les imposed upon them,
according to their capacity, of Christian and civilized living. This
school is of great importance to the whole mission, for from these
children must come the good rulers of the people; and it is an easy
and gentle means for all reformation. Some of the children (those who
have some means) are fed with the rice which their parents give them,
and others through alms. They are taught to pray, to assist at mass,
to read, to write, and (most important of all) to be good Christians.

In San Juan del Monte it is customary to sing the _Salve_ to our Lady
throughout the year. During Fridays in Lent, after some spiritual
instruction, they perform the discipline in the church. It once
happened that some Indians, who were bathing, as is their custom,
heard while in the river the bells calling to the _Salve_ and the
discipline; most of them at once made preparations to go thither. One
alone played the obstinate, and, in ridicule of the others, said in
his own language: _A coi ovian nino_ "Bring back something for me,"
which in their mode of speech is a sort of mockery.

The rest went to the _Salve_, and this man remained alone; a caiman,
or crocodile, seized and killed him, before he could be assisted or
confessed. What most surprised me was that, although this animal
is very voracious and always devours a man after killing him, or
at least carries away a hand or foot, this man it left untouched,
although dead; and thus he was found by the Indians, to their great
horror, and causing them to hold in great esteem the disciplines,
and the _Salves_ to our Lady.

The council held by the bishop in the city of Santissimo Nombre de
Jesus; and other events which occurred there. Chapter LXIX.

The right reverend bishop of Sebu, having through a residence of
two years acquainted himself with the affairs of his bishopric,
determined to hold a council [_sinodo_], composed of the clergy and
religious who were busied in the conversion of the tribes, in order to
regulate many things, and to agree upon the method to be used by them
in giving instruction. Their advice was especially desired in regard
to the translation of the Christian doctrine, in order to select,
from the various versions of it which were current in the Bissayan
tongue, one which might serve as a Vulgate and be generally used
in the province of Pintados. [18] Before assembling this council,
that great prelate chose to visit some of his flocks, whic