158 
SCENES IN THE PACIFIC. 
little destruction of life as possible. Padre Salya Tierra de¬ 
sires that course to be pursued. The Indians return to the at¬ 
tack repeatedly for two hours, throwing stones, arrows, and 
wooden javelins into the trenches, when suddenly the whole 
body retreats and the action ceases. Half an hour elapses, and 
they return reinforced, and press upon the trenches with rage so 
fierce and deadly, that the hope of successful resistance with¬ 
out the paderero grows faint. The Padre, therefore, consents 
to have it fired. The match is applied. But instead of de¬ 
stroying the Indians, it bursts in pieces and flies about the 
camp, knocking Juan Caravana senseless to the ground. 
The Indians against whom it has been levelled, perceive this 
misfortune, and send notice of it to others with the remark, 
that since the paderero does not kill, they need not fear the 
smaller pieces. Of this they are the more persuaded, because 
the Padre has ordered the soldiers to shoot over them. And 
the kind old priest, now that the Captain thinks it necessary to 
fire into the Indian ranks, rushes between the guns and the 
savages, beseeching them not to press on sure destruction! 
Three arrows shot at him are the reward of his kindness. 
Happily, the Padre is not injured. But he withdraws and 
leaves them to their fate. And now they fall before the 
muskets of the soldiers! The wounded and dying groan on 
every side ! A route succeeds! They fly in confusion to their 
villages! 
Soon after, messengers of peace arrive. The first is a 
Chief. He weeps; he talks in broken grief ; he acknow¬ 
ledges himself the cause of these disturbances ; he first formed 
the plot, inspirited and drew in the other tribes ; he an.d they 
have sought vengeance; but are now sincerely repentant. 
Next comes a band of women leading children. They seat 
themselves at the gate of the camp, and weeping bitterly, and 
promising good conduct for themselves and their husbands, 
offer the children as hostages. The good Padre is greatly 
rejoiced to see these signs of sorrow > explains to them 
