my labours been needed amongst the Abipones. On the departure of the captives from Buenos Ayres, the town was restored to its former tranquillity, and shortly after increased by new supplies of Patagonians. For these a single town was prepared, four leagues distant, and named Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados. The government of it was committed to Father Lorenzo Balda of Pampeluna, and to Father Augustino Vilert a Catalan. Three of the Patagonian Caciques, with eighty of their hordesmen, occupied this colony. A horde consists of three or four families, sometimes of more. Each family generally numbers four, five, and often more heads; for the Patagonians have many children, and polygamy is very common amongst them. They are docile beyond all the other southern tribes, and make less opposition to baptism, but I cannot commend the young men of this nation either for honesty or modesty. Scarce any commerce is carried on between the Spaniards and Patagonians. From a nation so populous, so tractable, and of so gentle a disposition, great accessions were reasonably expected to Christianity, but Satan confounded all these fair hopes. Cangapol, the potentate of that region, long beheld these Christian colonies with gloomy and envious eyes. Through them he thought that friendships would be formed with the Spaniards, the freedom of the southern nations endangered, and his own power in these parts gradually diminished, and ultimately suppressed. Hence he turned his whole heart and thoughts to hastening the destruction of the new town, and the banishment of the Fathers who taught the strange religion. In order to effect these purposes, as many savages as possible were associated in a contract of arms, and an expedition was at length undertaken. Matthias Strobl, being made acquainted with the route and immense number of the enemy, made a timely request by letter, to the Governour, for military succours from Buenos-Ayres, which city promised seventy provincial horsemen, but never supplied one. Thus having suffered a repulse from the Spaniards, whose interest it chiefly was to maintain these towns, by flying with his people, the Father eluded the enemy—eluded since he could not subdue. The towns, their flocks, and their herds were left. The neophytes and catechumens, all who were sincere in religion and friendly to the Spaniards, fled with the Fathers to the city of Concepcion. But this colony being daily harassed by hostile incursions, and but lazily defended by the Spanish guards, was entirely deserted on the 3d of February, 1753, a severe loss to the city. For the savages being now at full liberty to ravage where they would, the estates for two leagues distant from the city were presently left destitute of their guards, and the lands around the village of Magdalen, famous for large crops of wheat, of their cultivators, both having fled to safer quarters. In the city itself the most disgraceful trepidations often arose, sometimes