The fathers provincial received us on the beach—­the present father Francisco, [82] and the past Alberto Laercio [83]—­accompanied by the most grave fathers with music and other kindnesses.  We stayed two months in Cochin, where we received singular kindness and entertainment from all.  They took me to Caranganor, five leguas from there, along very pleasant rivers, in a boat like a house, belonging to the archbishop of Sierra, Father Don Francisco Ros [84] of our Society, a native of the city of Girona in the principality of Cataluna, whose hand I desired to kiss.  We found him at Peru.  He seemed a saint to me.  When I remarked to him, a propos of the retirement and poverty in which I found him, at the first salutation, “Qui Episcopatum desiderat, bonum opus desiderat,” he replied, “Our Chaldean answers, Bonam servitulem querit.” [85] He is learned in that language, in which his priests pray and celebrate the mass with peculiar ceremonies.  We found him living so apostolic a life that he did not have room to entertain the eight of our Society who were there—­among whom was the rector of Cochin, Father Gaspar Fernandez [86]—­nor did he have any food to give us.  Consequently we returned to the boat, which was more comfortable than the house.  We went to Caranganor, a Portuguese fortress, and a residence of ours, just opposite Samorin.  I saw some doors and windows that had been broken with volleys, and they told me that a father who was praying in the window had been killed.  The father rector of the residence there had a carved image of the child Jesus asleep in a little gilded bed, which had been sent him by a pagan Malabar pirate, who stole it from a Portuguese, believing it to be gold.  But when he had carried it to his house, he found that it was only gilded wood, and gave it to his children for a toy.  The sleeping Child, however, did not allow his owner to sleep, for according to his account, He kept him awake every night, and placing Himself in front of him, said to him, “Take me to the land of the Christians.”  He communicated the matter to his wife, and by her counsel sent Him to the father rector of Caranganor.  We went to Vaypicota, a residence of our Society, which formerly had a greater number of our members.  That field of Christendom has become lessened through the little favor [shown to the Christians by] the pagan king to whom it is subject.  It is a wonder to me that within a stone’s throw of our church is a Moro mosque, a pagan temple, and a Jewish synagogue, without one harming another, although they annoy us greatly by their shouting, when they invoke the devil.