th or to the monarchy of Espana. Those
Indians are domestic, peaceable, tractable, and always allied with the
Christians, whom they imitate in being irreconcilable enemies of the
Moros. They are a very corpulent race, well built, of great courage
and strength, and they are at the same time of good understanding,
and more than half way industrious. That nation is faithful in its
treaties, and constant in its promises, as they are descendants,
so they pride themselves, of the Japanese, whom they resemble in
complexion, countenance, and manners. Their life is quite civilized,
and they show no aversion to human society. All those of the same kin,
however extensive, generally live in one house, the quarters being
separated according to the families. Those houses are built very high,
so that there are generally two pike lengths from the ground to the
first floor. The whole household make use of only one stairway, which
is constructed so cunningly, that when all are inside they remove it
from above, and thus they are safe from their enemies. Many of those
Tagabaloyes live near the Christians, and those peoples have mutual
intercourse, and visit and aid one another. They do not run away from
our religious, but on the contrary like to communicate with them,
and show them the greatest love and respect. Hence any ministers can
live among them as safely as in a Christian village.

603. It is now seen how suitable are all these districts to induce
so docile a nation to receive our holy faith. But for all that, very
little progress was made in their reduction until the year 1671, and
then it was that the care and the continual preaching of Ours obtained
it. Besides the will of God, whose resolutions are unsearchable, there
were several motives of a natural order, which made the attempts of
the evangelical ministers fruitless. The first was the continual wars
with the Moros. That fact scarcely permitted the Christians and even
the Tagabaloyes to let their weapons out of their hands. With the din
of arms the Catholic religion, always inclined to quiet and peace,
can generally make but little progress. The second consisted in
the little or no aid rendered in this attempt by the alcalde-mayor,
the military leaders of Catel, and even some chiefs of the subject
villages. All of the above were assured of greater profits in their
trade and commerce, if those Indians were heathens than if they were
Christians; and it is very old in human mali