The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803; explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the Catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commericial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the beginning of the nineteenth century; [Vol. 1, no. 13]

THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS

[Vol. I3

and children-dripping with water, and shedding
tears. They brought me for the journey their offerings of rice, chickens and other presents, which I did
not accept, as it seemed to me more becoming not
to take them. I left them with much regret at seeing
so many souls exposed to danger and without a shepherd or minister who knew their language. May
God our Lord provide aid for them, according to
His mercy."
Seeing the excellent disposition of those people,
and the harvest which our Lord was gaining from
the missions, the same Father Gabriel Sanchez held
another one among those people which he briefly
mentions in one of his letters. He says: " I found
the people steadfast in their good' intentions, and in
the doctrine which I had taught them. When I
asked them, on certain occasions, if they had committed such and such a sin, they would answer:
'Jesus. Father, would I be false to God? When
we were taught last year that we must not sin against
the Divine Majesty, would we dare to do so?' And
their works confirmed their deeds, for their lives
were like those of the primitive church. There were
women who, although they were offered chains of
gold and presents of great value, could not be influenced thereby to consent to sinful acts. Others suffered insults, and harsh treatment until their blood
was shed from the blows and wounds they received,
because they would not consent to offend our Lord.
Many instances of this could be related."
The fruits of other missions in the island of Ibabao.
Chapter LXXII.
As the inhabitants of the island of Ibabao are scat