160 SCENES IN THE PACIFIC. 
near to these are raised the barracks. The Padres employ 
themselves with the Indians. A small tribe is allowed to take 
up quarters near the camp. 
The native priests, perceiving by this movement of their 
people, that their authority is diminishing, raise a party to op¬ 
pose the Padres. They steal a long-boat and break it in pieces ; 
attack a party in pursuit of them, and are driven from the ground; 
repent, and are again received into favor by the forgiving 
Padres. Don Pedro Gil de la Sierpe sends Padre Salva Tier- 
ra a bark called San Firmin, and a long-boat called San 
Xavier. With these they bring wood, fruits, and horses and 
cattle, from the opposite coast of Senora. The Padres under¬ 
stand the Indian languages; they also have horses to bear 
them in their travels; and they undertake, in the beginning 
of the year 1699, to explore different parts of the country. 
Padres Salva Tierra and Piccolo visit a place called Londo, 
eight leagues northward from Loretto. Here is found a 
populous village and some tillable land. But the inhabitants 
flee as the Padres approach. They call it San Juan de Lon¬ 
do. Next they attempt to penetrate Vigge Biaundo, lying 
south of Loretto. On the tenth of May, the soldiers, after 
much suffering among the rugged precipices, refusing to go 
farther, Padre Piccolo determines to go alone, and climbs 
the precipices till he comes to a village, where he is received 
by the savages with the most cordial demonstrations of love. 
He instructs them four days; names the place San Xavier, 
and departs. Some portions of this mountain valley can be ir¬ 
rigated and tilled for grains and fruit trees. The neighboring 
heights are craggy and barren; about their bases are some 
fine pasture lands. 
From San Xavier, Padre Piccolo goes westward to the sea, 
and explores its coast in vain for a harbor and habitable lands. 
During this journey he discovers, four leagues southwest from 
San Xavier, a large village of tractable Indians. They reside 
on the head waters of a fine stream running westward into 
the Pacific;—a beautiful spot among a dreary desolation, 
