Aftersomesuccessheisdefeatedandcondemnedtobeexecuted
Heisshotonhiswaytothescaffold
RenewedhatredagainsttheJesuits
TheirlaboursamongtheIndiansoftheChacoFromthedepartureofCardenasin1650,toabout1720,wasthehalcyonperiodoftheJesuitmissionsinParaguay。
DuringthattimethingswentoninthemissionsafterthefashionIhaveattemptedtodescribe。Thepeoplepassedtheirtimeintheirsemi
communisticlabour,sweetenedbyconstantprayer;
theirpastorsmayormaynothavedoneallthatwaspossibletoinstructtheminthescienceofthetime;but,still,theIndianpopulationdidnotdecrease,asitwasobservedtodofromyeartoyearinothercountriesofAmericaandintheSpanishsettlementsinParaguay。
DuringthisperiodtheJesuitshadmaderepeatedefforts,butwithoutmuchrealsuccess,toestablishmissionsamongstthewildequestriantribesintheGranChacouponthewesternbankoftheriverParaguay。
Nothing,apparently,pointedtotheeventswhich,beginningintheyear1721,finallyledtotheirexpulsion,or,atleast,furnishedadditionalreasonstoKingCharlesIII。toincludetheJesuitsinParaguayinthegeneralexpulsionoftheirorderfromthedominionsoftheSpanishcrown。
P。Cardiel(`DeclaraciondelaVerdad\',p。449),quotingfromXarque(`LaVidaApostolicadelPadreJosephCataidino\',ZaragocaporJuandeYpa,1664),says,rethediminutionoftheIndiansundertheSpanishrule:`ParaqueseveacuantarazontieneelJuezreparesequesegunlospadronesdelsiglopasado(vg。1600
1700)
enlaciudadyjurisdiciondeSantiagodelEsterohabia80,000Indiosyahora,apenashayochenta。EnlajurisdiciondeCordobadeTucuman,habia40,000;hoynohay40。
EnlajurisdicionycercaniasdelaciudaddeBuenosAyres,habia30,000;hoyapenashay30。\'
Inthatyear(1721)DonJosedeAntequerawasappointedtosucceedtheGovernorofParaguay,DonDiegodelosReyesBalmaceda,whenhistermofofficehadexpired。Thesituationwas,asoftenhappenedintheSpanishcolonies,complicatedbyaninquiryintotheconductoftheGovernor(Balmaceda),inprogressattheHighCourtofCharcas,whichcourt,asinthecaseofCardenas,actedmostcautiously,bothonaccountofitsposition,sofarfromParaguay,andonaccountoftheinordinateprocrastinationofeverythingconnectedwiththeSpanishlaw。IfBalmacedawerecondemned,thenAntequerawouldstepintohisshoesatonce。If,ontheotherhand,hewereacquitted,Antequerawouldhavetowaituntilthelegaltimeofofficehadrunitscourse。Sofarallwasinorder,buttheHighCourt,eitherindoubtofitsownwisdomorofitspowertopronouncejudgmentdefinitely,hadissuedadecreesuspendingBalmacedafromhisfunctions,butwithouteithercondemningoracquittinghim。
This,too,theydidafterhavingtakenmorethanthreeyearstosifttheevidenceandsummonwitnesses,whoeitherhadtocrossthecountryonamuleattheimminentriskofdeathbyfamineorbyIndians,or,havingdescendedtheriverPlatetoBuenosAyres(whichjourneyoftentookamonth),waitforashiptotakethemroundCapeHorntoLima,andfromthencetraveltoCharcasonmuleback,followingoneoftheIncas\'roads。
DonJosedeAntequerayCastrowasbornatLima,andbeing,asFatherCharlevoixsays,anable,eloquent,butvainandmostambitiousman,endowedwithplentyofimagination,sometalent,andbutlittleballast,wasnotcontenttowaittilltimeshouldplacehiminhisgovernorship。So,hearingthatajudgeinquisitorwastobesenttoParaguaytoinquireintothecase,andhavinggraduatedhimselfandheldthepositionofprocuratorfiscalintheCharcas,hesolicitedthepost,andbysomeerrorwasappointed。
Charlevoix,vol。ii。,livrexvii。
NosoonerwastheappointmentsignedthanstraighthepostedofftoParaguay。
AshehadstudiedinthecollegeoftheJesuitsatLaPlata,hisfirstvisitwastothereductionsoftheJesuits。
