ion; Nuestra Senora del Rosario; El Senor del Transfiguracion;
El Senor de Misericordia; San Antonio, the patron of souls, and El
Santo Cristo del Amor. Each of these saints, while acting as patron in
general, is also under the special care of a patron in particular.

The process of putting a saint under patronage is peculiar. Among the
images distributed around the walls of the church, whenever one is
observed to attract particular attention, as, for instance, if Indians
are found frequently kneeling before it, and making offerings, the
padre requires of the cacique twelve Indians to serve and take care of
the saint, who are called mayoles. These are furnished according to the
requisition, and they elect a head, but not from their own number, who
is called the patron, and to them is intrusted the guardianship of the
saint. The padre, in his robes of office, administers an oath, which is
sanctified by sprinkling them with holy water. The patron is sworn to
watch over the interests of the saint, to take care of all the candles
and other offerings presented to him, and to see that his fete is
properly observed; and the mayoles are sworn to obey the orders of the
patron in all things touching the custody and service of the saint. One
of these saints, to whom a patron had been assigned, was called El
Santo Cristo del Amor, the addition having reference to the love of the
Saviour in laying down his life for man. The circumstance of the
Saviour being reverenced as a saint was as new to us as that of a saint
having a patron. It was the fiesta of this saint which was now
celebrated, and to which we were formally invited. We accepted the
invitation, but, having had a hard day's work, we were taking supper
rather leisurely, when the patron came in a hurry to tell as that the
procession was ready, and the saint was only waiting for us. Not
wishing to put him to this inconvenience, we hurried through our meal,
and proceeded to the church.

The procession had formed in the body of the church, and at the head of
it, in the doorway, were Indians bearing the cross. Upon our arrival it
began to move with a loud chant, and under the direction of the patron.
Next to the cross were four Indians, bearing on a barrow the figure of
the saint, being that of the Saviour on the cross, about a foot high,
and fastened against a broad wooden back with a canopy overhead, and a
small looking-glass on each side. This was followed by the patron and
hi