82 DISCONTENT OF THE SOLDIERY. 



greatest scarcity of maoy necessaries which the 

 country did not produce. The soldiery, even 

 to the commander himself, were in rags, with- 

 out pay, and deriving a mendicant subsistence 

 from the monks. The want which pressed most 

 heavily on the latter was that of the imple- 

 ments of agriculture and other labour ; having, 

 with true Spanish indolence, forborne any at- 

 tempt to manufacture them in the country. 

 The very source of all their acquisitions was 

 thus threatened with extinction ; yet still they 

 adhered to their King, with a fidelity truly 

 honourable had it been more disinterested : — 

 but what could they expect from a change of 

 government, except the limitations of their 

 hitherto unbounded power ? 



In the discontent of the soldiers, however, 

 smouldered a spark, dangerous to the power of 

 the monks, which was suddenly blown into a 

 flame by a circumstance that occurred a few 

 years before our arrival. 



The only pleasure for which the baptized 

 Indians had ever been indebted to the monks 

 was the possession of such baubles as our sai- 

 lors use in traffic with the South Sea islanders. 



