695 Retrospect of French Literature—V oyages and Travels. 
the winter alone. A species of itch 
seems peculiar to the inhabitants, for 
in each pustule a white insect nearly 
of the size of a flea is produced ; 
these are extracted by means of nee- 
dies. 
Chap. VIII. Contains an account of 
the frogs, vipers. lizards, &c.. Our 
author heard but one frog crosk ia 
the same manner as those of Spain, all 
-the time he remained in America. At 
Chaco, many of them weigh several 
pounds weight; asmall species utters 
-cries like a child in distress; a third 
Kind is found only on branches of 
trees, and the thatch of houses. 
Vol. I. commences with an ac- 
count of the Indian nations, of this 
portion of the world. 
Azara observes, that the descriptions 
_ of the conquerors of this country, as 
well as of the missionaries, abound 
alike with exaggerations, as they 
were intended solely to recount their 
prowess, and convey a high idea of 
their dwn labours. Some of them 
are accordingly described as Anthropo- 
phagi; others are represented as using 
poisoned arrows; while the ecclesi- 
asties, from the figures cut on their 
pipes, their bows and their clubs, im- 
mediately pronounced that they had a 
religion, and that this religion must 
of course be paganism. The same or- 
naments areemployed, we are told, at 
the present day but for amusement 
alone ; and itis here confidently and 
broadly asserted, that the native la- 
dians have not any religion whatsoe 
ever. We are assured that they 
usually speak ina lower tone of voice 
than tie Europeans, aud instesd of 
making creat use of their lips as we 
do, speak chiefly through the nose and 
she throat. The chief nalwwirs are, 
kL. Fhe Charruas. 
The Chanas. 
The Yaros. . 
The Minuanes. - 
The Pampus. 
. The Aucas. 
. The Guranys..- 
- The Nuaras. 
. The Ninaquiguilas. 
10. The Guanas. 
lt. The Mebayas. 
42. The Payaguas. » 
13. The Siacuas. | 
14, The Sarigues. 
The Cacique, or chief of the last 
of these nations, was perscnaliy known 
to our-author,; who estimated his age 
< O8 ~1 Oy Gr We OO 2D 
‘tion vere laid. 
Don Felix de. 
at 120 years. ‘*He told me that he 
was already married, and considered 
as a leader, when the foundations of 
the cathedral of the city of Assump- 
He possessed all his 
teeth, which-were equally white and 
as evenly arranged as those of an 
Kuropean al the age of twenty-six, his 
sisht only was enfeebled; but not- 
withstanding this he rowed, fished, 
and acted like alt the rest. The first 
time I beheld him, he was seated on 
the ground, and naked; in short, he 
conducted himself on all occasions like 
his brethren. 
** The Cacique of the Payaguas, like 
the other chiefs, possesses no pecu- 
liar authority, and-exhibits no dis- 
tinctive marks whatsoever ; he nei- 
ther receives tribute nor services. The 
nation is governed by the assembly, 
which meets at sun-set, but possesses’ 
no power whatsoever to oblige any 
to an involuntary ect; for the Paya. 
cua is absolutely free, knows no ine- 
quality of ranks or conditions, with 
an exception to the Cacique, whose 
power is of no manner of conse- 
. quenec.”’ 
We are further told, that among 
the Indians, no feslival or diversion is 
known, but what is accompanied with, 
and indeed consisis of drunkeuness. On 
the day dedicated to intoxication, they 
eat nothing, but-on the other hand 
they drink an enormous quantity of 
brandy: they are accustomed indeed 
to mock the Spanish drunkards, who 
take food on similar occasions, because 
this occupies a portion of the stcs 
mach, which might be filled with 
liquor. The young men, however, 
never taste’ brandy, and the women 
buk seldom. At ail debauches, the 
drunkard is accompanied either by his 
wife or friend, who conducts him te 
his hut, andlays himdeown to rest. On 
jhese occasions the men never recur 
‘to arms to avenge a quarrel; and ne- 
ver imsult ihe females; the latier, 
however, as with us, when by acci- 
dent in a similar couditior, constantiy 
revile all around them. 
‘Those confined by maladies, appear 
to be treated with but Itttle kindness. 
All the nourishment received by the 
sick consisis of warm water, fruit, or 
some other trifling article, and if they 
are not speedily cured, they abandon 
them entirely, and suffer them to 
perish. They-also hold dead bedies.. 
in such borror, that they never per-— 
mit 
