MONASTERY OF CRIQUINQUIllA. 239 



on turning round, I observed the pilgrims 

 most furiously beating their breasts, and 

 rapidly crossing themselves over and over 

 again. On turning my eyes from this ridi- 

 culous scene, I examined the picture of 

 the Virgin, which I found to be a very bad 

 painting, stuck over with a profusion of 

 very small emeralds, and some still smaller 

 diamonds. The friars having satisfied our 

 curiosity, — w^ith the same form as on rais- 

 ing the veil, now drew it over again. We 

 next went into the vestry, and were shewn 

 a very fine emerald, which the friars valued 

 at four thousand dollars, but I do not think 

 it was worth a thousand ; they informed us 

 they had received presents of jewels to the 

 amount of four hundred thousand dollars, 

 but appeared rather confused when I asked 

 them to produce them, and said they could 

 not get the key of the place where they 

 were locked up: the fact from good infor- 

 mation I believe is, that they convert the 



