her boats took to flight through fear
of the firing, or allowed themselves to fall aside. Our men killed
many, and those who escaped, defended themselves cutlass in hand,
while swimming. Then approaching the island, our boats ceased firing,
in order to capture the enemy alive, so that they might have rowers
for their galleys. On this account about eighty landed. The Indians
seized a small height in order to defend themselves, whereat our
men were about to open fire on them. As soon as our men were ashore,
father Fray Martin de San Nicolas--who, more courageous than those
who did not come, was in the midst of the whole action, encouraging
our men--went to the Indians, and talked to and assured them so that
they gave up their arms and surrendered. I think that the captain
gave two of those slaves to the order to serve in whatever convent
the superior should think best. The remainder were taken to Octong,
some of whom were sold, and others placed in the galleys, and those
were the most secure. Since that fleet, although innumerable fleets
have gone to attack the enemy who infest the islands, they have
never had good success, or closed with them while the enemy have
gone in and out from the islands every year, to the great loss of
the country--doubtless a chastisement on us.
[Several miraculous occurrences in various places are recounted,
all of which caused wonder. Medina continues:]
Our father Baraona, as he loved the province of Bisayas so dearly,
went through it, abandoning some houses and occupying others, and
exchanging and returning still others. And, in fact, although he did
it for the best, experience has proved that it has been bad for us. He
exchanged Aclan for Barbaran; and although the latter is on the river
Panay, it is a convent needy of all things, and has the most perverse
people, whom even yet we have been unable to subdue. The former was
very fine in all ways, and convenient for us; and within its gates it
is well supplied with all necessaries, both for itself and for other
convents. And although it is true that it could have been returned
to the order, because at the death of its first secular priest, the
bishop gave it. But the order made so little effort that it was lost;
for for what any other order would give a thousand flights, we let
slip for the sake of two steps of work.
Our order owes the district of Dumalag to the care of our father
Baraona, for he obtained it by entreaty from Don Juan de
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