tful and ungrateful. They are exceedingly clever and
imitative, and even show much ability in many occupations and mental
exercises; but they are apt to be superficial, incorrect, indifferent
to results, slothful and lacking in concentration of mind. "Their
understandings are fastened with pins, and attached always to material
things." Our writer then describes the languages, mode of writing,
manners and names, that are current among these peoples; also their
physical features, clothing, and adornments. Curiously enough,
San Antonio states that the Visayans have--(in his day) given up
the practice of tattooing their bodies. He proceeds to recount the
religious beliefs and superstitions of the Filipinos, much as Colin
and other early writers have done, but with somewhat more detail in
certain matters, especially in regard to the omens and superstitions
of the people. Their government and social conditions (especially the
former practice of enslavement) are described in detail; also their
customs in regard to marriages and dowries, transaction of business,
weights and measures, inheritances, etc.

The Editors
June, 1906.

DOCUMENT OF 1691

Events at Manila. [Unsigned; June, 1691.]

Source: This document is obtained from the Ventura del Arco MSS. (Ayer
library), iv, pp. 53-67.

Translation: This is made by Emma Helen Blair.

EVENTS AT MANILA, 1690-91

Relation of what occurred in Manila from June 24, 1690 to
the present month of June in this year, 1691.

The tragedy which for years has been enacted in this city of Manila has
had some variation this year, from the time when the galleon "Santo
Cristo de Burgos" set sail for Nueva Espana up to the present month
of July, in which the galleon called "Nuestra Senora del Rosario,
San Francisco Javier y Santa Rosa" has been fitted up for the said
navigation. By it is [sent] this written relation, which will contain
the most notable events which have occurred in Manila, omitting many
others, on account of not having secured information of them because
they occurred outside of Manila.

I have already written, last year, of the condition in which the
affairs of the bishop of Troya remained; to wit, that the necessary
decrees were issued by the royal Audiencia that the bishop should
restore the [ecclesiastical] government to the cabildo, to whom it
belonged, as appears from the acts which the cabildo had presented
in