152 
SCENES IN THE PACIFIC. 
take it, at his own expense ; and if none so offer, it is ordered 
to be accomplished at the expense of the crown. Admiral 
Pinadero having refused, Admiral Otondo accepts the proposi¬ 
tion. The spiritual Government is conferred on the Jesuits. 
Padre Kino as superior, and Padres Copart and Goni accom¬ 
pany the expedition. 
They put to sea from Chacala on the eighteenth of May, 
1683, and in fourteen days reach La Paz. They think it 
singular, on landing, not to see any Indians; hut as soon as 
they begin to erect a garrison, considerable numbers appear, 
armed and hideously painted, who intimate by signs that the 
Spaniards must leave their country. After some effort, how¬ 
ever, on the part of the Padres, and uniform kindness from the 
officers, soldiers and seamen, their intercourse becomes 
apparently unconstrained and friendly. Soon, however, cir¬ 
cumstances occur which arouse suspicion. The reported 
murder of a mulatto boy, added to some indignities towards 
the garrison, indicate the need of great watchfulness on the 
part of the voyagers. Danger lurks near them. The Guaya- 
curos among whom they sojourn, offer to unite with their 
enemies, the Coras, for the extirpation of the Spaniards. The 
Coras appear to entertain the proposition, but report it to the 
Admiral on their earliest opportunity. The soldiers are thrown 
into such a panic by the discovery of this plot, that the Admi¬ 
ral and Padres are obliged to exert all their authority and 
persuasion to induce them to meet the event with fortitude. 
The day of the intended massacre arrives. The Indians ap¬ 
pear, to the number of thirteen or fourteen hundred. A pa- 
derero , or cannon, is fired among them, by which ten or 
twelve are killed and several wounded. The remainder 
retire in confusion to their rancherias. The garrison 
is safe; no one even wounded. But this victory does 
not discourage their fear of the Indians. The dry crags, 
the treeless sands and thirsty torrent-chasms are, to the 
anxious minds of the timid men, peopled with forms of death; 
and every howl of the lean wolf upon the heights, grates like 
