226 AVOYAGETO Book V. 



caufe, we found the fame Indians again on their 

 knees before the tent nor were we able, by all the 

 figns we could make, to raife them from that pofture. 

 There fortunately happened at that time to be with 

 us a fervant who underftood both the Indian and 

 Spanifh languages ; and having direded him to alk 

 thefe poor people what they wanted of us, we were 

 informed, that the eldefl of them was the father of 

 the others, and that his afs being either ftrayed or 

 ftolen, he came to us, as perfons vvho knew every 

 thing, to intreat us to commiferate his great lofs, and 

 put him in a method of recovering his bead. This 

 fimplicity of the Indians afforded us no fiiall enter- 

 tainment, and though we did all we could, by means 

 of our interpreter, to undeceive them, we found they 

 were equally tenacious of this ftrange error as of ge- 

 nuflexion ; and would fliil believe, that nothing was 

 hid from us ; till, having wearied themfelves with thefe 

 clam.orous vociferations, and finding we took no no- 

 tice of them, thev retired with all the marks of ex- 

 treme forrow, that we would not condefcend to in- 

 form them where they might find the afs ; and with 

 a firm perluaiion that our refufal proceeded from ill- 

 nature, and not from ignorance. 



The other adventure I fhall m.ention, happened to 

 myfelf in particular, and not v^ith fimpje and ignorant 

 Indian peafants, but with one of the principal inhabi- 

 tants of Cuen^a. While the whole company were on 

 the mountain of Bueran, not far from the town of 

 Cannar, I received a meiTage from the prieft of that 

 place, informing me, that two jefuits of my acquaint- 

 ance were paiTing that way, and, if I was defirous of 

 feeing them, I might find them at his houfe. As I 

 was chearfuliy defcending the mountain to enjoy this 

 pleafing invitation, I happened to be overtaken by a 

 gentleman of Cuen^a, who was going to take a view 

 of his lands in that jurifdiflion, and had obferved me 

 coming from our tent. He v,^as, it feems, acquaint- 

 ed 



