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。