A Voyage to 



ofit 3 upon the lealtDifguft cudgels them feverely. There 

 are certain Days in the Week, on which the Indians, pur- 

 suant to an Ordinance of the King of Spain, are obliged to 

 come to be catechized ; if they happen to come fomewhat 

 iate, the Curate's brotherly Corre&ion is a good Thrafli- 

 ing beftow'd without Ceremony, even in the Church ; fo 

 that to gain the Curate's Favour, every one of them brings 

 ins Prefent, either of Maiz, that -is Indian Wheat, for his 

 Mules, or of Fruit, Grain or Wood for his Houfe. 



If ^they are* to bury the Dead, or adminifter the Sacra- 

 ments, they have feveral Methods to enhance their Dues, 

 as making of Stations, or certain Ceremonies, to which 

 they affix a certain Price. They have even preferv'd the 

 Remains of the ancient Idolatry ; fuch is their Cuftom of 

 carrying Meat and Drink to the Graves of the Dead ; fo 

 that thei-r Superflition has only changed its Afpcft, by 

 becoming a Ceremony advantageous to the Curates. 



If the Friers go into the Country, a quefting for their 

 Monaftery, they do it like the Strollers of an Army ; they 

 firft take PofTeuion of what is for their turn, and if the 

 IndianOwnzr will not freely part with that extorted Alms, 

 they change their Form of Intreaty into Reproaches, at- 

 tended with Blows, to oblige the Indian to part with it. 



The J 'efuites in. their Millions behave themfelves more 

 difcreetiy arid dexteroufly ; they have found the Art of gain- 

 ing the Afcendant over the Indians, and by their obliging 

 Behaviour, have the Method of Subjecting them fo entirely, 

 that they do what they will with them ; and as they give a 

 good Example, thofe People are fond of the Yoak, and 

 many of them become Chriftians. Thofe Miffioners would 

 be really praife- worthy, were they not accufed of labour- 

 ing only for their own Advantage, as they have done near 

 La Paz, among the Tongos, and the Moxos, among whom 

 they convert fome to the Faith, and make many Subjects 

 to the Society j fo that they permit no other Spaniard to be 

 among them,as they have done in Paraguay ; but their Rea- 

 fons may be feen in the 8th Volume of the Lettres edifianter 

 curieufes. .* As 



