be seen next day; and all of the Spaniards who could, went also. In
the morning, Monday, on such and such a day of October, the enemy
appeared, and came straight to the port of Ilong-ilong, as if they
had frequented it for many years. Thereupon, the alcalde-mayor fled
inland, without taking thought for anything. Thus the field--where had
four Spaniards remained, they would have performed great deeds--was
left to the enemy. I was living at that time in Otóng, where father
Fray Juan de Lecea [33] was prior, a most exemplary religious. Father
Fray Silvestre de Torres, [34] who had come from Japón, was likewise
a conventual of that place. We did the same as the others. We stored
aboard a caracoa the most valuable things of the convent, and buried
the rest. We ordered the Indians to remain with the caracoa among those
creeks, of which there are many. They did so, and hence all the things
aboard the caracoa and those buried were found afterward. The enemy,
not meeting any opposition, landed, came to the town of Arévalo, and
set fire to it all. They burned our convent, which was quite fine and
built of wood They burned that of Salog also, an excellent convent,
which even yet has not been rebuilt. The enemy suffered greatly on
the road, for that season in the islands is the rainy season. We went
to the convent of Baong, one day's journey inland from the town,
although we spent more than two in reaching it. I, although sick,
was first to arrive. The prior of that convent was Father Diego
Oseguera. [35] Although the convent was poor, yet they acted as if
they were wealthy. They shared all the rice and beef of the convent
with all [the fugitives] who kept coming every moment, without taking
account of anything. The convent of Otong, besides its building,
lost a ranch of cattle which it owned then of more than five hundred
head and others of mares of more than one hundred head. For as the
cattle were tame and came to their usual resorts, the enemy caught
some and shot others. The fathers of the Society lost much also. The