176 A VOYAGE TO Book VIÍ. 



paiis, may not abuse their authority, and either tlirough 

 interest, or passion, carry their rcvenoe too far against 

 other Indians, they are not to proceed to punishment 

 without previously aequaintinp; the priest Avith the 

 aftair, that he may compcare the oiience with the 

 sentence. The priest, on findinj»; the person reailj 

 guilty, delivers him up to be punished, which gene- 

 rally consists in imprisonment for a certain number of 

 days, and sometimes fasting* is added to it ; but if the 

 fault be very great, the delinquent is whipt, which 

 is the most severe punishment used among them ; 

 these people being never known to commit any crime 

 that merits a greater degree of chastisement ; for im- 

 mediately on being registered as converts, the greatest 

 care has been taken in these missions, to imprint on 

 the minds of these new Christians, a detestation of 

 murder, robber\, and such, atrocious crimes. The 

 execution of the sentence is preceded by a discourse 

 made by tiie priest before the delinquent, in which he 

 represents to the ofiender, with the greatest softness 

 and sympathy, the nature of his crime, and its tur- 

 pitude ; so that he is brought to acknowledge the 

 justness of the sentence, and to receive it rather as a 

 brotherly correction, than a punishment; so that 

 though nature mast feel, yd lie receives the correc- 

 tion with the greatest humility and resignation, being 

 conscious that he has brought it upon himself. Thus 

 ihe priests are in no danger of any malice being har- 

 boured against them; indeed the love and veneration 

 tlie Indians pay them is so great, that could they be 

 guihy of enjoining an unjust punishment, the suffer- 

 ing party would impute it to his own demerits, being 

 firmly persuaded that the priests never do any thing 

 TV ithout a sufficient reason. 



EvEiiv town has a particular armory, in whick 

 are kept all the fire-arms, swords, and weajions used. 

 by the militia, whon they take the held, whether to 

 repel the insults of the Portuguese, or any heathen In- ^ 



diana 



