An Account of the Abipones, an Equestrian People of Paraguay, (1 of 3). Dobrizhoffer Martin
and, as gifts prevail more with the Indians than fine words, presented him with a piece of roast meat, which he devoured with all the avidity of hunger. This unexpected breakfast dissipated the alarm which the sudden appearance of strangers had excited. His name was Arapotiyu, or the morning: for in the Guarany tongue ara signifies day, poti the flower, and yu whatever is yellow or golden; so that by the golden flower of day they express the morning. And from this morning we discovered that the sun, Captain Roy, the principal cacique of the vicinity, was the youth's father. For whatever questions I put to him, he quietly answered, and said, that his father was occupied in hunting, not far distant. "Come then," said I, joyfully, "conduct us to him as quickly as possible." To this the youth willingly assented, keeping close to my side the whole way. Having proceeded through the woods for the space of an hour, we beheld an emaciated old man, armed with an immense knife, and creeping at a snail's pace, accompanied by two youths (his son and a captive) furnished with a bundle of arrows. The Indian Christians who were with us bent their bows and the points of their arrows to the ground, to testify friendship, on approaching him; one of the more aged of my companions kissed the left cheek of the cacique, as a sign of peace, and explaining the reason of our coming, said, "God save thee, brother! See, we are come to visit you as friends, for we think you akin to us. And this father-priest, whom we attend, is the minister of God himself. He teaches us, feeds us, clothes and tenderly loves us; for when he buries our dead, wrapped in a white cloth, he chaunts over us." My Indian would have spoken more, but the old man interrupted him with an ironical and angry exclamation of Hindo! repeated several times. He vehemently denied that any relationship existed between them, and regarded us with the most wrathful aspect, supposing us to be Spanish or Brazilian Portugueze Indian-hunters. Then addressing himself to me, he angrily said, "You are come in vain, father-priest: we don't want a father-priest. St. Thomas long ago prayed enough for our land. All kind of fruits grow in plenty here." For the rude savage thought the presence of a priest useful only in procuring fertility to the soil. "Granting," I replied, "that St. Thomas was formerly in your territories, yet whatever he taught your ancestors of the Supreme Deity and his laws has long since escaped your memories. I am ready to repeat his instructions. But, bless me, good old man, why do we stand talking in the mud? why don't we sit down on the trunk of the tree, which is out of the swamp?" Accordingly we sat down, and I detailed to him the occasion and the hardships of my long journey. To win the good-will of the surly old man, I ordered a choice piece of roast meat to be brought him, which he greedily seized and devoured. His hunger appeased, his jealous mind began to soften, and I tried all ways to find an entrance to his heart. To this end, I offered him some snuff, but pushing it from him with both hands, he answered, "Aquihiye," I fear it, supposing it magical powder, possessed of the power of charming. I then opened to him my design of visiting his horde, but he argued it to be impossible. "My residence," says he, "is very far distant from hence. Three rivers, as many marshes, and the worst possible roads intervene." "By this argument," answered I, "you can never divert me from my purpose, who, after a journey of so many days, have succeeded in overcoming so many rivers and marshes, and such woods." "But you must know," opposed the old man, "that my health is not very good, and that I feel myself unequal to the journey." "I can easily believe that," was my answer, "when I am daily made sensible of my own ailments. And no wonder: the badness of the weather, the copious rains, the wet forest, the muddy roads, the long marsh, which I crossed up to the knees in water, the steep mountains which I ascended, the want of food, and the continued walking from day-break till past mid-day, how could they fail to produce ill health? But though we are thus debilitated, yet I think we have strength enough left to carry us to your home, where we can rest ourselves. We will take it easily: let those who are stouter go before; we that are infirm will follow slowly after." "You would keep away from my dwelling," answered the old man, "if you knew the peril that awaits you there. My countrymen are of an evil disposition; they want to slay, slay, slay all strangers." "Though your countrymen," answered I, laughing, "resemble your portrait ever so accurately, I need feel no apprehension on that account. With you, the terror of the vicinity far and near, with one so illustrious for valour and great deeds as you, for our friend and protector, what mortal durst attempt to injure us? With you at our side we will fear nothing." By this apparent confidence, by these praises, I won the old man's heart, and found him my friend. In a cheerful tone, he exclaims "It is well!" and orders the two youths to hasten home forthwith. "Tell our countrymen," says he, "that a father-priest is here, who makes much of me, and a company of Indians who affirm that they are of our blood. Charge the women not to be frightened at the stranger's approach, but to sweep the house diligently, according to my particular desire." About sweeping the house, thought I to myself, I care little; but that the savages might possibly take it into their heads to discharge all their quivers of arrows upon us, that was indeed a reflexion that disturbed me not a little.
