n they receive in their
infancy is not the proper one to develope their reason, and, if it
were, I do not believe them capable of any good impression. All these
Indians, whether from the continual use of the sweat-house, or from
their filthiness, or the little ventilation in their habitations, are
weak and unvigorous; spasms and rheumatics, to which they are so much
subject, are the consequences of their customs. But what most injures
them, and prevents propagation, is the venereal disease, which most of
them have very strongly, clearly proving that their humours are
analogous to receiving the impressions of this contagion. From this
reason may be deduced the enormous differences between the births and
deaths, which, without doubt, is one-tenth per year in favour of the
latter; but the missionaries do all in their power to prevent this,
with respect to the catechumens situated near them.

"The general productions of the missions are, the breed of the larger
class of cattle, and sheep, horses, wheat, maize or Indian corn, beans,
peas, and other vegetables; though the productions of the missions
situated more to the southward are more extensive, these producing the
grape and olive in abundance. Of all these articles of production, the
most lucrative is the large cattle, their hides and tallow affording an
active commerce with foreign vessels on this coast. This being the only
means the inhabitants, missionaries, or private individuals have of
supplying their actual necessities, for this reason they give this
branch all the impulse they possibly can, and on it generally place all
their attention.

"It is now six years since they began to gather in hides and tallow for
commerce. Formerly they merely took care of as many or as much as they
required for their own private use, and the rest was thrown away as
useless; but at this time the actual number of hides sold annually on
board of foreign vessels amounts to thirty or forty thousand, and about
the same amount of arrobas (twenty-five pounds) of tallow; and, in
pursuing their present method, there is no doubt but in three or four
years the amount of the exportation of each of these articles will be
doubled. Flax, linen, wine, olive-oil, grain, and other agricultural
productions, would be very extensive if there were stimulants to excite
industry; but, this not being the case, there is just grain enough sown
and reaped for the consumption of the inhabitants in the territory.