ion he applied all the ministry of
Masbate to the province of San Nicolas of the Augustinian Recollects,
and also on the mainland of Luzon the villages of Ingoso, Catanavan,
and Vigo with its neighboring rancherias, of which was formed the
curacy of Piris. The governor, Don Gabriel Curuzalaegui, by an act
of November twenty-six, of eighty-six, approved the plan conceived
by his Excellency the bishop, and informed the said Recollect fathers
of the part of the distribution that pertained to them. They accepted
the assigned administration. In the territory on the mainland disputes
were imminent with the Franciscan fathers in regard to the ownership
of those territories. Accordingly the Recollects only accepted the
district of Masbate, and resigned the right that they could have had
to the village on the continent of Luzon to the Franciscan fathers,
who could administer them with greater ease. By that means all rivalry
was checked.

3. The parties [i.e., the Recollects and Franciscans] having come
to an agreement, and between themselves the governor and bishop, the
two latter despatched suitable measures so that the Recollects could
take charge of those souls. In the distribution the Recollects had
their proportionate advantages, for those islands are a way-station
which is necessary to pass in going to Caraga and Zebu, where this
order had distant missions. The bishop obtained them [for that order]
because, that district having been reduced to one single secular, the
latter proved insufficient for its administration. Consequently, in the
space of twelve years, only four persons had died with the sacraments,
although one hundred and eighteen had passed from this life without
that important benefit. The baptism of children was postponed for many
months, as the cura went to the visitas in the distant villages but
seldom. For it was not easy for one single individual to acquit himself
of so laborious cares; consequently, this is not to admit that they
were ill administered. The government was interested in them, as was
also commerce, as Ticao was an anchorage for the Acapulco ships in its
famous port of San Jazinto, [73] on both the outward and return trips,
where fresh supplies were procured, wood and water provided, and winds
awaited to take them out of the dangerous currents of the Embocadero
of San Bernardino. The Recollect fathers accepted that charge, and were
received affectionately by the Indians. They founded their he