Where,heasks,aretheIndiantribeswithwhomthecelebratedQuakertreated?
InParaguay,ontheotherhand,atleastinthetimewhenWashburnewasMinisterfromtheUnitedStatestoLopezfrom1861to1868,thefewremainingParaguayansoftheupperclasswerealmostalldescendedfromtheintermarriagesofthefollowersofIralawiththenatives。
ThetyrannyofLopez,andtheeffectsofthedisastrouswarwithBrazilandtheArgentineRepublic,havealmostextirpatedeveryParaguayanoftheoldstockwiththeleastpretensionstowhitedescent。
RuizDiazdeGuzman,speakingofthemixedraceinParaguayandBuenosAyres,says:
`Theyaregenerallygoodsoldiers,ofgreatspiritandvalour,expertintheuseofarms,especiallyinthatofthemusquet,somuchsothat,whentheygoonlongjourneys,theyareaccustomedtoliveonthegamewhichtheykillwithit。Itiscommonforthemtokillbirdsonthewing,andheisaccountedunfitforasoldierwhocannotbringdownapigeon。Theyaresuchexcellenthorsementhatthereisnoonewhoisnotabletotameandrideanunbrokencolt。
`Thewomengenerallyarevirtuous,beautiful,andofagentledisposition。'
IftheinhabitantsofParaguayandtheriverPlateofthosedaysweregoodmarksmen,itismorethancanbesaidoftheGauchosoftheArgentineprovincesandtheParaguayansoftwentyyearsago。
Withoutmilitarytraining,sofarfrombeingabletobringdownapigeononthewing,fewcouldhitthetrunkofatreeatfiftypaces。
Theusualmethodofshootingusedtobetocramasmuchammunitionintothegunasthehandwouldcontain,andthen,lookingcarefullyawayfromtheobjectaimedat,toclosebotheyesandpullthetrigger。
Accuracyofaimwasnotsomuchconsideredasloudnessofreport。
Asregardstheirpowersofriding,theyarestillunchanged;
andastothevirtueoftheirwomen,virtueissolargelyamatterofconventionthatitisgenerallywisesttoleavesuchmattersuncommentedon,asitissoeasynottounderstandtheconventionsofthepeopleofwhomonewrites。
WhilstIralawasconciliatingtheGuaranisinParaguay,CharlesV。hadnotforgottenthatthenewsettlementofBuenosAyreshadbeenabandoned。
Aftermuchsearch,heselectedAlvarNunezCabezadeVacatobethenewGovernor;and,asAlvarNunezwasperhapsthemostremarkableofalltheSpanish`conquistadores'oftheNewWorld,itmaynotbeoutofplacetogivesomefactsofhiscareer,ashispolicyinregardtotheIndianswasalmostthatoftheJesuitsinafter
times。
AshehimselfinformsusinhisCommentaries,his`fatherwasthatPedrodeVerawhowonCanaria,'andhismother`DonaTeresaCabezadeVaca,anobleladyofJerezdelaFrontera。'AftertheSpanishfashionofthetime,heusedthenamesofbothhisparents。
`ComentariosdeAlvarNunezCabezadeVaca'。PublishedbyDonAndresGonzalezBarciainhiscollectionof`EarlyHistoriansoftheIndies'Madrid,1749。
In1529hesailedwiththeill
fatedexpeditionofPanfilodeNarvaeztoApalacheinFlorida,wasshipwrecked,triedtoregaintheSpanishsettlementsinboats,andthencastbyastormabsolutelynaked,andwithonlythreecompanions,uponanunknownland。TakenbytheIndians,hewasmadeaslave,thenrosetobeapedlar,thenadoctor,andfinallyachief,heldsacredforhismysteriouspowers。
AtlasthemadehiswayonfootintotheterritoryofNewSpain,notasacaptive,butastheleaderofseveralhundredIndians,whofollowedhimanddidhisbiddingasifhehadbeenborntheirchief。
Ramblingaboutformonths,butalwaysfollowedbyhisIndians,heatlengthencounteredaSpanishhorse
