ized ▁accounts ▁of ▁actual ▁historical ▁figures , ▁including ▁Kit ▁Car son , ▁Manuel ▁Antonio ▁Ch aves ▁and ▁Pope ▁Gregory ▁XVI . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁pro log ue , ▁Bishop ▁Mont fer rand , ▁a ▁French ▁bishop ▁who ▁works ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁World , ▁solic its ▁three ▁card inals ▁at ▁Rome ▁to ▁pick ▁his ▁candidate ▁for ▁the ▁newly ▁created ▁dioc ese ▁of ▁New ▁Mexico ▁( which ▁has ▁recently ▁passed ▁into ▁American ▁hands ). ▁Bishop ▁Mont fer rand ▁is ▁successful ▁in ▁getting ▁his ▁candidate , ▁the ▁Au ver gn at ▁Jean - Marie ▁Lat our , ▁recommended ▁by ▁the ▁card inals ▁over ▁the ▁recommendation ▁of ▁the ▁Bishop ▁of ▁Dur ango ▁( wh ose ▁territory ▁New ▁Mexico ▁had ▁previously ▁fallen ▁under ). ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁card inals , ▁a ▁Sp ani ard ▁named ▁All ende , ▁all udes ▁to ▁a ▁painting ▁by ▁El ▁Gre co ▁taken ▁from ▁his ▁family ▁by ▁a ▁mission ary ▁to ▁the ▁New ▁World ▁and ▁lost , ▁and ▁asks ▁for ▁the ▁new ▁Bishop ▁to ▁search ▁for ▁it . ▁ ▁The ▁action ▁then ▁switch es ▁to ▁the ▁primary ▁character , ▁Bishop ▁Jean ▁Marie ▁Lat our , ▁who ▁travel s ▁with ▁his ▁friend ▁and ▁vic ar ▁Joseph ▁Va ill ant ▁from ▁Sand us ky , ▁Ohio ▁to ▁New ▁Mexico . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁Lat our ' s ▁departure ▁for ▁New ▁Mexico , ▁C inc inn ati ▁is ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁railway ▁line ▁west , ▁so ▁Lat our ▁must ▁travel ▁by ▁river bo at ▁to ▁the ▁G ulf ▁of ▁Mexico , ▁and ▁th ence