A Vanished Arcadia

第13章

Inadditiontothemeansdescribed,theJesuitshadrecoursetofrequentreligiousfeasts,forwhichthecalendargavethemfullscope,sothatthelifeinaJesuitmissionwasmuchdiversifiedandrenderedpleasanttotheIndians,whohavearootedloveofshow。Eachmissionhad,ofcourse,itspatronsaint,1andonhisdaynobodyworked,whilstallwasjoyfulnessandsimplemirth。Atbreakofdayadischargeofrocketsandoffirearmsandpealsuponthebellsannouncedthejoyfulmorn。Thenthewholepopulationflockedtochurchtolistentoanearlymass。Thosewhocouldfindnoroominsidethechurchstoodinlonglinesoutsidethedoor,whichremainedopenduringtheceremony。

Massover,eachonerantopreparehimselfforhispartinthefunction,theJesuitshavingtakencare,bymultiplyingofficesandemployments,toleavenomanwithoutadirectshareinalltheothersdid。2

Thehumblestandthehighesthadtheirpart,andtheheaviestburden,nodoubt,felluponthetwoJesuits,3whowereanswerableforall。

Theforemostdutywastogettheprocessionreadyforthemarch,andsaddle`loscaballosdelsanto\'4toserveasescort,mountedbyIndiansinrichdresses,keptspeciallyforfeasts。

1Inthe`RelaciondeMisiones\'oftheBrigadierDonDiegodeAlvear,writtenbetween1788and1801,andpreservedinthe`ColecciondeAngelis\',occursthefollowingcuriousdescriptionofthefeast

dayofapatronsaintofaJesuitreduction:`Theymakealongalleyofinterwovencanes,whichendsinatriumphalarch,whichtheyadornwithbranchesofpalmsandothertreeswithconsiderablegraceandtaste(`conbastantegraciaysimetria\')。

Underthearchtheyhangtheirimagesofsaints,theirclothes,theirfirst

fruits

ascornandsugar

cane,andcalabashesfullofmaize

beer(`chicha\')

theirmeatandbread,togetherwithanimalsbothaliveanddead,suchastheycanprocure(`comolospuedenhaberconsudiligencia\')。Then,forminginaring,theydanceandshout,`Vivaelrey!Vivaelsantotutelar!\'

2Manyandcuriousarethenamesbywhichtheoffice

bearerswent。

Thus,intheMissionofelSantoCorazon,intheChiquitos,Ifindthefollowing:Corregidor,theMayor;Teniente,Lieutenant;

Alferez,Sub

Lieutenant;AlcaldePrimero,HeadAlcalde;

AlcaldeSegundo,SecondAlcalde;Commandante,Captain(oftheMilitia);

JusticiaMayor,ChiefJustice;SargentoMayor,Sergeant

Major。

Thencamefiscales,fiscals;sacristanmayor,head

beadle;

capitandeestancia,chiefofthecattlefarm;capitandepinturas,carpinteria,herreros,etc。

captainofpainters,carpenters,smiths,etc。Alltheofficeswerecompetedforardently,andthoseofCorregidorandAlcaldeinespecialwereprizedsohighlythatIndianswhoweredegradedfromthemforbadconductorcarelessnessnotinfrequentlydiedofgrief。

3Ineachreductionthereweretwopriests。InallParaguay,attheexpulsionoftheOrderin1767,therewereonlyseventy

eightJesuits(DeanFunes,`EnsayodelaHistoriadelParaguay\',etc。,cap。i。,vol。ii。)。

4InthemissionofLosApostolestherewere599ofthese`horsesofthesaint\',accordingtoaninventorypreservedbyBrabo。

TheinventoryofthetownofLosApostoles1enablesustoreconstruct,withsomeattemptataccuracy,howtheprocessionwasformedandhowittookitsway。Allthemilitiaofthetownwereinattendance,mountedontheirbesthorses,andarmedwithlances(`chuzos\'),lazo,bolas,andafewwithguns。TheofficersoftheIndiansrodeattheirhead,dressedoutingorgeousclothes,andtroopsofdancers,atstatedintervals,performedasortofPyrrhicdancebetweenthesquadronsofthecavalry。2

