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    for the recovery of his health , his superiors sent him to attempt the conversion of the Chiriguanes , but the ill reception he met with , obliged him to forsake so vicious

    a nation , and he obtained leave to return to the Moxos . Upon his return , he found them more docile than they had been at first , and by degrees grew entirely familiar with them . They gathered ,

    to the number of 600 , to live under his direction , who had the satisfaction , after having laboured 8 years and 6 months , to see a number of zealous Christians

    made by bis care . He spent five years more in improving and increasing that new Christian congregation , and it consisted of above 2 , 000 converts when a new supply of missionaries arrived to whom he left the care of his flock .

    He now went to some other nalions of Indians , who lived scattered over the country and remote from each other ; and their little communication produced almost an implacable hatred to each other . His charity and zeal made him surmount all these

    difficulties . Having taken up his lodging with one of those Indians , from thence he went about to all the neighbouring cottages ; he by degrees insinuated himself into the affections of those people by Ins courtesy and sweet behaviour , at the same time instilling into

    them the maxims of religion , not so much by dint of reasoning whereof they were incapable , as by the air of goodness which appeared in his discourses . He sat down with them on the ground , imitated the least motions and most ridiculous gestures , they used to express their affections ; he lay ainong them exposed to the wea-

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    ther , without any defence against the tormenting gnats . As disagreeable as their provisions were , he never ate his meals but with

    them . His care in learning something of physic and surgery was another method he made use of to gain their esteem and affection . When they were diseased , he prepared their medicines , dossed their wounds , cleaned their cottages ; and did it so affectionately that they were charmed with him .

    Respect and gratitudesoon brought them into his measures , and in less than a year , above 2 , 000 of them came together and formed a sort of town , which was called Trinity town . Father Cyprian wholly applied himself to instruct them in the faith , and having the talent of making himself intelligible to the dullest apprehensions , his clear way of expounding to them all

    points of religion soon put them into a condition to receive baptism . By being converted , they became another sort of men , thev learnt other customs and manners , and voluntarily submitted them , selves to the severest rules of

    Christianity . His next aim was to settle some form ; of government among them , lest the independent state they had been born and bre ^ i in , should ^ make them relapse into the disorders they were guilty of before conversion . To effect

    this he made choice among them of such as were in highest reputation for wisdom or valour , whom he appointed captains , heads o , f families , consuls and magistrates to govern the rest of the people . Then did those men who would

    before submit to k no superiors , voluntarily obey their new governors , And without qppositioji

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    194 Father Cyprian ' s method of Converting the Indians *

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1809, page 194, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1735/page/18/