138 
SCENES IN THE PACIFIC 
tion of mass, and preparation to be made for repairing the 
ships. One part of the crews therefore is assigned to clean 
and tallow the hulls, another to fill the water casks, and 
another to procure wood and keep guard. 
One day when each department is employed at its appoint¬ 
ed task, a sentinel posted in the forest sees a large body of 
Indians coming along the shore, naked, painted with red and 
white colors, and armed with bows and arrows. In order if 
possible, to avoid bloodshed, the General desires Padre Anto¬ 
nio to go and offer them peace. He is accompanied by En¬ 
sign Juan Francisco and six soldiers. Signs of peace being 
made with a bit of white linen, the Indians immediately de¬ 
liver their arms. The Padre embraces them all affectionate¬ 
ly ; and thus the best understanding is at once established. 
But observing so large a number of persons on board the 
ships, they retire in much apprehension; and after consulting 
some time together, send two of their women alone to the 
tent. They approach with a timid air; but being kindly re¬ 
ceived and presented with beads, biscuit, &c., they return and 
make such a report to their people as soon brings the whole 
troop down to the water side. They are generally naked; 
their bodies striped with white and black paint; and their 
heads loaded with feathers. Their light paint seems to the 
voyagers, to be compounded of silver and other materials; 
and on being asked what it is, they give the Spaniards a piece 
of metallic ore, saying, “ it is made from this.” They add 
that far up in the country there are many people, wearing 
beads and clothes like theirs, who make of this metal such 
ornaments as the General has on his purple velvet doublet. 
All desirable preparations being made, they sail from this 
beautiful bay of San Diego. While they have tarried in it, 
many of the crew who had been sick of the scurvy, have re¬ 
covered, and many others have died. It is a sorrowful occa¬ 
sion for those who still live, to part from the graves of their 
companions. They are interred on the borders of the magni¬ 
ficent forest northwest of the bay ; and the well known trees 