InthefrontofallrodeonawhitehorsetheAlferezReal,3

dressedinadoubletofbluevelvetrichlylacedwithgold,awaistcoatofbrocade,andwithshortvelvetbreechesgarteredwithsilverlace;uponhisfeetshoesdeckedwithsilverbuckles,andthewholeschemecompletedbyagold

lacedhat。Inhisrighthandheheldtheroyalstandardfastenedtoalongcanewhichendedinasilverknob。

Aswordwasbyhisside,which,asheonlycouldhavewornitonsuchoccasions,andasthe`horsesofthesaint\'werenotunlikelyasticklishasmosthorsesoftheprairiesofEntreRiosandCorrientesarewonttobe,musthaveembarrassedhimconsiderably。

BehindhimcametheCorregidor,arrayedinyellowsatin,withasilkwaistcoatandgoldbuttons,breechesofyellowvelvet,andahatequalinmagnificencetothatwornbyhisboldcompeer。

ThetwoAlcaldes,lessviolentlydressed,worestraw

colouredsilksuits,withsatinwaistcoatsofthesamecolour,andhatsturnedupwithgold。

Otherofficials,astheCommissario,MaestredeCampo,andtheSargentoMayor,werequiteasgailydressedinscarletcoats,withcrimsondamaskwaistcoatstrimmedwithsilverlace,4redbreeches,andblackhatsadornedwithheavylace。InthebrightParaguayansunshine,withtheprimevalforestforabackground,orinsomemissioninthemidstofavastplainbesidetheParana,theymusthavelookedasgorgeousasaflightofparrotsfromtheneighbouringwoods,andhavemadeaTurneresqueeffect,amblingalong,ablazeofcolours,quiteasself

satisfiedintheirfineryasif`therainbowhadbeenentailsettledonthemandtheirheirsmale。\'Quiteprobablytheirbroad,flatnoses,andtheirlong,lankhair,theirfacesfixedimmovably,asiftheywerecarvedinnandubay,contrastedstrangelywiththeirfinery。

Buttherewerenonetojudge

noonetomakeremarks;mostlikelyallwasconscienceandtenderheart,andnottheirbitterestenemyhaslaidthechargeofhumourtotheJesuits\'account。

1FurnishedtoBucareli,ViceroyofBuenosAyresattheexpulsion,andfirstprintedbyBrabo(`Inventariosdelosbieneshalladosa/laexpulsiondelosJesuitas\')。

2TheJesuitsexercisedtheIndiansagreatdealindancing,takingadvantageoftheirloveofdancingintheirsavagestate。

D\'OrbignyandDemersay(`Fragmentd\'unVoyageauCentredel\'Ame/riqueMe/ridianale\',and`HistoirePhysique,etc。,duParaguay\')foundbetweentheyears1830and1855

thattheIndiansoftheMoxosandChiquitosstilldancedastheyhaddoneinthetimeoftheJesuits。

Ihaveseentheminthethen(1873)almostdesertedmissionofJesus,buriedinthegreatwoodsontheshoreoftheParana,danceastrange,half

savagedanceoutsidetheruinedchurch。

3Cardiel,inhis`DeclaraciondelaVerdad\',p。239,says:

`TodoslospueblosponensucastilloenlaplazayenelmediodeelcolocanelretratrodelRey,yelIndioAlferezReal……vaalcastilloconelEstandarteRealyallihacesuhomenageconotrosrendimientosanteelRetratroReal,\'sayinginGuarani,`Toicohengatu/n~andeMbarubichaguazu/!Toicohengatu/n~andeReymarangatu/!Toicohengatu/n~andeReyFernandoSesto!\'

(`LongliveourKing,thegreatchief!LongliveourgoodKing!

