60 Of the Checks to Population Bk. i. 



The Indians, in many parts of South America, 

 live in extreme want,* and are sometimes de- 

 stroyed by absolute famines.^ The islands, rich 

 as they appeared to be, were peopled fully up to 

 the level of their produce. If a few Spaniards 

 settled in any district, such a small addition of 

 supernumerary mouths soon occasioned a severe 

 dearth of provisions.^; The flourishing Mexican 

 empire was in the same state in this respect ; and 

 Cortez often found the greatest difficulty in pro- 

 curing subsistence for his small body of soldiers.^ 

 Even the missions of Paraguay, with all the care 

 and foresight of the Jesuits, and notwithstanding 

 that their population was kept down by frequent 

 epidemics, were by no means totally exempt from 

 the pressure of want. The Indians of the Mission 

 of St. Michael are mentioned as having at one 

 time increased so much, that the lands capable of 

 cultivation in their neighbourhood, produced only 

 half of the grain necessary for their support. || 

 Long droughts often destroyed their cattle,^]" and 

 occasioned a failure of their crops ; and on these 

 occasions some of the Missions were reduced to 

 the most extreme indigence, and would have 

 perished from famine, but for the assistance of 

 their neighbours.** 



* Lettres Edif. torn. vii. p. 383. ix. 140. 



t Id. torn. viii. p. 79. 



% Robertson, b. iv. p. 121. Burke's America, vol. i. p. 30. 



§ Robertson, b. viii. p. 212. 



|| Lettres Edif. torn. ix. p. 381. 



% Id. torn. ix. p. 191. 



** Id. torn. ix. p. 20G, 380. 



