Note 115 — Chapter XXV

In this chapter religious were established in the village of Bantay, of the province of Ilocos, near the town of Fernandina, which now exists only in name.115 It is fifty leguas from Manila. It has now [277] an excellent wooden house and church. It belongs to the bishopric of Cagayán, and the bishop of that province usually lives there. It has two resident religious, and has more than one thousand Indians in charge. The chapter placed a religious in the village of Purao,116 the first village in the province of Ilocos after leaving the province of Pangasinán. This village belongs to the bishopric of Cagayán, and is a district of about one thousand Indians, although it is unhealthful. Two religious live there usually. It is fifty-four leguas from Manila. One can go to the province of Ilocos either by sea or by land, although the highway is very dangerous. One always goes with an escort of armed Indians, for many Zambales wander through those mountains, whence they descend to hunt heads. When there is no resistance offered by arquebuses, of which they are in deadly fear, they obtain heads very easily.