nd His own
glory, and likewise so that that devilish custom should cease, that,
as soon as the infant received the water of holy baptism, she gained
her sight, although she had indeed been born blind....

Chapter XXIX

_Of the second election of our father Fray Diego Alvarez_

Father Fray Diego de Alvarez left so good an estimation of himself
during the three years of his service as provincial, and governed
with so great prudence, that so great a desire for his rule was
aroused that, upon the arrival of the time assigned by our rules,
the fathers did not wish to make any new trials of conditions which,
although in appearance good, afterwards are found deceitful. They
had had experience of the prudence of father Fray Diego Alvarez, and
accordingly reelected him so that they might enjoy him for the second
time; for in truth he had been a father to them. Hence he was elected
unanimously, May 6, 1593. His election was very favorably received in
the islands, for he was always much loved by his own and by others;
and he always showed great judgment, preserving the province during
his two trienniums in that flower and rigor of devotion which it had
at first, and also glorifying the province with the new inauguration
of houses and convents.

He established a religious in Pototan, a village then ruined; [144]
and that village, as it was so small, was united, above Suagui,
with another called Baong. [145] Accordingly, a church was built
there. This convent of Baong had more than one thousand Indians, and
was a well-known place for recreation; but now, although it endures, it
has but six hundred Indians. As it is remote from trade, and situated
inland, residence there is regarded as exile. It is one day's journey
from Dumangas, and its river empties into that of Alaguer.

This chapter also established religious in Sibucao, a matter of one
legua from the Suagui River, up the river Alaguer. The road also
turned from Dumangas by ascending the river, although by land the
journey is shorter. This convent was very well located here, for,
in short, it is within sight of so gloomy [146] a river, and very
convenient for the religious. Afterward the fathers thought that they
were acting wisely in moving the convent one-half day's journey inland
to a village called Laglag, very inconvenient for the religious. But
indeed it is apparent how the fathers of former days sought rather
the comfort of the natives than their own conveni