It would be a very fine thing if their neighbors would imitate their example.
We had the honor of being presented to the Prime Minister, and by him to the President of the Republic, General Vulnes. It appears that the Government extends its solicitous care also over the natives, particularly the Araucanians, a savage nation living across the Bio-bio river and down as far as to Patagonia. Preparations are being made to carry the light of faith to those tribes, which have been so long left in darkness, but show the most favorable dispositions to correspond to the zeal of the missionaries whom it will please divine Providence to send to them. The Government has sent an agent to Europe, with power and means to bring back the Jesuits into this vast Republic.
At Santiago, and throughout the Republic, some very edifying religious practices exist. At the Angelus, at the sound of the bell, everybody stops in the streets, uncovers his head and recites the prayers of the angelic salutation very devoutly. When the sound of the cathedral bell announces the elevation of the mass, every one prostrates himself, with his face turned toward the church, and adores the holy sacrament single-mindedly and in silence. When the holy sacrament is carried to a sick person, the priest goes in an open carriage and carries the host conspicuously; at his passage all the families come forth from their houses and all the passers-by prostrate themselves and entone canticles to the praise of God. It is an uninterrupted succession of different choirs until he reaches the sick person's resi
dence. If the priest takes the holy sacrament to several sick persons, it is in procession: he is accompanied by a guard of honor and preceded by a military band. The ancient faith is far from being dead in South America. Some modern travelers seem to wish to claim the contrary: they judge by practices and ceremonies which they do not understand and the purity and grandeur of which are unknown to them they visit for the most part only the impious and incredulous of their own stamp.