soldier,and,accostinghim,foundhehadalmostforgottenSpanishduringhistenyears'sojournwiththeIndians。Hisfirstentreaty,whenhefoundSpanishgraduallyreturningtohim,wastotheSpaniardsnottoharasshisIndianfollowing。ThenhebesoughttheIndiansthemselvestoceasetheirnomadlifeandcultivatethesoil。Inneithercasewashesuccessful,astheSpaniards,likeallotherEuropeans,heldIndianslittleremovedfromdogs。AndfortheIndians,thefewremainingareasmuchattachedtotheiroldwanderinglifeasinthedaysofthediscoveryoftheNewWorld。InallthatAlvarNunezwrites,heshowsagrandeurofsoulandspiritfardifferentfromthewritings,notonlyoftheconquerorsoftheNewWorld,butoftheconquerorsofAfricaofto
day。Forhimnobraggingofhisexploits。1Allthathesayshesetsdownmodestlyandwithexcusesaseverynowandthen,`Mepesahablardemistrabajos',andasbefitsagentleman。
Lastly,heleavesthereaderwhendescribinghiscaptivityinFlorida,bytellinghimquitequietlyandwithoutcommentthatGodwaspleasedtosavefromalltheseperilshimself,AlonsodelCastilloMaldonado,AndresDorantes,andthatthefourthwasanegrocalledEstevanico,anativeofAzimur。
But,notcontentedwithhistenyears'captivity,afterthreeyearsathomeheenteredintoacertain`asiento'2and`capitulacion'3withtheKingtosailathisownchargeswithanexpeditiontosuccourDonPedrodeMendoza,whowashardpressedbyfamineandtheIndiansatBuenosAyres。Heagreedtofurnisheightthousandducats,horses,arms,men,andprovisionsathisownexpense,uponconditionthathewasmadeGovernorandAdelantadooftheRiodelaPlata,andGeneralbothofitsarmiesanditsfleets。
1Itmustbeallowed,however,thatintheirwritingsfewoftheSpanish`conquistadores'ofAmericabraggedmuch。
TheymostlygavethecreditofalltheirdoingstotheGodofBattles。
TheboastinghasbeenreservedfortheconquerorsofAfricainourowntime。
2`Asiento'isacontract。ThecontractwhichCharlesV。,atthewell
meantbutunfortunateinstigationofLasCasas,madewiththeGenoesetosupplynegroesforAmericaisknownas`ElAsientodelosNegros'。
3Inthe`capitulacion'madebyAlvarNunezwiththeKingoccursthecelebratedclause,`QuenopasasenprocuradoresniabogadosalasIndias',i。e。,thatneithersolicitorsnorbarristersshouldgototheIndies。Itisunfortunateitwasnotheldtostringently,asinParaguay,atleast,theReptiliawerealreadywellrepresented。
UponNovember2,1537,heembarkedatCadizwithhisfleet,consistingofacaravelandtwofull
riggedships。AllwentwelluptotheCapedeVerdes。Onnearingtheequator,itoccurredtothe`MaestrodelAgua'toexaminehisstockofwater,and,outofonehundredpipeswhichhadbeenputaboard,hefoundbutthreeremaining,andfromthesethethirtyhorsesandfourhundredmenwhowereonboardallhadtodrink。Seeingthegreatnessofthenecessity,theGovernor
forAlvarNunezalmostalwaysspeaksofhimselfinthethirdperson
gaveordersthatthefleetshouldmakeforland。
`Threedays,'hesaysinhisCommentaries,`wesailedinsearchofit';
andonthefourth,justbeforesunrise,occurredaverynotableaffair,and,asitisnotaltogether`fueradeproposito',Isetitdown,anditisthis
`that,goingtowardstheland,theshipshadalmosttouchedonsomesharprockswehadnotseen。'Then,asnow,Itakeit,vigilancewasnotanoticeablequalityinSpanishsailors。
Justasthevesselswerealmostontherocks,`acricketcommencedtosing,whichcricketasicksoldierhadputintotheshipatCadiz,beinganxioustohearitsmusic,andforthetwomonthswhichournavigationhadendurednoonehadheardit,whereatthesoldierwasmuchenraged;
