rstood him severally, each in his own language, as if he
had spoken at once in many tongues.

They had been already six weeks at sea, without discovering Amboyna; the
pilot was of opinion they had passed it, and was in pain concerning it,
not knowing how to tack about, because they had a full fore-wind. Xavier
perceiving the trouble of the pilot, "Do not vex yourself," said he, "we
are yet in the Gulph; and to-morrow, at break of day, we shall be in view
of Amboyna." In effect, at the time mentioned, the next morning, they saw
that island. The pilot being unwilling to cast anchor, Father Xavier,
with some of the passengers, were put into a skiff, and the ship pursued
its course. When the skiff was almost ready to land, two light vessels of
pirates, which usually cruised on that coast, appeared on the sudden, and
pursued them swiftly. Not hoping any succour from the ship, which was
already at a great distance from them, and being also without defence,
they were forced to put off from shore, and ply their oars towards the
main sea, insomuch that the pirates soon lost sight of them. After they
had escaped the danger, they durst not make to land again, for fear the
two vessels should lie in wait to intercept them at their return. But the
Father assured the mariners, they had no further cause of fear: turning
therefore towards the island, they landed there in safety, on the 16th of
February.

The Isle of Amboyna is distant from Malacca about two hundred and fifty
leagues; it is near thirty leagues in compass, and is famous for the
concourse of merchants, who frequent it from all parts. The Portuguese,
who conquered it during the time that Antonio Galvan was governor of
Ternate, had a garrison in it; besides which, there were in the island
seven villages of Christians, natives of the place, but without any
priest, because the only one in the island was just dead. Xavier began to
visit these villages, and immediately baptized many infants, who died
suddenly after they were christened. "As if," says he himself in one of
his letters, "the Divine Providence had only so far prolonged their
lives, till the gate of heaven were opened to them."

Having been informed, that sundry of the inhabitants had retired
themselves from the sea-side into the midst of the woods, and caves of
the mountains, to shelter themselves from the rage of the barbarians,
their neighbours and their enemies, who robbed the coasts, and put to the
sword, or m