The news that these had thus been added to Christ soon moved other islands also to desire our fathers.  On one of these islands, within fifteen days one hundred and sixty adults and five children forsook the dark wilderness of infidelity for the light of the gospel.  Among them was one old woman one hundred and thirty years of age—­blind, deaf, incapable of motion; for, wherever she was carried, there she remained like an unmoving stone.  Afterward in other places there were baptized five hundred adults and two infants.  When they returned on a second mission, after an interval of three months, eight hundred and thirty-seven were baptized, and from the most of these their concubines were taken away.  Besides this, in other places many were plunged into the same waters, the total number reaching three thousand six hundred and eighty.

Residence of Dulac

The most ample fruit has resulted from the Christian teaching among the people of Dulac, [43] given by the seven men of our Society.  The foundations of a boys’ school have been laid.  In it thirty are imbued with good morals and solid virtues, and give their aid to Ours in explaining the catechism to the more ignorant people and those of the lower order, and that with happy results; for whenever Ours go where these pupils have exerted their diligence, they find all the people well prepared to receive baptism.

To the old Christians and some of the more intelligent adults familiar sermons are delivered on the life of Christ and those of the saints, and on the manner of profitably receiving communion, and notable results are evident.  On account of these pious exercises and the uprightness of life shown by these converts, the Christian religion is ordinarily held in such high esteem that few remain who do not desire to be initiated into it by baptism.  In Advent and at the feast of the Nativity we baptized more than seven hundred persons.  We have baptized in all, from last year to the present date, two thousand and twenty, or more.

To this residence are annexed, besides other charges, the care of two great and populous districts, which give surest proof of their virtue by clean morals and by obedience.  We are informed by letters that, at the feast of the Nativity, in one of them eight hundred infidels pledged themselves to the Christian faith; and that the believers do not yield to Espana in frequenting the sacraments of confession and communion.

There was found in one little village an old man leading the life practically of a hermit; and when our father asked him about his manner of life, he answered so wisely that the father was greatly surprised.  Among other things he said that though his bodily life was passed on earth, yet his soul lived in heaven.  He had no dreams at night except about the other life, and he was accustomed to see the blessed surrounded with great splendor, and one among them who excelled