SPANISH AMERICA. 537 



~11 that is properly bought, the carcasses being given into the bargain. 

 A horse some years ago might be bought for a dollar ; and the usual 

 price for a bullock, chosen out of the herd of two or three hundred, 

 was only four rials. But, contrary to the general nature of America, 

 this country is destitute of woods. The air is remarkably sweet and 

 serene, and the waters of La Plata are equally pure and wholesome. 



First settlement, chief city, and commerce. ...The Spaniards 

 first discovered this country, by sailing up the river La Plata, in 1515, 

 and in 1535 founded the town of Buenos Ay res, so called on account 

 of the excellence of the air, on the south side of the river, 50 leagues 

 within the mouth of it, where the river is seven leagues broad. This 

 is one of the most considerable towns in South America, containing 

 above 30,000 inhabitants, and the only place of traffic to the south- 

 ward of Brazil. Here we meet with the merchants of Europe and 

 Peru ; but no regular fleet comes here ; two, or at most three, regis- 

 ter ships make the whole of their regular intercourse with Europe. 

 Their returns are very valuable, consisting chiefly of the goid and 

 silver of Chili and Peru, sugar, and hides. Those who have now 

 and then carried on a contraband trade to this city, have found it 

 more advantageous than any other whatever. The benefit of this 

 contraband is now wholly in the hands of the Portuguese, who keep 

 magazines for that purpose, in such parts of Brazil as lie near this 

 country. The trade of Paraguay, and the manners of the people, are 

 io much the same with those of the rest of the Spanish colonies in 

 South America, that nothing farther can be said on those articles. 



But we cannot quit this country without saying something of that 

 extraordinary species of commonwealth which the Jesuits erected in 

 the interior parts, and of which these crafty priests endeavoured to 

 keep all strangers in the dark. 



About the middle of the last century, those fathers represented to 

 the court of Spain, that the want of success in their missions was 

 owing to the scandal which the immorality of the Spaniards never fail- 

 ed to give, and to the hatred which their insolent behaviour caused in 

 the Indians wherever they came. They insinuated, that, if it were 

 not for that impediment, the empire of the Gospel might, by their 

 labours, have been extended into the most unknown parts of Ame- 

 rica ; and that all those countries might be subdued to his catholic 

 majesty's obedience, without expence, and without force. This 

 remonstrance met with success; the sphere of their labours was 

 marked out, uncontrouled liberty was given to the Jesuits within 

 these limits, and the governors of the adjacent provinces had orders 

 not to interfere, nor to suffer any Spaniards to enter this pale, with* 

 out licence from the fathers. They on their part, agreed to pay a 

 certain capitation tax, in proportion to their flock ; and to send a cer- 

 tain number to the king's works whenever they should be demanded, 

 and the missions should become populous enough to supply them. 



On these terms the Jesuits gladly entered upon the scene of action, 

 and opened their spiritual campaign. They began by gathering 

 together about fifty wandering families, whom they persuaded to 

 settle : and they united them into a little township. This was the 

 slight foundation upon which they built a superstructure that amazed 

 the world, and added so much power, at the same time that it occa- 

 sioned so much envy and jealousy of their society. For when they 

 had made this beginning, they laboured with such indefatigable pains, 

 and such masterly policy, that, by degrees, they mollified the minds 



