It was in the afternoon, and the padre and his men passed the time till
nightfall in making a few huts for themselves like those of the Indians.
The next morning, before he would permit anything else to be done, he
made an altar of earth, which he covered all over with the green growing
grass, and there offered up a sacrifice to his God. He had with him some
children he had brought from San Diego, and after the mass he baptized
them. My mother and some of the Indians had been to San Diego, to the
mission there, and were not afraid, but nearly all the Indians did not
dare come near.
"As soon as the mass was ended, the padre marked out on the ground the
lines for the mission buildings, and the men went to work making adobes.
After a few days, the Indians began to lose their fear of the
cristianos, and it was not long before they were helping in all the work
to be done. The padre paid them every day for what they did; he would
give them clothes or something to eat, and they were very glad to work
for him; and it was only a short time when a great crowd was busy on the
buildings.
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