Themissionariesreceivedhimwell,andsentatroopofIndianstoescorthimtotheboundaryoftheirterritories,neversuspectingwhatAntequerawasabouttodo。HavingheardthattheGovernor,Balmaceda,wasatadistantportupontheParana,AntequerahastenedtoAsuncion。
Arrivedthere,thesamemadnessofauthorityseemstohavecomeonhimwhichcamefiftyorsixtyyearsbeforehistimeonCardenas。
FindingnospecialseatreservedforhimintheCathedral,hepubliclyreprovedthedean,tothegreatscandaloftheworshippers。ThisseemsnottohavelosthimtherespectofthecitizensofAsuncion,whowereaccustomedtoallkindsofvagaries,bothoftheirrulersandtheirspiritualguides。
Nosortofviolencetolawsandcustomsseemsevertoaffectapeopleunlesstheviolenceisdonetobenefitthem,wheninstantlytheyriseagainstthebreakerofthelaw,howeverheavilyitmaybearuponthemselves。
ButthedevotedcitizensofAsuncionweresoaccustomedtoperpetualturmoilthat,asDeanFunessays,`theyonlystoppedwhenitwasabsolutelynecessaryforthemtobreathe。\'
EventheoverpraisedcitizensofAthensatthetimeofPericles,whomusthavebeeninalltheirwayssoliketheAtheniansofto
day,werenotmoreinstantintheAgoraordiligentinwritingpatriots\'namesonoyster
shellsthanthenoisymobofhalf
breedpatriotswhointhesandystreetsofAsuncionwereeveragitating,alwaysassembling,anddoingeverythingwithintheirpowertoshowtheworldtheperfectpictureofademocraticState。
StrangethatsuchturbulentandpatrioticpeopleshouldhavebeenancestorsofthosewhomI,aftertheterminationofthewarwithBuenosAyresandBrazilin1870,knewaslethargicanddowntrodden,asifthegreatdictator,Dr。Francia,whomthecountrypeople,speakinginbatedbreath,called`ElDifunto\',hadstilloppressedtheland。
IntotheturbulenthotbedofAsuncionfellAntequera,oneofthoseCreolesofPeruwho,bornwithtalentandwelleducated,seemed,eitherfromthecircumstancesoftheirbirthorthesurroundingsamongstwhichtheypassedtheiryouth,todifferasentirelyfromtheSpaniardsasiftheyhadbeenIndiansandnotCreolesofwhiteblood。
LikeCardenas,Antequerawasendowedwitheloquence;but,unlikeCardenas,hesetnostoreoneloquenceuponitsownaccount,butonlyuseditforhisownadvancementintheworld。FindingtheGovernorabsentfromAsuncionandlyingunderadecreesuspendinghimfromallhisfunctions,itseemsatoncetohaveoccurredtoAntequeratoseizehisplace。Onthisaccount,havingingratiatedhimselfwithsomeofthoseopposedtoBalmaceda,heraisedanarmy,andsenttoseizehim;
buttheGovernor,havingnoticeoftheplot,escapedtoCorrientes,andAntequerainstantlyassumedhispost。ThiswastoomuchfortheViceroyofPeru,who,thoughhehadbefriendedAntequerainthepast,hadsomerespectforlaw。ImmediatelyheissuedadecreereplacingBalmacedainthegovernorship,andorderingAntequeratogivehimbackthepowerhehadusurped。ThisAntequerahadnothoughtofdoing,andheembarkedonacareerofviolencewhichinducedsometobelieveheintendedtoproclaimhimselfanindependentking。
Whetherthiswasorwasnotthecase,astateofthingsaroseinParaguaymorepandemoniceventhaninthegoodoldtimesofCardenas。
TheJesuits,nothavingseentheirwaytosustainthecauseoftheirex
pupil,wereexpelledoncemore(1725),andasbeforetookshipforCorrientesamongstthetearsofthepeople,theirhistorianssay,
andasIbanezandthosewhohavewrittenagainstthemaffirmasstrongly,amongstuniversaljoy。CertainitisthatinAsunciontheyplayedadifferentpartfromthatplayedbytheminthemissionterritory,andnodoubtmixed,asdidtheotherOrdersofreligion,intheintrigueswhichneverseemedtoceaseintherestlesscapitalofParaguay。
