176 A VOYAGE TO Book VII. 



parts, may not abufe their authority, and either thro* 

 intercll, or paffion, carry their revenge too far againft 

 other Indians, they are not to proceed to punifhment 

 without previoufly acquainting the prieft with the 

 affair, that he may compare the offence with the 

 fentence. The prieft, on finding the perfon really 

 guilty, delivers him up to be punifhed, which gene- 

 rally confifts in imprifonment for a certain number of 

 days, and fometimes fafting is added to it ; but if the 

 fault be very great, the delinquent is whipt, which 

 is the moil fevere punifhment ufed among them ; 

 thefe people being never known to commit any crime 

 that merits a greater degree ot chaftifement ; for im- 

 mediately on being regiftered as converts, the greateft 

 care has been taken in thefe miOlons, to imprint on 

 the minds of thefe new Chriftians, a deteftation of 

 murther, robbery, and fuch atrocious crimes. The 

 execution of the fentence is preceeded by a difcourfe 

 made by the prieft before the delinqueni, in v/hich he 

 reprefents to the offender, with the greateft foftnefs 

 and fympathy, the nature of his crime, and its tur- 

 pitude ; fo that he is brought to acknowledge the 

 juftnefs of the fentence, and ro receive it rather as a 

 brotherly corredion, than- a puniiliment; fo that 

 tho' nature muft feel, yet he receives the corredtion 

 with the greateft humility and refignation, being con- 

 fcious that he has brought it upon himfeif. Thus the 

 priefts are in no. danger of any malice being harboured 

 againft them ; indeed the love and veneration the In- 

 dTans pay them is fo great, that could they be guilty 

 of enjoining an unjuft punifhment, the fufFering party 

 would impute it to his own demerits, being firmly 

 perfuaded that the priefts never do any thing without 

 a fufficient reafon. 



E>ERY town has a particular armory, in which 

 are kept all the fire-arms, fwords, and weapons ufed 

 by the militia, when they take the neld, Vv^hether to 

 repel the infuks of the Portuguefc, or any heathen In- 

 dians 



