TRAVELS OF THE MISSIONARIES. 



43T 



Rosa of Viterbo. She still preserved a strong attachment to the christian religion,, 

 endeavouring to enforce the observance of its maxims as far as it was in her power. 

 She lamented the tragical fate of the missionaries who had perished in the year 

 1767 5 and informed father Girbal, that the Chipeos had been the authors of 

 these sacrilegious attempts, which, she assured him, had been avenged by the In- 

 dians belonging to her nation, who had, on that account, engaged them in a 

 bloody conflift, which had terminated in their defeat. She likewise informed him 

 that, on the entrance of friar Manuel Gil by the route of Pozuzu, her tribe went 

 out to meet him, and delivered him from the hands of the barbarians, who had 

 assumed a menacing aspeft, and would not allow him to proceed on his way. She 

 added, that friar Francisco de St Joseph* having been solicited by her nation to 

 remain with them, and having promised tliem to return, they had, three succes- 

 sive summers, gone up to the confluence of the Pachitea and Ucayali, and had as 

 often descended the Maranon, with the hope of being able to meet with him. The 

 relations, deportment, and wishes of Anna Rosa, were a source of much consolation 

 to father GirbaL To the end that he might take every advantage of so favourable 

 a disposition, and considering that the descent from Lamas by the Huallaga and 

 Maranon, and the ascent by the Ucayali, would lead him a considerable distance 

 out of his dire£l route, he conceived the design of crossing the Plain of the Sacra- 

 ment. He was more particularly urged to this attempt, because, according to the 

 information given to him by the unconverted Indians in whose presence he was, 

 and who made a voluntary offer to accompany him, he might find a passage out of 

 the Huallaga in front of Cumbasa. This projeft, if carried into efFe£l, presented 

 a thousand advantages, not only by shortening the distance, but likewise because 

 the Panos, on seeing the good government established at Tarapoto and Cumbasa, 

 might conceive an affeftion for a civilized mode of life. With this intention he 

 dismissed the Indians belonging to the Omaguas nation, solely retaining the little 

 boy who afted as interpreter, and abandoned himself to the diredtion of the bar- 

 barians, confiding in the Divine Providence. 



On the 1 1th, the above-mentioned enterprise of passing to Cumbasa, was com- 

 menced. Fatlier Girbal was escorted by five canoes manned with Indians belong- 

 ing to the tribes of Panos and Conivos, with whom he descended by the Sarayacu 



* The above-mentioned friar escaped the Manoa massacres, in consequence of having set wit a few 

 days before they were committed, to render to his prelates an account of the progress of the missionaries. 

 This providential escape enabled him afterwards to accompany father Gil on his expedition to the suc- 

 cour of Manoa, 



to 



