esides others, corresponding to these, in various
places. As I have said, the holy relics were borne on six platforms,
resting on the shoulders of men, most of whom were religious, and
in fourteen reliquaries, which were carried by as many religious;
and dignitaries of the cathedral, clothed in their official robes,
accompanied these. Add to this the salutes from the forts, and
the standards of the confraternities carried in the van, and the
effect was highly imposing. The festivities lasted nine days, each
order celebrating its special feast, preaching and saying mass with
the greatest possible solemnity. The Augustinian fathers began the
festivities, considering the occasion especially theirs on account of
their long residence there. They assisted us by their good will and
deeds, thereby showing themselves no less devoted to the holy relics
than friendly to the Society. They conducted many kinds of music and
dances, and besides these were many furnished by our Indians, and
the Chinese and Japanese; all this variety produced most pleasing
effects and greatly adorned and enlivened the festival. In this
fashion the other religious orders celebrated their own days until
the eighth, in succession, with great devotion, joy and edification
on the part of the people. On the afternoon of the last day, as a
conclusion to the fiesta, valuable prizes were distributed on the
occasion of a literary contest, the announcement of which had been
published some days before with much show and solemnity. In this
contest many excellent and ingenious compositions of various kinds
were delivered, to which prizes were awarded, after two exceedingly
pleasing, dignified and impressive declamations had been recited in
praise of the holy relics. Divine worship was also improved in the new
church by the addition of some silver lamps, candlesticks, chalices,
patines, wine-cruets, monstrances, and thuribles; many altar hangings
and chasubles, made not only from the silk and embroideries of that
country, but from damask, velvet, and brocade brought from Espana and
Italia, with printed borders; hangings heavily embroidered with seed
pearls and thin silver plates; and various draperies, some of velvet
and damask, others of colored taffeta. Besides all these things,
there was the chapel of the singers, who with voices and music of
flutes and clarions, serve in the masses, vespers, and _Salves_,
at least on the principal feast-days.

There was also begu