THE MISSIONARIES. 



205 



equipage in them. We were hospitably received by the padres, and 

 lodgings were given us in the convento, a large house with several 

 rooms in it. 



We found Sarayacu a rather neat-looking Indian village, of about 

 one thousand inhabitants including Belen, a small town of one hundred 

 and fifty inhabitants, one and a half mile distant. It, or rather the 

 missionary station — including the towns of Sta. Catalina and Tierra 

 Blanca — is governed by four Franciscan friars, of the College of Ocopa. 

 The principal and prefect, Padre Juan Chrisostomo Cimini, being now 

 absent on a visit to Ocopa, the general direction is left in the hands of 

 Father Vicente Calvo, assisted by the Fathers Bregati and Lorente, who 

 have charge respectively of Sta. Catalina and Tierra Blanca. 



Father Calvo, meek and humble in personal concerns, yet full of zeal 

 and spirit for his office, clad in his long serge gown, belted with a cord, 

 with bare feet and accurate tonsure, habitual stoop, and generally bearing 

 upon his shoulder a beautiful and saucy bird of the parrot kind, called 

 chiriclis, was my beau ideal of a missionary monk. He is an Arra- 

 gonese, and had served as a priest in the army of Don Carlos. Bregati 

 is a young and handsome Italian, whom Father Calvo sometimes calls 

 St. John. Lorente was a tall, grave, and cold-looking Catalan. A lay- 

 brother named Maquin, who did the cooking, and who was unwearied 

 in his attentions to us, made up the establishment. I was sick here, and 

 think that I shall ever remember with gratitude the affectionate kindness 

 of these pious and devoted friars of St. Francis. 



The town is situated on a level plain elevated one hundred feet above 

 the rivulet of the same name, which empties into the Ucayali at three 

 miles distant. 



The rivulet does not afford sufficient water for a canoe in the dry 

 season ; but at that time a fine road might be made through the forest to 

 the banks of the Ucayali ; this probably would be miry and deep in the 

 rainy season, which is from the first of November to Easter. We had 

 rain nearly every clay that we were there, but it w T as in passing showers, 

 alternating with a hot sun. The climate of Sarayacu is delightful ; the 

 maximum thermometer, at 3 p. m., being 84J° ; the minimum, at 9 a. 

 m., 1 4. The average temperature of the day is ^9 ; the nights are 

 sufficiently cool to allow one to sleep with comfort under a musquito 

 curtain made of gingham. These insects are less troublesome here 

 than might be expected, which may be seen from the fact that the 

 priests are able to live without wearing stockings ; but it is a continual 

 penance, quite equal, I should think, to self-flagellation once a week. 



The soil is very prolific, but thin and light ; at half a foot below the 



