such adequate measures as will conciliate the interests of all. Amongst
all the missions there are from twenty-one to twenty-two thousand
Catholic Indians; but each mission has not an equal or a proportionate
part in its congregation. Some have three or four thousand, whilst
others have scarcely four hundred; and at this difference may be
computed the riches of the missions in proportion. Besides the number
of Indians already spoken of, each mission has a considerable number of
gentiles, who live chiefly on farms annexed to the missions. The number
of these is undetermined.

"The Indians are naturally filthy and careless, and their understanding
is very limited. In the small arts they are not deficient in ideas of
imitation but they never will be inventors. Their true character is
that of being revengeful and timid, consequently they are very much
addicted to treachery. They have no knowledge of benefits received, and
ingratitude is common amongst them. The education they receive in their
infancy is not the proper one to develope their reason, and, if it
were, I do not believe them capable of any good impression. All these
Indians, whether from the continual use of the sweat-house, or from
their filthiness, or the little ventilation in their habitations, are
weak and unvigorous; spasms and rheumatics, to which they are so much
subject, are the consequences of their customs. But what most injures
them, and prevents propagation, is the venereal disease, which most of
them have very strongly, clearly proving that their humours are
analogous to receiving the impressions of this contagion. From this
reason may be deduced the enormous differences between the births and
deaths, which, without doubt, is one-tenth per year in favour of the
latter; but the missionaries do all in their power to prevent this,
with respect to the catechumens situated near them.