andasonthatmorningitfelttheland[`sintiolatierra'],itcommencedtosing,anditsmusicwakenedallthepeopleoftheship,whosawthecliffs,whichweredistantalmostacrossbow
shotfromwherewewere,sowecastoutanchorsandsavedtheship,anditiscertainthatifthecrickethadnotsungallofus,fourhundredsoldiersandthirtyhorses,hadbeenlost。'SomeofthecrewacceptedtheoccurrenceasamiraclefromGod;butNunezhimselfissilentonthathead,beingabetterobserverofnaturalhistorythanatheologian。But`fromthere,andsailingmorethanahundredleaguesalongthecoast,thecricketeveryeveninggaveushismusic,andthuswithitwearrivedatalittleportbeyondCapeFrio,wheretheAdelantadolandedandunfurledhisflag,andtookpossessionforHisMajesty。'TheexpeditiondisembarkedatSantaCatalinainBrazil。
`TheretheGovernorlandedhismenandtwenty
sixofthehorseswhichhadescapedthesea,allthatremainedofforty
sixembarkedinSpain。'
The`odiumtheologicum'gavetheGovernorsomeworkatonce。
Twofriars
FrayBernardodeArmentaandFrayAlonsoLebron,Franciscans
hadburntthehousesofsomeIndians,whohadretaliatedintheheathenfashionbyslaughteringtwoChristians。
The`peoplebeingscandalized',theGovernorsentforthefriars,admonishedthem,andtoldthemtorestraintheirzeal。
Thiswasthefirstfalsestephemade,andsetallfriarsandprieststhroughoutAmericaagainsthim。HearingatSantaCatalinathatBuenosAyreswasalmostabandoned,andthattheinhabitantshadfoundedthetownofAsunciondelParaguay,Alvardeterminedtomarchthitherbyland,andsendhisshipintotheriverPlateanduptheParaguay。
ThetwoFranciscanfriarshetoldtoremainand`indoctrinate'theIndians。
Thistheyrefusedtodo,sayingtheywishedtoresideamongsttheSpaniardsinAsuncion。HadtheybeenJesuits,itistentoonetheyhadremainedandspenttheirlives`indoctrinating',fortheJesuitsaloneofallthereligiousOrderswereeverreadytotakeeveryrisk。
UponhismarchtheGovernor,contrarytoallgoodpolicyandprecedent,orderedthatnothingshouldbetakenfromtheIndianswithoutduepaymentbeingmade。Toinsurethisbeingdone,hepaidforallprovisionshimself,andservedthemouttothesoldiery。ThismadehimasunpopularwithhissoldiersashisdealingswiththetwoFranciscanshadmadehimamongstthefriars。SurelyhemighthaveknownthatPizarro,Cortes,Almagro,andtherest,weremenwhoneverpaidforanything。
Still,hepersistedinhisconducttotheend,andsobroughtruinonhimself。
TheIndiansseemedtoappreciatehismethod,forhesaysthat`whenthenewswasspreadabroadofthegoodtreatmenttheGovernorgavetoall,theycametomeetthearmydeckedwithflowersandbringingprovisionsingreatabundance。'Itwas,healsosays,`athingtoseehowfrightenedtheIndianswereofthehorses,andhowtheybroughtthemfood,chickensandhoneytokeepthemquietandingoodhumour,andtheyaskedtheGovernortotellthehorsesnottohurtthem。'
AfterpassingtheriverIguazu,hesentthetwofriarsaheadtocollectprovisions,and`whentheGovernorarrivedtheIndianshadnomoretogive。'
ThisisperhapsthefirstaccountofthelevyingofthetitheintheNewWorld。
SohavingstartedfromthecoastuponNovember2,1541,hearrivedatAsunciononMarch2,1542,havingaccomplishedamarchofmorethantwothousandmileswithbutthelossofasinglemanandwithouttheslaughterofasingleIndian。HardlyhadhearrivedatAsuncionbeforehefoundhimselfembroiledoneveryside。TheIndianswereinfullrebellion,thesettlementofBuenosAyresalmostinruins,andtheofficersappointedbytheKingtocollecttheroyalduesallhostiletohimtoaman。
