196 
SCENES IN THE PACIFIC. 
motive, when linked with zeal drawn from faith in God ? 
These Padres look for death, but they desire to die, sickle in 
hand, reaping the harvests of redemption! They toil on; 
they gather wandering Indians into towns; instruct them, 
thirsting and starving a part of each day, and spending the 
remainder among the mountains and forests, gathering here 
and there a dried root, or a bunch of wild fruit, to eat. 
Padre Ugarte is even not content with these labors, but 
makes exploring tours among the Indian settlements south of 
San Xavier. Wherever he goes they throng his way, ask for 
the baptism of their children and the establishment of missions 
among them. It is 1712, and Padre Piccolo, though in bad 
health, imitates the zeal of Padre Ugarte. With the Captain, 
a few soldiers and Indians, he travels westward from Santa 
Rosalia Mulege, crosses the mountains of Vajademin, finds 
beyond them a small clear brook; follows it to the sea, ex¬ 
amines the barren coast about its mouth, ascends a little 
stream about twenty miles; erects a cross and devotes the 
neighboring grounds to a contemplated mission. While he 
remains here many hundred Indians come in from the neigh¬ 
boring settlements, beseeching the Padre to remain with them, 
and as an inducement to do so, promise to give him their best 
wild fruits and feathers, and devote their children to the 
Catholic faith. He agrees to send them a Padre to instruct 
them more fully in religion, and returns to his station. 
The vessels used by the people of the opposite coast in 
fishing for pearls bring a scanty supply of provisions. The 
Padre and people clothe themselves in the skins of wild 
beasts, and continue their labors. In the year 1716, Padre 
Salva Tierra sails south in a brigantine called Guadalupe, 
to La Paz, in order to make peace with the Guaycuros, who 
still retain an unfavorable remembrance of Admiral Otondo’s 
ill-advised conduct, and the constantly repeated injuries of the 
pearl fishermen. He is accompanied by three Guaycuri 
prisoners taken from the pearl fishers, whom he is carry¬ 
ing back to their homes. 
