y touched this territory, encountered a small number of Christians
scattered through the mountains of what is now the chief district. By
exposing their lives (and also losing them when the honor of God,
or the interest of the monarchy of Espana, demanded it), they have
succeeded in establishing many important villages from the wild
settlements that they received.

The few Christians of those islands composed the annexed village or
visita of the curacy of Ajuy in the island of Panay; and as it was
very troublesome for the cura charged with their spiritual nurture
to visit them, because of the risk that he ran in crossing over, and
the strength of the currents, he maintained there a secular assistant
who administered the sacraments.

The priest Don Francisco Rodriguez, charged with the unquiet and
uncomfortable life in that benefice, being worn out, discussed with
the father-provincial of the Recollects, Fray Jose de la Anunciacion,
a satisfactory exchange. He also renounced his right to the
proprietary curacy, whereupon the bishop of Cebu, Don Pedro de Arce,
with the consent of this superior government, gave us the spiritual
administration of Romblon, Sibuyan, Usigan (or the island of Tablas),
Simara, Banton, and Sibali [143] (which is called Maestro de Campo by
the Spaniards). The province of San Nicolas received those places,
for they considered them as the entrance into the Visayas Islands,
and a good stepping-stone for their religious to go to the lands of
Cebu and Caraga. Consequently, the Recollects began to increase and
organize what had until then been useless, in the year one thousand
six hundred and thirty-five.

[The villages and missions in the Recollects' charge are the
following: Romblon, with 1,341 tributes, and 5,858 souls; Badajoz,
with 711 tributes, and 3,356 souls; Banton, with 1,181 1/2 tributes,
and 4,717 souls; Cajidiocan, with 1,304 tributes, and 7,132 souls;
Odiongan, with 5,705 souls; Looc, with 5,449 souls; and Magallanes,
with 283 1/2 tributes, and 859 souls.]

Island and province of Negros

This island, located to the south of Manila, is bounded on the north
by the Visayan Sea, on the south by the sea which separates it from
Mindanao, on the east by the channel which separates it from Cebu,
and on the west by the sea that separates it from Paragua. It is one
hundred and twelve leguas from Manila; its length north and south is
forty leguas, and its breadth from east to west eleven.