Funes,`EnsayodelaHistoriaCivildelParaguay\',etc。,vol。ii。,cap。v。,p。231。
DelTecho,Lozano,Guevara,Charlevoix,etc。,etc。
NotbeingcontentwiththeexpulsionoftheJesuits,AntequeradefeatedseveralgeneralssentagainsthimbytheViceroyofPeru,andbya`coupdemain\'tookprisonertheex
GovernorBalmaceda,havingsurprisedhiminhishouseinCorrientes,andcarriedhimbacktoAsuncionunderacloseguard。Theusualreignofterrorthenbegan,andeverythingfellintoconfusion,tillatlasttheKing(PhilipV。)
in1726commandedthattheJesuitsshouldbereinstatedintheircollegeinAsuncion,andthatthemissionsshouldbetakenfromthejurisdictionoftheGovernorsofParaguayandplacedunderthecontroloftheGovernoroftheRiverPlate,ashadbeenpreviouslydoneinthecaseoftheotherJesuitmissionsbeyondtheUruguay。
ButSpainwasfaraway,andononepretextoranothersomuchdelayoccurredthatitwasnottillMarch18,1728,thattheJesuitswerereinstatedinthecollegeinAsuncion,whichtheywerenowfatedtoholdbutforalittlespace。AtlasttheViceroyofPeru,theMarquessofCastelFuerte,sentDonBrunodeZavalawithasufficientarmyandsixthousandIndiansfromthemissionsagainsttheusurperAntequera,whofledforrefugetotheFranciscanconventinCordoba,whereheremained,till,findinghispositionquiteuntenable,hefledtoCharcas,wherehewasarrested,andsenttoLimatoawaithistrial。Fouryearshewaitedinperfectliberty,goingandcomingaboutthetownasitbestpleasedhim,whilsttheHighCourtheardevidence,wrotetoMadrid,receivedinstructionsfromtheKing,andgenerallydisplayedtheincapacitywhichinallageshasbeenthechiefdistinctivefeaturesofeverycourtoflaw。
In1731anordercamefromMadridtoexecutehim,andwithoutlossoftimehewasplacedonahorsedrapedallinblack,and,precededbyaheraldandguardedbyatroopofguards,takenouttothepublicsquaretobebeheaded。Butthegoodpeopleofthecapital,who,inthefashionoftheworld,wouldnotmostprobablyhavestirredasteptosaveasaint,weremightilyconcernedtoseearoguereceivehisduedeserts。Thestreetswerefilledwiththousandscryingout`Pardon!\'stonesflew,andtheaffairlookedsothreateningthattheViceroyhadtogetonhorsebackandrideamongstthecrowdtocalmthetumult。Thepeoplemethimwithashowerofstones,andhe,fearingtheprisonerwouldescape,calledonhisguardstofireuponhim。FourballspiercedAntequera,whofelldyingfromhishorseintothearmsoftwoaccompanyingpriests。
ThusthemostturbulentofalltheGovernorsofParaguayceasedtroubling,andtheexecutioner,afterhavingcutoffhishead,exhibitedittothepeoplefromthescaffold,withtheusualmoralaphorismastothetraitor\'sfate。
ThetriumphoftheJesuitsinAsuncionwasbutmomentary,followingthegeneralruleoftriumphs,whichtaketheirwayalongthestreetwithtrumpetsandwithdrumsamidtheacclamationsofthecrowd,andthen,thepageantover,thechiefactorsfallbackagainintothestrugglesandthecommonplaceofordinarylife。
Betweentheyears1728and1730thepeopleofAsuncionhadbeenmoreeagerinpursuitoflibertythanwastheirusualwont。
Thecitizensweredividedintocamps,anddailyfoughtamongstthesandystreetsandshadyorange
borderedlaneswhichradiatefromalmosteveryquarterofthetown。Therivalbandsofmadmenwerestyledrespectivelythe`Communeros\'andthe`Contrabandos\',andtothefirstAntequerathroughouthisresidenceinLimagavealltheassistanceinhispower。Neitherofthetwoseemstohavehadthemostelementaryideaofrealpatriotism,oranywishforanythingbeyondthemomentarytriumphofthemiserablepartytowhicheachbelonged。
Onedoctrinetheyheldincommon
