i.e._, "the rocks"]. It is under the charge of a secular
priest, and has a very small church, built of bamboo and thatched with
straw. It is a charming place, and pleasure-parties often go there
to dine, or walk there after dinner. I went there quite frequently
with Father Melo. One Sunday, Don Andres Roxo and Dona Ana Roxo,
his wife, asked me to go there to dine with them. Don Andres Roxo
had married one of the daughters of the marquis of Villa-Mediana,
a distinguished family of Spain. The marquis, who has died since my
return to France, was then commandant of the troops in Manila, and was
to come to join us in the afternoon. As I was walking with Monsieur
and Madame Roxo in the country quite near the village, about four or
five in the afternoon, we beheld a great concourse of people gathered
about the entrance of that same village. We went in that direction, to
ascertain what could be happening. It was a woman who had not attended
mass that day, whom they were taking to the church to lash. She was
led along by the executioner. He had a heavy cat-o'-nine-tails on
his shoulder, which hung down to the middle of his back. The father,
more black than white, went behind, and a crowd of Indians followed,
especially of Indian women. Doubtless they were those of the village,
who were obliged to witness the ceremony, in order to teach them not
to stay away from mass. Madame Roxo, seeing this sight, was touched
with compassion. She left us, forced her way through the crowd, and
easily succeeded in reaching the father. She asked clemency for that
woman, which was obtained.

At this juncture the marquis of Villa-Mediana arrived. From as far
as we could see him we went to meet him. When he asked us whence we
came, Madame Roxo told him what had just happened. But the marquis,
far from approving the generosity of his daughter, put on a severe
countenance, and scolded her for it roundly in my presence. He told
her in express terms _that she had performed a very wrong action,
which would be the cause of a greater evil; that that woman would not
fail to commit that sin again, and perhaps several times, and the blame
and sin for it would rebound on her who had asked for the pardon_.

[Le Gentil concludes this article by a further translation and synopsis
of the same chapter of San Antonio, which relates entirely to the
characteristics of the natives--matter which will, if space permit,
be embodied in this series.]

CHARACTER