MANNA 195 



The manna seems to abound in America, according to the re- 

 ports of travellers. Herera says: "It falls in the season in the 

 quantity of a dew, which congeals like sugar, and which is so 

 wholesome that it is named Manna. Father Picolo, one of the 

 first spiritual conquerors of California, assures us that it exudes 

 in considerable amounts from the shrubs (arbrisseaux) in April, 

 May and June. 



It will be shown hereafter that this is not a literal abstract 

 from the original source, where the word roseaux is used instead 

 of the word arbrisseaux. 



In tracing this subject, first the story of Father Picolo presents 

 itself as follows: 



WRITINGS OF FRANCOIS MARIE PICOLO. 1 



Abstracted from Bibliotheque des Ecrivains de la 

 Compagnie de J6sus, Liege A. Lyon, 1872, p. 1957. 



His writings, as far as known to me, 2 are contained in 

 the following communication: 



"Memoir, with regard to the conditions of the mis- 

 sions lately established in California, by the Fathers of 

 the Society of Jesus; presented to the Royal Council of 

 Guadalaxara, in Mexico, February 10, 1702, by Father 

 Francois Marie Picolo, of the same society, and one of 

 the original founders of this Mission." 



This memoir of F. M. Picolo is reprinted literally in 

 W. I. Kip's Historical Scenes from the Old Jesuit Mis- 

 sions, New York, 1875, which is an abstract of Amer- 

 ican topics from the following work: 



"Lettres Edifiantes et curieuses, ecrites des Missions 

 Etrangeres, in 47 volumes, containing the letters of the 

 Jesuit missionaries from about 1650 to 1750," this col- 

 lection being purchased by W. I. Kip from the library 

 of the Bishop of Durham. 



Speaking in Chapter II, Missions in Lower Califor- 

 nia, 1702, he states, p. 57, "in the months of April, May 



1 Thanks are extended St. Xavier's College, Cincinnati, for library courtesies extended 

 to Dr. Rigmond Waldbott, who made the translations that enabled us to ptesent this 

 study of manna. 



J. U.L. 

 14 



