the term of his office—­and that with so great perils by land and water that the preservation of his life seems a special providence of heaven.  Father Fray Onofre de la Madre de Dios was met on one of those occasions by more than twenty caracoas of pirates and was obliged to cast himself into the water, together with his secretary.  They went to an island, where, naked and without food, they suffered those miseries that can be imagined.

Another provincial father, Fray Andres del Espiritu Santo, suffered a violent tempest, in which a number of persons perished.  The boat having overturned, as neither he nor three other religious who were accompanying him knew how to swim, they seized hold of the keel.  They remained there two days and one night, expecting death every instant.  But God was pleased to have them reach a beach amid rocks and reefs.  There, bruised and full of wounds, they found no other comfort than to seek roots with which to support themselves for many days, until unexpected aid came to them from another part.

Father Fray Nicolas de Tolentino visited the province of Caragha.  He was wrecked three times, and suffered most the last time; for, the boat having broken, he had nothing to eat in seven days.  Having reached an uninhabited place by dint of his exertions, he went overland through rough paths and through mountains, at the risk of being eaten by crocodiles, until he found a little boat, that carried him and his companion to Manila.  They were so weak and hurt that they could not recover their health for a long time.

Brother Fray Francisco de San Nicolas, a native of Cadiz, coming from the island of Negros to attend to certain things of the church service, suffered so terrible a whirlwind that the boat was driven upon some rocks and broken into splinters.  Its occupants were drowned, and our lay brother, not knowing how to swim, went to the bottom.  Without knowing how, he found himself in the hollow of a rock which had an opening at the top.  He managed to creep through, by the help of God, who protected him.  Climbing to the top he saw that he was on a rocky islet of one-half legua in circuit, and remained there until his cries and shouts brought some passing Indians, who, surprised at so novel an occurrence, took him off in their boat.

The captivities and oppressions suffered by Ours would take long to recount, and so I shall give only one.  Jolo is an island that lies between those of Burnei and Mindanao.  It is very famous in that archipelago, not for its size, but for the warlike daring of its caciques or petty kings, who have made themselves feared by their robberies and cruel deeds throughout those seas.  While their fleet, then, was at Calamianes, father Fray Juan de San Joseph, a native of Granada, was captured.  He was then prior of the convent of Cuyo, and was visiting those villages which had been converted to the faith, administering the sacraments and the word of God to them—­the employment