PACIFIC AND BEERIKG'S STRAIT. 33' 



considering that they have relinquished many of the 

 enjoyments of life, and have embraced a voluntary 

 exile in a distant and barbarous country. The only 

 amusement which my hospitable host of the mission 

 of San Jose indulged in, during my visit to that place, 

 was during meal times, when he amused himself by 

 throwing pancakes to the 7nuchachos, a number of 

 little Indian domestics, who stood gaping round the 

 table. For this purpose, he had every day two piles 

 of pancakes made of Indian corn ; and as soon as the 

 611a was removed, he would fix his eyes upon one of 

 the boys, wdio immediately opened his mouth, and the 

 padre, rolling up a cake, would say something ludi- 

 crous in allusion to the boy's appetite, or to the size 

 of his mouth, and pitch the cake at him, which the 

 imp would catch between his teeth, and devour with 

 incredible rapidity, in order that he might be ready 

 the sooner for another, as well as to please the padre, 

 whose amusement consisted in a great measure in 

 witnessing the sudden disappearance of the cake. In 

 this manner the piles of cakes were gradually distri- 

 buted among the boys, amidst much laughter, and 

 occasional squabbling. 



Nothing could exceed the kindness and considera- 

 tion of these excellent men to their guests and to 

 travellers, and they were seldom more pleased than 

 when any one paid their mission a visit : we always 

 fared well there, and even on fast days were provided 

 with fish dressed in various ways, and preserves made 

 with the fruit of the country. We had, however, 

 occasionally some difficulty in maintaining our good 

 temper, in consequence of the unpleasant remarks 

 which the difference of our religion brought from the 

 padres, who were very bigoted men, and invariably: 



VOL. II. D 



