An Account of the Abipones, an Equestrian People of Paraguay, (1 of 3)Dobrizhoffer, Martin
History
An Account of the Abipones, an Equestrian People of Paraguay, (1 of 3)
Dobrizhoffer, Martin
Abipon Indians; Jesuits -- Missions; Paraguay -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800
it grew warm, the other, being exposed to the most piercing wind, seemed
frozen. Amidst all this cold, the courage of the soldiers daily inflamed
more and more, but their bodies were observed sensibly to fail and break
down. Their shoes being worn by the roughness of the roads, many of them
crept along with naked, and not a few with wounded feet. Father Cardiel
too was first afflicted with nephritic pains, and afterwards with such a
debility in his feet, that he could not advance a step without crutches.
With all this, however, the ardent desire of discovering the habitations
of the savages never cooled. But their provisions, which were destined
for an eight days' journey, being now, after five days, in great measure
consumed, they were obliged to hasten back again to the ship. One effect
however was produced by this calamitous journey—it was now finally
determined, by ocular demonstration, that the hordes of the savages were
at a great distance from the sea; and that immense tracts of land
bordering upon the shore were uninhabitable, as destitute either of
fresh water, grass, or trees, or of all together; so much so at least,
that, except a few emus and huanacos, you could find scarce any sort of
beast. All things, therefore, having been considered, since there was no
opportunity of erecting a colony for the Indians, or a fortress for the
Spaniards, they unanimously resolved upon a return; to be conducted,
however, in such a way, that they should repeatedly disembark and
explore those places they were obliged to pass by in coming. At length,
on the 4th day of April, about sun-set, they cast anchor in the port of
Buenos-Ayres. The journal which Quiroga had made of the shore and
harbours, soon after printed and published at Madrid, with plates of
whatever seemed remarkable, will be of the highest use to Spaniards
hereafter in navigating this turbulent sea. I may here add, that Father
Joseph Cardiel, not having discovered the savages of the coast of
Magellan, either in his naval or his pedestrian journey, set out on
horseback in search of them, with a few companions. But their pains were
as fruitless as before. After wandering much and long over these
solitary plains, and consuming all the provisions he had brought with
him, he was reduced to such straights as to be obliged to feed on grass,
unless he preferred dying of emptiness, the extremity of which obliged
him to return to Buenos-Ayres, his business left unfinished, but
himself, for his signal fortitude, his magnanimity, and apostolic
ardour, truly deserving of honour and imitation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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