Spaniards, and two amongst the Guaranies. In the first years that I spent there one floren was the universal price, but as the number of herds was daily decreasing, the price increased in proportion. I have known Spaniards who possessed about an hundred thousand oxen in their estates. The town Yapeyù, which was dedicated to the three kings, contained fifty thousand; that of S. Miguel many more, but not one superfluous. At least forty oxen were daily slaughtered to satisfy the appetites of seven thousand Guaranies. Add to these the oxen which are privily slain by the Indians, either in the town or the estate, and those which are daily consumed by hostile savages, by tigers, wild dogs, and worms which are bred in the navels of calves. Every merchant's ship transports thirty, and sometimes forty, ox-hides into Europe. Who can reckon the number of hides daily employed in manufacturing ropes, building hedges and houses, and making trunks, saddles, and wrappers for the herb of Paraguay, tobacco, sugar, wheat, cotton and other things? The common people amongst the Spaniards have no other bed than an ox-hide stretched upon the ground, which is also the case with an innumerable crowd of negro slaves. Beef is the principal, daily, and almost only food of the lower orders in Paraguay. Moreover that quantity of meat which would overload the stomach of a European is scarce sufficient to satisfy the appetite of an American. A Guarany, after fasting but a very few hours, will devour a young calf. An Indian, before he lies down to sleep, places a piece of meat to roast at the fire, that he may eat immediately when he wakes. Place food before him, and the rising and the setting sun will behold him with his jaws at work and his mouth full, but with an appetite still unsatisfied. Such being the voracity of the inhabitants, and so continual the slaughters of innumerable oxen, you will agree with me that Paraguay may be called the devouring grave, as well as the seminary of cattle.