place we visited after
passing the entrance to the palace. It was built by some Italian
friars in 1640, and so closely adjoins the palace that some travellers
have referred to it as the Viceregal Chapel. The facade, with its
Corinthian columns, and the fine cupola rising behind them, reminds
one of St. Peter's at Rome in miniature. Outside the church, exposed
to the full heat of the burning sun, a party of half-clad natives were
scrubbing _with soap and water_ some fine full-length oil portraits of
past viceroys, governors, and archbishops, which had been removed from
the sacristy for this purpose. Among them were those of Vasco de Gama,
and of Affonso Albuquerque, the first European conqueror of Goa. The
church had not yet been opened, so we waited in a long room in the
adjacent convent, through which the sea-breeze blew with delicious
coolness. After a short rest we went out into a balcony and looked
with delight over a forest of tropical vegetation, to the blue river
running swiftly through the trees, with the paler grey of the distant
ghats beyond. When at last we gained admittance to the church, we much
admired its graceful dome and the fine altar-piece in the principal
chapel. Close to and in striking contrast with this grand painting
stood a little group of scantily clothed natives, who had evidently
taken advantage of the opportunity of inspecting the sacred edifice
which our visit afforded. The windows of the church are made of small
panes of the thin, semi-transparent inner scale of the pearl oyster,
used in place of glass--a fashion still followed in many of the
private houses of Goa. These shell windows, the materials for which
must formerly have been very plentiful in the neighbourhood, admit a
peculiarly soft and tender light.

[Illustration: St. Xavier, Goa]

From S. Cajetan we proceeded to the Cathedral of S. Caterina, one of
the oldest buildings of Goa, and the only church in which daily
religious service on a grand scale is now held. Albuquerque was the
founder of this sacred edifice, which took seventy-five years to
build, and has been well described as 'worthy of one of the principal
cities of Europe.' Dr. Russell, visiting it with H.R.H. the Prince of
Wales, speaks of its 'vast and noble proportions.' We were amazed by
the richness of the materials, and the artistic beauty of the
elaborate carving which met the eye in every direction. The vaulted
ceiling, the mosaic covered side-chapels, and the h