ded those forces. He was accompanied
by the ex-father-provincial, Fray Miguel de Jesus, parish priest of
Danao; and by father Fray Julian Bermejo, ex-provincial of the calced
Augustinians, parish priest of Boljoon. The outcome of the expedition
was all that could be desired; insubordination ceased to exist in the
interior of Bohol, and the last remnants of the emancipated came to an
end in all parts of the island. The fruits of peace began to appear;
and from that time all the inhabitants, at the same time while they
acquired the habits of obedience and respect, began to experience a
new era of prosperity, and the satisfaction consequent on the social
life. From that time the population has greatly increased; and all
the inhabitants remain faithful to their duties, very respectful to
all authority, and faithful vassals to the king of Espana.

For more than one century all this island has been under the spiritual
direction of our province. During that time the number of the Catholics
has increased in so prodigious a manner that it has been raised to
a number almost triple what it was when we received it. At that time
it was an integral part of the province of Cebu. At present it forms a
province by itself, and is one of the most populous of the archipelago;
and its people are closely settled and compact, active and industrious,
diligent and laborious.

We received eight missions in this province, which were the eight
regularly organized villages which then existed. Their spiritual
direction occasioned great sorrows to the ministers of that time,
some of these even succumbing as victims to the insolence and
obstinacy of their own children. Today we count one hundred and ten
years of our existence in that district, and we cannot write of those
natives a single page like those of their old history, which was full
of disagreeable, and some horrible, relations--whether because the
Recollects had an understanding of the peculiar dispositions of those
Indians, and the means suitable to gain their respect and obedience;
or whether, perchance, one might say that the people of Bohol have had
sufficient penetration to observe in their conduct certain manners
so considerate and so full of demonstrations of benevolence, which
sentiments of compassion and interest in the adversities and lack of
resources of their parishioners, would cause in the minds of their new
parish priests. Whichever of these may be accepted to explain the long