Excepting a few cities, which carry on commerce with European ships, or with the neighbouring people of Peru, and Chili, and the Portugueze, money is used very rarely, if at all, its place being supplied by the exchange of commodities, as amongst the ancients. Horses, mules, oxen, sheep, tobacco, cotton, the herb of Paraguay, sugar, salt, various kinds of grain, fruits, vegetables, the skins of animals, &c. are used instead of money in Paraguay; with these all necessaries are purchased, and the usual stipends and taxes paid to the bishops, priests and governours, especially in the district of Asumpcion. The prices of all natural productions are regulated by the magistrates, and are diligently learnt and observed both by the seller, and the purchaser. In a very few towns, where money is used, we find only three kinds of silver coins, namely, the _peso fuerte_, _peso de plata_, or _patacon_, which is equal in value to a Spanish crown, or to two German florens: the _real de plata_, and the _medio real de plata_; the first of which is equivalent to five German _groschen_, the other to seven _cruitzers_ and a half. You never see any gold or copper money. The Indians in the towns entrusted to our charge are entirely unprovided with money, and the Jesuits likewise, except that we had fourteen silver pieces, or as many rials, or _medios reales de plata_, in every town. For these pieces of money, according to the custom of the Spanish church, in public weddings, are given by the parish priest to the bridegroom, and by him to the bride, as a dowry, but are afterwards returned again to the priest, that the same money, and the same nuptial rings, may serve over and over again. I think that you may aptly apply to Paraguay what was said of Germany by Tacitus, De Moribus Germanorum: _Argentum et aurum propitii, an irati Dii negaverint, dubito_. If liberal nature had there created gold and silver, if art and industry had discovered those metals, the Spaniards would long since have left off breeding cattle, and cultivating the celebrated herb, both irksome employments. The Indians, who must then have been occupied in digging metals, would have shunned both the religion and friendship of the Spaniards, since they found them coupled with slavery; and we Jesuits should never have induced so many savages to embrace our religion; so that the want or ignorance of metals may be reckoned amongst the divine blessings and advantages of Paraguay.