7.  He continued the conversion of those people after that happy result, despising dangers, and enduring bodily necessities, very full indeed of interior consolation.  That is a rough coast, and offers grievous terrors in its times of turbulent weather.  Father Fray Rodrigo was navigating along it when a fierce tempest suddenly overtook him, which, driving the small boat upon some rocks, dashed it into pieces.  Those who were in it were drowned, although they knew how to swim.  The father alone, by the violent impulse of a wave, reached a small rocky islet.  His life was miraculously saved on it, and God, who does not grant His blessings incompletely, caused an Indian to discover him within twenty-four hours.  The Indian swam to him, and carried him from that danger, on his shoulders.  Even more marvelous was another thing that happened to father Fray Juan de la Ascension, while sailing along that same coast.  He was in a boat manned by Chinese, who, being careless of their sheets, did not loose them in time, when the wind suddenly shifted furiously.  It is most dangerous to coast along high lands, for so furious winds blow through the passes that if great care is not taken with the sheets the boats overturn easily.

8.  Thus did it happen with this boat, and its keel was exposed to the sun.  All were drowned, without any aid; only father Fray Juan was saved by divine Providence.  This is more manifest, since the method was one unheard-of.  The father remained inside his craft, while the overturned boat tossed up and down.  Its space did not entirely fill with water, a small space being left, which served as an arch, in which the father could keep his head and arms out of the water, having laid fast hold of a beam.  He passed three days thus, until a boatful of Indians, happening to pass that way, and observing the floating hull, approached the boat, to see if it contained anything by which their greed could be advantaged.  They began to break through the open end.  As soon as they had opened a small aperture, they heard the voice of the shipwrecked religious, who begged for help.  The Indians were frightened, and resolved to leave the task that they had undertaken.  One of them, more courageous, inspired them with the sufficient resolution, and, continuing, they discovered the father almost at the last extremity.  They reached him presently, took good care of him, and helped him with what they were carrying.  With that he came to himself and recounted his catastrophe.  They marveled greatly at so extraordinary an event, which they regarded only as a prodigy never before seen.  In this manner did they continue with the conversion of those infidels, until they obtained a good foundation in the village of Masinloc.  It was a very suitable location, as it was the center of many mountains and settled districts where many and diverse peoples could easily be reduced to a civilized and Christian life.  The management of its planting was given to father Fray de el Espiritu Santo; and he, with two associates, was well employed in those apostolic excursions.  In a short time they had eight thousand newly baptized Indians, and arranged methods for their administration, and for their catechism.  Their first care was divine worship, and instruction and training musicians and singers.  So did those zealous ministers labor, and we leave them now in that cultivation.