138 LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 



and compelled to worship it, in lieu of the grotesque images 

 of their own idolatrous religion. 



To carry into effect these orthodox instructions, troops 

 of pious priests, of friars and monks of every order, and 

 even of saintly nuns, followed in the wake of the victori- 

 ous armies of Cortez ; and girding up their loins, with 

 zealous fervour and enthusiasm, and with an enterprise and 

 hardihood worthy of buccaneers, they pushed their adven- 

 turous way far into the bowels of the land, preaching 

 devoutly and with commendable perseverance to savages 

 who did not understand a syllable of what they so elo- 

 quently discoursed ; and returning, after the lapse of many 

 months passed in this first attempt, with glowing accounts 

 of the " muy buen indole" the very ductile disposition of 

 the savages, and of the thousands they had converted to 

 "la santa f'e catolica" 



Ferdinand and Isabel, of glorious memory, at once beat 

 up for volunteers. Crowds of Franciscan monks, greasy 

 Capuchinos, and nuns of orthodox odour, joined the band ; 

 and saints even of the feminine gender, long since can- 

 onised and up aloft amongst the goodly muster of saints 

 and martyrs, put foot once more on terra firma, and, 

 rosary in hand, crossed the seas to participate in the good 

 work. As proof of this latter fact, one Venabides, a Fran- 

 ciscan, whose veracity is beyond impeachment, declared 

 that, while preaching in the regions now known as New 

 Mexico, one million Indians from the "rumbo" known 

 as Cibolo, a mighty nation, approached his temporary pul- 

 pit on the Rio Grande, and requested in a body the favour 

 of being baptised. Struck with the singularity of this 

 request from Indians with whom he had as yet held no 

 communication, and with conscientious scruple as to 

 whether he would be justified in performing such cere- 

 mony without their having received previous instruction, 

 he hesitated a few moments before making an answer. 

 At this juncture the Indians espied a medallion which 

 hung around his neck, bearing the effigy of a certain 

 saint of extraordinary virtue. At sight of this they fell 

 on their knees before it ; and it was some time before 