LongliveourKingFerdinandVI。\')。

4`Chupasdedamascocarmesiconencajesdeplata。\'

AsintheinventoriesofthethirtytownsIfindnomentioneitherofstockingsorofshoesforIndians,withtheexceptionofthelowshoesandbuckleswornbytheAlferezReal,itseemsthegorgeouscostumesendedattheknee,andthatthesepopinjaysrodebarefoot,with,perhaps,largeironGauchospursfastenedbystripsofmare

hideroundtheirankles,andhangingdownbelowtheirnakedfeet。But,notcontentwiththeprocessionoftheeldersinparrotguise,therewasaparodyofparodiesinthe`cabildoinfantil\',thebandcomposedofchildren,who,withtheself

sametitlesastheirelders,andintheself

sameclothesadjustedtotheirsize,rodecloseupontheirheels。Lastly,asCharlevoixtellsus,came`deslionsetdestigres,maisbienenchaine/safinqu\'ilsnetroublerentpointlafe^te,\'

andsothewholeprocessiontookitswaytowardsthechurch。

Thechurch,allhungwithvelvetandbrocade,wasallablazewithlights,andfumesofincense(nodoubtnecessary)almostobscuredthenave。

Upontherightandlefthandofthechoir(which,asisusualinSpain,wasinthemiddleofthechurch)theyoungerIndianswereseatedallinrows,theboysandgirlsbeingseparated,aswasthecustominallthemissionsoftheJesuits,who,nodoubt,wereconvincedoftheadvisabilityofthesayingthat`entresantaysanto,pareddecalycanto。\'1TheIndianswhohadsomeoffice,andwhoworetheclothes2Ihavedescribed,wereseatedorkneltinrows,andattheoutsidestoodthepeopleofthetowndressedinwhitecotton,theirsimpleclothes,nodoubt,forminganeffectivebackgroundtotheirmoreparti

colouredbrethrenkneelinginthefront。

Throughoutthechurchthemenandwomenwereseparated,andifarumourofanincursionofPaulistaswasintheair,theIndianscarriedarmseveninthesacredbuildingsandatthesolemnfeasts。

Masswascelebratedwithafullband,theoboe,fagot,lute,harp,cornet,clarinet,violin,viola,andallotherkindsofmusic,figuringintheinventoriesofthethirtytowns。Indeed,intwooftheinventories3anoperacalled`Santiago\'ismentioned,whichhadspecialcostumesandpropertiestoputitonthestage。

Massover,theprocessionwasreconstitutedoutsidethechurch,andafterparadingoncemorethroughthetownbrokeup,andtheIndiansdevotedthenighttofeasting,andnotinfrequentlydancedtillbreakofday。

1Itmayberoughlytranslated,`agoodstonewallbetweenamaleandfemalesaint。\'

2Theseclotheswerethepropertyofthecommunity,andnotoftheindividualIndians。

3Brabo,xxxv。,Introductionto`Losinventariosdelosbienes。\'

SuchweretheoutwardartswithwhichtheJesuitssoughttoattachthesimplepeople,towhomtheystoodinthepositionnotonlyofpastorsandmastersbothinone,butalsoasprotectorsfromthePaulistasononeside,andontheotherfromtheSpaniardsofthesettlements,who,withtheir`encomiendas\'

andtheirEuropeansystemoffreecompetitionbetweenmanandman,wereperhapsunknowinglythedirestenemiesofthewholeIndianrace。

Thereis,asitwouldseem,implantedinthemindsofalmostallprimitivepeoples,suchastheGuaranis,asolidarity,aclingingkinship,whichifoncebrokendownbycompetition,unrestrainedafterourmodernfashion,inevitablyleadstotheirdecay。

HencethekeenhatredtotheChineseinCaliforniaandinAustralia。

Naturally,thosewhomwehate,andinameasurefear,wealsovilify,andthishasgivenrisetoallthoseaccusationsofOrientalvice(asiftheviceofanyOriental,howevermuchdepraved,wascomparabletothatofcitizensofParisorofLondon),ofbarbarism,andthelike,sofreelylevelledagainsttheunfortunateChinese。

