33 



Other causes are united with those which I have 

 just pointed out. It has been observed in the 

 college of the missions of Piritu, established at 

 Nueva-Barcelona, that on comparing the Indian 

 villages situate on the banks of rivers, with 

 those which have been constructed in very dry 

 places, the balance of births is found constantly 

 in favour of the latter. The custom of the In- 

 dian women of bathing several times a day be- 

 fore the sun rises, and after it sets, at the mo- 

 ment when the air is coldest, appears to enfeeble 

 their constitutions*. 



* The population increases with extraordinary rapidity in 

 the ancient missions of Piritu at a distance from the Oroo- 

 noko. It will be gratifying to see the results, which I shall 

 cite in this note, from MS. registers for the year 1799 in my 

 possession. I select the most considerable villages. 



NAMES OF THE 

 MISSIONS. 



Total 

 population. 



Births. 



Proportion 

 of births to 

 the total 

 population. 



Deaths. 



Proportion 

 of deaths to 



the total 

 population. 



La Pur.Concepoion 1 

 de Piritu - / 



1285 



120 



l-10th 



64 



l-20th 



NuestraSegnora del > 

 Filar - - / 



2119 



204 



1-1 0th 



108 



1-1 9th 



San Antonio de Cla- ") 

 rines J 



1656 



115 



l-14th 



93 



l-18th 



San Jose de Caigua - 



1843 



118 



1-1 6th 



50 



l-36th 



San Pablo Apostolo > 

 de Huere - - £ 



948 



101 



l-9th 



68 



l-13th 



Santa Rosa de Ocopi 



1089 



104 



l-10th 



47 



l-23d 



VOL. V. 



