e found to contain sheets of paper,
printed some in Portuguese and some in Latin, but all sealed with the
seals of the ecclesiastical courts in Portugal or at Rome. They were,
indeed, "Indulgences", or "Pardons" for various sins mentioned in the
Romish Rubric, the prices, which varied from half a dollar to seven
dollars, being marked upon each, the latter being for murder and the
most heinous offences of every possible kind, which cannot be mentioned.

"Why, I see none for heresy, or sacrilege, or calling the Pope and his
cardinals gross impostors, and you two worthies are arrant rogues and
fools, or we might have become purchasers to a large amount!" exclaimed
the captain indignantly. "Heave this trumpery overboard, and you,
Senhores priests, may be thankful that you have been deprived of the
means of cheating your countrymen and deceiving the ignorant natives by
your abominable impostures."

The sailors, with shouts of satisfaction, forthwith hove overboard the
boxes of relics, the bales of "indulgences", and the leaden charms,
which quickly sank to the bottom. Some cases of trumpery rosaries were
found and dispatched the same way. The images, or rather the idols, for
such the natives would have regarded them, were lowered overboard, and
went bobbing about astern of the ship, and the water soon washing off
the paint, reduced them to the appearance of shapeless logs. There were
still several cases of crucifixes of all sizes, having the appearance of
silver but were found to be of iron, covered with the thinnest tinsel.
The priests pleaded hard to have them preserved.

"No," said Captain Beauport, firmly; "I will be no party to your
impostures. These are images as well as the others, and more
blasphemous still, seeing that they have in no way the appearance of the
crucified Saviour; and He Himself has said, `Thou shalt not make unto
thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven
above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under
the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for
I the Lord thy God am a jealous God'--and that I am sure you would have
taught the natives to do, for your own people do the same; and so, to
prevent you or others from thus offending God, they must be put
overboard with the rest of your idols."

The priests swore oaths deep, but not loud, that they would be revenged
on the heretics--oaths which they fully intended to keep.