OF THE CONJURORS, OR RATHER OF THE JUGGLERS
AND CHEATS OF THE ABIPONES.
If I remember rightly, no nation which has been discovered in Paraguay
is without its jugglers, whom the Abipones call by the name of the
devil, Keebèt, or devilish workers, because they believe them to have
received from their grandfather, the evil spirit, the power of
performing wonderful work far surpassing human art. These rogues, who
are of both sexes, profess to know and have the ability to do all
things. There is not one of the savages who does not believe that it is
in the power of these conjurors to inflict disease and death, to cure
all disorders, to make known distant and future events; to cause rain,
hail, and tempests; to call up the shades of the dead, and consult them
concerning hidden matters; to put on the form of a tiger; to handle
every kind of serpent without danger, &c., which powers, they imagine,
are not obtained by art, but imparted to certain persons by their
grandfather, the devil. Those who aspire to the office of juggler are
said to sit upon an aged willow, overhanging some lake, and to abstain
from food for several days, till they begin to see into futurity. It
always appeared probable to me that these rogues, from long fasting,
contract a weakness of brain, a giddiness, and kind of delirium, which
makes them imagine that they are gifted with superior wisdom, and give
themselves out for magicians. They impose upon themselves first, and
afterwards upon others. But in reality they differ from the rest in
nothing but the superior ability of concerting frauds to deceive others.
Indeed it is no difficult matter to cheat ignorant and credulous
savages, who account every new thing, which they have never seen before,
a prodigy, and immediately attribute it to magic art. Once when I
happened to make some roses of red linen, to adorn the church, the
Indians watched me at my work with much interest, wondering at this
imitation of nature, and exclaiming, "This father is either a magician,
or the son of a witch." A European lay-brother of our order astonished
the Indians by turning something of wood, with much skill and
expedition, and was consequently spoken of by them all as the prince of
magicians; for till that day they had never seen a turning machine, nor
any thing turned. Were they to behold fireworks, optical glasses, the
experiments of the air-pump, and many other things which are every-day
sights amongst Europeans, amazed at what would be so novel to their
eyes, they would indeed swear them to be absolute proofs of magical art.
This is confirmed by the circumstance of the Brazilians calling their
conjurors _Payè_, and the art of working miracles _Caraybà_, which name
they afterwards gave to the European strangers, because they saw them
perform things by art which, being formerly unknown to them, they
imagined above the powers of nature. Hence also the Guaranies, whose
language bears much resemblance to that of Brazil, at this day call all
the Spaniards and Europeans _Caraỳ_.
This simplicity of an ignorant people, the crafty jugglers know well how
to turn to their own advantage, openly boasting themselves vicegerents
and interpreters of the devil, their grandfather; diviners of future
events; priests of the mysteries; creators, or, as they please, healers
of diseases; necromancers, and governours of all the elements; easily
persuading these credulous creatures any thing that comes into their
heads. They are furnished with a thousand arts of deceiving. Suppose
they have heard from some savage visitant that an enemy is coming to
attack the horde; this knowledge they will boast of to their hordesmen
as if it had been revealed to them by their grandfather, thus acquiring
the reputation of prophets. Whatever they learn either from conjecture,
from secret intelligence, or from their own examination, they predict to
be about to happen with infinite pomposity, and are always listened to
with as much attention as if they were actually inspired. Should their
prophecies not be approved by the event, they are never at a loss for
excuses to shelter their authority. Sometimes, in the dead of the night,
they suddenly announce the enemy's approach with a whistle or a pipe.
All are awakened, and without once calling in question the truth of the
juggler's prediction, fly to arms. The women and children betake
themselves to a place of safety, and whilst they pass hours, nay whole
nights, in the fear of death, and their husbands in threatening it to
the assailants, not one of the enemy makes his appearance. But that the
faith in their prophecies, and the authority of the prophets, may suffer
no diminution, they declare, with a smile, that the hostile assault has
been averted by their grandfather the devil. At other times a body of
enemies often rushes upon them on a sudden, when not one of these
prophets has either foreseen or foretold the danger of an attack. A
ridiculous event, à propos to this subject, occurs to my recollection.