AfterhavingconsultedwiththeclergytofindiftheythoughtitlawfultoattacktheGuaycuruswhohadassailedthenewly
foundedtown,hereceivedtheopinion`thatitwasnotonlylawful,butexpedient。'
Thereforehesentoffanexpeditionagainstthem,towhichwasjoinedapriesttorequiretheGuaycurustobecomeChristiansandtoacknowledgetheKingofSpain。Thepropositions,notunnaturally,didnotseemreasonabletotheIndians,whomostlikelywereunawareofthebenefitswhichChristianityconfers,andprobablyheardforthefirsttimeoftheKingofSpain。
TheGovernor,whoseemstohavedoubtedofthehumanityoftheclergy,calledanothercouncil,whichconfirmedthepreviousopinion。
Strangelyenough,thisseemstohavesurprisedhim,forheprobablydidnotreflectthattheclergywouldnothavetofightthemselves,andthatthefirstbloodeverspiltonearthwasonaccountofareligiousdifference。
JustbeforetheexpeditionstarteditwasfoundthatthetwoFranciscanfriarswhohadcomewithhimfromSantaCatalinacouldnotbefound。
ItthenappearedtheyhadstartedbacktothecoastaccompaniedbyabevyofIndiandamsels,thirty
fiveinall。
Theywerefollowedandbroughtback,andthenexplainedthattheywereontheirwaytoSpaintocomplainagainsttheGovernor。
Thefive
and
thirtyduskycatechumensremainedwithoutanexplanation,andthepeoplewereoncemore`scandalized'。TheGovernorthenstartedoutagainsttheGuaycurus。OnlythosewhoknowtheChaco,orwesternbankoftheriverParaguay,canformtheleastideaofwhatsuchanexpeditionmusthavebeen。Evento
dayintheChacothechangesincethebeginningoftheworldcanbebutslight。
Asasteamerslipsalongthebank,nothingformilesandmilesisseenbutswamp,intersectedwithbackwaters,1inwhichliealligators,electriceels,andstingingrays。Farastheeyecanreachareswamps,swamps,andmoreswamps,aseaofwavingpampa
grass。
Aftertheswampsthicketsoftacuarascanes,forestsofthornytrees,chanares,nandubay,jacarandas,urundey,talas,andquebrachos,eachonehardenoughtosplitanaxe,some,liketheblackcanela,almostlikeiron;theinhabitantsferociousandintractableaswhentheGovernorhimselffirstsawthem;theclimateheavyandhumid,theairdankwithvinchucas2andmosquitoesandthelittleblackinfernalmidgetcalledthejejen;noroads,nopaths,nolandmarks,buthereandthereatintervalsofmanyleaguesaclearingintheforestwheresomestragglingsettlementexists,morerarelystillthewallsofadesertedJesuitmission
houseorchurch。Ostrichesanddeer,tigers,3capibarasandtapirs,andnowandthenaherdofcattleaswildasbuffaloes,areseen。SometimesanIndianwithhislancesitsmotionlessuponhishorsetowatchthevesselpass
asentineltoguardthewildernessfromencroachmentsfromwithout。
SoAlvarNunez,ashetellsusinhisCommentaries,startedwithfourhundredmenandwithonethousandfriendlyIndians,allwellarmedandpainted,andwithplatesofmetalontheirheadstoreflectthesun,andsostriketerrortotheirenemies。
Tosavethehorsestheywereputonboard,4whilsttheIndiansmarchedalongthebank,keepingupwiththeships。HorsesatthattimeinParaguayandinPeruoftenwereworthonethousandcrownsofgold,thoughAzaratellsusthatinthelastcenturyinBuenosAyresyoucouldoftenbuyagoodhorsefortwoneedles,socheaphadtheybecome。
Then,asatpresent,timewasofnoaccountinParaguay,soalmosteverydaytheylandedthehorsestokeeptheminconditionandtochasetheostrichesanddeer。
1ThesebackwatersareknowninGuaranibythenameof`aguapey'。
