CHAPTER XVII 
The River Das Garcas— Majestic Scenery 
I WENT to call on the Salesian Fathers. Between 
my camp and the river Das Garzas, on the right bank 
of which the colony stood, there was a great dome 
of red volcanic rock with many loose boulders such as we 
had seen for the last three days of our journey. The 
river was swift and deep. The colony was on the opposite 
side of the water. We shouted until an Indian appeared 
and took us across in a rickety canoe belonging to the 
friars, which he paddled with the stalk of a palm-leaf. 
The Salesians were remarkable people, and should 
be an example to many other missionaries. Wherever 
they went they did not trouble much about making con¬ 
verts. They taught the natives instead how to work the 
soil and how to make all kinds of articles which might 
or might not be useful to them as they became more 
civilized. The chief effort of the monks was to teach the 
natives agriculture, from which — charity always begins 
at home — the friars themselves were naturally the first to 
reap the benefit. At the same time the natives learned, 
and earned, and were made happy. They improved their 
mode of living and were, with great softness and patience, 
not only drawn nearer to Catholicism, but towards white 
people altogether. The Salesians had established on the 
Rio Das Gar9as — an enchanting spot — a beautiful farm, 
on which they grew quantities of Indian corn, sugar-cane, 
wheat, and all kinds of vegetables. 
Although I am not a Roman Catholic, the Salesians 
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