asked her if she had confessed.  She replied that she had not, because the father had asked her how many feet a hog had, and she had been unable to answer me.  The Spaniard laughed heartily, and, upon my coming out, told me about it.  Whereupon I crossed myself many times, at seeing that the people were so thoughtless there, and that she should have understood me so ridiculously.  Those who live where the father is stationed are not so, but even the little children come to the convent and are assembled.  And in matters of the soul—­the chief thing—­they go to confession; and in truth I would rather confess a hundred Indians in the Filipinas, of those thus rendered fluent, than one Spaniard.  The Indian women confess remarkably well, and with many tears, and take communion with devotion.  They give account of themselves, respect the father, and recognize his courtesy.  Who has not experienced this?  The Spaniards understand it all, but when an effort is made to settle the Indians in villages, all the Spaniards resist the religious as if the latter were taking something from their pockets.  And surely, as I am advised, the greatest warfare that the devil wages against the ministry is by the hands of the Spaniards, so that all those who should favor this cause are opposed to it.  Consequently, the religious tire themselves out, and the devil reaps what harvest he wills.  All the evil is laid to our door, and the good the Spaniards attribute to themselves.  If the Indian flees and the encomienda is deserted, it is the fault of the religious.  But if it increases, it is due to the alcalde-mayor, the encomendero, and the collector.  This is a thing so beyond reason, that truth itself cries out.  If it were not for the protection of the religious, there would not now be an Indian, or any settlement.  The Indians understand this fact very well, as will be seen by the statement of one of them.

The bishop of Nueva Segovia, Don Fray Pedro de Soria, collected those Indians together, by order of his Majesty, and told them of the advantages of the Spanish monarchy, and how beneficial it would be for them to have Don Felipe, the king of the Spaniards, as their king, who would protect them peacefully and with justice.  The chiefs answered not a word to this.  Thereupon, the bishop spoke again and asked them whether they had understood the words he had spoken to them, and if they would answer.  Thereupon a clownish Indian arose and said:  “We answer that we wish the king of Espana to be our king and sovereign, for he has sent Castilians to us, who are freeing us from the tyranny and domination of our chiefs, as well as fathers who aid us against the same Castilians and protect us from them.”  Further, suppose that it were possible to make the religious withdraw, so that their ministries should cease; within a few days their lack would he bewailed, to the greatest extent possible.  But this fact is true, that while one enjoys a blessing, it is not esteemed, nor