Upon the arrival of the time set by the province, namely, the last day of October of the said year 1617, all the fathers who had a vote assembled, and discussed, as if in conflict, the question of electing such a head to the province; that he could settle, as far as he was able, the past quarrel, which had so upset the reputation of the order, by his authority, example of life, and morals. For in no time had it been more important for us to cut loose from our self-love and to fix our eyes on our mother, the order, which was suffering for her sons; and so that it might be understood that where there had been religious who had caused so evil an example, there were also those who could, by their example, edify a great community. According to this, father Fray Estacio Ortíz seemed very suitable to those who were present. He was the founder of the missions in Japon, and had always been known to be of a very religious life and had been highly esteemed by the civil government. Others declared that father Fray Alonso Ruiz, who was known to be a person of singular virtue, was the man who ought to fill that vacancy. Others, who had reasons therefor, sought another, as they had present father Fray Francisco Bonifacio. In order to know who he was, it sufficed to say that he had been prior of the convent of San Nicolás de Sugbú, which is for the natives, without anything ever being said in depreciation of his person. That, as was proper, was regarded as a singular case, and not less that he went free as did the children of Babilonia from the fire. He was a person who was always the model for all the Pintados.
The one who was discussed least was our father Baraona, for he was always humble by nature, and very free from pretensions, as he always thought of himself with great humility. But, as our Lord regarded him as provincial, He so managed affairs that votes were cast in his favor without special effort, and he was elected as provincial. On the last of October, then, endeavor was made, since there was nothing to do, to have the voting fathers return to their provinces and that the good of the province should be attempted, after deciding on a far-reaching reformation; for our father Baraona had excellent intentions, and to judge from these, it is to be believed that he would direct all things in the sight of God. In his own person he visited the province of Bisayas, which, as it was his own, he regarded with especial love. That visit was not a small exploit, when one considers the voyage. He always traveled at small expense, going in a champan, like any other and very ordinary religious. He was the one who sent most religious to España. Among them were the father visitor, Fray Agustín Mejía, who, arriving afterward at Perú, was there adopted and esteemed as his zeal and devotion deserved; the father definitor, father Fray Felipe Tallada; father Fray Andrés de Ocampo, prior of Macabebe; father Fray Baltasar Andrés; and father Fray Francisco de Cuéllar. All died except father Fray Felipe Tallada, who afterward returned to the province of Pampanga, where he was a fine linguist.
In the following year of 1618, with these religious he sent father Fray Alonso del Rincón (then prior of the convent of Manila) to España as procurator, in order to give account of the affair in España; and to bring back religious, for death was rapidly thinning the ranks of those who remained. He had good success, as we shall see.
After the good result with the Dutch at Octóng, which we have described above, it happened that the Mindanaos conspired with their neighbors, and came to plunder the islands, with a goodly number of caracoas and vessels of all burden. They robbed much, captured, seized, and burned, more than what can well be told; and, as fast as they filled their boats, they sent them home. The commander of the Pintados, Don Diego de Quiñones, was notified. He happened to be in Octóng, where he immediately had seven very well equipped caracoas prepared, with Indians to row and Spaniards to fight. He appointed creditable men as commanders of them, and, as commander-in-chief of them all, Captain Lázaro de Torres, the man who was with him in the affair with the Dutch. The fleet set sail in stormy weather, and coasted the island of Panay in search of the point of Potol, because the enemy had to pass by there in order to return home. This occasioned much toil because of the fury of the wind. Finally they reached the river, four leguas from Potol. There they anchored, for the brisas, which there are side winds, were breaking the counterbalances of the caracoas. At that place the Indians told him that the enemy had arrived at Hambil, an islet which, stretching between Potol and the island of Tablas, forms channels between them. Thereupon he left, notwithstanding the severe weather. Father Fray Martín de San Nicolás, associate in that priorate, accompanied him from here, in a suitable boat. At length, by dint of rowing, they reached the island, and when in shelter of it, they learned that the enemy had anchored near by, behind a point that served them as a harbor. Then order was given to the caracoas to follow and do their duty, and at daybreak sail was set, in order to take the enemy before they could perceive him. I have no wish to cast blame upon the commanders of the caracoas, for they were men of great courage and punctilious honor. Hence, they did not remain behind purposely, but because they could sail no faster, for all boats are not equal. To conclude, when the enemy were sighted, Captain Lázaro de Torres found himself alone with three caracoas—his own, that of Alférez Patiño, and that of Alférez Francisco de Mendoza, a creole from Sugbú. Our