ACROSS UNKNOWN SOUTH AMERICA 
received me very politely and took the greatest delight 
in showing me all over the Mission. It was interesting 
to note that everybody was working hard. The Father 
Superior himself was busy shaping a big table from a 
huge plank of hard wood, and nothing could induce him 
to leave his sweating work, not even his meals. Father 
Colli Agostino was detailed to go round and explain 
everything to me. 
The Salesians had no trouble with the Indians, 
whom they found quite gentle and docile. Rut they could 
never be relied upon. One day the entire tribe would 
come and help to work the soil with great vigour; the 
next day they would all disappear from the neighbour¬ 
hood, and no one knew where they had gone, sometimes 
for weeks. They invariably came back, sooner or later, 
and, what was more, they were always welcomed back. 
Converting them to Christianity was a different 
matter. The Salesians had made little headway in that 
direction. 
“ We are patient people,” said Father Colli; “it will 
come in time. Already the Bororos are beginning to 
join us in the church, where many enjoy singing with us. 
They are intelligent and soon learn to sing.” 
I purchased, at almost prohibitive prices, many things 
from the Salesians, principally food for my animals and 
men. Of course, in buying, one had to realize where we 
were, which made all the difference in the price. I was 
glad to pay them the money and obtain the commodities. 
The Salesians told me that while digging to make the 
foundations for one of their buildings, they had found, 
only three feet under ground, in the sandy soil, several 
earthen pots of great antiquity, in excellent preservation, 
as well as a fireplace with ashes and charcoal. The sand 
had evidently accumulated in the valley below there, owing 
to wind and not to water. The frail pottery, imperfectly 
baked, would have crumbled away quickly in moisture. 
232 
