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]

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THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS

[Vol. I3

among the Chinese were a hindrance to their work
among the Indians; he therefore entreated the right
reverend bishop of that city to place the Chinese in
the care of some other order, which his Lordship did.
By this measure our fathers had less responsibility,
but were not less occupied; for, not to mention the
other peoples who, as I have said, resort to this port,
the Bissayans alone kept six fathers so busy during
Lent that the people hardly left them alone by day
or by night. Nevertheless, so great is the need, and at
the same time the scarcity, of the bread of divine
truth, for lack of those who may distribute it, that
many people dwelling very near the city die in this
hunger and cannot be assisted; for although the right
reverend bishop of Sebu and the few priests who
are under him do much, and the fathers of St. Augustine much more, neither the former nor the latter
suffice for the care of so many children. After Lent
and Easter, one of the fathers visited, by way of recreation (for such are the vacations which they enjoy
there), some pagan villages which are about six
leguas from the city. He remained there eight days,
which gave him opportunity for the usual occupations. Although the time was very short, our Lord
was served by some good results; for the father found
many Christians who, through lack of teaching and
their constant association with infidels, had returned
with these to their former idolatrous practices. By
means of sermons and discourses he touched the consciences of these people, and, recognizing their
wretched condition, they made a general confession;
they received his instructions for their future conduct, and were very grateful for the good that had
been done them. The infidels were so attracted and