is island and in that of Mindoro,
the most important being written in this relation.

I shall now give my attention to the treatment of certain facts with
regard to the natives of this land, simply telling their manner of
living, dressing, and dealing with one another. I shall describe
a few things which I have seen as to the idols worshiped by them,
and shall not enlarge upon other details.

In the first place, the men are of medium size, and dark. They wear
their hair clipped short, like the Spaniards. They wear a little
cloth headdress and a small piece of cloth to conceal their private
parts. From the belt upward, some wear a short doublet of coarse
material, with half-sleeves and open in front. There is no manner of
footwear. Among them the manner of dress and ornamentation is very
indecent. The women are exceedingly ugly and most indecent. They clothe
themselves with a piece of cloth hanging down from the belt, and a
very small doublet, so that their bellies are left exposed. They can
only be compared to mares glutted with hay. They have no personality or
rank whatever, and eat and drink most vulgarly. There is no difference
between the chief and his slave, or between the slave and his master,
in the matter of eating and drinking.

As for their sacrifices, each one of the natives, so far as I have
seen, has in his house many idols, to whom they pray. They call
God, _Batala_, and the chief idol which they have is thus named;
but others call him _Diobata_ [45]--at least among the Pintados
they give him this name. The natives of this island usually call
him Batala, and even consider him God of all creation. Accordingly,
after the religious came to this land and commenced to preach the
faith of Jesus Christ, and to baptize, the natives have not known
how to give any other name in their language to God our Lord, except
that of Batala. They are people easily converted to the faith, and
in the short time while those religious have been in this island,
they have gathered much fruit and have baptized many people--men,
women and children, who have all been baptized without any chief or
native Indian of this land denying our faith. Quite to the contrary,
if they are questioned in regard to it, and preached to about it, they
say that it is very sacred and very good. Returning to the discussion
of the way in which they conduct their feasts, it is as follows.

When any chief is ill, he invites his kindred and orders a great