InParaguaynothingismoreremarkableinamarketinthecountrythanthewayinwhichthepeoplewillnotunderselleachother,evenrefusingtopartwithgoodsafractionlowerthanthepricewhichtheyconsiderfair。ItmaybethattheJesuitswouldhavedonebettertoendeavourtoequiptheirneophytesmorefully,soastotaketheirplaceinthebattleoftheworld。Itmaybethatthesimple,happylivestheyledweretooopposedtothegeneralschemeofoutsidehumanlifetofindacceptanceoraplaceinourcosmogony。ButonethingIamsureof

thattheinnocentdelightofthepoorIndianAlferezReal,mounteduponhishorse,dressedinhismotley,barefooted,andovershadowedbyhisgold

lacedhat,wasasentireasifhehadeatenofallthefruitsofallthetreesofknowledgeofhistime,andsoperhapstheJesuitswerewise。

Arecentwriterinthelittlejournalpublishedonyellowpacking

paperintheSocialistcolonyofCosme,inParaguay(`CosmeMonthly\',November,1898),hasacuriouspassagecorroboratingwhatIhavesooftenobservedmyself。Undertheheadingof`AParaguayanMarket\',hesays:`TheGuaraniclingsstubbornlytotheGuaranicustoms。

ThisisirritatingtotheEuropean,butwhoshallsaythattheGuaraniisnotright?……EuropeansettlementcannotbutbefataltotheGuarani,howeverprofitableitmaybetoland

owningandmercantileclasses……TheParaguayanmarketisawoman\'sclub……theywillcomethirtyorfortymileswithaclothfulofthewhitecurd

cheeseofthecountry,contentedlyjourneyingonfootalongthenarrowpaths。

Theywillcutacabbageintosixteenthsandeattheircheesethemselvesratherthansellitundermarketprice。\'Longmaytheydoso,forsolongwilltheybefree,andperhapspoor;but,then,incountriessuchasParaguayfreedomandpovertyareidentical。

Strangelyenough

but,then,howstrangelyallextremesmeetinhumanity!

theJesuitsalone(atleast,inParaguay)seemtohaveapprehended,astheArabscertainlyhavedonefromimmemorialtime,thatthefirstdutyofamanistoenjoyhislife。Art,science,literature,ambition

allthefrivolitieswithwhichmenoccupythemselves

havetheirdueplace;butlifeisfirst,andinsomestrange,mysteriouswaytheJesuitsfeltit,though,nodoubt,theywouldhavebeenthefirsttodenyitwithathousandoaths。

ButinaJesuitmissionallwasnotfeastingorprocessioning,forwithsuchneighboursastheMamelucostheyhadtokeepthemselvesprepared。1Asfortheirbettergovernmentinhomeaffairseachmissionhaditspolice,withofficers2chosenbytheJesuitsamongsttheIndians,soforexteriordefencetheyhadmilitia,andinitthe`caciques\'3ofthedifferenttribesheldprincipalcommand。

Mostlikelyoverthem,orattheirelbows,weresetpriestswhobeforeenteringtheCompanyofJesushadbeensoldiers:

forthereweremanysuchamongsttheJesuits。Astheirownfounderoncehadbeenasoldier,sotheCompanywaspopularamongstthosesoldierswhofromsomecauseorotherhadchangedtheirswordstocrucifixes,andtakenserviceintheranksofChrist。4Asitwasmostimportant,bothfordefenceandpolicy,tokeepthe`caciques\'content,theyweredistinguishedbybettertreatmentthantheothersinmanydifferentways。Theirfoodwasmoreabundant,andaguardofIndianswasonperpetualdutyroundthehouseswheretheylived;thesetheyemployedasservantsandasmessengerstosummondistantcompaniesofIndianstothefield。TheirmethodoforganizationmusthavebeenlikethatoftheBoersoroftheArabs;foreveryIndianbelongedtoacompany,whichnowandthenwasbroughttogetherforevolutionsinthefieldorforaperiodoftraining,afterthefashionofourmilitiaortheGermanLandwehr。

Perhapsthissystemofanarmedmilitia,alwaysreadyforthefield,waswhat,aboveallotherreasons,enabledtheirdetractorstorepresenttheJesuitsasfearedandunpopular。Why,itwasasked,doesthiscommunityofpriestsmaintainanarmyinitsterritories?

