QUIROS 161 



by age and hardship within sight of home. There was 

 " the well-disposed and soldierly youth," who was so 

 deeply impressed by the reading of the life of St. Anthony 

 the hermit that one night he launched a frail raft, and 

 slipped overboard, " determined to leave us here, to teach 

 the heathen and to live in solitude, . . . the act of a man 

 whom we held to be rational and a good Christian, yet 

 hazardous for many reasons, above all his being cut off 

 from the divine offices and the sacrament." There was the 

 Peruvian youth named Francisco, who " wore the habit 

 of a lay brother, his life being one of self-denial. He 

 was a humble, frugal and grateful man, very peaceful, 

 and so zealous for the good of the souls in the new dis- 

 coveries, that he wished to be left behind with them." 

 And, in amazing contrast, were those who, after wanton 

 massacre of natives, would say that " it was of little im- 

 portance that we should send them to the devil to-day, 

 as they would have to go to-morrow," " a sentiment," 

 comments Quiros, " very far from all reason, and especially 

 when they had the faith of Christ at the doors of their 

 soul." The generality was of the stuff with which the 

 great Spanish captains had to do their heroisms ; men of 

 unsurpassable courage, and of unsurpassable cruelty, 

 willing enough to help Don Quixote to conquer islands 

 (if he could find them!), pleased by the thought that 

 they could obtain remission of all sins by naming the name 

 of Jesus, but determined meanwhile to have a good time 

 in their own way. They were not the men to pass the 

 day in contented attendance of religious services, or in 

 study of the three R's. All they wanted, Quiros found, 

 was " good health, plenty to eat and drink, little work, 

 much grumbling together, with much fear of the weather ! " 

 Every misadventure made them think of the great abun- 

 dance of the court, cold snows, fresh fruits, and other 

 memories which cooled their will. They were " far from 

 having the valorous minds which ought to animate the 

 searchers for unknown lands, to uphold the original motives, 

 and perform heroic deeds." " Like moths they ate against 

 the enterprise and caused discontent." 



W.A. L 



