“Our Lady of the Dew” ~— 83 
the way and fell asleep. On awakening he found the Virgin had 
gone—she had returned to her hollow tree. Having ascertained 
this, and being now filled with fear, he proceeded alone to 
Almonte, where he reported his discovery. At once the Alcalde 
and clergy accompanied him to the spot, and finding the image 
as related, a vow was then and there solemnised that a shrine, 
dedicated to N. 8. del Rocio, should be erected at the very spot. 
On its being discovered that this Virgin was able to perform 
miracles and to grant petitions, her fame soon spread afar, and 
religious fervour waxed strong. Thus during the plague of 
1649-50, the Virgin having been removed to Almonte as a 
safeguard, the inhabitants of that place were immune from the 
pestilence, though every other hamlet was decimated. A second 
miracle was attributed to the Virgin. Hard by the shrine at 
Rocio was a spring of water, but of such poor supply that 
ordinarily a single man could empty it within two hours: yet 
during the three days of the pilgrimage thousands of men and 
their horses could all assuage their thirst. 
Owing to these manifestations devout persons endowed the 
Virgin of Rocio with considerable sums of money, with which 
a larger shrine was built, while sumptuous garments, laces, and 
embroidery, with jewelry and precious stones, were provided for 
her adornment. In addition to this, Replicas of the original 
effigy were made and distributed around the villages of the 
neighbourhood, particularly the following :— 
Kilos. Kilos, 
Palma, distant 32 San Lucar, distant 45 
Moguer 30 Villamanrique 18 
Umbrete ,, 45 Pilas s 23 
Huelva ,, 65 Almonte 5 17 
Triana, 76 Coria 5 44 
Rota 43 55 
At each of these and other places, ‘“‘ Brotherhoods” (Her- 
mandades), affiliated to the original at Rocio, were established 
to guard these ettigies ; and it is from these points that every 
Whitsuntide the various pilgrim-fraternities journey forth across 
the wastes towards Rocio, each Brotherhood bringing its own 
carved replica to pay its annual homage to its carved prototype. 
In the spring of 1910 the authors attended the Festa. 
Already, the night before, premonitory symptoms—the tuning-up 
