They had certain little idols—­one who presided over the fields, one over wars, one over illnesses—­and they offered ridiculous sacrifices to all.  They revered the moon greatly, as the mistress of death, and celebrated their funeral rites only at the full moon.  Their priests had high honor among them, and still more the priestesses, who arrogated despotic power to themselves.  They had no civil body, but were scattered, and had communication only in their families.  They were timid and cowardly, and avenged their grievances only by treachery.  Five religious were assigned for that difficult undertaking, their director and superior being father Fray Juan de Santo Thomas, a missionary of proved spirit and a man of resolute mind.  They left Manila provided with the necessary supplies.  They put in first at the island of Cuyo, whose natives, being of excellent disposition, were hoping to have Spaniards in their island—­although this was against the will of their priests, who were losing their profits (which their offices made easy) by admitting them.  The missionaries were received with affection by the others, who had no such interests.  They first reduced those people to a social life and united them, settling quarrels among the families, and forming a goodly village; and, urging their obligation, they built a church and house.  They continued gently to insinuate themselves in the natives’ hearts and succeeded in reducing them to the bosom of the Catholic church.  Thence they went to Alutaya.  They preached the gospel, and, in the same manner, established a town, church, and house, for the people received the instruction with docility.

10.  After those so fortunate beginnings, they determined to send two of the said religious and one lay brother to Paragua.  They entered the bay of Taytay, where they experienced greater resistance.  The people were opposed to living congregated in one settlement, and that was the gravest hindrance; but the fathers were able to attain in part, by dint of patience and constancy.  The greatest annoyance arose from the Moros, who infested those coasts, and the natives were unwilling to expose themselves to their injuries by establishing themselves on the beach.  The religious hoped that the Spaniards would defend them with their arms, and that with their reduction they would become established there.  By that method and other effective efforts they attained the erection of a large village.  Thence the religious informed the superior government of their progress, and that for its continuation and the defense of the natives—­both those already reduced, and those whom they expected to reduce—­the construction of a fort was necessary for the reduction of the island of Paragua, in which a Spanish garrison might be stationed.  By that means the reduction of all that large island was certain.  Accordingly, that determination was taken in a meeting of the royal treasury tribunal; and two companies were detached for the garrison,