Ch. XV. SOUTH AMERICA. 179 



to clothe ilie orphans, the aged, and the disabled 

 persons. By this benevolent plan all distress is pre- 

 cluded, and the inhabitants provided with every ne- 

 cessary of life. The royal revenues are punctualiy 

 paid ; and by the union of the inhabitants, the unin- 

 terrupted peace they enjoy, and the wisdom of their 

 policy, which is preserved inviolable, these places, if 

 there are any such on earth, are the habitations of 

 true religion and felicity. 



The Jesuits, who are the priests of these missions, 

 take upon them the sole care of disposing' of the ma- 

 nufactures and products of the Guaranies Indians, de- 

 signed for commerce ; these people being naturally 

 careless and indolent, and doubtless without the dili- 

 gent inspection and pathetic exhortations of the fa- 

 thers, would be buried in sloth and indigence. The 

 case is very different in >he missions of the Chiquitos, 

 who are industrious, careful, and frugal ; and their 

 genius so happily adapted to commerce, as not to 

 stand in need of any factors. The priests in the vil- 

 lages of this nation are of no expence to the crown, 

 the Indians themselves rejoicing in maintaining them ; 

 and join in cultivating a plantation filled with all kinds 

 of grain and fruits for the priest; the remaiiulcr, 

 after this decent support, being applied to purchase 

 ornaments for the churches. 



Tha.t the Indians may never be in any w^ant of 

 necessaries, it is one part of the minister's care 

 to have always in readiness a stock of different 

 kinds of tools, stufis, and other goods ; so tliat all 

 who are in want repair to him, bringing by way of 

 exchange wax, of which there are here great quan- 

 tities, and other products. And this baiter is made 

 with the strictest integrity, that tiie Indians may have 

 no. reason to complain of oppression; and that the 

 high character of the priests for justice and sanc- 

 tity may be studiously preserved. The goods re- 

 ceived in exchange are by the priests sent to the su- 

 N ^ píiíior 



