首页 >出版文学> 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,hedespatchedNuflodeChavesoneofhiscaptainstofoundatownonthehigherwatersoftheParaguay。
  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。
  In1586FathersAlfonsoBarcenaandAnguloleftthetownofSantaMariadelasCharcasBoliviaattherequestofFranciscoVitoria,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,AriasdeSaavedrahimselfaParaguayanbybirth,offerednoobjection,andtheschemeofcolonizationwasagreeduponatonce。
  ThustheJesuitsobtainedtheirfirstofficialstatusinAmerica。
  FathersSimonMacetaandJoseCataldinobothItalians
  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。
  ThePaulistasweretheinhabitantsofthePortuguesenowBrazilian
  townofSaoPaulo。Azara,whohatedtheJesuitshisbrother,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。322Paris,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'wasintheoryobligednotonlytofeedandclothethem,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。GeorgethelastestablishedofthefirsttwentytownstothatofSanJoaquim,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。
  UnderthenameofMamelucosgiventothemnooneknowswhy
  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,sothatintheshortspaceofayear1630
  31theydestroyedpartiallythereductionsofSanFranciscoXavier,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。
  1LahierFrancisciS。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。