had met with Prince Seravalle, and when
they heard from him of the wild tribes with whom he had dwelt, and who
knew not God, they considered that it was their duty to go and instruct
them.

Thus did these sincere men, old and broken, with one foot resting on
their tombs, again encounter difficulties and danger, to propagate among
the Indians that religion of love and mercy, which they were appointed
to make known.

Their efforts, however, to convert the Shoshones were fruitless. Indian
nature would seem to be a nature apart and distinct. The red men,
unless in suffering or oppression, will not listen to what they call
"the smooth honey words of the pale-faced sages;" and even when they do
so, they argue upon every dogma and point of faith, and remain
unconvinced. The missionaries, therefore, after a time, contented
themselves with practising deeds of charity, with alleviating their
sufferings when able, from their knowledge of medicine and surgery, and
by moral precepts, softening down as much as they could the fierce and
occasionally cruel tempers of this wild untutored race.

Among other advantages which the Shoshones derived from our
missionaries, was the introduction of vaccination. At first it was
received with great distrust, and indeed violently opposed, but the good
sense of the Indians ultimately prevailed; and I do not believe that
there is one of the Shoshones born since the settlement was formed who
has not been vaccinated; the process was explained by the Padres Marini
and Polidori to the native medical men, and is now invariably practised
by them.

I may as well here finish the histories of the good missionaries. When
I was sent upon an expedition to Monterey, which I shall soon have to
detail, Padre Marini accompanied me. Having failed with the Shoshones,
he considered that he might prove useful by locating himself in the
Spanish settlements of California. We parted soon after we arrived at
Monterey, and I have never seen or heard of him since. I shall,
however, have to speak of him again during our journey and sojourn at
that town.

The other, Padre Antonio, died at the settlement previous to my journey
to Monterey, and the Indians still preserve his robes, missal, and
crucifix, as the relics of a good man. Poor Padre Antonio! I would
have wished to have known the history of his former life. A deep
melancholy was stamped upon his features, from some cause of
heart-breaking grief, which