has in the city of Manila some six hundred pesos of
annuity, which is the source of that house's growth in the sixty-eight
years of the Spaniards' occupation. In the year 1628 I sent a religious
to collect that money. He was a conventual in that convent, virtuous,
an excellent preacher, and very zealous for that convent; he was a
native of Sevilla. He was empowered sufficiently to attend to what
might arise for the good of that convent. He made his trip to Manila
successfully, and returned to his convent after concluding what had
been entrusted to him. On August 29 of the same year, he left Manila
aboard a champan, the "San Nicolas," belonging to the alcalde-mayor of
Panay, for he had to make in the island some collections of rice that
were given to the said convent. He took two Spaniards with him--one
Jacinto de Lanzacorta, who had married there; the other Alferez
Pena--both devotees of San Nicolas de Tolentino as no less was the
owner of the champan, which he had commended to that saint. As they
were coming in the boat one night, aided by the vendaval, and as they
neared Ilagan (one of the longest crossings that voyagers have to make
there), the wind strengthened so that the waves rolled sky-high. Either
through the carelessness of the steersman, or because the rudder was
out of order, or the sea too heavy, the rudder parted atwain, and the
boat was without other help than that of heaven. For these Sangley
boats are flat bottomed, and the mast is very high; accordingly, all
the strength lies in the rudder by which they are directed--better
than the best bitted horse is governed. The champan tossed fearfully,
so that it was regarded as a good plan to cut down the mast. That was
a precaution that the Sangleys do not practice, and hence the sea
easily swallows them. This being done, the champan was very quiet;
and, although they were in evident danger of death, they did not lose
the hopes which they placed in the glorious saint, confident, by his
intercession, of life and arrival at Panay. For three days they were
the sport of wind and weather, awaiting what the Lord would do with
them, until on Saturday afternoon the same champan entered the port of
an islet two leguas from Burias. It was a miraculous thing, for when
they were rowing the champan and that but slowly, they were not able to
know the route, and hit upon it without any guidance, for already they
had left it. It was God's mercy which was extended to that religi