the greatest country for pearls yet known. Every
female above the rank of a peasant must have at least one pearl to
ornament the pin that fastens her shawl or mantilla upon the top of her
head. Most of these pearls are of small value, on account of their
imperfection in shape or color; but their abundance is one of the first
things that strike a stranger on entering Mexico. With a change of
fashions, the foreign demand for pearls fell off so much that, for the
last half century, these fisheries have been almost discontinued; but
with the reviving demand for pearls, the fisheries have again risen to
importance. For a more detailed account of these pearl-fisheries, I
must refer to the following note.[27]

In the year 1600 the Jesuits first undertook the establishment of a
mission at Loretto, on the Gulf coast, which has ever since been the
capital of the Peninsula. From the time of their first establishment
here down to the time of the expulsion of the Jesuits from all the
dominions of Spain, in 1767, they continued to cultivate this field,
though it proved more than a match for their wonted perseverance. In a
few places, the soil was made to yield its increase by the skillful
application of the waters that sprung up among the mountains and rocks.
Wherever irrigation was possible at small expense, there an oasis made
its appearance, which was in striking contrast to the general
barrenness that prevailed.

The manner in which conversions were effected by the Spanish priests
may seem a little strange to the "voluntaries" of our day. The idea of
running down a convert with dogs may seem to be rather an original
method of proselyting, and has been severely commented upon by Forbes,
and other Americans who have visited the Missions. But then such men
should bear in mind that Catholics are not voluntaries, and never rely
upon persuasion to make converts when they have the power to use a
stronger argument. If this same class of missionaries used dogs to
convert the Waldenses in Italy, there is a greater reason for using
them among the half-brutish Indians of California. With such a race,
moral suasion has no force; and to adduce arguments to convince a man
whose only rule of action is the gratification of his sensual
appetites, would be labor thrown away.

The good fathers took a more sensible view of the case. Having once
obtained the consent of an Indian to receive Christian baptism, they
took good care that he should not f