An Account of the Abipones, an Equestrian People of Paraguay, (1 of 3)

In Short

A Jesuit missionary records his extensive observations of the South American wilderness, detailing the geography of Paraguay, the flora and fauna of its rivers and forests, and the political friction surrounding the regional missions. The work maps out the natural history of the territory, cataloging native animals, medicinal plants, and major waterways alongside colonial conflicts and missionary efforts among native tribes like the Guaranies and Abipones. Written to correct European misconceptions and document a rapidly changing frontier, this account survives as a rich, highly specific observation of eighteenth-century South America's natural world and tribal cultures.

The Story

The account opens with the personal history of the author, tracing his journey from Styria to the Jesuit order and his subsequent deployment to South America in 1749. After eighteen years spent laboring in the Guarany Reductions and among the unmapped territories of the Abipones, he returns to Vienna following the suppression of his order. Setting out to write a true history of the region to relieve himself of constant questioning by curious Europeans, he opens his narrative with a sweeping survey of Paraguay's geography, boundaries, and political anxieties.

He details the precarious state of Spanish settlements like Asumpcion, a city lacking proper fortifications or paved streets, constantly threatened by the shifting channels of the Paraguay River. Beyond the towns lie vast, contested landscapes where Spanish colonists, Portuguese travelers, and free native tribes interact. Conflict frequently erupts over royal boundary decrees, such as the mandated transfer of Guarany towns to Portuguese jurisdiction, which triggers deep unrest, failed diplomatic negotiations, and the flight of crown officials.

Moving deeper into the landscape, the author turns his focus to the natural environment, systematically documenting the region's vast river systems—including the Paraguay, Yeyuỹ, and Pilcomayo—and the abundance of wild life. He examines the hazards and uses of native fauna, describing wild cats, the heavy-skinned anta or tapir, and multiple species of armadillos whose shells serve as armor for savages and dinner plates for Spanish settlers. He records the physical ailments of domestic animals on the trail, noting the parasitic flies, vampire bats, and prolonged rains that plague horses, alongside the traditional and chemical remedies used to treat them.

The narrative shifts seamlessly between natural history and ethnographic observation. The author introduces native tribes encountered on the borders, such as the horse-riding Guenoas and Charruas, detailing their resistance to colonial rule, their fierce defense of personal liberty, and their encounters with Christian missionaries. He describes meeting local Caciques, engaging in theological debates over warfare and divine law, and offering trade goods while observing their customs, face paint, and weaponry.

As the physical landscape unfolds, the author catalogs the region's botanical wealth, from the widely consumed herb of Paraguay—steeped in gourds and drunk through silver pipes—to native fruit trees like the mistol and chañar, and the cultivation of cochineal insects upon prickly thistles for dye and medicine. He dismantles persistent rumors of hidden gold and silver mines in the Guarany territories, proving that early Spanish search parties found only open country. Having laid out the environment, climate, and surrounding populations, the text closes its introductory movement, poised to focus fully on the equestrian Abipones.

How It Unfolds

The call to write Following eighteen years of missionary work in South America and the eventual suppression of the Jesuit order, the author settles in Vienna. Weary of answering endless queries about the New World, he resolves to compile a comprehensive chronicle of the geography, wildlife, and native nations he observed.

Political and territorial friction Royal decrees ordering the transfer of native settlements spark chaos between Spanish authorities, Jesuit fathers, and Guarany inhabitants. Prominent leaders attempt to calm the populations, but resistance, false rumors of betrayal, and the flight of terrified officials highlight the instability of the frontier.

Surveying the central settlement The narrative examines Asumpcion, the unfortified capital of Paraguay, situated precariously on eroding riverbanks. The text details the daily life, mixed Spanish-Guarany dialects, and rudimentary architecture of a city constantly vulnerable to physical and political disruption.

Navigating the great rivers The author maps the vast network of tributaries feeding the Paraguay River, noting trade routes used by Portuguese prospectors seeking gold sand. The dense surrounding forests supply vital resources, including the widely harvested herb of Paraguay.

