ally won over by a chief whose wife,
captured by the Spaniards, is well treated and restored to him. In the
midst of this account Medina injects another, relating how Urdaneta,
sent home by Legazpi with despatches, discovers the return route from
the Philippines to Nueva Espana; and recounting subsequent events
in the lives of Urdaneta and his companion Aguirre. Friendship with
the natives of Cebu having been established, the Augustinians there
begin to labor in the conversion of the Indians, and a considerable
number of baptisms are conferred. The infant colony is attacked
(at the instigation of the devil) by the Portuguese, but they are
obliged to depart without harming it. The missions thrive apace,
and extend to neighboring islands; and Fray Diego de Herrera goes to
Spain to obtain more laborers for this so promising field. Returning,
he brings tokens of the royal favor to both the missionaries and
Legazpi. That officer concludes to remove his seat of government
to Luzon, especially to secure the valuable Chinese trade, of which
Medina gives some account--not failing to reiterate the stereotyped
complaint that all the silver is being carried to China.

Medina describes with enthusiasm the magnificent bay of Manila, where
the Spaniards enter Luzon; and relates the dealings of the invaders
with the Moros, who are, as usual, perfidious and unreliable. After
a time, however, they are reduced to obedience, largely through the
efforts of the religious who accompany Legazpi. The Augustinians
have a large and handsome convent in Manila, which is described. The
organization of their province of Filipinas is accomplished _pro
tempore_ in 1572, and Diego de Herrera is sent to Spain to secure
their independence and procure more missionaries.

Medina recounts the convents and churches founded in succession by
his order, with some account of the lakes Bombon and Bay, and of the
communities about them. Speaking of the hospitals, he highly commends
the Franciscans who have them in charge. He describes the region
watered by the Pasig River, and the Augustinian convents therein;
and continues his account, in like manner, for Panay and the other
islands in which that order has its missions--throughout furnishing
much valuable, although desultory, information regarding social and
economic conditions.

Recurring to affairs at Manila, he recounts the beginning and growth
of the Chinese trade there, and the unsuccessful attempts of the