PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 31 



compunction at apostatizing again, whenever they 

 should have an opportunity of returning to their own 

 tribe. 



The expenses of the late expedition fell heavy upon 

 the mission, and I was glad to find that the padre 

 thought it was paying very dear for so few converts, 

 as in all probability it will lessen his desire to under- 

 take another expedition ; and the poor Indians will 

 be spared the horrors of being butchered by their own 

 countrymen, or dragged from their homes into perpe- 

 tual captivity. He was also much concerned to think 

 the Cosemenes had stood their ground so firmly, and 

 he was under some little apprehension of an attack 

 upon the mission. Impressed with this idea, and in 

 order to defend himself the more effectually, he begged 

 me to furnish him with a few fireworks, which he 

 thought would strike terror into his enemies in case of 

 necessitv. 



Morning and evening mass are daily performed in 

 the missions, and high mass as it is appointed by the 

 Romish Church, at which all the converted Indians 

 are obliged to attend. The commemoration of the 

 anniversary of the patroness saint took place during 

 my visit at San Jose, and high mass was celebrated in 

 the church. Before the prayers began, there was a 

 procession of the young female Indians, with which I 

 was highly pleased. They were neatly dressed in 

 scarlet petticoats, and white bodices, and walked in a 

 very orderly manner to the church, where they had 

 places assigned to them apart from the males. After 

 the bell had done tolling, several alguazils went round 

 to the huts, to see if all the Indians were at church, 

 and if they found any loitering within them, they 

 exercised with tolerable freedom a long lash with a 



