It is an undeniable fact that these colonies, in which the Abipones were confined like wild beasts in cages, were highly advantageous to all Paraguay. By means of them security was restored to the public roads, through which merchants were in the habit of passing; and fresh estates were able to be founded and enriched with additions of cattle in places which had long been deserted for fear of the Abipones. By them too, the other savages, the Tobas, Mocobios, and Guaycurus, were prevented from continuing their usual inroads into the lands of the Spaniards, who were thus enabled to repose in safety and tranquillity in the bosom of peace, whilst we were keeping watch amongst the Abipones, and often exposing our lives to danger. I do not deny that many deserted their colonies, took up arms again, and, renewing their predatory excursions, plundered droves of horses from the undefended estates; but, as I have observed elsewhere, that was entirely the fault of the Spaniards themselves, who left none but women at home, having called out all the men to make war upon those seven Guarany towns, which, according to treaty, were to be delivered up to the Portugueze.
It is also most certain that many of the Abipones, after dwelling for years amongst us, still continued to reject baptism and religious instruction, and though blameless in other respects, obstinately adhered to their old customs. This grieved, but did not greatly surprize us: for were either the Jews, the Greeks, or the Romans immediately convinced by the Apostles who taught the law of Christ? Were the temples and the synagogues overthrown in a few years? No; that was a work of ages, perfected by the toils and blood of numbers, and we have not yet reached the goal. Alas! how small a portion of the globe has sworn allegiance to Jesus Christ; numbers without number still observing the law of Moses, of Mahomet, of Confucius, of Nature; others even paying worship to idols! An aged oak, with roots deep fixed in the ground, is not felled at one blow. To eradicate the ridiculous superstitions of the Abipones, their habits of wandering and of plunder, confirmed by the example of their ancestors, and become as it were a second nature, appeared to many a business of infinite labour, and almost desperate success: for experience shows that the equestrian savages are harder to be civilized than the pedestrian tribes: their inveterate habit of roaming about the whole province, and committing depredations, is a sweet poison, which insinuates itself deep into the very marrow, and is with difficulty expelled. So thought St. Xavier, who, though he left no stone unturned to convert the neighbouring nations of Asia, and even the remote Chinese and Japonese, to Christianity, never attempted to instruct the Badajas, an equestrian tribe in the bordering kingdom of Narsinga, or Bisnagur, foreseeing that in such an expedition he should lose the labour which, with greater and more certain success, he expended on other nations.