Indians earnestly entreated the father, in their simplicity, for some blessed beads.  He gave them his own reliquary, and as they were carrying it away he bethought himself of the image of our blessed Father Ignatius.  Immediately he summoned the fiscal (who is always a man of mature years and trustworthy character), and gave him the image to be carried to the sick woman.  The Indian woman, when she beheld the image, took it in her hands with devotion and love, and at the same moment gave birth to a child as beautiful as an angel, to her own great joy and the wonder of those who were present.  Soon afterward she named the child, on this account, Maliuag, which signifies “difficult;” and again, at the baptism, Ignacio, in memory of so signal a favor.  The name which this woman gave her child at its birth gives me occasion to describe the custom of these people in giving names.

The manner in which names are conferred among the Filipinos.  Chapter LXXX.

When a child is born, it is the mother’s duty to give it a name; and whatever appellation she gives it must remain its name.  The names are most often conferred on account of certain circumstances—­as, for example, Maliuag, which means “difficult,” because the child’s birth was such; Malacas, which signifies “a man of strength,” because the mother thinks that the child will be strong, or desires that it be so.  At other times they name it, without any symbolism or special reason, by the first word which occurs to them—­as, for example, Daan, which signifies “road;” Babui, which means “pig;” or Manug, which signifies “fowl.”  All persons are called by these names from birth, without using surnames until they are married.  The first-born son or daughter then gives his or her name to the parents; for until they die they call the father Ama ni Coan, “father of So-and-so,” and the mother Ina ni Coan, “mother of So-and-so.”  The names of the women are distinguished from those of the men by adding “in.”  Thus, while the name of a man and of a woman may be practically the same, that of the man is left intact, and to the woman’s is added the [termination] “in;” for example, Hog (which means “river”) being the name of two persons of different sex, the man is called Hog, the woman Hoguin.  In naming children they use diminutives, just as we do; but in order not to exceed the limits of my narrative, or to enter those of grammar, I shall not enumerate these, or the other appellations more personal, more intimate, or more elegant, which those people use for nearly all the degrees of relationship.  For instance, ama means “father;” thus the son, in speaking of him to a third person calls him ang amaco, that is, “my father.”  But the son in addressing his father directly does not call him ama, but bapa, which is a more intimate and affectionate term; nor does he address his mother as ina, but bai.  On the other hand, the father and mother in familiar intercourse call their sons, brothers, uncles, and