2ThevinchucaisakindofflyingbugcommoninParaguay。
Itsshapeistriangular,itscolourgray,anditsodournoxious。
ItisoneoftheHemiptera,anditsso
calledscientificappellationis`Conorhinusgigas'。
3R。B。CunninghameGrahamwriteselsewhere:"AlloverSouthAmericathejaguariscalledatigertigre。"
A。L。,1998。
4Azara,inhis`HistoriadelParaguay',etc。,tellsusthatin1551
DomingodeIralaatAsuncionboughtafineblackhorseforfivethousandgoldcrowns。Heboundhimselftopayforhimoutoftheproceedsofhisfirstconquest。
Justthekindofarmythatathinkingmanwouldliketomarchwith;
nottoomuchtoeat,but,still,apleasantfeelingofmarchingtospreadreligionandtomakeone'sfortune,withbutthesolitaryunpleasantfeaturetothesoldier
thesystemofpaymentforprovisionswhichtheGovernorprescribed。Allwasnewandstrange;theworldwasrelativelyyoung。EachnighttheGovernorreligiouslywroteuphisdiary,nowchroniclingthedeathofsomegoodhorse,orofanIndian,orcommentinguponthefruits,thefish,theanimals,thetrees,and`alltheotherthingsofGodwhichdifferfromthoseintheCastiles。'
OccasionallyafighttookplacewithGuasaraposorwithPagayuas,butnothingofmuchaccount`demuchamonta';alwaysthetalesofgold
minestobemetwithfurtheron。EventuallytheexpeditioncametoapointnotfarfromwhereisnowthetownofCorumba。ThereAlvarNunezfoundedatowntowhichhegavethenameofReyes,whichhaslongfallenintodecay。
Healsosenttwocaptainstoexploreandsearchforgold,waitingtwoorthreemonthsfortheirreturn,andsufferingfromaquartanaguewhichconfinedhimtohisbed;then,havingfailedtofindthetalked
ofgold
mines,hesethisfaceagaintowardsAsuncion。
Justbeforestartinghegavethefinalblowtohiswaningpopularity。
Someofhisfollowers,havingtakenIndiangirls,hadhiddenthemonboardtheships;this,whenheknewit,Nunezatonceforbade,and,sendingforthefathersofthegirls,restoredtheirchildrentothem。
`Withthis,'hesays,`thenativesweremuchpleased,buttheSpaniardsrenderedangryanddesperate,andforthiscausetheyhatedme。'
Nothingmorenatural,andforthesamecausetheSpanishParaguayanshatedtheJesuitswhocarriedoutthepolicywhichthewiseGovernorbegan。
OnApril8,1543,theGovernorreturnedtoAsuncion,wornoutandillwithague。Therehefoundallconfusion。DomingodeIrala,aclever,ambitiousBiscayansoldierwhohadbeeninterimGovernorbeforeNunezhadarrived,hadworkeduponthepeople,sayingthatNunezwishedtotakeawaytheirproperty。
AstheirchiefpropertywasinIndianswhomtheyhadenslaved,thisrenderedNunezmostunpopular,andthesamekindofallegationswerelaidagainsthimaswerelaidagainsttheJesuitswhenintheirturntheydenouncedslaveryinParaguay。
Allthecomplaintswereinthenameofliberty,asgenerallyisthecasewhentyrannyorvillainyofanysortistobedone。
SoAlvarNunez1tellsusinhisCommentariesthatatthehouroftheAveMariatenortwelveofthe`factious'enteredhishousewherehelayillinbed,allshouting`Liberty!'andtoprovetheywereallgoodpatriotsoneJaimeResquinputabentcrossbowtohisside,andforcedhimtogetoutofbed,andtookhimofftoprisonamidacrowdallshouting`Liberty!'Thefriendsoflibertyupontheothersideattemptedarescue,butthepatriots2weretoostrong。
SotheunpatrioticGovernorwasthrown,heavilyironed,intoacell,outofwhichtomakeroomtheyletamurdererwhowasawaitingdeath。
`He'AlvarNunezgrimlyremarks`madehastetotakemycloak,andthensetoffdownthestreetatonce,callingout"Liberty!"'