NoonerememberedthatifsuchwerenotthecasethemissionscouldnothaveexistedforayearwithoutaforcetodefendtheirbordersfromthePaulistas。EveryoneforgotthatFathersMontoyaandDelTanohadobtainedspecialpermissionfromtheKingfortheIndiansofthemissionstobeararms;and,asnohumanbeingisgratefulforanythingbutcontumelioustreatment,theSpanishsettlersconvenientlyforgothowmanytimesaJesuitarmyhadsavedtheirterritories。

ThebodyofthreethousandGuaranissentattheexpenseoftheCompanytoassisttheSpaniardsagainstthePortugueseattheattackupontheColoniadelSacramento5ontheriverPlate,in1678,wasquiteforgotten,togetherwiththeinnumerablecontingentssentbytheJesuitsatthedemandofSpanishgovernorsagainsttheChacoIndians,thePayaguas,andevenagainstthedistantCalchaquis,inwhatisnowtheprovinceofJujuy。EvenwhenanEnglishpirate,calledintheSpanishhistoriesRoqueBarloque(explainedbysometobeplainRichardBarlow),appearedoffBuenosAyres,theundauntedneophytesshranknotamomentfromgoingtotheassistanceoftheirco

religionistsagainstthe`Lutherandog\'。6Lastly,allSpanishgovernorsandwriters,bothcontemporaneousandattheendoftheeighteenthcentury,seemtoforgetthatiftheJesuitshadanarmyofneophyteswithintheirterritorythefactwasknownandapprovedofatthecourtofSpain。7ButitappearsthatCalvinhadmanycoadjutorsinhispolicyof`Jesuitasautnecandiautcalumniisopponendisunt。\'8WhenaJesuitarmytookthefield,drivingbeforeitsufficientcattletosubsistupon,andwithits`caballada\'ofsparehorsesuponitsflank,itmusthaveresembledmanyaGauchoarmyIhaveseeninEntreRiosfive

and

twentyyearsago。

TheonlydifferenceseemstohavebeenthattheGauchosofyesterdaydidnotusebowsandarrows,althoughtheymighthavedonesowithasmuchbenefittothemselves,andnomoredangertotheirenemies,thanwasoccasionedbytherusty,ill

conditionedgunstheyusedtobear。

TheIndianswerearmedwithbows,andintheirexpeditionseachIndiancarriedonehundredandfiftyarrowstippedwithiron。

Othershadfirearms,butallborebolasontheirsaddles,andcarriedlazosandlonglances,9which,likethePampaIndians,theyusedinmountingtheirhorses,placingonehanduponthemane,andvaultingintothesaddleswiththeotherleaningonthelance。

Theinfantrywerearmedwithlancesandafewguns;theyalsocarriedbolas,buttheytrustedmosttoslings,forwhichtheycarriedbagsofhide,withaprovisionofsmoothroundstones,andusedthemdexterously。

Onseveraloccasionstheirrudemilitiagaveproofsofstubbornvalour,and,astheyfoughtundertheJesuits\'eyes,nodoubtacquittedthemselvesasmenwouldwholookedupontheirpriestsalmostinthelightofgods。

Butagricultureandcattle

breedingwerenotalltheresourcesofthemissions;fortheJesuitsengagedincommercelargely,bothwiththeouterworldandbytheintricateandcuriousbartersystemwhichtheyhadsetonfootforthemutualconvenienceofthedifferentmissiontowns。InmanyoftheinventoriesprintedbyBrabo,onecomesacrosstheentry`Deudas\',showingasortofaccountcurrentbetweenthetownsforvariousarticles。Thus,theyexchangedcattleforcotton,sugarforrice,wheatforpig

ironortoolsfromEurope;

asnoaccountofinteresteverappearsinanyinventoryasbetweentownandtown,itseemstheJesuitsanticipatedSocialism

atleast,sofarasthattheyboughtandsoldforuse,andnotforgain。

Althoughbetweenthetownsoftheirownterritoryallwasarrangedformutualconvenience,yetintheirdealingswiththeoutsideworldtheJesuitsadheredtowhatareknownas`businessprinciples\'。

