520 ULLOA's voyage to south AMERICA. 



Some underfland the Spanifh, and fpeak it; yet yery few have the good-nature to 

 anfwer in it, though they know, at the fame time, that the perfon with whom they are 

 converfmg cannot underfland them in Quichua. Nor is it of any confequence to defire 

 and prefs them to explain themfelves in Spanifh, for this they abfolutely refufe : whereas 

 it is quite otherwife with the Indians born and bred in the towns ; for, if fpoken to ia 

 their own language, they are fure to anfwer in the Spanifh. 



Superflition is general among them ; and they all, more or lefs, pretend to fortune- 

 telling. This weaknefs is alfo of a long Handing among them ; and which neither the 

 remonflrances of the priefls, nor their own experience, can radically cure. Thus they 

 employ artifices, fuppofed charms, and ftrange compofitions, in order to obtain fome 

 vifionary happinefs for the fuccefs of a favourite fcheme, or other weighty concern. In 

 thefe prefliges their minds are fo infatuated, that, to bring them to a fight of the folly 

 and wickednefs of fuch practices, and folidly to embrace the Chriflian religion, is a 

 work of the greateft difficulty. And even when they have embraced it, are fo fuper- 

 ficial and fickle, that, if they attend divine fervice on Sundays and holidays, it is merely 

 from fear of punifhment ; for otherwife there would be fcarce one Indian, efpecially of 

 the meaner fort, among the whole congregation. Pertinent to this, I fhall relate, among 

 many other infiances, the following ftory, told me by a priefl. An Indian had, for 

 fome time, abfented himfelf from the fervice of the church ; and the priefl being in- 

 formed that it was owing to his drinking early in the morning, on the following Sunday, 

 when he had been particularly ordered to make his appearance, charged him with his 

 fault, and direded that he fhould receive fome lafhes, the ufual punifhment of fuch 

 delinquents, be their age or fex what it will, and perhaps the befl adapted to their flu- 

 pidity. After undergoing the punifhment, he turned about to the prieft, and thanked 

 him for having chaflifed him according to his deferts ; to which the priefl replied with 

 fome words of exhortation to him, and the audience in general, that they would never 

 omit any duty of Chriflianity. But he had no fooner done, than the poor Indian flep- 

 ped up to him, and defired that he would order him a like number of lafhes for the 

 next Sunday, having made an appointment for a drinking match, fo that he fhould not 

 be prefent. This may ferve as a fpecimen of the little impreffion made on them, not- 

 withflanding all the afTiduity of the miffionaries ; and that though continually inflruded, 

 from the firfl dawnings of reafon till the day of their death, they are found to continue 

 in a flrange ignorance of the mqfl effential points of religion. Their indifference here 

 is fo very deplorable, that they may be &id to give themfelves no more concern about 

 their fouls than about their bodies , aiad though I with pleafure allow, that there are 

 many who, in the culture of their minds, fanftity of manners, and delicacy of con- 

 fcience, equal the mofl wife and circumfped j yet the bulk of them, either by that 

 grofs ignorance which clouds their intellefts, and renders them infenfible of their eternal 

 concerns, or their natural depravity, are hardened againfl religious exhortations. For 

 though they readily grant every thing that is faid to them, and never offer to make the leaft 

 objeftion ; yet they fecretly harbour fufpicions of fome evil defign, and leave room for 

 mental refervations, which fpoil all. I am little inclined to lay any falfe charge to this 

 or any nation, and efpecially with regard to fuch an important fubjed: and in confir- 

 mation of what I have faid, fhall relate fome further particulars. 



Every Sunday in the year, the doftrinal priefls inflruft their parifh in the articles of 

 Chriflianity with indefatigable zeal : alfo, when any Indian is fick, they never fail to 

 vifit and exhort him to prepare for a comfortable paffage into eternity, adding whatever 

 they judge may conduce to the opening the eyes of his underflanding ; pathetically ex- 

 patiating on the juflice and mercy of God, the nature of death, the certainty of an 



approaching 



