When the Fathers had occasion to baptize persons languishing under a mortal disease, or the bite of a venomous snake, and if they died, to bury them in holy ground, according to the rites of the catholic church, Ychoalay alone was their defender and assistant. It would be difficult to enumerate all those who for baptism, sepulchral honours, and indeed heaven itself, are indebted to the labours of Ychoalay. By his desire, Ychamenraikin first, and then all the boys and girls were dedicated to Christ by baptism; for the more careful performance whereof, twenty alone were admitted on the same day to the sacred font. This, indeed, was effected, more by the example than by the exhortations of Ychoalay, who had his children baptized as soon as they saw the light, and those which died he gave into the hands of the priest, to be buried with the Christian forms. You will wonder, I think, that one who was so careful of the salvation of others should have neglected his own, since it would commonly be thought that what was not eligible for himself could hardly be eligible for another. Indeed we were all surprized that the virtuous Ychoalay should, for so many years, have deferred his baptism, to receive which he had long been peculiarly fit. He lived for many years contented with one wife, never frequented drinking-parties, except to consult upon war, and was a bitter enemy to drunkenness and drunkards. Though formerly the prince of plunderers, he was now become a severe avenger of plunderings. He was as well acquainted with the ordinances of religion as with his own name. He shunned no labour conducive to his own advantage or that of the town, and was assiduous in cultivating land and breeding cattle. He might, therefore, have been initiated into the Roman Catholic religion long before, and indeed he frequently assured us of his intention to be so, as soon as ever his mind was free from anxiety respecting his rival Oaherkaikin. In fact, when the Vice-Governor Francisco de Vera Muxica was in the town of St. Jeronymo, he requested baptism of his own accord, but was desired by the same to wait a little, because he wished to perform the ceremony in the city of Sta. Fè, with great magnificence. Ychoalay, displeased at the delay, could not be induced to receive baptism till some years after, when it was administered to him by Father Joseph Lehman, in the above-mentioned city; where the ceremony was performed with much pomp, and so large a concourse of people that the church could hardly contain the multitude. The Royal Vice-Governor himself took the illustrious neophyte from the sacred font, and gave him a sumptuous feast, and suitable gifts. The Spaniards with joyous and tearful eyes beheld the celebrated Ychoalay standing by the divine altar like the meekest lamb, whom all Paraguay had formerly dreaded as a rapacious wolf. CHAPTER XV. FURTHER PRAISES OF YCHOALAY.