TRAVELS IN THE CALIFORNIAS. 
227 
his absence, a band of forty depredators, from a neighboring 
island, called Cerralvo, has visited the mission, and finding 
neither Padre nor guard in possession, killed six baptized child¬ 
ren, two women and one man; and taking another prisoner, 
returned to their homes. The Padre is sad at this unprovoked 
barbarity upon his neophytes. But the Captain of the guard 
is so enraged, that accompanied by a small party of soldiers, 
he crosses to the island to chastise the savages. They flee at 
his approach and hide themselves among the rocks. He, 
however, kills a sufficient number to intimidate the living from 
a like attempt in future, and returns to the mission. 
The confidence of the Indian converts in the Padre, is 
greatly increased by this punishment of their enemies. Yet 
the Padre does not think best to continue his mission so far 
from La Paz, whence all its supplies must come. According 
ly, he selects a spot called Santa Anna, situated thirty leagues 
from La Paz, and five from the Gulf. Here he builds a 
chapel and small house, and labors with much success for the 
establishment of Christianity. In 1723 he builds a church 
farther in the interior, with the intention of making it the 
seat of his mission. But an unavoidable accident puts an end 
to this design. For when the church is so far finished that 
the beams and rafters are laid for the roof, the Padre is sum¬ 
moned one day to attend the deathbed of one of his Indians. 
During his absence one of the terrible tempests, so common 
in Lower California, comes up, and the Indians take shelter 
in the unfinished church. The storm increases, the church is 
prostrated, and several Indians are buried under it! Padre 
Napoli hastens to the spot, and does everything in his power 
for the relief of the sufferers. But his benevolent acts are 
misunderstood. The living are thoroughly incensed at the 
death of their friends, and begin to concert schemes to de¬ 
stroy the Padre. From this they are at length dissuaded by 
the repeated assurances of the survivors, that they retired to 
the church of their own choice, so that in time ail becomes 
quiet again. The church is built and dedicated to San Jago; 
♦ 
