332 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



who told him the same thing, and also the manner of 

 observing the Sunday in England, which they all thought 

 must be very stupid. 



Perhaps upon less ground than this the whole Span- 

 ish American priesthood has at times been denounced 

 as a set of unprincipled gamblers, but I have too warm 

 a recollection of their many kindnesses to hold them 

 up in this light. They were all intelligent and good men, 

 who would rather do benefits than an injury ; in mat- 

 ters connected with religion they were most reverential, 

 laboured diligently in their vocations, and were without 

 reproach among their people. By custom and educa- 

 tion they did not consider that they were doing wrong. 

 From my agreeable intercourse with them, and my re- 

 gard for their many good qualities, I would fain save 

 them from denunciations of utter unworthiness which 

 might be cast upon them. Nevertheless, it is true that 

 dinner was delayed, and all the company kept waiting 

 until they had finished their game of cards. 



The table was set in an unoccupied house adjoining. 

 Every white man in the village, except the prefect and 

 alcalde, was present ; the former being away at his 

 hacienda, and the latter, from the sneering references 

 he made to it, I suspected was not invited. In all 

 there were fifteen or sixteen, and I was led to the seat 

 of honour at the head of the table. I objected, but the 

 padres seated me perforce. After the gentlemen were 

 seated, it was found that, by sitting close, there was 

 room for some ladies, and after the arrangements for 

 the table were completed, they were invited to take 

 seats. Unluckily, there was only room for three, who 

 sat all together on my left. In a few minutes I felt 

 very much as if the dinner was got up expressly for me. 

 It was long since I had seen such a table, and I mourned 