Theseprinciples,ifImistakenot,havebeendeifiedbypoliticianswiththeir`Buyinthecheapest,sellinthedearest\'tag,andthereforeeventhesternestProtestantorJansenist(ifsuchtherestillexist)

canhavenostonetothrowattheCompanyofJesusforitsparticipationinthatsystemwhichhasmadethewholeworldglad。

1AstheGauchoproverbsays,`Lasarmassonnecesariaspero"naide"sabecuando。\'

2Corregidores,alcaldes,regidores,alguaciles,etc。

3Hereditaryorsometimeselectedchiefs。

4IrememberseeingonthetombstoneofaSpanishsailorhishopeofsalvationthroughtheintercessionoftheLordHighAdmiralChrist。AftertheSpanishcustom,officerswereoftengeneralsbothbyseaandland,sothatsoldierswerenotexcludedfromtheLordHighAdmiral\'sintercession。

5DeanFunes(`EnsayodelaHistoriadeParaguay\',etc。)says:

`TheseIndianswentunderthecommandofDonAntoniodeVeraMoxica;

theirsergeantswereGuaranisandtheircaptainsSpaniards。

Their`cacique\'wasIgnacioAmandaa,whocommandedinchiefunderVeraMoxica。\'Theyfoughtbravely,andreturnedagainandagaintotheassaultofthetownafterseveralrepulses,manifestingthesamedoggedcourageandindifferencetodeathwhichtheirdescendantsshowedinthewaragainstBrazilin1866

70。

InthatwarbodiesofParaguayansfrequentlyattackedstrongpositionsdefendedbyartillery,andallowedthemselvestobeshotdowntothelastmanratherthanretire。Atothertimes,concealedbehindmassesoffloatingherbage,fromtheircanoestheysprangonboardBrazilianironclads,andwereallkilledinthevainendeavourtocapturethevessels。Iknewalittlepettifogginglawyer,oneIzquierdo,who,withtencompanions,attemptedinacanoetotaketheBrazilianflagship(anironclad);leftaloneonherdeck,afterthedeathofhiscompanions,hesprangintothewaterunderashowerofbullets,and,badlywounded,swamovertotheChaco,thedesertsideoftheriver。Thereforthreedaysheremained,subsistingonwildoranges,andthenswamacrossagainonaraftofsticks,inspiteofthealligatorsandmanyfiercefishwhichaboundinParaguay。Hegotwell,and,thoughlame,was,whenIknewhim,asarrantalittlescriveningknaveasyoucouldhopetomeetineitherhemisphere。

OnmanyotheroccasionsthemissionIndiansperformednotableservicesfortheSpanishGovernment。In1681,whentheFrenchattackedBuenosAyres,adetachmentoftwothousandIndianswassenttoitsassistance。

PhilipV。himselfwrotetotheProvincialofParaguayonthisoccasionaskinghimtosendtroopstothedefenceofthecity。

In1785fourthousandGuaranis,commandedbyDonBaltazarGarcia,wereatthesecondsiegeoftheColoniadelSacramento。

Funessaysofthem:`Ajuiciodeuntestigoocular,noesmenosadmirablelasangrefriadesuscapellanes。\'

6`PerroLuterano\'。ItisastonishinghowinSpainthecomparativelyinnocuousLutherhasfallenheirtotheheritageofhatredthatshouldmoreproperlyhavebelongedtotheinhumanandtreacherousCalvin。

7PhilipV。in1745,afteranexaminationwhichlastedsixyears,approvedofalltheactionsoftheJesuitsinParaguay(CretineauJoly,`HistoiredelaCompagniedeJe/sus\',vol。v。,p。103)。

SothatacuriousletterofaJeronimitefriar(onePadreCevallos),writtenin1774,iswellwithinduelimitswhenitsaysthatalltheJesuitsdidinParaguaywas`todoprobadoporrealescedulaso/procediadeordenesexpresas。\'

8Oneisobligedtoallow,incommonfairness,thatCalvincarriedoutinhisownpracticewhatheadvocated

aswitnesshisconductwithServetus,whomhefirstcalumniated,thenentrapped,andlastlymurderedincoldblood。

