148 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



particular obj ects of our visit, with great earnestness and 

 haste told the padre that the minister of New- York 

 had heard in his country of a remarkable stone, and the 

 provesor and Carrera were anxious for him to see it. 

 The padre said that it was in the church, and lay on 

 the top of the grand altar ; the cup of the sacrament 

 stood upon it ; it was covered up, and very sacred ; he 

 had never seen it, and he was evidently unwilling to 

 let us see it, but said he would endeavour to do so 

 when we returned from the ruins. He sent for a guide, 

 and we went out to the courtyard of the church ; and 

 while Mr. Catherwood was attempting a sketch, I walk- 

 ed up the steps. The interior was lofty, spacious, rich- 

 ly ornamented with stuccoed figures and paintings, dark 

 and solemn, and in the distance was the grand altar, 

 with long wax candles burning upon it, and Indians 

 kneeling before it. At the door a man stopped me, and 

 said that I must not enter with sword and spurs, and 

 even that I must take off my boots. I would have 

 done so, but saw that the Indians did not like a stran- 

 ger going into their church. They were evidently en- 

 tirely unaccustomed to the-sight of strangers, and Mr. 

 Catherwood was so annoyed by their gathering round 

 him that he gave up his drawing ; and fearing it would 

 be worse on our return, I told Don Saturnino that we 

 must make an effort to see the stone now. Don Satur- 

 nino had a great respect for the priests and the Church. 

 He was not a fanatic, but he thought a powerful reli- 

 gious influence good for the Indians. Nevertheless, he 

 said we ought to see it ; and we went back in a body 

 to the padre, and Don Saturnino told him that we were 

 anxious to see the stone now, to prevent delay on our 

 return. The good padre's heavy body was troubled. 

 He asked for the provesor's letter again, read it over, 



