Havestadt, Bernhard

Havestadt, Bernhard a German missionary, was born at Cologne in 1715. He entered the society of the Jesuits, and devoted himself to preaching. In 1746 he was attached to the missions of Chili. He started from Hortsmar, in Westphalia, sailed from Antwerp to Lisbon, and arrived two months afterwards at Rio Janeiro, thence crossed the pampas and Andes to Chili, and reached Santiago, the capital of Chili, after a wearisome and dangerous journey of fifty-five days. He spent five years at Concepcion, thoroughly exploring the country. Having a very good knowledge of the Chilidugu dialect, he was enabled to make some few converts among the Indians. On the abolition of the Jesuit order in the Spanish states, Havestadt was arrested, June 29, 1768, and conducted to Lima, whence, by way of Panama, he returned to Europe. He died at Munster after 1778, where his Observations appeared (1751-77). See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.