Silva--and
that while he was merely prior, and not provincial. It cost him
considerable labor, and was like to have cost his life, for he made
many trips to Manila and to Sugbu, and, in his labors in 1612,
he encountered death many times, embarking on the sea in only a
cockle-shell of a boat, and ploughing it for more than thirty hours,
when not a champan or caracoa was to be seen on the sea that was
not knocked to pieces by this storm, and those well equipped were
driven aground on some islands. The storms past, the father found
himself on the island of Mindanao, without food. He had some dogs,
for he was very fond of hunting. He ordered his men to go up the
mountain, and perhaps they would find some game which they could
take, for all were perishing from hunger. All went but himself, and
he remained or the shore. But by and by a deer of unusually large
size came bounding down toward him, to seek the protection of the
water in order to escape from the dogs. Our father, who saw it pass,
eager for the chase, went behind the deer, and seized it, so that
had not his men arrived so promptly after the dogs, he had drowned
there. For the deer had already taken to the deep water; and the
father, weighed down by his thoroughly soaked garments, was almost
drowned. But his men saved him from this danger, and killed the deer.

After they had embarked and had reached the harbor-bar of Aclan,
the little boat was overturned, so that the father lost everything,
and was able to save only the clothes on his back. Thus that boat,
which withstood so many buffetings of the sea without any harm,
happened to overturn four brazas from shore, through the carelessness
of its steersman.

After he became provincial, he left the islands with the priorate of
Ibabay for that of Tigbauan. This was not a bad thing, for the latter
was very far from intercourse and people, and in great danger. There
was necessity for religious, and permission was sent to India so
that some could come. They began to come, but experience has proved
that this measure is not effective; for when it is desired to bestow
habits they can be given to youth in Manila, who have come from Espana,
many clever ones of whom are in the colleges.

As soon as he could, he made father Fray Alonso de Mentrida--who was
without an appointment in this province of Bisayas, and was a pattern
for the order, as we shall see later--prior of Manila.

In all other things, he did his utmost in