ahatredoftheJesuits,andoftheinfluencetheyexercisedagainsttheenslavingoftheIndians,whichwastheaimof`Contrabandos\'andof`Communeros\'alike。
Oneoftherivalchieftainsofthefactionshavingfledforrefugetothemissions,thepeopleofAsuncionassembledtroopstotakehimfromhissanctuarybyforce。ArriveduponthefrontieroftheJesuitterritory,theyfoundthemselvesopposedbyanarmyoftheIndians,wholookedsoformidablethatthetroopsretiredtoAsuncion,andtheleaders,foiledinthefield,andnothavingforcetoattacktheJesuitsintheirownterritory,setvigorouslytoinflamethemindsofthepeopleagainstthem。
Libertyiscommonlyonlyattainedbyblood。Itis,Ithink,quitelegitimateinplayingthelibertygametokillallwhodisagreewithyourparty,ortobanishthem。
Inthesedegeneratetimes,loversoflibertyhavetostopshortatcalumny,justasiftheyweremeretyrants。
Theyworkedwithsuchsuccessthatwhen,in1732,thenewsofAntequera\'sdeathreachedParaguay,thepeople,inflamedwiththeideathathewassacrificedtothehatredoftheJesuits,roseandexpelledthemonceagain。TheconstantexpulsionsoftheJesuitsfromAsuncion,theturmoilsintheState,andthefactthateverynowandthentheIndianshadtotakearmstodefendtheirterritory,actedmostmischievouslyonthereductions,bothinParaguayandinthosebetweentheParanaandUruguay。WholetribesofIndians,recentlyconverted,wentbacktothewoods;landwasleftquiteuntilled,andontheoutskirtsofthemissionterritorythewarliketribesofIndians,stillunsubdued,raidedthecattle,killedtheneophytes,andcarriedofftheirwivesasslaves。Butstill,inspiteofall,theIndiansclungtotheirpriests
astheysaid,fromaffectionforthereligiouscaretheyhadbestowed,butquiteaspossiblyfromtheinstinctiveknowledgethat,betweentheraidingPortugueseandthemaddeningpatriotsinAsuncion,theironlysafeguardagainstslaverylayintheJesuits。
MostfortunatelyforParaguayatthetime(1734),DonBrunodeZavala,perhapsthemostenergeticoftheSpaniardsintheKing\'sserviceinAmerica,wasViceroyintheRiverPlate。HavingreceivedorderstoquietthedissensionsinAsuncion,inspiteofbeingnearlyseventyyearsofage,andhavinglostanarmintheItalianwars,hemarchedatonce,takingbutfortysoldiersinhistrain,as,warbeingimminentwithPortugal,itwasnotsafetodepletetheslenderforcesintheRiverPlate。ArrivedinParaguay,heenteredtheJesuitmissionsattheReductionofSanIgnacioGuazu,and,havingappealedtotheprovincialoftheOrderforhisaid,speedilyfoundhimselfattheheadofalargearmyoftheIndians。AftersomeskirmisheshewasinapositiontoenterAsuncionandforcethepeopletoreceivehimastheirGovernor。Byoneofthoserevulsionssofrequentinacrowdofreasonablemen,thepeoplebeggedhimtoinvitetheJesuitstoreturn。Theydidso(1735),andwerereceivedinstate,theGovernor,theBishop,andthechiefclergyandofficialsoftheplaceattendingMassintheCathedralwithlightedcandlesintheirhands。
Hisdutyover,DonBrunodeZavalasetoffforChile,wherehehadbeenappointedGovernor,andonhisjourney,atthetownofSantaFe,diedsuddenly,exhaustedwiththebattles,marchingsandcountermarchings,rebellions,Indianincursions,theturbulenceofthepeopleinthetowns,andtheothercareswhichformedthedailydutiesofaSpanishofficerinSouthAmericaatthemiddleoftheeighteenthcentury。
ThenexttenyearswereonthewholepeacefulandprofitablefortheIndiansofthemissionsandfortheJesuits。
TheIndiansfollowedquietlytheirArcadianlives,exceptwhennowandthenacontingentofthemwasrequiredtoassistinanyofthewars,whichatthattimewereceaselessthroughouttheeasternpartofSouthAmerica。TheJesuitspushedouttheirspiritualfrontiers,advancingonthenorthamongsttheTobatinesofthewoods,andonthewestendeavouringtospreadtheircoloniesamongsttheChiriguanasandotheroftheChacotribes。
