eived;
and this, together with the news of the escape of Limahon, determines
them to abandon the fathers. Accordingly the latter are left destitute
in the country of the hostile Zambales, but fortunately make their
way back to Manila, where they are welcomed with rejoicing. Somewhat
later (1580) an embassy of three priests is appointed by the king of
Spain, consisting of the Augustinians Juan Gonzales de Mendoza--then
bishop of Popayan, Peru, and later bishop of Lipari, in the kingdom of
Naples--Francisco de Ortega, and Jeronimo Marin, to go to China. The
avowed object of the embassy is to open the door to commerce, and
carry the faith to China. The first remains in Spain. The advice of
Marin is followed and the embassy is not sent.]

Chapter XXIII

_Of the election, in the islands, of father Fray Agustin de
Alburquerque_

It appears that now the provinces of Filipinas were gathering greater
strength, for, while they were being colonized, the increasing trade
and the relations with Mejico were excellent; the religious were
increasing, in the temporal and spiritual, throughout the province,
which was obtaining many and good laborers; and convents were being
built. That of Manila and that of Santisimo Nombre de Jesus, in
particular, were laying their foundations, in order to erect stone
buildings; for, however strong wooden supports may be, yet with the
lapse of time they finally decay and become useless. This does not
happen so quickly with what is made of stone, which lasts much longer
and opposes the inclemencies of the weather.

At first we used to make our houses in the manner of the inhabitants
of the country themselves; for, in short, they know more of their
climate, as they have more experience therein, and God gave them
more adequate knowledge of the products of the islands, so that they
might make use of them. The islands are by nature very damp. If one
digs down two palmos he finds water. Therefore, humanly speaking,
it is impossible to make cellars as in Espana, or to live upon the
ground, because it would play havoc with one. For this mother nature
provided these Indians with certain woods, so large and hard that,
after planting them in the earth, the Indians build their houses upon
them, at a height of one and one-half, two, or three brazas. These
timbers or columns are called _harigues_, and the wood is that called
_tugas_. [91] These timbers having been placed, as I say, upright in
the eart