9DonFranciscoCorrsentthefollowinglistofarmstotheViceroyZabala,ofBuenosAyres(Funes,`Ensayo\',etc。):`Armasbuenas,850;

lanzasdehierro,3,850;pedreras(culverins),10。Lasflechasnosecuentan。\'Hesays:`TodoslosIndiosquandohandesaliracompan~allevan150flechasdehierro,menoslosquellevanarmosdefuego。Asimismocargan"bolas"quesondospiedrasenunacuerda。Losdeapiequenollevanescopetastienenlanza,flecha,yhondaconsuprovisiondepiedrasenunbolsoncomodegranaderos。

Seprestancaballosentrelospueblos。\'

Cottonandlinencloth,tobacco,hides,woodsofthevarioushard

woodforestsofthecountry,and,aboveall,`yerba

mate\',weretheirchiefarticlesofexporttotheoutsideworld。

TheirnearestmarketwasinBuenosAyres,andtothatporttheysenttheir`yerba\'inboatsmadeattheirownyards,ofwhichtheyhadseveral,butnotablyatYapeyuupontheUruguay。

ThemoneythatwasmadewassenttotheSuperiorofthemissions,whohadthedispositionofthewayinwhichitwasdispensed,eitherforuseathomeortobesenttoEuropefornecessarygoods。

Aswellas`yerba

mate\',theysentgreatquantitiesofhides。

Theinventoriesofthetownstakenattheexpulsionstatethatthenumberofgreenhides1exportedannuallywasfiftythousand,togetherwithsixthousandcured;inadditiontheysoldfromthreetofourarrobas2ofhorse

hair,andwoodtothevalueoftwenty

fivetothirtythousanddollarseveryyear。Thetotalexportoftheir`yerba\'rangedbetweeneightyandonehundredthousandarrobas,whichatthelowestpricecouldnothavebeensoldataprofitundersevendollarsanarroba,3

sothattheincome4ofthethirtytownsmusthavebeenrelativelylarge。5

Twoorthreehundredbarrelsofhoney6andsomethreeorfourthousandarrobasoftobaccomadeupthesumtotaloftheirexports,though,hadtheyneededmoney,itmighthavebeenincreasedinsuchacountry,andwithsomanywillinglabourers,almostindefinitely。

1Ibanez(`HistoireduParaguaysouslesJe/suites\')statesthehidessoldataboutthreedollarsapiece。

2Thearrobawastwenty

fivepounds。

3ThesefiguresarefromBrabo\'sinventories。

4Ibanezstatesthatonlyeighty

fourdollarsayearweresetapartforthemaintenanceofeachpriest。

5DeanFunes(`EnsayodeleHistoriaCivildelParaguay\',etc。)

putsitatamillionreales,whichalmostequals20,800Pounds。

Ibanez(`LaRepublicaJesuitica\'),withthenobledisregardofconsequencessonoticeableinmostpolemicalwriters,boldlyaltersthistoamilliondollars,hisobjectbeingtoprovethattheJesuitsexactedexorbitanttaxationfromtheneophytes。

6Thehoneyofthemissionswascelebrated,andthewaxmadebythesmallbeecalled`Opemus\',accordingtoCharlevoix(livrev。,p。285),`e/taitd\'uneblancheurquin\'avaitriendepareil,etcesneophytesontconsacre/toutqu\'ilsenpeuventavoira\\brulerdevantlesimagesdelaSte。Vierge。\'

Thusitwillbeseenthatthemissionswereorganizedbothagriculturallyandcommerciallysoastobealmostself

supporting,andthatofthemerenecessariesoflifetheyhadsufficientforexportation,nosmallachievementwhenweconsiderhowaversefromlabourweretheIndianswithwhomtheyhadtodeal。Butthatnothingshouldbewantingthatacivilizedcommunitycouldpossiblydesire,theyhadtheirprisons,withgoodstoreofchains,fetters,whips,andalltheotherinstrumentswithwhichthemoralcodeisgenerallyenforced。Themostusualpunishmentwaswhipping;andthecrimesmostfrequentweredrunkenness,neglectofwork,andbigamy,whichlatterlapsefromvirtuetheJesuitschastisedseverely,notthinking,beingcelibatesthemselves,thatnotunlikelyitwasapttoturnintoitsownpunishmentwithouttheaidofstripes。

