I have often been asked, why the herb of Paraguay is never exported to Europe, and I have answered, on many accounts. In the first place, very little more is prepared than suffices the Americans. If, moreover, the Spaniards of Paraguay gasped after commerce and gain, they might export not only this herb, but many other profitable commodities. Their ships, especially in time of war, are few; their security none. Add to this, that in a few years it spoils, and losing its original fragrance smells like Russian shoe-leather; when in this state, it is used by the Paraguayrians to die cloth black. The Europeans, moreover, having never so much as tasted the herb, have no desire to fetch it from America, which they would certainly do, if acquainted with its virtues. Oh! how I burn with resentment whenever I read that the Jesuits monopolize the herb of Paraguay! It has ever been free to all, without distinction, to sell as well as to drink this much spoken of herb. There is no part of the year that the Spaniards do not despatch to the cities of Corrientes, Santa Fé, and Buenos-Ayres, many thousand pounds of it, thence to be transported, in huge vessels, to the different ports of Tucuman, Peru, and Chili, not one of the Jesuits daring to arrogate the right of opposing them. The Indian Guaranies, inhabitants of the thirty-two Reductions which were under our administration, only make the herb _caà-miri_, selling it for the use of the higher orders. As the preparation of it is much more laborious, it is entirely neglected by the Spaniards, who confine themselves to the coarser herb _caà de palos_; and the quantity of herb annually sold by the Spaniards exceeds that disposed of by the Indians as much as the whole hand does the little finger. For the Guarany towns are not permitted by the laws to sell above a certain quantity; but the Spaniards are under no such restriction. In most parts of Paraguay there is no currency of money, and the herb is the usual medium of exchange. But of this trade we pay an annual poll-tax in the Guarany towns, and are besides obliged to fit out our churches, which are highly ornamented, and procure for our Indians the necessary iron implements. Nor can the superintendents of colleges, who exchange the cattle of their estates, and other natural productions for the herb, and that again for implements, instead of money, be justly accounted herb-merchants. For the founders of the colleges did not leave estates paying rent, nor sums of money put out at interest, as is usual in Europe, but plains and cattle of various kinds, for the support of the members and the repairing of the dwellings and churches. The productions of the estates and plains are there in the place of money, with which necessaries are to be procured. This exchange, which, unless we preferred dying of want, was absolutely necessary, either ignorance or malice has designated trafficking. How many and how ridiculous are the clamours that have been raised against