Thateverythingshouldbeinorder,thepatriotsconfiscatedalltheGovernor'sgoodsandtookhispapers,publishingaproclamationthattheydidsobecausehewasatyrant。Unluckily,theIndianshavenotleftusanycommentaries,oritwouldbecurioustolearnwhattheythoughtastothetyrannyofAlvarNunez。MostprobablytheythoughtastheIndiansoftheJesuitmissionsthoughtattheexpulsionoftheJesuitsfromParaguay,asissetforthinthecuriousmemorialaddressedin1768bythepeopleoftheMissionofSanLuistotheGovernorofBuenosAyres,prayingthattheJesuitsmightbesufferedtoremaininsteadofthefriars,whohadbeensenttoreplacethemagainstthepeople'swill。3
HavinggottheGovernorintoprison,thepatriotshadtoelectanotherchief,andthechoicenaturally`fell'uponDomingodeIrala,who,havingbeeninterimGovernor,hadneverceasedintriguingfromthefirst。
Hepromptlyputhisfriendsinoffice,afterthefashionofallGovernors,whethertheyenterofficetothecryof`Liberty'ornot。
ThefriendsofAlvarNunez,intheusualSpanishfashionlongsanctifiedbyuseandwont,declaredthemselvesinopposition
thatis,theyroamedabouttheland,provingbytheftandmurderthattheirloveoflibertywasjustasstrongasthatofthoseinpower。
Thingsshortlycametosuchapassthatnoonecouldleavehishousebynight。
ThemaraudingGuaycurusburntallthesuburbs,andthreatenedtoattackthetown。Nunezhimselfwasguardeddayandnightbyfourmenarmedwithdaggersinacloseprison。Ashesayshimself,hisprisonwasnot`fittingforhishealth,'fordayandnighthehadtokeepacandleburningtoseetoread,andthegrassgrewunderneathhisbed,whilstforthesakeof`health'hehadapairoffirst
ratefettersonhisfeet。ForhischiefgaolertheyprocuredoneHernandodeSosa,whomNunezhadputingaolforstrikinganIndianchief。Aguardwatchedconstantlyattheprisongate,but,still,inspiteofthishemanagedtocommunicatealmostuninterruptedlywithhisfriendsoutside。Hismethodwascertainlyingenious。
HisfoodwasbroughttohimbyanIndiangirl,whom,sogreatwasthefearofthepatriotsthatheshouldwritetotheKing,theymadewalknakedintotheprison,carryingthedishes,andwithherheadshaved。Notwithstandingthis,shemanagedtobringapieceofpaperhiddenbetweenhertoes。ThepartyofLiberty,suspectingthatNunezwascommunicatingwithhisfriends,procuredanIndianyouthtomakelovetothegirlandlearnthesecret。
Thishefailedtodo,owing,perhaps,tohislove
makingbeingwantinginconvictiononaccountofhershavedhead。
AtlastIralaandhisfriendsdeterminedtosendtheGovernoraprisonertoSpain,takingcare,ofcourse,todespatchamessengerbeforehandtodistortthefactsandprejudicetheKing。ThefriendsofNunez,however,managedtosecreteaboxofpapers,statingthetruefacts,onboardtheship。
Atdeadofnightabandofharquebusiersdraggedhimfromhisbedafteracaptivityofelevenmonths,ashesays,`almostwiththecandleinhishand'
i。e。,inadyingstate。Ashelefttheprison,hefelluponhiskneesandthankedGodforhavinglethimoncemorefeeltheairofheaven,andtheninaloudvoiceexclaimed:
`InameasmysuccessorCaptainJuandeSalazardeEspinosa。'
AtthisoneGarciVargasrushedathimwithaknife,andtoldhimtorecallhiswordsorhewouldkillhiminstantly。Thishewasstoppedfromdoing,andNunezwashurriedtotheshipandchainedsecurelytoabeam。Onboardthevessel,hesays,theytriedtopoisonhim;
butthisseemsdoubtful,astherewasnothingonearthtopreventtheirdoingsohadtheybeensoinclined。
