We have followed the venerable band of missionaries from their homes in Spain, where fired with zeal for the conversion of the savage heathen of the New World they set out for the comparatively newly discovered land of Mexico, where Spain had already a few establishments and churches, an archbishopric in the city of Mexico, and the Franciscan Fathers a well equipped monastery and mission at San Fernando in the northern part of the country. We have seen the Spanish Franciscans' zeal in the land of the Aztec, and we have also seen the noble cooperation given them by the government and civil authorities of Catholic Spain. We have traced the missionaries' steps, followed by gallant Portola, and his fellow officers and men, and have sympathized and rejoiced with them in their hardships and joys. We have no doubt, often marveled at the stupendous work of the Sons of Saint Francis in the conversion of the unenlightened heathen, and have seen the Indian tribes turn from the worship of idols to the altar of the one true God. Let us now give a brief glance at the work so nobly done by the immortal heroes which Catholic Spain sent to these shores. Many a time, winter blasts of misunderstanding and wrong have been cast upon them, and many a time have noble sympathizers fought just battles with prejudice in their behalf, with the blessed result that the thickest clouds of errors and "threadbare calumnies" have almost entirely disappeared, and with them the remaining mists of wrong are fast vanishing at the powerful approach of truth's sun, so that in relating the glories of that legion of splendid characters whose names are so tenderly clasped about the fondest memories of mission times, we shall not forget their friends and champions of later years.