some [religious] assemblies,
they have not retained them, for the persons who most strenuously
oppose their having assemblies are the encomenderos--because they
fear the diminution of their Indians, more than what they owe as
Christians. I console myself that another tribunal will judge them
with more rigor. But may it please the omnipotent God that human
selfishness be not repaid with eternal punishments; for they become
encomenderos more to deprive the natives of the good of the soul,
than to convert them and protect them in what concerns them so deeply.

The island of Panay is more than sixty leguas [68] south of Manila. The
same star stands over the bar of its principal river, the Panay, as
at Manila. Its other river, the Alaguer, is on the other coast. Both
have about the same amount of water, but the Panay flows more slowly,
and hence can be ascended more readily. It is also deeper, so that
fragatas can enter over its bar at full tide, for it has about one and
one-half brazas of depth. At low tide, not even the small vessels can
enter. It is two leguas from the bar to the town. The convent is very
large. With its visitas, it has in charge more than one thousand two
hundred Indians. The alcalde-mayor of that jurisdiction lives there. As
a rule, there are many Spaniards there; for at that port are collected
the vessels for the relief expedition to Maluco. Thence goods are
transported in champans to Ilong-ilong, where the port is located, and
where the vessels are laden. There are more than one hundred Chinese
married to native women in this town, and their number is increasing
daily, so that I think they will end by peopling the country. I, being
twice prior of this convent, learned somewhat of the Chinese language,
in order to be able to minister to them; for to do so in Spanish, or
in the language of the land, is the same as ministering to Spaniards
in Greek. The river banks above are lined with palm groves, and with
villages that are thinly inhabited because of the laziness of the
alcaldes-mayor. The latter imagine that, when their offices are given
to them, it is only that they may get money. They only take heed of
that, and prove rather a drawback than an aid to the ministry. About
two days' journey up the river, and on a branch flowing into the Panay,
is the convent of Mambusao [69], a very flourishing house. Don Fray
Pedro de Agurto, first bishop of Sugbu, and a member of our order,
gave this to the order. He