Still,asaprudentmanhetooktheprecautiontoprovidesomeoilandapieceofunicorn`pedazodeunicornio',withwhichhetriedthefood。UnicornshecouldnothaveseeninParaguay,noryetinFlorida,andhedoesnotexplainhowhebecamesoluckilyequipped。
1`ComentariosdeAlvarNunezCabezadeVaca',containedinBarcia's`HistoriadoresPrimitivosdelasIndiasOccidentales'。
2The`patriots'arealwaysthoseoftheprevailingpartyinaState。
3`I。H。S。
`GodpreserveyourExcellency,saywe,theCabildo,andalltheCaciquesandIndians,men,womenandchildrenofSanLuis,asyourExcellencyisourfather。TheCorregidor,SantiagoPindoandDonPantaleonCaynari,intheirloveforus,havewrittentousofcertainbirdswhichtheydesirewewillsendthemfortheKing……Wearesorrynottohavethemtosend,inasmuchastheylivewhereGodmadethem,intheforests,andflyfarawayfromus,sothatwecannotcatchthem。
WithalwearethevassalsofGodandoftheKing,andalwaysdesiroustofulfilthewishesofhisMinister……sowepraytoGodthatthatbestofbirds,theHolyGhost,maydescendupontheKing……
Furthermore,wedesiretosaythattheSpanishcustomisnottoourliking
foreveryonetotakecareofhimself,insteadofhelpingoneanotherintheirdailytoil。'
ThisquaintandtouchingletterwaswrittenoriginallyinGuarani,andispreservedatBuenosAyres。`Thatbestofbirds,theHolyGhost,'showsfaithgrounded,atleast,onornithology,andthewholespiritofthesimpledocumentisaspatheticasitsunconsciousphilosophyistrue。
Nonetheless,ofallthediscoverersofAmericaheisthemanofleastimaginativepower
thatis,inmattersappertainingtonaturalhistory
soonemustconcludehehadhispieceofunicornfromSpain,wherehemostprobablyhadboughtitfromsomedealerinnecessariesfortravellerstotheNewWorld。
AfterastormyvoyagehearrivedinSpaintofindhisaccusersjustbeforehim。WithtrulyEasternjustice,bothaccusersandaccusedwereputingaol,acustomworthyofadoptioninotherlands。
Nunezwassoonreleasedonbail,and,hisaccusershavingalldied,ineightyears'timehewastriumphantlyacquittedofallthechargesbroughtagainsthim。Toprove,however,thatJusticeisandalwayshasbeenblind,theKingneverrestoredhimtohisgovernmentinParaguay,and,asNunezsays,forgottorepayhimwhathehadexpendedinhisservice。
WithAlvarNunezwaslosttheonlychanceofliberaltreatmenttotheIndians,forfromhistimethegovernors,insteadofbeingmenoftheworldabovethepettyspiteofpartydifferences,werechoseneitherfromofficerswho,havingservedinthefrontierwars,quitenaturallylookedontheIndiansasenemies,orwereappointedbyintriguingMinistersatCourt。FromthedeathofAlvarNuneztotheinaugurationofthemissionsbytheJesuits,noonearosetotaketheIndians'side,anditmaybethathadhispolicyprevailedtherewouldhavebeenanIndianpopulationleftinthemissionterritoryofParaguay;forhadthecivilgovernorsco
operatedwiththeJesuits,thedispersionoftheIndians,whichtookplaceattheexpulsionoftheJesuits,hadnotoccurred。
Guevara,`HistoriadelParaguay'printedin`LaColecciondeAngelis',BuenosAires,1836,bookvi。,p。108,saysofAlvarNunez:
`Mereciaestatuaporsurectitud,justiciayChristiandad。'AndinanotherplaceGuevarasays:`LaFloridalocautivo/coninhumanidad;
LaAsuncionloaprisiono/coninfamia;peroenunayotropartefueejemplardemoderacion……recto,prudenteydesanocorazon。'
AlvarNunezdiedholdingtheofficeof`OidordelaAudienciadeSevilla',accordingtoP。delTecho`HistoriadelParaguay';
orasamemberoftheConsejodeIndias,accordingtoCharlevoix。