flagship went straight toward the enemy. The others stationed themselves in between, where they played havoc with the smaller craft. The small boats of the enemy perceiving themselves attacked so suddenly, without further counsel than that of fear, took to the open, which is there of great extent, and scattered. It is reported that their loss was heavy, and that only such and such a number arrived at Mindanao; and that their captain-general was drowned. He was the son of Silongan, king of Mindanao. Those who stayed behind to fight fought so bravely that the outcome was doubtful; for the captain told me that they fought like lions. Thus had the company [of the three caracoas] been destroyed, and our men would have been in danger, for even yet the other four caracoas had not arrived. Finally, the enemy’s flagship was sunk, and others foundered, while other boats took to flight through fear of the firing, or allowed themselves to fall aside. Our men killed many, and those who escaped, defended themselves cutlass in hand, while swimming. Then approaching the island, our boats ceased firing, in order to capture the enemy alive, so that they might have rowers for their galleys. On this account about eighty landed. The Indians seized a small height in order to defend themselves, whereat our men were about to open fire on them. As soon as our men were ashore, father Fray Martín de San Nicolás—who, more courageous than those who did not come, was in the midst of the whole action, encouraging our men—went to the Indians, and talked to and assured them so that they gave up their arms and surrendered. I think that the captain gave two of those slaves to the order to serve in whatever convent the superior should think best. The remainder were taken to Octóng, some of whom were sold, and others placed in the galleys, and those were the most secure. Since that fleet, although innumerable fleets have gone to attack the enemy who infest the islands, they have never had good success, or closed with them while the enemy have gone in and out from the islands every year, to the great loss of the country—doubtless a chastisement on us.
[Several miraculous occurrences in various places are recounted, all of which caused wonder. Medina continues:]
Our father Baraona, as he loved the province of Bisayas so dearly, went through it, abandoning some houses and occupying others, and exchanging and returning still others. And, in fact, although he did it for the best, experience has proved that it has been bad for us. He exchanged Aclán for Barbarán; and although the latter is on the river Panay, it is a convent needy of all things, and has the most perverse people, whom even yet we have been unable to subdue. The former was very fine in all ways, and convenient for us; and within its gates it is well supplied with all necessaries, both for itself and for other convents. And although it is true that it could have been returned to the order, because at the death of its first secular priest, the bishop gave it. But the order made so little effort that it was lost; for for what any other order would give a thousand flights, we let slip for the sake of two steps of work.
Our order owes the district of Dumalag to the care of our father Baraona, for he obtained it by entreaty from Don Juan de Silva—and that while he was merely prior, and not provincial. It cost him considerable labor, and was like to have cost his life, for he made many trips to Manila and to Sugbú, and, in his labors in 1612, he encountered death many times, embarking on the sea in only a cockle-shell of a boat, and ploughing it for more than thirty hours, when not a champán or caracoa was to be seen on the sea that was not knocked to pieces by this storm, and those well equipped were driven aground on some islands. The storms past, the father found himself on the island of Mindanao, without food. He had some dogs, for he was very fond of hunting. He ordered his men to go up the mountain, and perhaps they would find some game which they could take, for all were perishing from hunger. All went but himself, and he remained or the shore. But by and by a deer of unusually large size came bounding down toward him, to seek the protection of the water in order to escape from the dogs. Our father, who saw it pass, eager for the chase, went behind the deer, and seized it, so that had not his men arrived so promptly after the dogs, he had drowned there. For the deer had already taken to the deep water; and the father, weighed down by his thoroughly soaked garments, was almost drowned. But his men saved him from this danger, and killed the deer.
After they had embarked and had reached the harbor-bar of Aclán, the little boat was overturned, so that the father lost everything, and was able to save only the clothes on his back. Thus that boat, which withstood so many buffetings of the sea without any harm, happened to overturn four brazas from shore, through the carelessness of its steersman.
After he became provincial, he left the islands with the priorate of Ibabay for that of Tigbauan. This was not a bad thing, for the latter was very far from intercourse and people, and in great danger. There was necessity for religious, and permission was sent to India so that some could come. They began to come, but experience has proved that this measure is not effective; for when it is desired to bestow habits they can be given to youth in Manila, who have come from España, many clever ones of whom are in the colleges.
As soon as he could, he made father Fray Alonso de Méntrida—who was without an appointment in this province of Bisayas, and was a pattern for the order, as we shall see later—prior of Manila.