260 
SCENES IN THE PACIFIC. 
military commandant in Spanish territory, to prepare ships and 
other means of transport, and on a given day, nine months 
from the date of the edict, to seize and ship to Italy every 
Jesuit within its dominions. And so profoundly secret is this 
measure kept, and so complete is its execution, that on the day 
appointed, all the individuals of this order in Europe, Amer¬ 
ica, and the Spanish islands, are on route, to the several ports 
from which they are to sail for their destination. The worthy 
Padres of California are now, therefore, taking leave of their 
weeping converts. The whole land is sad. The services of 
the churches are interrupted with their lamentations. The 
poor savages crowd about the departing Padres for a. blessing 
How shall they console their grief 7 Who shall love and la¬ 
bor for them 7 Who shall teach, pray for them, and rear them 
step by step onward, to the high estate of a virtuous, enlight¬ 
ened and religious people 7 Alas, poor Indians! from this day 
onward, you return to vice, and fade away. 
This is the history of the conquest of Lower California, by 
the priests of the Catholic church. Religious men persuaded 
the Indians into submission to the civil authorities of Spain. 
