New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-06-28


This plan was prevented by the vast swamps
and deserts which intervene between the bound
aries Of the two countries, and Paraguay, shut
ont from the other colonies, gradually fell into
state Of almost entire isolation
The Results have had establishments in all
parts of America, but in Paraguay they founded
vertabe kingdom. This undoubtedly Is one OF
the most curious episodes Of modern history
When they first reached the country, al the com
,nencement of the sevente enth century, they
found population Of slaves around the military
posts. and beyond these, savage tribes scattered
in the forests, attacked on one hand by the Span
iards. TO recruit their service and on the oherby
the Portuguese Of San Pablo band 0. despera-
does. gathered from among all The bandits of Eu-
rope and known under the name of " MameukeS
Armed with royal ordinances, the JesuIts thun-
dered against personal servltude they forced the
Governors OF Paraguay to arrest the subordinate
commandments, who resisted tins change 10y all
the means in their power They forced con-
cession Of all the territory between the Brazilian
possessions, and the military posts along the up
land of ASSUMPTION, and there founded missions
for the purpose of civizng the feroclous Indians.
They built Churches and formed around them
Indian villages, each under the direction of a SUI
perior Jesuit. Those in the vicinity 81 the Span
ish colony prospered from the start, but those
which were exposed to the invaslons OF the Ma
melukes were either destroyed or forced to emil
CRATE. The Jesuits OF La Guayra fed with their
neophytes they descended the Parana on fo-
tia of seven hundred baisas traits built upon two
united piroques) At the rapids, where the nver
for twenty-five leagues, is hurled from one abyss
to another they lost three hundred balsas, and
were forced to cut a way through virgin forests
across a netw ork Of vines which was perpetually
renewed over rocks dropping into preciPices, and
beds offem conccalng bottomless crevices where
whole families Disappeared bathed in the foam
of cataracts and trembling with the soil beneath
the rebounds that terrible torrent They worked
all day. chanting their hymns, and IL the eve
ning, after having prepared their restngplace on
the shore OF the river, they sang in chorus the
psalm of exile, mixing with the roar OF the wa
tiers and the sweep Of the tempest through the
trees, the sacred notes Super famina Babylonis'
Owing to theseincursions ofthe Mamelukes,
the Jesuits were finally obliged to fortiiy the de-
files of heiTxmiss!ons, and accustom their neo-
phites to military discipline, whereby they at
last rendered their territory invlolate. For their
internal government they adopted the Monastic
rule Each community had It's Priest aided by
a brother of the order The former had charge
of the souls, the latter of the bodies one cate
chised, the other tau ht agriculture and me-
chanic arts and both lived IN perfect accord
ance All the missions presented UNIFORM
aspect In the midst rose the dome OF the
church on the right the college, residence OF
the fathers and general magazine of the COM
munity, with its cloisters, its gardens, and It's
VINEYARDS ON the left the cemetery, its crosses
hidden in a thicket Of orange trees. Outside of
the village, which was always built in the form
Of a rectangle, extended the lands appropriated
to each family, the pastures and great fields of
the community
At daybreak, bell called all the people to
mass Then, all commenced their labors-the
husbandman to the field, the herdsman to his
Aools tho child 60 -vl.vvl, thv workman 70 his
shop Each was chosen according to his aptl
tude. Those who manifested a sense OF harmO
ny played Oh the organs of the Church, or sang
to the consecrated harps the hymns of the Lord,
but the most perfect equality regned among all
The soldier the powman, the cacique even,
were equally obliged to labor, and partOok equal
" of its rewards At noon, the bell announced
rest OF two hours at sunset, at the sound OF the
angeius the laborS ceased the Rosary of the
Virgin was chanted in the Church, and when all
4 a., 4 ,.,1o
bell at midnight again sounded the rcUea con-
jvgoI
Three days IN the week We're devoted to the
service of the Community, and three more to
the family wants. The Priest superintendent the
public domain and private property with the
same ngor He assigned to each his portion OF
the fruits Of the Earth, and when the supply for
the populace was assured, the surplus was sent
to the market of Buenos Ayres, to be exchanged
for the products Of Europe-sacerdotal garments
sacred vessels, arms and other articles. The
Sabbath belonged to God but it was also the
day of festivals and public reJOicings of dances,
games, toumays, and bull-fghtS. The arms were
then taken from the Arsenal cavalry and infant
ry were exercised m military maneuvers under
the direction Of jesuit father or, sometimes,
foreign adventurer whom chance led into the
missions for entrance was severely prohibited
even to the Spaniards Such was the admlra-
bic discipline Of the troops, that they were the
sureSt auxillares of the Governors Of Buenos
Ayres, either against the Portuguese or the I'M
civilized tribes. Nevertheless, such was their
docility, that a Colonel at the head of his regI-
ment, returning from siege where they had
climbed the walls to the assault with their teeth,
fingers and toes knelt at a sign Of the Priest, TO
receive dozen lashes in punishment of some
peccadillo, and said, kissing the hand which
struck him, God bless you, father, for you have
~ 10 mo 600 my sin