The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 36, July 1932 - April, 1933 Page: 187
328 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Frontier Life in Southern Arizona, 1858-1861
brick of a large size and is ornamented both outside and inside
by numerous statues - the walls are very thick and there are
no seats - the congregation must have been required to stand
up during service - the interior is elaborately carved, painted and
bronzed - there are several very large paintings on the wall rep-
resenting religious subjects, but they are not fine specimens
of art - some of them have almost been obliterated by time -
but most of the statuary and ornamental work is complete - at
the present moment I am sitting in the confessional choir - it
looks as venerable as the hills - and had it the power of speech,
"It could many a tale unfold, to harrow up my soul, and freeze
my blood" - it is surprising to me how this Church was ever
built in the midst of a howling wilderness, with no means of
communicating with the sea coast or transporting material ex-
cept by a long and tedious overland journey through a country
inhabited by fierce and warlike Savages - the Jesuits certainly
deserve credit for their untiring perseverance and zeal in their
endeavor to promulgate and establish their religion - there was
no difficulty to embarrass them, no obstacle that they would not
finally overcome- this magnificent Church in the wilderness will
stand as a monument to their memory - there is no priest in
charge of it now and it is very seldom that service is performed
here - the birds are its only occupants and they sing praises
here from morning until night - they build their nests on the
heads of the saints and warble their notes of joy while, perched
on their fingers - they do not respect the sacred image of Christ
for a noisy swallow has built her nest in the crown of thorns that
circles his brow and at this moment is perched on his bleeding
hand scolding loudly at my near approach - the door is always
left open but the property of the Church is not disturbed - the
natives look upon the structure with a feeling of awe and could
not be persuaded to deface or injure it - if this country should
ever again become thickly populated, it will be renovated and
repaired and again used as a place of worship -
We leave for Tubac in a few minutes -
June 17th. Arrived at Tubac about 6 o'clock last evening. It
commenced raining about 10 o'clock and continued at intervals
during the day. This is the commencement of the rainey season.
It will probably rain very frequently now for some time. It has
cooled the atmosphere and the weather is much more pleasant
now than it was a few days ago. Tubac is a paradise compared
with Tucson. The scenery is beautiful. It is situated in a beau-
tiful valley, surrounded by mountains. The valley and hills are
covered with timber, Mezquit and cotton wood of a large growth.
It is refreshing to the eye to look upon green foliage and lofty
trees after traveling so long over sandy wastes and boundless
Prairies. The health here is fine, the water good and there is187
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 36, July 1932 - April, 1933, periodical, 1933; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101093/m1/207/: accessed May 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.