ULLOa's voyage to south AMERICA. 6^-^ 



II. Biihopric in the Audience of Charcas. — Santa Cruz de la Sierra. 



The province of Santa Cruz de la Sierra is a government and captain-gerieralfhip : 

 and though its jurifdiftion is of a large extent, not many Spaniards are found in it, 

 and the few towns are in general miffions comprehended under the common name of 

 Paraguay miffions. The capital of the fame name was eredled into a bifhopric iii the 

 year 1605. Its chapter confifts only of a bifliop, dean, and archdeacon, having nei- 

 ther canons, prebendaries, or other dignitaries. The ufual refidence of the bifhop is 

 the city of Mifque Pocona, eighty leagues from Santa Cruz de la Sierra. 



The jurifdidion of Mafque Pocona reaches above thirty leagues ; and although the 

 city itfelf is very thinly inhabited, there are, in other parts of it, feveral populous 

 towns. The temperature is hot, but not in a degree too great for vineyards. The 

 valley in which the city Hands is about eighty leagues in circumference, and produces 

 all kinds of grain and fruits ; and the woods and uncultivated mountains afford great 

 quantities of honey and wax, which conftitute a principal branch of its commerce. 



The miffions belonging to the Jefuits in the parts dependent on this bifhopric, are 

 thofe called Indios Chiquitos, or little Indians, a name given them by the Spaniards, 

 on account of the great fmallnefs of the doors of their houfes. Their country lies 

 between Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and the lake Xarayes, from whence the river Para- 

 guay had its rife, and being increafed by the conflux of others, forms the famous river 

 De la Plata. It was about the clofe of the lafl century, when the fathers firfl began 

 their preaching in this nation, and fo great has been their fuccefs, that in the year 

 1732, they had formed feven towns, each confifling of above fix hundred families; 

 and were then building others for affembling under the fame laws, the great number 

 of Indians, daily converted. Thefe Indios Chiquitos are well made and adive ; and 

 their courage has often been experienced by the Portuguefe, who ufed to make incur- 

 fions, in order to carry off the inhabitants for flaves : but the valour of thefe people 

 has taught them to defiil from fuch inhuman attempts, and, for their own fafety, to 

 keep within their limits. The arms of thefe Indians are mufquets, fabres, and poi- 

 foned arrows. Though their language is different from that of the other nations of 

 Paraguay, the fame cufloms nearly obtain here, as among all the other Indians. 



Bordering on this nation of Chiquitos is another of Pagan Indians, called Chirigua- 

 nos, or Chiriguanaes, wlio have always refufed to liften to the miffionaries ; though the 

 fathers flill continue to vifit them at certain times, and preach to them, 'but prudently 

 take care to be accompanied with fome Chiquitos for their fecurity ; and thus they make 

 now and then a few converts, who are fent to their towns, and there lead a focial life. 

 This generally happens after fome misfortune in the wars continually carried on between 

 them and the Chiquitos ; when, in order the more eafily to obtain a peace, and that 

 the Chiquitos may not abfolutely exterminate them, they fend for miffionaries ; but 

 foon difmifs them again, pretending that they cannot bear to fee punifhments inflicted 

 on perfons merely for deviating from the rules of reafon. This plainly demonftrates, 

 that all they defire or aim at, is an unbounded licentioufnefs of manners. 



Santa Cruz de la Sierra, the capital of this government, lies eighty or ninety leagues 

 ealt of Plata. It was originally built fomething farther toward the fouth-eaft, near the 

 Cordillera of the Chiriguanos. It was founded in the year 1548, by Captain Nufio 

 de Chaves, who called it Santa Cruz, from a town of that name near Truxillo in 

 Spain, where he was born. But the city having been deflroyed, it was built in^ the 



VOL. XIV. 4 ivr place 



