DISCOVERIES OF THE PORTUGUESE. 123 
brought to be baptized, the missionaries made di- 
ligent search for these cords ; and if any were 
found, instead of baptism, a smart whipping was 
administered. One poor woman being thus de- 
tected, began, with great simplicity, to excuse her- 
self by saying, that of four cords which had been 
round the child, she had carefully taken off three, 
but had unluckily forgot the fourth. The amuse- 
ment which this apology excited in the assembly, 
induced the missionary to remit the usual chastise- 
ment. 
Merolla finding his utmost efforts to put down 
these superstitions insufficient, had recourse to an 
expedient which we cannot admire altogether so 
much as he himself appears to do. Having an 
image in relievo of the Blessed Virgin, he procur- 
ed a dagger and struck it into her breast, then be- 
smeared the body with blood, making it appear to 
have flowed from the wound. The missionary 
then began a long sermon against all their super- 
stitions, dwelling particularly on the injury which 
they did to the Holy Mother ; at the end of 
which, he drew aside a curtain, and exhibited to 
them the deplorable condition to which they had 
reduced her. At this spectacle, the hearts of the 
congregation were melted, and they burst into the 
most doleful cries and lamentations. Merolla was 
particularly edified by the conduct of one man, 
who, having a wife and daughter whom he knew 
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