`Guazu\'=`great\'inGuarani。Itisfrequentinplace
namesbothinParaguayandCorrientes。
DeanFunes,vol。ii。,cap。xii。,p。372,saysofZavala:
`Porcaractereramanso,perouso/algunasvecesdeseveridad,porquesabiaqueparaservirbienaloshombresesprecisodecuandoencuandotenervalordedesagradarlos……
Lapobrezaenquemuriodespuesdetantosan~osdemando,esunapruebaclasicadequenoestabacontagiadoconesacommunflaquezadelosquegobieranenAmerica。\'
FromtheconquestofPeru,whenthoseIndianswhohadbeenbutrecentlybroughtundertheempireoftheIncasretreatedintotheChaco,ithadbeentherefugeofthefiercestandmostindomitabletribes。
TheSpanishcolonists,theardourofthefirstconquestspent,hadsettleddownmainlytoagriculturalpursuits。Fewhadefficientfirearms,andonthewhole,thoughturbulentamongstthemselves,theyhadbecomeunwarlike。TheverynameofthewildIndians(LosIndiosBravos)
spreadterrorupanddownthefrontiers。Thisterror,whichIrememberstillprevalentbothinMexicoandonthepampasoftheArgentineRepublic,notmorethanfive
and
twentyyearsago,waskeenerupontheconfinesoftheChacothananywhereinSouthAmerica,except,perhaps,inChile,uponthefrontiersofAraucania。
InthelongandinterestingletterofJaimeAguilar,theprovincialoftheJesuitsinParaguay,totheKingofSpain(PhilipV。,1737),occursthefollowingpassage:
`Ysialgunavez,quenosonmuchas,seanimanlosEspan~olesaperseguirycastigarlosIndios,muchoshuyendelatierra,oseesconden,pornoiralaentrada……Otras(vezes)
quandolleganalla/,elEnemigolesquitanlaCavallada,dexandolosapieysevuelvenacasacomopueden。\'
ThisIhaveseenmyself,notthirtyyearsago,onthefrontiersoftheArgentineRepublic。ThepopularArgentinepoem,`LaVueltadeMartinFierro\',byJoseHernandez(BuenosAyres,1880),hasanillustrationshowinganexpeditionagainsttheIndiansreturning。
Someofthemenareonfoot;othersareridingtwoonthesamehorse,andofficersareanimatingtheirmenwiththeflatoftheirswords。
TheTobas,Mataguayos,Lules,Aguilotas,Abipones,andtherest,togetherwiththewarlikenationsoftheVilelasandtheGuaycurus,hadfromthefirstrejectedChristianity。Attemptshadseveraltimesbeenmadetoestablishsettlementsamongstthem,buttheferocityofallthetribes,theirnomadhabits
formanyofthempassedtheirlivesonhorseback
andthepeculiarnatureoftheircountry,avastdomainofswamp,piercedbygreatriversquiteunknowntotheSpanishsettlers,hadhithertocombinedtorendereveryeffortvain。
But,notwithstandingthis,theJesuitslabouredincessantly,andnotwithoutsuccess,amongstthewildestoftheChacotribes。
ThegentleandeccentricFatherMartinDobrizhofferpassedmanyyearsamongsttheAbipones,ofwhomhewrotehischarmingbook。Heenumeratesmanytribes,ofwhomhesays`theseareforthemostconvertedbyus,andsettledintowns。\'
`AccountoftheAbipones\',p。125。
Nothing,perhaps,displaystheJesuitsattheirbest,morethantheireffortsintheChaco。Theenormousterritorywassparselypeopledbyaboutseventytribes,1whereoftherewerefifteenorsixteenofconsiderablesize。Hardlytwotribesspokedialectsbywhichtheycouldcommunicatewithoneanother,andalmosteveryoneofthemlivedinastateofwarfare,notonlywiththeSpaniards,butwiththeneighbouringtribes。TheinventoriespreservedbyBrabo2
showusthetownofPaisanesintheChaco,withitsroughwoodenhouses,andtheJesuits\'habitationinthemiddleoftheplace,stockaded,andwithoutdoors,andwithbutnarrowopeningsinthewall,throughwhichthemissionariescrept。Theinsideofthehousecontainedfiveorsixroughrooms,almostunfurnished,butforafewreligiousbooksandaplentifulsupplyofguns。3
