more essential features would be found common to all the establishments.

At sunrise the little community was already astir, and then the Angelus
summoned all to the church, where mass was said, and a short time given
to the religious instruction of the neophytes. Breakfast followed,
composed mainly of the staple dish atole, or pottage of roasted barley.
This finished, the Indians repaired in squads, each under the
supervision of its alcalde, to their various tasks in workshop and
field. Between eleven and twelve o'clock, a wholesome and sufficiently
generous midday meal was served out. At two, work was resumed. An hour
or so before sunset, the bell again tolled for the Angelus; evening mass
was performed; and after supper had been eaten, the day closed with
dance, or music, or some simple games of chance. Thus week by week, and
month by month, with monotonous regularity, life ran its unbroken
course; and what with the labours directly connected with the management
of the mission itself, the tending of sheep and cattle in the
neighboring ranches, and the care of the gardens and orchards upon which
the population was largely dependent for subsistence, there was plenty
to occupy the attention of the padres, and quite enough work to be done
by the Indians under their charge. But all this does not exhaust the
list of mission activities. For in course of time, as existence became
more settled, and the children of the early converts shot up into boys
and girls, various industries were added to such first necessary
occupations, and the natives were taught to work at the forge and the
bench, to make saddles and shoes, to weave, and cut, and sew. In these
and similar acts, many of them acquired considerable proficiency.

It is pleasant enough to look back upon such a busy yet placid life. But
while we may justly acknowledge its antique, pastoral charm, we must
guard ourselves against the temptation to idealization. Beautiful in