and in the affection of the people for the sacrament of confession. In
even their petty troubles, many repair to the confessional; and some
have already begun to receive communion, concerning which sermons
have been repeatedly preached. I trust in our Lord that many will
be ready by Corpus Christi; although in the beginning it is best to
proceed very gradually that they may reverence the sacrament and know
how to distinguish this divine food. The people attend the services
more than ever, and on Sundays a very large audience listens to the
word of God. The doctrine is sung at night, and the heavens themselves
seem to rejoice at music so sweet. In all the families there are many
persons well-disposed to the Christian faith; and soon a large number
of adults will be baptized; among them some chiefs of high standing,
although the largest fish of all is not yet caught. If it were not for
the difficulty of learning the doctrine, it seems to me now that almost
the whole village would come to us." Thus writes the father. This
"largest fish" whom he mentions is that great Silongan of whom we
spoke. Although he divorced five of his wives, one of them holds him
so in captivity that finally he is keeping both of them [_i.e._,
this one and his lawful wife]. Although every possible means of a
gentle sort has been used to free him from this impediment, nothing
could be done; and yet he showed a great desire to become a Christian,
and the utmost esteem for the things of God, as well as extraordinary
affection toward our fathers--which he manifested by giving his
son to their care, and on two occasions of special importance. One
of these was when the inhabitants, in fear of their enemies, the
Ternatans, who were scouring their coasts, received the news that
there were some ships at the mouth of the river, which, although they
belonged to friends, were not recognized as such; the inhabitants,
fearing that these might be enemies, accordingly armed themselves at
once. It was then that this chief, with all the men of his district,