my girdle.  And thus, with half my body out of the water, the current carried me a long distance.  The Indians were following me in all haste with the little boat, supporting it with their hands; and, when it overtook me, I climbed on top of it, overturned as it was, and in that manner they dragged me ashore.  From there I went to the village, passing through streams as deep as my waist, or even to the shoulders, and many times even up to the throat, at the imminent risk of attack by crocodiles, and of life, and health; for I did not dare enter the boat again.  The fourth was in Laglag, when I was going on horseback to the visitas of that district.  The road was so close to the edge of the river that it could not be followed without risk.  The rest of the country was so rough that it could not be penetrated.  I was going carefully, but the horse knew little of the reins, and made a misstep and fell into the river—­from so high a precipice that surely, had there not been much water in the river at that time, we had broken all our bones.  But it was deep and had a strong current, so that when we fell into it we sank.  The horse reached the shore immediately by swimming.  The current carried me above water for a very great distance, until I seized some reed-grass by which I was able to reach the shore, where I thanked God for so many mercies.  The fifth was by falling into the Dumangas River from a little boat.  The above one of the ship is the sixth.  I have left untold countless other dangers, while on the sea so many times—­now from enemies, now from the weather.  The seventh time is the loss of Sugbu, after the burning of that city and convent.  It is not little to tell what the missionaries suffer here; but, as they are caused by works for God, His [Divine] Majesty aids us with His help and protection, when by any other means it seems impossible to save one’s life on account of the enemies and hardships that surround a religious on all sides.  May thanks be given to His [Divine] Majesty for all.  Amen.

In 1631 there happened a wonderful thing in Sugbu.  On account of the ill-success achieved at Jolo, the governor sent Sargento-mayor Tufino to Sugbu, so that, being posted in Dapitan (situated in Mindanao), he might prove an obstacle to the Joloans, so that they should not infest the islands.  He reached the city of Santisimo Nombre de Jesus, and was lodged in a house belonging to the convent, opposite the prison; the two houses are separated only by a very wide street.  The sargento-mayor stored his powder, amounting to sixteen barrels, in his house.  The prison caught afire.  All the people ran thither, since if the fire leaped to the house opposite, and caught in the powder, the city would surely be blown to pieces.  The most Holy Child was immediately taken out, at sight of whom the fire was checked, and burned only the nipas of that piece, and left the supports on which it rests intact.  This is the latest thing [of this sort] that has been seen.  It was a solemn miracle; but that Lord who is omnipotent in all things can do this.