Away went the messengers like the wind. The old cacique and I pursued their footsteps at a slower pace, beguiling the inclemency of the weather and the asperities of the journey by familiar conversation; and whilst the majority of Europeans were feasting luxuriously, (for it was the third day of the carnival,) we, sitting on the margin of a river, restored our exhausted strength by a draught of cold water. About sun-set, the vast hut I described appeared in view. A crowd of the natives, fitted out with bows and arrows, and crowned with parrots' feathers, attended our arrival and addressed us with the usual salutation Ereyupa, Now thou art come: to which I returned the accustomed Ayù anga, Now I am come. One of them approached me, and, as if angry with himself for having forgotten his crown, ran back for it, and returned with it on to greet me. As I was standing with some of my companions at the door of the house, there arose a mighty trepidation amongst the women and children. "There is nothing at all to be afraid of, dear sisters," said the eldest of my Indians. "You see before you your relations, the descendants of your ancestors. Not one of us harbours an evil thought towards you. I am the chief and director of them all." "What the old man has told you," said I, "is perfectly true. No one present is evilly disposed towards you but myself. I am a terrible fellow; for" (putting on a fierce countenance and uttering a hiss) "at one mouthful I intend to devour two or three children." This pleasantry changed all their terror into laughter. The women returned to their stations, and with one accord entreated me to enter the house. "You will never persuade me to that," replied I. "I see you have dogs and whelps amongst you, and where dogs are there must fleas be also: now there is nothing I dread so much as fleas, because they are disturbers of sleep, which, after the fatigues of a long journey, I feel myself sorely in want of. But I will not go far from your residence. In this open spot, where I may see and be seen by all, I am resolved to station myself." And truly, for the sake both of decorum and security, I spent three days and nights in the open air, though the weather was occasionally rainy.
The same evening I hinted to the Cacique Roy, that I wished to see all the inhabitants of the place assembled in one spot, that I might address them, and present them with suitable gifts. My wishes were immediately gratified. They sat around me in such modesty and silence that I seemed to behold statues instead of men. To awaken their attention I played for some time on the viol d'amour. Now, though I think myself the very worst of musicians, yet in these woods I was pronounced an Orpheus by my auditors, who had never heard a better or a worse performer than myself, or indeed any other music whatever, except that which they produce with rattling gourds together. I then addressed the assembly to the following effect: "I do not repent the long journey I have taken, the rivers and marshes I have crossed, the troubles which I have undergone, now that I see you well and kindly disposed towards me. My errand is to render you happy; your friend I am in all sincerity. Suffer me then to declare candidly what I feel with respect to you. I lament and pity your lot, which has buried you amid the shades of woods, ignorant alike of the beauties of the world and of God their creator. I know you pronounce the name of God; but how he must be worshipped, what he forbids, what he ordains, what he promises to the good, and what threatens to the evil, that ye know not: nor, unless taught by a priest, can ye ever learn it, miserable while ye live, and most miserable hereafter when ye die." Here I briefly explained the principal heads of religion with what plainness I could. As I discussed these things, they all listened very attentively, except that the boys laughed a little when I made mention of hell fire. The old man also, when he heard from me that marriage with relations was forbidden, exclaimed, "Thou sayest well, father; such marriages are abominable, but this we know already." From which I discovered