thousand Indians,
the tallest, handsomest, and stoutest in the island. A _babaylan_ or
priest called Tamblot had deceived them, by telling them that the time
was come when they could throw off the oppression of the Castilians;
for they were assured of the aid of their ancestors and _divatas_, or
gods. And in order that they might know this, it was proved by certain
signs. The priest went with some of the more trusty among them, cut
a bamboo with a small knife, and wine gushed forth. He cut another,
and rice came out. These articles he had hidden there cunningly and
adroitly. Consequently those men were convinced, and became preachers
of those lies, which the Indians love and believe so readily; while
we have no power to enable us to persuade them of the certainty of our
faith so readily as this sort of trickery can influence their natural
disposition. In such manner spread the spark that there was no island
where it did not catch little or much; although they did not dare to
show their faces, but awaited the result in Bohol. The fathers warned
the city of Santisimo Nombre de Jesus, and came to solicit aid from
the alcalde-mayor. Here there were no evil-doers among those [natives]
who lived in the city. Don Juan de Alcarazo did not dare [to send out
troops], as he had no order from the governor, Don Alonso Fajardo,
and it might be imputed to him as a blameworthy act. But the fathers,
seeing that whatever delay occurred was to make the wound incurable,
surmounted all difficulties. Consequently, they were able to negotiate
with potent arguments, saying that it was especially important to
check the evil in its first stages, so that it should not spread. The
alcalde-mayor was persuaded, and assembled the soldiers and adventurers
who appeared most suitable to him, besides a number of Sugbu Indians,
armed with sword and buckler. With these he landed in Bohol, and went
to look for the enemy--who, courageous in their mountains and supplied
with rice, thought that they were most safe, and that victory was sure.

But the most diligent effort made by this gentleman was to go to
our convent to have a mass said to the Holy Child, before whom many
candles were burned; to promise to take Him as patron; and to perform
no action in that war which should not be done in His name. Since His
[Divine] Majesty, he said, had, by His favor, given those islands to
the Spaniards, he prayed that He would not permit them to lose, for
his sins, thos