Cfl. VI. SOUTH AMERICA. 417 



by the struggles of the creature. On perceiving the 

 bear, they immediately make towards him, whilst he 

 sets up in order to seize the horse. But the Indian 

 being come within a proper distance, throws the 

 noose about the creature's neck : then, with surprizing 

 celerity having taken two or three turns with the 

 other end about the saddle, claps spurs to his horse : 

 in the mean time the bear, unable to keep pace with 

 the horse, and struggling to clear himself of the noose, 

 is choaked. This is considered as an achievement 

 of admirable dexterity and bravery ; and may be fre- 

 quently seen in the province of Alausi, near the eastern 

 Cordillera, where these animals abound. 



A GREAT part of the rusticity in the mindsof^th'e 

 Indians must be imputed to the want of culture ; 

 for they, who in some parts have enjoyed that advan- 

 tage, are found to be no less rational than other men : 

 and if they do not attain to all the politeness of civi- 

 lized nations, they at least think properly. The In- 

 dians of the mission of Paraguay are, among others, 

 remarkable instances of this ; where, by the zeal, ad- 

 dress, and exemplary piety of the Jesuits, a regular 

 well-governed republic of rational men has been esta- 

 blished : and the people, from an ambulatory and sa- 

 vage manner of living, have been reduced to order, 

 reason, and religion. One of the most effectual means 

 for this was, the setting up schools for instructing the 

 young Indians in Spanish, in which they also instruct 

 their converts ; and those who are observed to be of 

 a suitable genius, are taught Latin. In all the villages 

 of the missions are schools for learning, not only to 

 read and write, but also mechanic trades ; and the 

 artificers here are not inferior to those of Europe. 

 These Indians, in their customs and intellects, are a 

 different sort of people from those before-mentioned. 

 They have a knowledge of things ; a clear discern- 

 ment of the turpitude of vice, and the amiableness of 

 virtue ; and act up to these sentiments : not that they 



Vol. I. E e havg 



