r which is inland from the river
of Panay, called Barbaran, a village of people possessed by the
devil. The exchange was effected, and it happened that the secular
who was there, died as soon as he reached Aclan, and that the first
religious established in Barbaran also died very soon, the one being
but little behind the other. I have never believed in this changing
of districts, for since all are of Indians, the betterment is slight,
while the damage suffered by the ministry, which is the chief thing,
is vast. I omit to mention other and no less damages that exist,
which are not for this place, as they do not concern us.

The father provincial established religious in Batangas, which is more
than twenty leguas' distance from Manila. It has a stone church and
house, although these are much dilapidated from the weather. It was
a great district, but now it is much less because of the men drafted
for Manila. It has about six hundred Indians as tributarios. Two
religious live there generally. Service is performed in the Tagal
tongue. We have mentioned this convent in our description of the
lake of Bongbong or Taal, which is the nearest convent to Batangas,
from which it is even distant only one day's journey; the road passes
through certain most excellent meadows, resembling those of Espana;
where one may rear an immense number of cattle. The Indians through
all this district, which they call the Comintan, make use of domestic
cattle on which they travel and carry their loads. The language used
there is much like the Bisayan, for one can cross from this town of
Batangas, which is located on a very beautiful bay, to the Bisayas
with great ease during the brisas. This district belongs to the
archbishopric of Manila.

Moreover, the provincial established a convent in Malolos. This
place lies two leguas by land from Bulacan, and there is an excellent
highway. From Manila it lies little less than one day's journey. This
village has greatly decreased; it has about three hundred Indians. It
is a priorate and has a vote, but has only one religious. It has a
wooden house, and has never had one of stone. [114]

The father provincial established religious in Agonoy, where Tagal
is spoken. It is on the way to Pampanga, on a branch of that river
called Candaba. It is a very large priorate, for it has more than one
thousand rich and influential Indians. Three religious live there. It
is quite near to Macabebe and Calumpit, for one can