About night-fall an Abiponian boy brought an iron bridle, an axe, and
some other trifles, the treasures of his family, to be guarded in my
house. On being asked the reason of his doing so, he replied that the
enemies would arrive in the night; for so it had been predicted by his
mother, a famous juggler, who declared that whenever the enemy was
approaching, she felt a pricking sensation in her left arm. "Oh!"
replied I, "you may attribute that to the fleas, my good lad. I can tell
you this on my own experience. Day and night I feel my left and my right
arm too, as well as other parts of my body, insolently pricked and stung
by fleas. If that were an indication of the enemy, we should never be
free from their attacks night or day." But my words were vain; for the
report of the old woman's presage got abroad, and disturbed the whole
town all night. Yet, as often happened, no sign or vestige of the enemy
appeared.
The Abipones, whom the desire of booty or glory induces to be constantly
scheming war against others, are, in consequence, never free from
suspicions of machinations against themselves. The more ardently they
desire to take measures for their safety, the more readily do they
believe themselves in danger from others, and generally for some foolish
reason. A light rumour, smoke seen from a distance, strange foot-marks,
or the unseasonable barking of dogs, fills them with suspicions that
their lives are in danger from the enemy, especially when they dread
their vengeance for slaughters which themselves have lately committed.
The task of tranquillizing and preparing their minds devolves upon the
jugglers, who, whenever any thing is to be feared, or any thing to be
done, consult the evil spirit. About the beginning of the night a
company of old women assemble in a huge tent. The mistress of the band,
an old woman remarkable for wrinkles and grey hairs, strikes every now
and then two large discordant drums, at intervals of four sounds, and
whilst these instruments return a horrible bellowing, she, with a harsh
voice, mutters kinds of songs, like a person mourning. The surrounding
women, with their hair dishevelled and their breasts bare, rattle
gourds, and loudly chaunt funeral verses, which are accompanied by a
continual motion of the feet, and tossing about of the arms. But this
infernal music is rendered still more insupportable by other performers,
who keep constantly beating pans which are covered with deers' skin, and
sound very acutely, with a stick. In this manner the night is passed. At
day-break all flock to the old woman's tent, as to a Delphic oracle. The
singers receive little presents, and are anxiously asked what their
grandfather has said. The replies of the old women are generally of such
doubtful import, that whatever happens they may seem to have predicted
the truth. Sometimes the devil is consulted by different women, in
different tents, the same night. At day-break one party will
pertinaciously assert that the enemy are on the approach, which the
other as obstinately denying, a conflict of opinions ensues between
these foolish interpreters of oracles, which generally ends in a bloody
quarrel. Sometimes one of the jugglers is desired to call up the shade
of a dead man, from which they may immediately learn what their fates
reserve for them. A promiscuous multitude of every age and sex flocks to
the necromancer's tent. The juggler is concealed beneath a bulls hide,
which serves in the same manner as a stage-curtain. Having muttered a
few extemporary verses, sometimes with a mournful, at others with a
commanding voice, he at length declares that the shade of such a person,
whoever the people choose, is present. Him he interrogates over and over
again on future events, and, changing his voice, answers to himself
whatever he thinks proper. Not one of the auditors dares to doubt of the
presence of the shade, or the truth of its words. An Abipon of noble
family and good understanding, used many arguments to convince me that
he had with his own eyes beheld the spirit of an Indian woman, whose
husband was then living in our town. Spaniards also, who have lived from
boyhood in captivity amongst the Abipones, are quite persuaded that the
shades of the dead become visible at the call of a necromancer, that
they reply to questions, and that there is no deceit used in the
business. But what sensible man would credit such witnesses, who are in
the daily habit of deceiving and being deceived?
But from this custom of the savages of calling up the shades of the
dead, we may deduce that they believe in the immortality of the soul, as
may also be collected both from their rites and conversation. They place
a pot, a garment, arms, and horses, fastened on stakes upon graves, that
the dead may not be in want of the daily necessaries of life. They have
an idea, that those little ducks, which the Abipones call _ruililiè_,
and which fly about in flocks at night, uttering a mournful hiss, are
the souls of the departed. The Spaniard Raphael de los Rios, who
superintended the estate belonging to the town of St. Jeronymo, was
cruelly murdered in his tent, in an assault of the savages, whilst I
resided there. Some months after, an Abiponian catechumen came and
anxiously enquired whether all the Spaniards went to Heaven when they
died, and was told by my companion that those who had closed their lives
with a pious death alone obtained this happiness. "I agree entirely with
you," said the Abipon; "for the Spaniard Raphael, who was killed here
lately, seems not to have gained admittance yet; our countrymen say that
they see him riding in the plain every night, and hissing in a mournful
tone." This, though to be accounted either a mere fabrication, or the
effect of fancy, justifies the conclusion, that the savages believe the
soul to survive the body, though they are entirely ignorant of what
becomes of it, or what may be its fate. The other people of Paraguay too
hold the same opinion of the immortality of the soul.
