voice, as though coming from the picture and
declaring that the Madonna desired to be landed on the neighbouring
coast. Whereupon they bound themselves by a vow that if they reached
land in safety they would build a sanctuary then and there in memory of
their miraculous preservation. No sooner was the vow uttered than the
wind fell, the storm ceased and the surface of the waters became as
smooth as polished glass, over which the fortunate bark glided without
guidance into harbour--and this to the great astonishment of the crew who
observed that her course lay among dangerous shoals and sunken rocks.

The joyful mariners returned thanks to their Blessed Protectress and
immediately began to perform their vow; but while disembarking, they
found themselves surrounded by a crowd of armed peasants who, taking them
for Turkish pirates, ran to the spot with the intention of frustrating
their supposed nefarious designs. Mutual explanations averted bloodshed,
and the peasants then began to dissuade the sailors from performing their
vow in so literal a manner, pointing out that they would be abandoning
their precious charge to the risk, if not the certainty, of sacrilegious
theft at the hands of the corsairs who frequented that harbour. In the
end the simple mariners yielded to the arguments of the peasants, and
with many tears consigned the picture to their care. The peasants put it
into a cart harnessed with two oxen who started to draw it inland, but
would only go in a direction chosen by themselves and, after proceeding
two or three kilometres, lay down and by no means could be persuaded to
go a step further. This was accepted as an indication of the Madonna's
approval of what had been done and of her desire that her church should
be erected there, and on that spot now stands the Sanctuary of Custonaci.
The poor sailors, grieving bitterly for the loss of their treasure,
returned to the ship and continued their interrupted voyage till they
reached Marseilles in safety.

Owing to the culpable negligence of those who ought to have considered it
a privilege to be permitted to chronicle the many important miracles
which the Madonna performed in honour of the arrival of her picture, we
have particulars of only two cures wrought in those times, one on a
cripple and the other on a mute. Any one, however, who is disposed to
doubt that there were many more has only to visit the sanctuary and take
note of the large number of voti