NATIVES OF AFRICA IN THE i6tII CEXTURV. I45 



such heavy puiiishinenl to fall on such miserable bodies Having 



given up all hope of escaping- from those marshes by human power, we 

 resolved to have recourse to the Divine One. So, having all fallen on our 

 knees, in prayer, we asked Our Lady by her holy Conception to obtain for 

 us from her glorious Son another miracle similar to that which He made 

 for the Children of Israel when they left Egypt and passed the Red Sea 



that we might that same day hnd a way through the marsh 



which seemed impossible to cross, and there, owing to her guidance, we 

 found the way tlirough to the other side. Having witnessed sucli an 

 evident miracle, we again bent our knees, promising to make a pilgrimage 



to Xossa Senhora de Guadeloupa and a solenm missa and, in 



order to show us clearly by wlio-^e hand this work had Ijeen done, and that 

 the manna of the desert would not 1)e wanting, we found many cocoa nut.^ 

 bn wild palm trees, etc. 



I'ere.strello certainly was a my.'^tic, a mystic of the right sort ; 

 Lavanha is more matter of fact. He says he has Avritten his 

 report to give useful indications to the sailors who may fall into 

 similar misfortune. However, in his story also, the relioious fer- 

 vour is not wanting". See what Nuna X'elho Pereira, the distin- 

 guished Captain of the rescued party did when taking" leave of 

 the Chief Gamabela, on 27° South Latitude, a few days before 

 reaching the end of his traveh : 



We were all thankful for the kind welcome received from this Kaffir : 

 and h'.- himself was no less pleased to have offered it to us. So he asked 

 Xuna Velho to give him something which he might keep in remembrance 

 of liim and of all tlie Portuguese accompanying him. Nuna Velho 

 answered that he would act according to the request, and would give him 

 the most precious treasure which was in the world. So taking the cross 

 which was hanging on his chest, and taking off his hat, he raised his eyes 

 to Heaven and with greait devotion kissed it ; then he gave it to the Portu- 

 guese who were near him, who performed the same ceremony, and to the 

 chief, saying this was the sacred token of his friendship, and that he 

 ought to show it the same respect as he had seen our people do. Thes 

 barbarian took it and kissed it with the same reverence, putting it to his 

 eyes ; so did all the Natives. And seeing this, Nuna Velho ordered the 

 carpenter to make a cross from the branch of a tree. It was made and 

 was eight palms in length. Nuna Velho handed it to Gamabela, teUjng him 

 that on such a tree the .\uthor of Life had overcome death by his own 

 death, that it was the remedy against death, the health of the sick and 

 that by the power of this sign the great Emperors had won victories. . . 

 So that the chief ought to put the cross on his hut and every morning, 

 when leaving his hut, he ought to show respect to this cross by kissing it, 

 and to adore it on his knees, asking help of it with confidence when health 

 was failing amongst his subjects or when rain was wanting for his 

 gardens. . . . With these words- he gave this royal trophy and unique 

 glory of Christianity to the headman, who took it on his shoulders, and 

 with his men, who numbered about 500. he went to his village to do what 

 Nuna Velho had told him. In this way the Lloly Cross was planted by this 

 virtuous noble man in the very midst of Caffraria, centre of the heathenism 

 over which to-daj^ it is triumphant. . . . May God Our Lord be pleased 

 to enlighten the minds of these poor heathens, so that holding firmly that 

 trustworthy Cross which remained amongst them, they ma}- be saved from 

 perdition .nnd from the blindness in which they live. 



Is not the religious candour of these men most toucliing? 

 Of course, the hope of saving Native tribes fi"om the power of 

 heathenism by a mere sirbstitution of the catholic rites for those 

 of 'the animistic religion was most childish, and we know that 

 other and more spiritual methods are needed to reach such an 