From what I have said of the jugglers, who does not see that all their
knowledge, all their arts, consist of nothing but cunning, fraud, and
deceit? Yet the savages yield them the readiest faith and obedience
during their lifetime, and after their death revere them as divine men.
In their migrations, they reverently carry with them their bones and
other reliques as sacred pledges. Whenever the Abipones see a fiery
meteor, or hear it thunder three or four times, these simpletons believe
that one of their jugglers is dead, and that this thunder and lightning
are his funeral obsequies. If they ride out any where to hunt or fight,
they are always accompanied on their journey by one of these knaves, on
whose words and advice they fully depend, believing that he knows and
can foretel whatever may conduce to the success of the expedition; he
teaches them the place, time, and manner proper for attacking wild
beasts or the enemy. On an approaching combat, he rides round the ranks,
striking the air with a palm bough, and with a fierce countenance,
threatening eyes, and affected gesticulations, imprecates evil on their
enemies. This ceremony they think of much avail to securing them a
victory. The best part of the spoils are adjudged to him as the fruits
of his office. I observed that these crafty knaves have plenty of
excellent horses, and domestic furniture superior to that of the rest.
Whatever they wish for they extort from this credulous people. The
Abipones account it a crime to contradict their words, or oppose their
desires or commands, fearing their vengeance. When any of the jugglers
are ill disposed towards a man, they call him to their house, and are
instantly obeyed. When he is come, they harshly reproach him for some
imaginary fault or injury, and declare their intention of punishing him
in the name of their grandfather. They order him instantly to bare his
breast and shoulders, and then pierce and tear his flesh with the jaw of
the fish palometa. The poor wretch dares not utter the least complaint,
though streaming with blood, and thinks himself very fortunate in being
suffered to depart alive.
At another time, when these bugbears think any one inimical or injurious
to them, they will threaten to change themselves into a tiger, and tear
every one of their hordesmen to pieces. No sooner do they begin to
imitate the roaring of a tiger, than all the neighbours fly away in
every direction. From a distance however they hear the feigned sounds.
"Alas! his whole body is beginning to be covered with tiger spots!" cry
they. "Look, his nails are growing," the fear-struck women exclaim,
although they cannot see the rogue, who is concealed within his tent;
but that distracted fear presents things to their eyes which have no
real existence. It was scarce possible to persuade them out of their
absurd terrors. "You daily kill tigers in the plain," said I, "without
dread, why then should you weakly fear a false imaginary tiger in the
town?" "You Fathers don't understand these matters," they reply, with a
smile. "We never fear, but kill tigers in the plain, because we can see
them. Artificial tigers we do fear, because they can neither be seen nor
killed by us." I combated this poor argument, by saying, "If that
artificial tiger which your conjurors assume to alarm you cannot be
seen, how, pray, can you tell that tigers' claws and nails begin to grow
upon him?" But it was vain to reason with men in whom the extreme
pertinacity with which they adhered to the opinion of their ancestors
superseded all reason. Should a furious tempest arise, they will all
declare the deluge caused by profuse rain to be effected by the arts of
the jugglers, and whilst some attribute the flood and hurricane to one,
some to another, a still more furious and louder tempest arises amongst
themselves. Hear my account of an event which I cannot remember without
laughter. In the month of January, a quantity of heavy rain fell in the
night, and precipitating itself from a neighbouring hill, nearly
overwhelmed the colony of St. Jeronymo. The immense force of waters
broke the leathern door, rushed into my hut where I was sleeping, and
not immediately gaining egress, increased to about five palms in depth.
