the South-Sea. 



center' d and contra&ed; but in the Decoration of the 

 Altars all are confufed, crowded and bad, fo that a Man 

 cannot but lament the immenfe Sums they fpend on thofe 

 gilt Diforders. 



Of the INDIANS of PE Rll 



HAving fpoken of xhzCreolian Spaniards of Peru^ it will 

 be proper here to fay fomething of the Natives of the 

 Country, diftinguifh'd by the Name of Indians^ whofe 

 Cuftoms are very diftind from thofe of Chili ^ of wbom we 

 difcours'd before ; what they have in common with them, 

 is, that they are no lefs Drunkards and addi&ed to Wo- 

 men, and that they are as little covetous of Wealth; but 

 they are quite different from them in relation to Bravery 

 and Boldnefs ; they are Fearful and Heartlefs, and in other 

 refpe&s Malicious, Diffemblersand Dcfigning. They have 

 a Genius for Arts, and are good at imitating what they 

 fee, but very poor at Invention. 



The Chriftian Religion, which they have been oblig'd 

 to embrace/ has not yet taken deep Root in the Hearts of 

 moft of them, they retain a great Inclination towards their 

 ancient Idolatry ; fome are often difcover'd, who ftill a- 

 dore the Deity of their Forefathers; I mean the Sun. How- 

 ever they are naturally docible and capable of receiving 

 good Impreffions as to Manners and Religion, if they had 

 good Examples before their Eyes; but being ill inftru&ed, 

 and on the other hand feeing that thofe who teach them, 

 by their A&ion-s give the Lye to what their Mouths utter, 

 they know not what to believe. In lliort, when they are 

 forbid having to do with Women, and fee the Curate has 

 two or three, they muft deduce this natural Confequence, 

 that either he does not believe what he fays, or that it is a 

 matter of fmall Confequence to tranfgrefs the Law. 



Befides, the Curate is to them, not a Paftor to take Care 

 of, and endeavour to eafe them ; but a Tyrant, who goes 

 Hand in Hand with the Spanifo Governors, to fqueeze and: 

 draw from them all be is able; who makes them work 

 for him, without any Reward for their Pains ; but inftcad 



