Note 20 — Chapter IV

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, [298] 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, one Spanish and the other Pampanga. The title and pay of royal chaplain was given and conceded to the minister of that village. The fort mounted on its ramparts some excellent artillery. The conquests were carried farther along that coast, and inland. The Spaniards were also received, and without any repugnance the natives accommodated themselves to the fitting homage, even the infidels recognizing the tribute. Villages were established on the river of Barbacan, Aborlan, and as far as Ypolote. They also reduced the island of Dumaran, and spread to the Calamianes Islands, where they founded reductions in Linacapan, Culiong, or Calamian the lesser, and in the greater [Oalamian] at Busuagan. To the above, which they [299] regarded as capitals, they added other near-by villages; and as their ministrations spread so extraordinarily, it became necessary for a greater number of religious to go there. That was made possible by the second arrival from España of father Fray Rodrigo de San Miguel,20 who had been sent to make various efforts in their interests, and who returned with eight religious.