Children of South America

In Short

Published in 1915, this travelogue-style narrative serves as an introduction to South America for a juvenile audience. Moving from Brazil to the Andes, the text surveys various regions, describing native customs, local geography, and the challenges faced by children living in poverty or isolation. Its primary objective is to cultivate empathy and religious concern among young readers, urging them to support missionary efforts. The work endures as a primary document of its era, capturing the intersection of colonial exploration, cultural assumptions, and the fervent evangelical spirit of the early 1900s.

The Story

The journey begins in the vast, dense forests of Brazil, home to diverse indigenous tribes. Here, the narrative sets a somber tone, contrasting the natural beauty of the tropics with the stark realities of "heathen" life. The reader is introduced to the harshness of survival, where insect-ridden nights and the struggle for food define existence. The narrative quickly moves to the darker aspects of this environment, uncovering practices such as infanticide and the suffering caused by lack of medical care. Throughout the continent, the author weaves these observations together, moving from the Brazilian interior to the swamps of the Paraguayan Gran Chaco.

In Paraguay, the focus shifts to the work of missionaries like W. Barbrooke Grubb, who attempts to introduce a "God of Love" to the Lengua people. The text depicts the nomadic, often precarious life of indigenous children, noting their sparse clothing and the absence of formal schooling or domestic comforts. The story of a missionary rescuing an infant from being buried alive alongside her dying mother serves as a pivotal, harrowing moment, illustrating the central argument that indigenous customs are inherently cruel and in desperate need of Christian intervention.

As the journey progresses into Argentina, the tone shifts toward modernization and commerce. The narrative highlights the plight of British settlers living on remote ranches, isolated from the religious and social structures of their homeland. The author emphasizes that while Argentina is economically progressive, it lacks the "streams of Living Water" necessary for moral and spiritual development. The description of religious processions in Córdoba, featuring miraculous statues and soldiers, provides a critique of Roman Catholic traditions, which the author portrays as a hindrance to true spiritual enlightenment.

The exploration continues into the "Land of Fire" (Tierra del Fuego), focusing on the legacy of Captain Allen Gardiner. Through stories of children like Jessica—who scoured the woods to bring other children to the mission—and Elsie—a victim of human trafficking—the narrative presents a moral call to action. The final segments move into the Andes, specifically Bolivia and Peru. Here, the author describes the remnants of the Inca civilization as a "crushed and conquered" people living in superstition. The book concludes by detailing the daily efforts of missionaries in Cuzco, where they provide medical aid and education to children living in squalid, windowless dwellings. Throughout, the arc remains consistent: it maps a continent of spiritual and physical deprivation, positioned as a challenge that only the "light" of the Gospel can resolve.

How It Unfolds

The Amazonian introduction The journey opens in the heart of the Brazilian rainforest, where the author observes the daily habits of indigenous mothers and children. This section establishes the environmental difficulties and the profound cultural divide that the rest of the book seeks to address.

The Paraguayan mission field Travelers cross from the civilized world into the unknown reaches of the Gran Chaco to observe the Lengua people. The narrative focuses on the clash between indigenous burial customs and the interventionist efforts of British missionaries.

The Argentine plains and cities The narrative examines the spiritual isolation of British ranchers and the public rituals of Roman Catholic cities. It argues that physical progress and traditional religion are insufficient substitutes for the specific missionary education the author advocates.

The Land of Fire and beyond Historical sketches of early explorers anchor the account of the southern territories. The stories of individual children serve as emotional catalysts to inspire the reader’s dedication to the missionary cause.

The Andes and Peru The final chapters explore the rugged, high-altitude regions of Bolivia and Peru, contrasting the former glory of the Inca with the current state of poverty. The book concludes with a call for the establishment of schools and hospitals to bring "sunward" change to the next generation.

The People

The central figure is the author, who acts as a guide and moral arbiter, framing the continent through the perspective of a concerned missionary advocate. She serves as the voice for the societies funding these missions, consistently positioning the "heathen" as the primary focus of the reader’s sympathy.

The missionaries, such as W. Barbrooke Grubb and the women working in Cuzco, represent the book's ideal of self-sacrifice. These individuals are depicted as resolute, purposeful figures who face hostility from local priests and local customs alike. They want nothing less than the total conversion of the populations they serve, viewing the physical improvement of their charges as a direct result of spiritual success.

The children—the "brownies," "bairns," and "pearls"—are presented as the passive recipients of this mission work. Figures like Jessica and the rescued baby girl are individual cases used to highlight the potential for transformation. Jessica is portrayed as a model of devotion, while children sold into labor represent the tragic consequences of a world without the author’s brand of religious guidance. They are consistently framed as being in a state of darkness, waiting for the "light" the readers themselves are implicitly asked to provide.

In Its Own Voice

“For the natural world, God said: ‘Let there be light, and there was light.’ For the spiritual world, Jesus said: ‘I am the Light’; and because He meant to work through us, He also said: ‘YE are the light of the world.’”

The author establishes the book's theological motivation in the introduction, framing missionary work as a divine responsibility.

“The young, young children, Oh my brothers, / They are weeping bitterly! / They are weeping in the playtime of the others, / In the country of the free.”

A poem is inserted following a description of child slavery in Paraguay to emphasize the emotional urgency of the missionary appeal.

“If you want to make an Indian woman your friend, nothing will win her friendship quicker than a present of a bead necklace to her little child.”

The author shares a practical observation about how to gain the trust of local populations to facilitate further interaction and, ultimately, conversion.

What It's Really About

The book is an argument for the necessity of Christian mission work as a civilizing force in South America. It posits that traditional indigenous culture and local religious practices are stagnant, superstitious, and often cruel, and that the only path to meaningful development is through the introduction of European-style evangelical education and medical care. The narrative is driven by the question of what happens to the "souls" of children born into societies that do not align with the author’s Christian worldview. It essentially asks the reader to view global geography through the lens of spiritual stewardship, suggesting that the "light" of the Gospel is the essential missing ingredient for the welfare of the continent's youth.

Why Read It Today

Reading this book today requires an awareness of the significant shift in cultural perspective since 1915. A modern reader will likely be struck by the author’s blunt, uncompromising, and frequently derogatory characterizations of indigenous and Roman Catholic practices, which reflect the colonial and evangelical attitudes of the early twentieth century. The book does not attempt to offer a balanced anthropological view; rather, it is a piece of persuasive literature designed to mobilize a specific generation of young people.

Those interested in the history of missionary movements or the evolution of juvenile literature will find it a compelling, if difficult, study. It provides a window into how "the other" was framed for the Western child a century ago, and how sentimentality was used to generate financial and moral support for global outreach. While the tone is undeniably patronizing by modern standards, the warmth of the author’s conviction remains vivid. It is a text that reveals as much about the mindset of the British Empire at the time as it does about the South American regions it describes. Readers should be prepared for its stark moral binaries and the period-specific language that defines its historical distance.