Contents
Chapter I
Early history—State of the country—Indian races—Characteristics of the
different tribes—Dobrizhoffer’s book—Various expeditions—Sebastian Cabot—Don
Pedro de Mendoza—Alvar Nuñez—His expedition and its results—Other leaders and
preachers—Founding of the first mission of the Society of Jesus
Chapter II
Early days of the missions—New settlements founded—Relations of Jesuits with
Indians and Spanish colonists—Destruction of missions by the Mamelucos—Father
Maceta—Padre Antonio Ruiz de Montoya—His work and influence—Retreat of the
Jesuits down the Paraná
Chapter III
Spain and Portugal in South America—Enmity between Brazilians and
Argentines—Expulsion of Jesuits from Paraguay—Struggles with the natives—Father
Mendoza killed—Death of Father Montoya
Chapter IV
Don Bernardino de Cardenas, Bishop of Paraguay—His labours as apostolic
missionary—His ambitions and cunning—Pretensions to saintliness—His attempts to
acquire supreme power—Quarrels between Cardenas and Don Gregorio, the temporal
Governor
Chapter V
Renewal of the feud between the Bishop and Don Gregorio—Wholesale
excommunications in Asuncion—Cardenas in 1644 formulates his celebrated charges
against the Jesuits—The Governor, after long negotiations and much display of
force, ultimately succeeds in driving out the Bishop—For three years Cardenas
is in desperate straits—In 1648 Don Gregorio is suddenly dismissed, Cardenas
elects himself Governor, and for a short time becomes supreme in Asuncion—The
Jesuits are forced to leave the town and to flee to Corrientes—A new Governor
is appointed in Asuncion—He defeats Cardenas on the field of battle—The latter
is deprived of his power, and dies soon after as Bishop of La Paz
Chapter VI
Description of the mission territory and towns founded by the Jesuits—Their
endeavours to attract the Indians—Religious feasts and processions—Agricultural
and commercial organizations
Chapter VII
Causes of the Jesuits’ unpopularity—Description of the lives and habits of the
priests—Testimony in favour of the missions—Their opposition to slavery—Their
system of administration
Chapter VIII
Don José de Antequera—Appoints himself Governor of Asuncion—Unsettled state of
affairs in the town—He is commanded to relinquish his illegal power—He refuses,
and resorts to arms—After some success he is defeated and condemned to be
executed—He is shot on his way to the scaffold—Renewed hatred against the
Jesuits—Their labours among the Indians of the Chaco
Chapter IX
The Spanish and Portuguese attempt to force new laws on the Indians—The Indians
revolt against them—The hopeless struggle goes on for eight years—Ruin of the
missions
Chapter X
Position of the Jesuits in 1761—Decree for their expulsion sent from
Spain—Bucareli sent to suppress the colleges and drive out the Jesuits—They
submit without resistance—After two hundred years they are expelled from
Paraguay—The country under the new rule—The system of government practically
unchanged
Chapter XI
Conclusion