PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 51 



When the morning came, it was a hoHday, and the 

 vaqii^ros, not at all disposed to lose their recreation, 

 had decamped with the saddles, and the party were 

 obliged to pass the day at San Juan. After a small 

 cup of chocolate, and a strip of dry bread, the only 

 meal ever served in the missions until twelve o'clock, 

 the party strolled over the grounds, and visited about 

 thirty huts belonging to some newly converted Indians 

 of the tribe of Tooleerayos (bulrushes). Their tents 

 were about thirty-five feet in circumference, constructed 

 with phable poles fixed in the ground and drawn to- 

 gether at the top, to the height of twelve or fifteen 

 feet. They are then interwoven with small twigs and 

 covered with bulrushes, having an aperture at the side 

 to admit the inhabitants, and another at the top to let 

 out the smoke. The exterior appearance of these 

 wretched wigwams greatly resembles a bee-hive. In 

 each dwelling were nine or ten Indians of both sexes, 

 and of all ages, nearly in a state of nudity, huddled 

 round a fire kindled in the centre of the apartment, a 

 prey to vermin, and presenting a picture of misery and 

 wretchedness seldom beheld in even the most savage 

 state of society. They seemed to have lost all the 

 dignity of their nature ; even the black-birds (oriolus 

 niger) had ceased to regard them as human beings, 

 and were feeding in flocks among the wigwams. This 

 was said to be the state in which the Indians naturally 

 live, and the reader will not be surprised to hear that 

 this party had voluntarily come from the mountains to 

 be converted, and to join their civilized brethren at 

 the mission. Happy \vould it be for these savages 

 could they be once taught to make a proper use of 

 that freedom which ought to follow their conversion 

 to the pure religion of Christ, even under the restrained 



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