INTRODUCTORY. 



15 



by a yet more absorbing passion than either of these. I mean mission- 

 ary zeal — the love of propagating the faith. 



The first missionary stations established in the Montana were founded 

 by the Fathers Cuxia and Cueva, of the holy company of the Jesuits, 

 in 1737. 



They commenced operations at the village of St. Francis de Borja, 

 founded by Don Pedro de Vaca, in 1634, when he conquered and 

 settled the province of Mainas, under the direction of the Viceroy Don 

 Francisco de Borja, prince of Esquilache. This village is situated on 

 the left bank of the Maranon, not far below where it breaks its way 

 through the last chain of hills that obstructs its course, at the Pongo* 

 de Mdnseriche. 



In the same year (1637,) according to Ulloa, (whose statements, I 

 think, are always to be received "cum grano salis") Pedro Texeira, a 

 Portuguese captain, ascended the Amazon with a fleet mounting forty- 

 seven large guns. After an eight months' voyage from Para, he arrived 

 at the port of Pay amino, or Frayamixa, in the province of Quixos, on 

 the river Napo. I am unable to find out how far up the Napo this is ; 

 but Texeira, leaving his fleet there, went with some of his officers by 

 land to Quito. The Royal Audience of that city determined to send 

 explorers with him on his return, and the Jesuit Fathers, Acuna and 

 Artieda, were selected for that purpose, and directed to report to the 

 King of Spain. Passing through the town of Archidona, on the head- 

 waters of the Napo, with much suffering they joined the fleet in the port 

 of Payamino, and after a voyage of ten months, by land and water, 

 arrived at Par&, whence they sailed for Spain. 



The Spanish government, then occupied with the rebellion of Portugal, 

 could lend no aid to the missionaries, and Father Artieda returned to . 

 Quito in 1643. He appealed to the Royal Audience, and to the college 

 of the Jesuits at that city, for help to the missions, and the latter insti- 

 tution furnished him with five or six missionaries. These were well 

 received by the Indians, and prosecuted their labors with such success, 

 that in the year 1666 they had formed thirteen large and populous 

 settlements in the country, bordering on the upper Maranon, and near 

 the mouths of the Pastaza, Ucayali, and Huallaga. 



About this time the Franciscans commenced pushing their explora- 

 tions and missionary operations from Lima, by the way of Tarma and 

 Jauxa, into the Montana, drained by the headwaters of the Ucayali ; 

 and here (thanks to Father Sobreviela) we begin to get a little topo- 



Pongo means a rapid. 



