( 134 ) 



to be feared is, that after arriving at this point 

 they will be tempted to go a great deal farther, and 

 fall into fuch a luxury as may render them ftill 

 more miferabie, than they now are in the bofom 

 of the mofi: extreme indigence. 



At leaft it will not be the fault of the mifilonaries 

 if they are expofed to this danger - 9 perfuaded 

 that it is morally impoffible to arrive at that 

 golden mean, without afterwards deviating from 

 it, they have preferred fharing with thefe people 

 whatever is mod difagreeable in their manner of 

 living, rather than to open their eyes to the means 

 of finding any remedy for it. Thus thofe very 

 perfons who are every day witnefies of their fuf« 

 ferings, are at a lofs to conceive how they are able 

 to fupport them, and the more lb as they are 

 without the leaft relaxation, and as every feafon 

 brings along with it fome peculiar evil. 



As their villages are always fituated either near 

 a wood, or on the banks of fome lake or river, 

 and oftener between both, as foon as the weather 

 becomes warm the mufkettos, together with ft 

 prodigious army of other gnats, raife a perfe- 

 ction worfe than that of the frnoke, which you 

 are often obliged to call to your affiftance • there 

 being fcarce any other remedy againft the bite of 

 thefe infects, which fet the whole body on fire 

 and fufFeryou not to clofe your eyes. Add to this, 

 the long and fatiguing journeys you are often 

 forced to make with thefe barbarians, fometimes 

 up to the middle in water, and fometimes to the 

 knees in mire, through woods and among briars 

 and thorns, with the danger of lofing one's eyes, 

 in open fields where nothing defends you from the 



burning 



8 



