Page:Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world in the years 1791-95, volume 2.djvu/29

12 November.

in the neighbourhood, are kept clean, inftrufled, and have every necef fary care taken of them ; and in return for thefe advantages they mull fubmit to certain regulations ; anionglt which, they are not fuffered to go out of the interior fquare in the day time without permilTion : are never to fleep out of it at night ; and to prevent elopements, this fquare has no communication with the country but by one common door, which the fathers themfcivcs take care of, and ice that it is well fecured every evening, as alfo the apartments of the women, who generally retire im- mediately after fuppcr.

If I am corrcftly informed by the dinTcrent Spanifli genilemen with whom I convcrfed on this fubjecl, the uniform, mild, and kind-hearted difpo^'tion of this religious order, has never failed to attach to their in- terell the alfrclions of the natives, wherever they have fat down amongfl them ; this is a very happy cireumflance, for their fituation otherwiie would be exceffively precarious ; as they are protefled only by five fol- diers who refide under the direftions of a corporal, in the i)uildings of the miffion at fome diflance on the other fule of the church.

The cRabliniinent mud certainK- be cnnfidcrcd as liable to fome danger. Should thefe children of nature be eer induced to atl an ungrateful and treacherous part, they inight eafily conceal fulhcient weapons to eirert any evil purpofe. There are only three fathers; thefe live by themfelves, and fhould any attempt be made upon them at night, the very means 1 hey have adopted for their fecurii)- niii;ht depriethem of any affidance from the guard until it might be too late; and individuallv, they could make but little refillance. Should a coiifpiracv for []cv de(lru(!lion take place, the inifTion woukl loon la!l, and there would be little doubt of the confpirators being joined by the Indians of the village, which is in the vicinity of the million, and was laid t;) contain fix hundred perfons ; but on vifuing it, I confidcred their mun- ber greatly over-rated. 'i'he mnjor part of them, I imderflood, were converted to the Roman Catholic perfiiafion ; but I was allonilhed lo obferve how few advantages had attended their couverfton.

They feemed to have treated with the molt j-ierlefl indilferenc" the precepts, and laborious example, of [hviv t'uly worthy and benevolent