om the town. Now the convent is
finished, but can sustain only one religious. The port and the fleet
have destroyed it; for these are the best people of the Bisayas. The
river, although like that of Panay, can not have much depth because of
its rapid current, nor can the tide ascend for any distance, however,
small boats enter it. These two rivers have one source. The Panay runs
northward, and this of Alaguer toward the vendaval. If one wishes,
he may cross hence, between this island and Himalos, [73] to Salog
(Jaro), a convent of the order, which was also assigned to it by
Bishop Agurto. It has in charge about one thousand Indians, but the
number is much lessened by the conscriptions of the port, which is
one-half legua from that town. From that place, following the coast,
one goes to the convent of Otong, the chief convent of this island,
because it is near the village of Arevalo--once important, but now of
no account. The alcalde-mayor and overseer-general of the Malucos lives
there. Otong lies about one and one-half leguas from the port. One may
reach it either by the beach, or by a salt-water creek which flows
through the village (and even to the very gates of our convent),
and then makes a turn, leaving the village an island. About two
leguas along the coast lies the convent of Tigbauang, which belongs
to our order. Today it is in charge of more than eight hundred
Indians. The capital is very small, for it enjoys the conscriptions
of Ilong-ilong. A matter of a short legua farther on is the convent of
Guimbal. Of it, one may philosophize as in the case of Tigbauang. The
latter has Hantic [74] as a visita, which was formerly one of the
best priorates, but often destroyed by men from Camucon, Solog, and
Mindanao, as it is quite outside the Spanish pale. It is more than
twenty leguas from its capital, and is visited with great hardship
and danger. Now since, without thinking, we have related all that is
to be known of the island of Panay, let us return to Manila; for I
think that something awaits us there.

Chapter XVII

_Of how our religious tried to go to great China_

During this time two Chinese junks or champans came to Manila to
trade. These people, as they are so fond of silver, scented what
was to enter their country through this medium. Hence they began the
richest and most opulent trade known. Were the Spaniards less hasty,
surely the trade would have resulted more cheaply, and the Chinese
would