198 
SCENES IN THE PACIFIC. 
It is now eighteen years since Padre Salva Tierra landed 
in California and erected the cross at Loretto. His labors 
have been arduous and unremitted. His trials by shipwreck 
and tempests, by progresses over mountains and deserts, by 
hunger and thirst, by arrows and Indian knives, by endu¬ 
rances of all kinds, have whitened his hair, withered his 
bones and muscles, made his steps unstable and his head 
tremble at the throbs of his heart. He feels that the holy 
water must soon fall on his coffin lid, and California be de¬ 
prived of his services. It is the year 1717. He is at Loretto, 
with little to eat, and badly clad, and scarcely able to walk 
or stand. But he teaches the children—exhorts the adults to 
the service of God, and superintends every particular move¬ 
ment of the garrison and the mission. In March, Padre 
Nicholas Tamaral, appointed to the proposed mission of La 
Purissima, arrives at Loretto, bringing letters from the reign¬ 
ing Viceroy of Mexico, in which among other matters it is 
stated that the King has forwarded important instructions rela¬ 
tive to advancing most efficiently the spiritual conquest of 
California, together with a summons that Padre Salva Tierra 
shall immediately repair to Mexico to aid in devising the best 
means of effecting that object. Disease, pain, want and 
danger present no obstacles to this aged Patriarch, when the 
interest of his missions calls upon him for action. He im¬ 
mediately determines to go to Mexico. Accordingly the 
government of California is committed to the wisdom of Padre 
Ugarte, and on the 31st of the same month of March, the 
good Padre and Jayme Bravo sail for Matanchel. 
Nine days’ passage brings them to the desired port; they 
take mules for Tepic; the good Padre suffers greatly at 
every misstep of his animal; they arrive at Tepic; the Pa¬ 
dre is in extreme torture ; but tortures cannot deter him from 
his holy labors; he is too weak and too much racked with 
pain to mount a horse or mule, and is therefore borne in a 
litter on the shoulders of Indians, to Guadalaxara. Here his 
illness increases so that he can proceed no farther. He is 