Theirbedswereofunvarnishedwood,withcurtainsofroughcottonspunbytheIndians。Sometimestheyhadasofaofleatherslungbetweenfourstakes,arackformedicinebottles,andforthewineforMass。
Lastly,onepriest,inthesettlementamongsttheToquitistines,hadamonghisbookscopiesofCervantesandQuevedo;onehopeshereadthemhalfsmiling,halfwithatearinhiseye,foryourtruehumourisakintotears。Perhaps,reading`DonQuixote\'or`ElGranTacano\',thepoorpriestforgothistroubles,and,wanderingwithSanchoinLaManchanoak
woodsorthroughCastilianuplands,thoughthewasinSpain。4
1Brabo,`Inventarios\',p。ix。
2FranciscoXavierBrabo,`Inventariosdelosbieneshalladosa/laexpulsiondelosJesuitas\'(Madrid,1872)。
3Thelistsofcannons,guns,andarmsofallkindsintheinventoriesoftheChacotowns,preservedbyBrabo,servetoshownotonlythedangerstowhichtheJesuitswereexposed,butalsohowthoroughlytheJesuitsunderstoodtheficklenatureofthosewithwhomtheylived。
4Anotherpriest,thelistofwhoseeffectsBrabohaspreservedinhis`Inventarios\',hadabookcalled`ElAliviodeTristes\'。
EvenaProtestantmaybeexcusedforhopingthatitmeriteditstitle。
ThroughouttheterritoryoftheGranChacotherewerebutsevenreductionsestablishedbytheJesuits。ThesewereSanJosedeBilelas,withitslittletownPetacas;SanJuanBautistadelosIristines,withitstownletofthesamename;SanEstebandelosLules,withthetownofMiraflores;NuestraSenoradelBuenConsejodelosOmarapas,capitalOrtega;NuestraSenoradePilardelosPaisanes,withMacapilloasitscentre;NuestraSenoradelRosariodelosTobas,withitschiefplacecalledSanLucas;and,lastly,theestablishmentamongsttheAbipones,knownasLaConcepcion。InallthesemissionstheJesuitslivedinconstantperiloftheirlives。Inreadingtheiroldchroniclesonefindstherecordsoftheirobscureandhalf
forgottenmartyrdoms,theirsufferings,andthebriefrecordoftheirdeathsbyanarroworaclub。In1711FatherCavallero,withallhisfollowing,wasslainbythesavagePinzocas。In1717FatherRomero,having,asaJesuitwritersays,`nothingbutmoralforcebehindhim,\'
wasslainwithtwelvecompanionsoftheGuaranisofParaguay。
In1718FathersArcoandBlende,SylvaandMaceo,receivedtheirdusted
overmartyrs\'crowns。
CretineauJoly,tomev。,chap。ii。,p。95。Yourmoralforceisexcellentinacivilizedcountry;butyourmodernmissionaryusuallypreferssomethingmoreinaccordancewiththespiritofthetimes。
RightupthewesternbankoftheriverParaguay,intheoldmaps,thecrossesmarkthesiteswhereJesuitswereslain。Thattheyalldiedtofurthercraftyschemes,orforsomehiddenpurposeofaMachiaveliannature,evenaDominicanwillscarcelyurge。Thattheydidgood
moreorlessgoodthanProtestantfanaticsofthesamekidneymighthaveachieved
itwereinvidioustoinquire。Thatwhichiscertainisthattheyweresingle
heartedmen,faithfuluntotheendtowhattheythoughtwasright,faithfuleventothesheddingoftheirownblood,whichis,onemaybelieve,thewayinwhichthescripturalinjunctionshouldberightlyread。
Inthedimfuture,whensomeshadowofcommon
sensedawnsontheworld,andwhenmenrecognisethatitisbettertoletothersfollowtheirdestinyasitbestpleasesthem,withouttheofficiousinterferenceoftheirfellows,itmaybethattheywillsayallmissionariesofwhatsoeversectorcongregationshouldhavestayedathome,andnotgonegaddingtothedesertplacesoftheearthseekingtoremedytheerrorsoftheirGodbytheirexertions;butwhilsttheidealstillremainsofsacrifice(whichmay,forallIknow,beuselessinitself,orevenharmful),theymustperforceallowtheJesuitsinParaguayhighrank,orelsebestultified。
