166 



LABORS OF THE JESUITS. 



white cotton and a row of yellow. These colors contrast without the 

 trouble of dye-stuff ; should he wish a blue, he plants a row of indigo ; 

 when he requires red, he gathers cochineal from among the woods? 

 where he also finds a bark which produces a deep black, which the 

 women often employ to dye their white dresses. 



The heart-leaved bixa grows wild; the vanilla bean scents the door- 

 way, while the coffee and chocolate trees shade it. The sugar cane 

 may be planted in any part of the province, to be manufactured into 

 sugar, rum, and molasses during the year of planting. The Indian un- 

 derstands the art of distilling. He cannot be considered intemperate, 

 generally; considering his partiality for chicha, we are inclined to give 

 him credit for self-denial, except when the saints' days of the Catholic 

 church are celebrated, then it seems to be understood that much drink- 

 ing is one of the conditions. Whatever good ideas may be instilled into 

 their minds by the worship in the morning, are generally lost under the 

 effects of strong drinks at night. This custom shocks the stranger. An 

 excuse has been offered by some who resided among the more savage 

 race of men, that in the exertions of the Jesuits to change the worship 

 of these people from their own barbarous imitations of the actions of 

 tigers and poisonous serpents, the priests were obliged to allow them to 

 continue many of the most innocent popular customs, such as dancing, 

 singing, and drinking, as well as fighting sham battles on a Sunday 

 evening, until they were enabled to lead them gradually to perceive 

 these were not the forms of worship which would most please the 

 Almighty. Among these Indians, as among the people of Japan, " every 

 custom is a part of their religion." Music has a powerful effect upon the 

 savage, and therefore the Jesuits encouraged them to cultivate it, and 

 as its influence over the limbs of the women was so great, that they 

 could not stand still during that part of the church service, it was thought 

 best to permit them to dance at the door, after which they quietly en- 

 tered to say their prayers. But when the music commenced again they 

 returned to dance in their savage fashion. They are naturally a good 

 and tractable people, finally willing to do their dancing at home, or only 

 on particular occasions at church after the Jesuits were long enough 

 among them. At the present day there are times when the war dance 

 is allowed in front of the church, performed by the able-bodied men of 

 the nation with war clubs and Ratchets in their hands. 



The drinking of chicha was a portion of the primitive worship of the 

 aborigines. They no doubt honestly believed that, the more happy they 

 made themselves while paying respect to the Creator of all things, the 

 better He was satisfied ! They were sincere in their thankfulness to 



