A Vanished Arcadia: being some account of the Jesuits in Paraguay 1607-1767 by R. B. (Robert Bontine) Cunninghame Graham
page 65 of 350 (18%)
page 65 of 350 (18%)
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to the Indians, for from his time the governors, instead of being
men of the world above the petty spite of party differences, were chosen either from officers who, having served in the frontier wars, quite naturally looked on the Indians as enemies, or were appointed by intriguing Ministers at Court. From the death of Alvar Nunez to the inauguration of the missions by the Jesuits, no one arose to take the Indians' side, and it may be that had his policy prevailed there would have been an Indian population left in the mission territory of Paraguay; for had the civil governors co-operated with the Jesuits, the dispersion of the Indians, which took place at the expulsion of the Jesuits, had not occurred. -- * Guevara, `Historia del Paraguay' (printed in `La Coleccion de Angelis', Buenos Aires, 1836), book vi., p. 108, says of Alvar Nunez: `Merecia estatua por su rectitud, justicia y Christiandad.' And in another place Guevara says: `La Florida lo cautivo/ con inhumanidad; La Asuncion lo aprisiono/ con infamia; pero en una y otro parte fue ejemplar de moderacion . . . recto, prudente y de sano corazon.' Alvar Nunez died holding the office of `Oidor de la Audiencia de Sevilla', according to P. del Techo (`Historia del Paraguay'); or as a member of the Consejo de Indias, according to Charlevoix. -- Thus was Domingo Martinez de Irala left in sole command in Paraguay. He naturally had all to gain by not communicating with Spain. Had he done so, the part he played in reference to Alvar Nunez must have been known. He had, however, certain good qualities, courage in abundance, Herculean strength and great endurance, and the power of making himself obeyed. But he had to justify himself |
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