Awakened by the noise, I put my arms out of bed, and using them as a
plumb, measured the depth of the water; and had not the wall, which was
perforated by the flood, opened a way to the waters, I must have been
obliged to swim for my life. The same thing happened to all the Abipones
who dwelt on low ground, their huts being entirely inundated. But lo!
the next morning a report was spread, that a female juggler, who had
received some offence from one of the inhabitants of the town, had
caused this great storm in the intent of drowning the whole horde, but
that the clouds had been repulsed, the rain stopped, and the town saved
by the interposition of another juggler. That dreadful flood did not
extend to the neighbouring plain, where Pariekaikin, at that time chief
of the Abiponian jugglers, was then living with some companions, who,
after a long drought, were very desirous of getting water. This
Pariekaikin in an oracular manner declared, that Father Joseph Brigniel
had caused that rain for the advantage of his town, and that because he,
Pariekaikin, did not choose to reside there, he had, out of revenge,
directed the clouds with such art, that not a drop of rain reached his
station. For they made no hesitation in accounting that Father a
conjuror, because he happily and speedily healed the sick.
That the American jugglers enjoy familiar intercourse with the evil
spirit is not only firmly believed by the ignorant savages, but some
writers have even endeavoured to persuade Europe to believe it. For my
part, after so long an acquaintance with these nations I could never
bring myself to credit it, always remaining of opinion that they neither
know, nor are capable of performing any thing above human powers. Being
firmly persuaded that they would do me all the evil in their power, I
often accosted them in a friendly manner, and by all sorts of good
offices endeavoured to prevail upon them to alter their manner of life,
and embrace religion; for by their example almost all the rest would
regulate their conduct. But this was like washing the blackamoor white:
for these wickedest of mortals, unwilling to part with their authority
and lucrative office, left no stone unturned, no frauds unattempted to
deter and intimidate their countrymen from going to church, attending to
the instructions of the priests, and receiving baptism, daily denouncing
death, and destruction on the whole nation, unless they obeyed. Nor is
this either new or surprizing. In all the American nations the teachers
of the holy religion have found the jugglers upholders of ancient
superstition, and rocks in the way of the desired progress of the
Christian law. Good heavens! what contests, and what trouble did they
not cause to Antonio Ruiz de Montoya, the famous Guarany missionary! It
was not till he had repressed the authority of the remaining jugglers,
and commanded the bones of the dead ones, which were universally
worshipped with great honours, to be burnt in the presence of the
people, that he converted an infinite number of savages to the Christian
religion, and induced them to enter colonies. Till these knavish
_holophants_, and sycophants to speak with Plautus, are abolished,
nothing can be done with the savages; this I affirm on experience. The
town of St. Joachim not only merited the praise of religion, but
produced many fruits of genuine piety. But as snakes often lurk in the
grass, and tares in the most abundant harvest, an old Indian secretly
performed the office of juggler there, and suffered himself to be adored
as a divine person by some foolish women, whom he served in the double
capacity of physician, and prophet, at the same time carrying on a
criminal intercourse with them. These things were disclosed to me by
Ignatius Paranderi, chief Cacique of the town; so that judging it
advisable immediately to reprove this mischievous old man in public,
since private admonitions were of no avail, I repaired to his house
attended by all the chief people of the place; and imitating, in this
important business, the thundering tongue of Cicero when he fulminated
against Catiline, addressed him in the following manner. "How long,
accursed old man, will you belie your profession of Christianity, by
daring to corrupt the morals of your fellow-hordesmen with nefarious
arts, and indecent conduct? After living near twenty years in the school
of Christ, are you not afraid to practise savage rites the most
repugnant to Christian laws? Your manner of life is exactly suitable to
the name of tiger, (he was called Yaguaretè, which means a tiger;) for
by your deceits and indecencies you tear the poor little sheep of
Christ. Extreme age has conducted you to the goal of life;—unless you
repent, what a wretched death, and when dead what a sad fate awaits you!
I am equally ashamed and grieved on your account. He whom you behold
dead on the cross for you," said I, showing him a crucifix, "will drive
you headlong into hell, to punish your perfidy. Be what you appear, or
appear what you are. Regulate your conduct according to divine law. But
if savage superstitions are too firmly rooted in your breast to be ever
eradicated, return instantly to the woods of the savages, to the dens of
wild beasts where you first saw the light, that your example may not
pervert the rest of your hordesmen, who have dedicated their lives to
religion and virtue. Go, and repent of your former sins, and by
penitence and innocence of life, cleanse away the stains of them. If you
do not instantly obey my friendly admonitions, it will be worse for you.
