On Oaherkaikin's entering the colony of St. Ferdinand, we beheld with joy what the Spaniards of Paraguay had been vainly desiring ever since the time of the Emperor Charles the Fifth. The whole nation of Abipones were at length settled in three colonies; an event which seemed to promise great advantage both to the cause of religion and that of the whole province. But, alas! a sudden storm from Europe destroyed all these nourishing hopes. The kings of Spain and Portugal agreed upon an exchange of their territories in America, in consequence of which those seven towns on the eastern shore of the Uruguay were to be delivered up to the Portugueze, and two-and-thirty thousand Christian Guaranies, who inhabited them, were ordered to remove to another place by Ferdinand the Sixth. The Guaranies, full of tender attachment to their country, could be induced by no arguments to believe that such a removal had been enjoined them by the Catholic king. This cession of the towns to their enemies the Portugueze, they thought must have been imposed on them by way of punishment; though they were at a loss to imagine what crime they could have committed deserving such punishment, unless to have served God and the King were accounted such. This universal doubt impressed on the minds of the Indians, respecting the royal order for their removal, was confirmed by a most impudent lie, invented by certain wicked knaves amongst the lower order of Spaniards; who assured the Indians that the removal enjoined in the King's name was a fabrication of the Jesuits, they having themselves sold those towns to the Portugueze, out of a thirst for gold. The Guaranies, possessed with this abominable suspicion, grew more and more deaf to the admonitions of the Jesuits, who, through respect to the King, were constantly urging their departure. The filial affection which they had always borne to the Fathers being destroyed, they began openly to reject the authority of others, and to manage every thing according to their own pleasure. What did not the Missionaries do to conquer their obstinacy, and to reduce them to obedience! What did they not endure! How often did they put themselves in danger of death! With crowns of thorns on their heads, they made a mournful supplication in the streets, whilst a voice of thunder from the pulpit, interrupted with frequent tears, besought and exhorted the people assembled in the church to obey the royal mandate. Miserable lamentations or futile promises were all that could be extorted from them. Some, indeed, who were of a milder temper, departed, but, vanquished by the love of their native land, returned next day, and hardened themselves against the last extremities. At length, seeing that war would be made against them, they took up arms, and for some time stood out against the armed Portugueze, and the Spaniards who assisted them.