the audacity to do so, or to take the least thing, he
would surely die immediately), saw a tree covered with a certain fruit
which they call _pahos_, [36] that resemble the excellent plums that
we know in Europa. As it was so ripe and mellow, he ordered them
to climb the tree and get some of the fruit. Those accompanying
him refused roundly, but he insisted on his desire. They finally
explained, and said that they would do it under no consideration;
for, beyond all doubt, those who dared to offend the respect for
that place would die very suddenly. Upon hearing that, the father was
inflamed with zeal for the honor and worship of the true God whom he
was preaching. Asking them whether all trees around about had that
quality of inflicting death on him who touched them, accidentally or
designedly, they answered "Yes." Then elevating his voice, he gave
them a fervent discourse against the delusion under which they were
laboring; and concluded by intimating to them that he himself would
get and eat the fruit, as well as cut down the trees, so that they
might see that one would not die, and so that they might thereby be
freed from the error and blindness of their ancestors. The Indians
were very sorrowful because father Fray Rodrigo had decided to eat
of the fruit, and they accordingly begged him earnestly and humbly
not to do it. But the good religious, arming himself with prayer
and with the sign of the cross, and repeating that antiphony, _Ecce
crucem Domini: fugite partes adversae. Vicit leo de tribu Juda,_ [37]
began to break the branches and to climb the tree, where he gathered
a great quantity of the fruit. He ate not a little of it before them
all, in detestation of their wicked superstitions and ill-founded
fears. The Indians looked at his face, expecting every moment to see
him a dead man. But they immediately recognized the truth of what
he told them. He charged them not to tell anyone what they had seen
him do there. On arriving at the village, he divided the rest of the
fruit that he brought, and kept for that purpose, among the other
chiefs and influential persons, who ate it with gusto, esteeming it
as a present from that father. The next day, after assembling them
(much to their pleasure), he execrated their ignorance in a long
sermon, and told them the secret of the fruit. Thereupon, all of them,
convinced and surprised, not one of them being wanting, followed him
axes in hand, and felled that thicket, casting