Henceforward, you shall not go unpunished. Know, that as soon as ever I
hear of any act of superstition or indecency committed or attempted by
you, at my orders you shall be led about the streets amidst the hisses
of the people, and pelted with cow-dung, by a crowd of boys. Such is my
firm determination. This is the thyme and frankincense that shall be
offered up to the stinking divinity, which you have madly dared to
arrogate to yourself and suffered to be adored." This commination left
the old fellow alarmed, and, if I mistake not, corrected, all good men
highly approving the severity of my speech. No suspicions were ever
after entertained of him, though I inspected all things with a vigilant
eye and an attentive ear.
As the jugglers perform the offices not only of soothsayers and
physicians, but also of priests of the ceremonies of superstition, it
exceeds belief what absurd opinions they inculcate into the ignorant
minds of the Abipones. Out of many, I will mention a few. The Abipones
think that none of their nation would ever die, were the Spaniards and
the jugglers banished from America; for they attribute every one's
death, from whatever cause it may proceed, either to the malicious arts
of the one, or to the fire-arms of the other. If an Abipon die from
being pierced with many wounds, or from having his bones broken, or his
strength exhausted by extreme old age, his countrymen all deny that
wounds or weakness occasioned his death, and anxiously try to discover
by which of the jugglers, and for what reason he was killed. Because
they have remembered some of their nation to have lived for a hundred
years, they imagine that they would never die, were it not for the
jugglers and the Spaniards. What ridiculous ideas do not the Americans
entertain respecting the eclipse of the sun and moon! During the time it
lasts, the Abipones fill the air with horrid lamentations. They
perpetually cry _tayretà!_ oh! the poor little thing! grieving for the
sun and moon: for when these planets are obscured, they always fear that
they are entirely extinguished. Still more ridiculous are the Chiquito
Indians, who say that the sun and moon are cruelly torn by dogs, with
which they think that the air abounds, when they see their light fail;
attributing their blood red colour to the bites of these animals.
Accordingly, to defend their dear planets from those aërial mastiffs,
they send a shower of arrows up into the sky, amid loud vociferations,
at the time of the eclipse. But, who would believe that the Peruvian
Indians, so much more civilized than the rest, should be foolish enough
to imagine, that when the sun is obscured, he is angry, and turns away
his face from them, on account of certain crimes which they have
committed? When the moon is in darkness, they say she is sick, and are
in perpetual apprehension, that, when she dies, her immense carcass will
fall down upon the earth and crush all the inhabitants. When she
recovers her light, they say she has been healed by Pachacámac, the
Saviour of the world, who has prevented her death, that the earth may
not be utterly crushed and destroyed by her weight. Other crazy notions
are entertained by other Americans concerning eclipses. The Abipones
call a comet _neyàc_, the Guaranies _yacitatà tatatĩbae_, the smoking
star: for what we name the hair, beard, or tail of a comet, they take to
be smoke. This star is dreaded by all savages, being accounted the
forerunner and instrument of various calamities. The Peruvians have
always believed the comet to portend the death of their kings, and the
destruction of their provinces and kingdoms. Montezuma, monarch of the
Mexicans, having frequently beheld a comet like a fiery pyramid, visible
from midnight till sun-set, was greatly alarmed for himself and for his
people, and shortly after conquered and slain by Cortez.
Let us now return to the superstitions of the Abipones, who think
another star, the name of which I have forgotten, portentous,
formidable, and destructive. They say that those years in which this
star has been seen have always proved bloody and disastrous to their
nation. When a whirlwind drives the dust round in a circle, the women
throw ashes in its way, that it may be satisfied with that food, and may
turn in some other direction. But if the wind rushes into any house with
that impetuous whirling, they are certain that one of the inhabitants
will die soon. If any live bees be found in the honey-comb, which they
bring from the woods, they say that they must be killed out of doors,
imagining, that if this be done within the house, they shall never be
able to find any more honey.
The Abipones labour under many superstitions, because they abound in
jugglers, the teachers of superstition. The most famous at the time that
I lived there, were Hanetrâìn, Nahagalkìn, Oaikin, Kaëperlahachin,
Pazanoirin, Kaachì, Kepakainkin, Laamamin, and Pariekaikin, the first,
and by far the most eminent of them all, who had obtained a high
reputation for his prophecies and other peculiarities of his office.
Female jugglers abound to such a degree, that they almost out-number the
gnats of Egypt. Their chief endeavour is to inspire their countrymen
with a veneration for their grandfather, the evil spirit. On this
subject I shall now proceed to discourse.