ButintheChacotheJesuitsfoundconditionsmostdifferentfromthoseprevailingintheirmissionsbetweentheUruguayandParana。
Insteadofopenplains,vastswamps;insteadofdocilesemi
ArcadiansliketheGuaranis,whoalmostworshippedthem,fiercenomadhorsemen,brokenintoahundredlittletribes,alwaysatwar,andcaringlittleforreligionofanysortorkind。Again,thereseemsintheChacotohavebeennomeansofamassinganykindofwealth,asalltheterritorywasquiteuncultivatedandinavirginstate;but,still,thesettlementshadexistedlongenoughforcattletoincrease。
Lastly,theincursionsofthebarbaroustribeswereaconstantmenacebothtotheJesuitsandtheirneophytes。YetintheirindefatigablewaytheJesuitsmadeconsiderableprogressamongsttheChacotribes,asboththecurious`HistoryoftheAbipones\'byFatherDobrizhofferandtheinventoriespreservedbyBraboprove。
Thetotalnumberofcattlewas78,171,asagainst698,353inthetownsoftheGuaranis。SeeBrabo,`Inventariosdelosbieneshalladosa/laexpulsiondelosJesuitas\',Appendix,p。668。
`HistoryoftheAbipones\',fromtheLatinofMartinDobrizhoffer,London,1822。
ItisacuriouscircumstancethatinthemissionsintheChacotherewerenegroslaves,thoughintheParaguayanmissionstheywereunknown。IntheinventoryofthetownofSanLucasappearthefollowingentries,undertheheadof`NegrosEsclavos\':
`Justo,quesirvedecapatazenelcampo;sera/deedaddeveinteysietean~os,maso/menossegunsuaspecto。\'
`Item,Pedro,sera/dediezyseisan~osyesmediofatuo。\'
`Item,Jose/Felix,sera/deunmesymedio。\'
BesidestheirsevenestablishmentsintheGranChaco,theyhadthreeestablishmentsinthenorthofParaguayinthegreatwoodswhichfringethecentralmountainrangeofthecountry,knownastheCordilleradeM\'baracayu。Thesemissions,calledSanJoaquindelTaruma,SanEstanislao,andBelen,werequiteapartfromalltheothermissionsoftheGuaranis,fardistantfromtheChaco,andremovedbyanenormousdistancefromthoseoftheOrderintheMoxosandamongsttheChiquitos,forming,asitwere,anoasisintherecessesoftheTarumensianwoods。
Thesethreereductions,foundedrespectivelyin1747,1747,and1760,were,astheirdatesindicate,theswansongoftheJesuitsinParaguay。
FoundedastheywerefarfromtheSpanishsettlements,theywerequiteremovedfromtheintriguesandinterferencesoftheSpanishsettlers,whichwerethecurseoftheothermissionsontheParana。
TheTobatinesIndianswereofadifferentclasstotheGuaranis,thoughpossiblyofthesamestockoriginally。NothavingcomeincontactuntilrecentyearswiththeSpaniards,andhavinghadtwofierceandprolongedwarswiththenearestsettlements,theyhadremainedmoreintheirprimitiveconditionthananyoftheIndianswithwhomtheJesuitshadcomeincontactinParaguay。
DuringtheshortperiodofJesuitruleamongstthem(1746
1767)
thingsseemtohavegoneoninahalf
Arcadianway。InSanJoaquin,Dobrizhoffer,ashesayshimself,devotedeightyearsofunregrettedlabourtotheIndians。MostcertainlyhewasoneoftheJesuitswhounderstoodtheIndiansbest,andhisdescriptionsofthemandtheirlifeareamongthemostdelightfulwhichhavebeenpreserved。
HetellsoftheromanticbutfruitlesssearchduringeighteenmonthsthroughouttheforestsoftheTarumabyFathersYegros,Escandon,Villagarcia,andRodriguez,fortheItatineswhohadleftthereductionofNuestraSenoradeSantaFe,andhadhiddeninthewoods。
Though1747wasthedateofthefinalfoundingofthesereductions,asearlyas1697aboutfourhundredIndianswerediscoveredinthewoodsoftheTarumabyFathersRoblesandXimenes,andestablishedinthemissionofNuestraSenoradeFe;
