlengththeJesuitsreachedSanPaulo,wheretheyhadacollege,andwithoutrestingsetatoncetowork。

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