ions of the
Indians. That tree was twenty-five brazas in circumference, and there
are other trees of this species whose trunks are used by the Indians
as houses. [62]

Father Muxica writes from Macan that Father Trigautio had come from
China to Macan, and said that there were many highborn and influential
people in China who were being converted, and that they were living
very exemplary lives. Manila, July 5, 1628 [_sic_].

II

_A relation of events in the Philipinas Islands, and other neighboring
kingdoms, from the month of July, 1628, to July,1629._

Continuing my project begun last year, I will proceed in this account
to relate the events which have happened this year, without observing
any other order than that in which they occur to me.

At half past one on the night of November 25, Our church fell,
with so terrible a crash that it seemed as if the heavens were
falling. It was due to God's great providence that it did not happen
several hours later, for without doubt some of our fathers would have
been caught in the ruins. It is the third time that this church has
fallen; for years ago, just as they finished saying the last mass,
and locked the doors, the whole vault, which was built of brick,
fell in a great earthquake. If it had happened an hour before, it
would have wrought great injury, by imprisoning beneath it all the
people who were in the church. Then six years later, in the month of
September, on the same day, just as they were beginning to decorate
the church for celebrating the feasts of St. Ignatius and St. Xavier,
one large pillar and two arches fell, leaving the roof in the air,
without any means of support for more than eight yards--a thing which
seemed miraculous; two of Ours were caught, but neither received
much harm. On this last occasion the ruin was greater, because one
pillar, when it fell, carried with it half of the church. Thus it
remained, without repairs being possible; there was nothing to be
done but to finish the work of destruction, and build a hut in which
to accommodate our fathers in their ministries, until we finish the
new church building and house--which is a very good one, and well on
its way to completion. [63]

On the twentieth of December, at eight o'clock in the evening, they
omitted the holy sacrament in the Cathedral church of this city,
because it had been stolen, together with the monstrance in which
it was kept. Diligent search was made for it, arre