MISSIONS IN CALIFORNIA. 



137 



subject, to exhibit the mode of ecclesiastical operations in regard 

 to proselytes in that region, at a recent period. 



" At a particular time of the year," we are told by Captain 

 Beechey and Mr. Forbes, "when the Indians can be spared from 

 the agricultural concerns of the establishment, many of them are 

 permitted to take the launch of the mission and make excursions to 

 the Indian territory. On these occasions the padres desire them 

 to induce as many of their unconverted brethren as possible to ac- 

 company them back to the mission, of course implying that this is 

 to be done only by persuasion ; but the boat being furnished with a 

 cannon and musketry, and in every respect equipped for war, it too 

 often happens that the neophytes and the gente de razon, who super- 

 intend the direction of the boat, avail themselves of their superi- 

 ority, with the desire of ingratiating themselves with their masters 

 and of receiving a reward. There are, besides, repeated acts of 

 aggression which it is necessary to punish, but all of which furnish 

 proselytes. Women and children are generally the first objects of 

 capture, as their husbands and parents sometimes voluntarily fol- 

 low them into captivity. 



" One of these proselyting expeditions into their Indian territory 

 occurred during the period of Captain Beechey's visit in 1826, 

 which ended in a battle, with the loss, in the first instance, of 

 thirty-four of the converted, and eventually in the gain, by a 

 second expedition sent to avenge the losses of the first, of forty 

 women and children of. the invaded tribes. These were immedi- 

 ately enrolled in the list of the mission, and were nearly as imme- 

 diately converted into Christians. The process by which this was 

 effected is so graphically described by Captain Beechey that it 

 would be doing him injustice to use any words but his own. 



" I happened, he says, to visit the mission about this time and 

 saw these unfortunate beings under tuition. They were clothed 

 in blankets, and arranged in a row before a blind Indian, who un- 

 derstood their dialect, and was assisted by an alcalde to keep 

 order. Their tutor began by desiring them to kneel, informing 

 them that he was going to teach them the names of the persons com- 

 posing the Trinity, and that they were to repeat in Spanish what 

 he dictated. The neophytes being thus arranged, the speaker be- 

 gan: "Santissama Trinidad, — Dios, Jesu Christo, Espiritu Santo" 

 — pausing between each name, to listen if the simple Indians, who 

 had never spoken a Spanish word before, pronounced it correctly 

 or any thing near the mark. After they had repeated these names 

 satisfactorily, their blind tutor, after a pause, added " Santos" — 



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