The four colonies of St. Jeronymo, Concepcion, St. Ferdinand, and the Rosary, were so many schools where the assembled nation of the Abipones were civilized and instructed in religion. Spite of innumerable obstacles which had long retarded the progress of our efforts, we succeeded in banishing superstition and barbarism, and in softening their ferocious manners by apostolic gentleness. Those who had formerly lived like wild beasts on the products of plunder or the chase, laid aside their detestation of labour, and applied themselves to agriculture; they who had before appeared most active and skilful in plundering, became afterwards most indefatigable in tilling the fields, and building themselves houses. Ychoalay, Kevachichi, Tannerchin, and others, the terror of the Spaniards, and the most fortunate chiefs of the whole nation, became diligent above the rest in ploughing and building, on their removal to colonies, and exhorted their hordesmen, whom they had formerly encouraged in slaughtering the Spaniards, to follow their example. Almost all the inhabitants of St. Jeronymo, the capital town, and a great number in the other three colonies, received baptism. Many, both of the younger and older men, by the innocence of their lives, their attention to the Christian faith, their reverence for the church and for images, and their diligence in prayer and frequent use of the sacraments, gave solid proofs of piety towards God and the Saints; though the female sex always bore away the palm in the duties of religion. I have not time to relate every circumstance tending to verify what I have just advanced, but it would be wrong to omit them all.