butintheyear1721theyallreturnedtothewoods,afamineandanoutbreakofthesmall
poxhavingfrightenedthem。
Afterbeingagainestablishedinamission,andagainhavingleftit,in1746,theywereestablisheddefinitelyatSanJoaquin。
DobrizhoffercallstheTobatinesbythenameofItatines。
CharlevoixandothersrefertothemasTobatines。
Then,commentinguponthestrangenessofallaffairssublunary,herelatesthataccidentatlengtheffectedwhatlabourcouldnotdo。
In1746FatherSebastiandeYegros,afterasearchoffortydays,cameontheIndians
asitwere,directedbyProvidence,or,aswenowsay,accident。Hebuiltatownforthem,and,asDobrizhoffersays,`assembledtheminChristianpolity。\'
Tothenew
foundedvillagecattleofeverykindweresent,withclothes
useful,ofcourse,tothosewhohadneverwornthem
axes,andfurniture,andlastlyafewmusicmasters,withoutwhosehelpthosewhobuildcitiesspendtheirtoilinvain。
`AccountoftheAbipones\',p。54。
Tothenewtown(inwhichthesimple
heartedpriestremainedeightyears),in1753,cameDonCarlosMorphi,anIrishman,andGovernorofParaguay;
and,havingstayedfivedayswithDobrizhoffer,departed,marvellingattheaccuracywithwhichthenew
madeChristians(`Cristianosnuevos\')managedtheirdouble
basses,theirflageolets,theirviolins,and,ingeneral,alltheirinstruments,whetherofmusicorofwar。
Modestly,butwithprolixity,asbefitsavirtuous,God
fearingman,thesimpleJesuitrelatesaspecialinstanceofthewayinwhichhewasenabledtoworkbothforhisowngloryandfortheprofitoftheLord。
NotfarfromSanEstanislaowassituatetheforestofM\'baevera,inwhichgrewquantitiesoftreesfromwhichthe`yerba
mate\'
(Paraguayantea)wasmade。Toreachitwasaworkofpainandtrouble,forthroughthewoodsatrackcalleda`picada\'hadtobecut;
theriversweredeep,bridgeless,andhadtohavebranchesstrewedalongthetracktogiveafootingtothestrugglingmules。
In1873,whenIvisitedtheoutskirtsofthisforest,theconditionsweresimilartothosewhichDobrizhofferdescribes,withtheadditionthatthedepopulationofthecountry,owingtotherecentlongwar,hadallowedthetigerstomultiplytoanextraordinarydegree,andmyguideandmyself,afterfeedingourhorses,hadtosleepalternately,thewakerholdingthetwohorseshobbledandbridled。
AnexpeditionhavingbeensentunderacertainSpaniardcalledVillalbatocollect`yerba\',camesuddenlyuponadesertedIndianhut。
Astheyhadstartedquiteunarmed,exceptwithknivesandaxestocutdowntheboughs,apanicseizedthem,and,insteadofcollectinganyleaves,theyhurriedbacktoSanEstanislao。NosoonerdidDobrizhofferhearthenewsthanhesetouttofindtheIndians,withafewneophytes,uponhisownaccount。Havingtravelledthe`mournfulsolitudes\'foreighteendays,theycameuponnosignofIndians,andreturnedfootsoreandhungry,`theimprovementofourpatiencebeingoursolerecompense。\'
Thewholeoperationofcollectingandpreparingtheleavesofthe`IlexParaguayensis\',tomakethe`yerba
mate\',wasmostcurious。
Bandsofmenusedtosallyoutforasix
months\'expedition,eitherbylandwithbullock
waggons,oruponeoftheriversinflat
bottomedboats,whichwerepoledalongagainsttherapidcurrentbycrewsofsixtotwelvemen。Arrivedatthe`yerbal\',astheforestwascalled,theybuiltshelters,afterthefashionofthoseinuseamongstthelargeroftheanthropoidapes。Someroamedthewoodsinsearchofthepropertrees,theboughsofwhichtheycutdownwithmachetes,whilstothersremainedandbuiltalargeshedofcanescalleda`barbacoa\'。Onthisshedwerelaidthebundlesofboughsbroughtfromthewoods,andalargefirewaslightedunderneath。
Duringforty
eighthours(ifIrememberrightly)thetoastingwenton;