IN THE OLD WEST 248 



pate-shaven Venabides had held his tongue, New 

 Mexico might now be in the peaceful possession 

 of the Catholic Missions, and the property of the 

 Church of Mexico pretty considerably enhanced 

 by the valuable placeres, or gold-washings, which 

 abound in that province. Full, however, of the 

 wonderful miracle of Santa Clara of Carmona, 

 which had been brought to light through the 

 agency of the medallion at the end of his rosario, 

 Fray Venabides must needs return to Spain, and 

 humbug poor old Fernando, and even the more 

 sensible Isabel, with wonderful accounts of the 

 riches of the country he had been instrumental in 

 exploring, and of the excellent disposition of the 

 natives to receive the Word of God. Don Juan 

 Onate was therefore quickly dispatched to take 

 possession; and in his train followed twelve Cas- 

 tilian families of sangre azul, to colonize the newly- 

 acquired territory. The names of these still re- 

 main, disgraced by the degenerate wretches who 

 now bear them, but in whom scarce a drop of blood 

 remains which ever filtered from the veins of the 

 paladins of Old Castile. 



Then commenced the troublous times. The 

 Missions were upheld by dint of steel alone; and 

 frequently the Indians rose, and often massacred 

 their white persecutors. The colonists were more 

 than once driven bodily from New Mexico, and 

 were only reinstated by the aid of large bodies of 

 armed men. 