Expeditions into the wilderness Navigating deep into non-Christian territory, the author encounters armed native bands led by distinct Caciques. He engages in familiar conversation, offers small gifts, and debates religious principles regarding vengeance and warfare with skeptical tribal leaders.

Cataloging the South American fauna The text turns to rigorous observations of wildlife, detailing the habits of wild cats, tapirs, and armored armadillos. The narrative records practical survival knowledge, from treating horse wounds caused by parasitic flies to avoiding the toxic effects of vampire bat bites.

Botanical riches and the shift to the Abipones The survey finishes with an inventory of native fruit trees, medicinal plants, and cochineal cultivation used for dyes and defensive hedges. Dispelling persistent European myths of hidden gold mines, the narrative completes its background survey and prepares to examine the Abipones directly.

The People

• Martin Dobrizhoffer: The narrator and Jesuit missionary who spends eighteen years in the South American interior. Patient, observant, and resilient, he seeks to document the true nature of the wilderness and its inhabitants, balancing his evangelical duties with a keen interest in natural history.
• Cacique Veraripochiritù: A native leader of extraordinary height and physical stature, known for his gentleness and docility. He welcomes the missionary party cordially and demonstrates a strong openness to learning about Christian worship.
• Cacique Tupanchichù: A handsome, formidable native leader and reputed juggler who conceals a hostile intent behind polite speech. Proud and fiercely independent, he directly challenges the missionary's teachings against slaying enemies, maintaining his right to self-defense.
• Father Bernardo Nusdorfer: A senior Jesuit missionary fluent in the Guarany language and highly respected by native communities. He travels repeatedly among the settlements to convince the population to obey royal migration orders, though his efforts are repeatedly undone by the people's attachment to their homeland.
• Father Ludovico Altamirano: A Jesuit representative sent from Europe to enforce the crown's boundary treaties. Distrusted by the native inhabitants due to his foreign dress and diet, he flees into the night when rumors spread of an approaching armed group.
• Arapotiyu: A young native boy brought from the deep forests of Mbaeverà who assists the author by gathering medicinal bezoar stones harvested from wild tapirs.

In Its Own Voice

"In America, I was often interrogated respecting Europe; in Austria, on my return to it, after an absence of eighteen years, I have been frequently questioned concerning America."

— The author explains his decision to write the chronicle to relieve himself of constant inquiries upon returning home.

"Tell me, I pray you," said he, "what does displease God."

— Cacique Tupanchichù questioning the missionary during a theological debate on divine law and moral conduct.

"We don't like," said they, "to have a God who knows and sees all we do in secret. It is our fixed resolve and pleasure to enjoy our old liberty of thinking and acting as we like."

— The Yaros savages explaining to an inquirer why they abandoned their mission settlement to return to their traditional life.

What It's Really About

At its core, the text examines the sharp confrontation between European imperial ambitions and the untamed reality of the South American frontier. It explores the friction between Christian missionary idealism and the fierce, unyielding desire for independence maintained by native equestrian tribes. Beyond political conflict, the book investigates the relationship between human settlement and the physical environment, demonstrating how climate, wild terrain, and native wildlife dictate the survival of both indigenous populations and European colonizers. Through its rigorous clearing away of popular rumors—such as non-existent gold fields or exaggerated accounts of distant islands—the narrative argues for direct observation over speculative legend, insisting that the true nature of the New World lies in its specific, lived realities.

Why Read It Today

Modern readers interested in colonial history, natural science, and travel literature will find this account a remarkably vivid window into eighteenth-century South America. Unlike sanitized or romanticized travelogues of the era, the text carries the authority of nearly two decades of first-hand experience in the interior. The prose feels energetic and grounded, filled with practical observations on everything from surviving vampire bat bites on the trail to the precise method of preparing regional teas in silver-plated gourds.

The reading experience requires navigating period perspectives and colonial terminology, as the author naturally writes from the viewpoint of an eighteenth-century Catholic missionary. Yet his genuine curiosity about the natural world and his candid portrayal of both Spanish administrative failures and native resistance elevate the work above simple propaganda. Readers will appreciate the narrative's observational clarity, its steady humor regarding frontier hardships, and its detailed portraits of a landscape on the brink of profound transformation.