IntheinventoryofthemissionofSanJoseIfind:

`Item,doceparesdegrillos\';butIamboundtosaythatinthisinstancetheywerefortheuseof`losGuaicurusinfielesprisionerosqueestanendichamision。\'

ChapterVII

CausesoftheJesuits\'unpopularity

Descriptionofthelivesandhabitsofthepriests

Testimonyinfavourofthemissions

Theiroppositiontoslavery

TheirsystemofadministrationMuchhasbeenwrittenoftheinteriorgovernmentofthemissionsbytheJesuits,butchieflybystrongpartisans,forandagainst,oneitherside,whoseonlyobjectwastomakeoutacasetofittheprejudicesofthoseforwhomtheywrote。UpontheJesuitsidetheAbbeMuratoridescribesaparadise。AveryCarloDolceamongstwriters,withhimallinthemissionsissocloyingsweetthatone\'ssoulsickens,andonelongsinhis`HappyChristianity\'

tofindadropofgall。Butforfivehundredpagesnothingisamiss;

themenofBelialpersecutetheJesuitsaints,whoalways(afterthefashionoftheirOrderandmankind)turnbothcheekstothesmiter,and,iftheirpurseistaken,hastentogiveuptheircloaks。

TheIndiansareallloveandgratitude。NoneedintheAbbe\'spagesforthetwelvepairoffetters,whichBrabomostunkindlyhassetdownamongsthisinventories。Neverasingle`lapsus\'fromthemoralruletheJesuitsimposed

nodrunkenness,andbigamysoseldommetwiththatitwouldseemthatJosephAndrewshadbeenaswaggererjudgedbythestandardofthesemoralGuaranis。ThencomesIbanez,

theex

Jesuit,ontheotherside。Inatwinklingofaneyethesceneischanged。For,quiteinHogarth\'svein,hepaintsthemissionsasaperpetualmarchtoFinchley,andtellsusthattheIndiansweresavages,andquiteunchangedinalltheirprimitivepropensitiesundertheJesuitrule。

AndfortheJesuitsthemselveshehasafewhome

truthsadministeredwithvinegar,afterthefashionoftherenegadethewholeworldover,whoseesnothinggoodinthesocietythathasturnedhimout。HeroundlysaystheJesuitswereloafers,accusesthemofkeepingtheIndiansignorantfortheirownpurposes,andpaintsthemquiteasblackastheAbbeMuratoripaintedthemrosecolour,andwithaslittleart。Sothat,asusuallyhappensinthewritingsofallpolemists,nomatteruponwhichsidetheymaywrite,butlittleinformation,andthatdistortedtoanincredibledegree,isallthattheyafford。

`IlCristianesimoFelicenelleMissionedeiPadridellaCompagniadiJesunelParaguay\'。

`L\'HistoireduParaguaysouslesJe/suites\',Amsterdam,1700,lxxv。

Ingeneral,curiousasitmayappear,thebitterestopponentsoftheJesuitswereCatholics,andProtestantshaveoftenwrittenasapologists。

Buffon,Raynal,andMontesquieu,withVoltaire,Robertson,andSouthey,havewrittenfavourablyoftheinternalgovernmentofthemissionsandtheeffectwhichitproduced。Noothernamesofequalauthoritycanbequotedontheotherside;butyetthefactremainsthattheJesuitsinParaguaywereexposedtoconstantcalumnyfromthefirstdaytheywenttheretillthelastmemberoftheOrderlefttheland。

Itismyobjectfirsttotrytoshowwhattheconditionsoftheirgovernmentreallywere,andthentotryandclearupwhatwasthecauseofunpopularity,andwhysomanyandsuchpersistentcalumnieswerelaidtotheiraccount。

StretchingrightupanddownthebanksofboththeParanaandUruguay,themissionsextendedfromNuestraSenoradeFe(orSantaMaria),inParaguay,toSanMiguel,inwhatisnowtheBrazilianprovinceofRioGrandedoSul;andfromthemissionofCorpus,ontheeastbankoftheParana,toYapeyu,upontheUruguay。

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