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obliged to work in it every morning from six to 

 ten, and the alcaids and alguazils of Indian 

 race overlook their labours. These men are 

 the great officers of state, who alone have the 

 right of carrying a cane, and the choice of 

 whom depends on the superior of the convent. 

 They attach much importance to this right. 

 Their pedantic and silent gravity, their cold and 

 mysterious air, their love of appearing in form 

 at church and in the assemblies of the people, 

 force a smile from Europeans. We were not 

 yet accustomed to these shades of the Indian 

 character, which we found the same at the Oroo- 

 noko, in Mexico, and in Peru, among people 

 totally different in their manners and their lan- 

 guage. The alcaids came daily to the convent, 

 less to treat with the monks on the affairs of 

 the Mission, than under the pretence of inquir- 

 ing after the health of the newly arrived tra- 

 vellers. As we gave them brandy, their visits 

 became more frequent than the monks desired. 



During the whole time we passed at Caripe, 

 and in the other Chay ma Missions, we observed, 

 that the Indians were treated with kindness. 

 In general the Missions of the Arragonese Ca- 

 puchins appeared to us to be governed by a 

 system of order and discipline, which unfortu- 

 nately is not common in the New World, 

 Abuses that belong to the general spirit of mo- 

 nastic establishments cannot be imputed to 



