turn serves the sick, after the following manner. Those whose turn it
is go hunting boars or stags, and on the appointed day bring flesh,
boiled or roasted, with rice, or bring some equivalent food, for the
sick. Now this tribe, which is at this time so Christian, formerly
observed the custom of never going hunting without consulting their
idols. When they perceived that the fathers of Ours detested this
custom, and indeed wholly annulled it, some of them asked them what
they ought to do then when they went out on such enterprises. When they
were told that they should go to some church and beseech God through
the Virgin Mother of God to give them success in their hunting, they
did so; and at noon of that very day they killed twenty-two boars
and stags not far from the village. When they came home loaded with
their game, every one marveled greatly; and they said: "Ah, Father,
how good is the God of the Christians! The gods that we used to worship
would scarcely grant us, in return for long continued implorations,
at last two boars or stags, and most often nothing; but now the true
God after having been barely prayed to has freely given us all these
beasts in a short time." The pious example of these people having
been followed by others in another village, they too had slain five
and twenty of this kind of game within three or four hours; and they
went about shouting: "Away with you, lying bailans, who were about
to destroy us and all that we had! For us there will be henceforth
no God but Jesus Christ, who has displayed so great liberality to us
who have recently turned to Him." I might say more as to the Gospel
of St. John, the saving sign of the cross, and other mysteries of the
Christians, whose marvelous efficacy these tribes have experienced;
but I would not be prolix. Let it be enough to state that seven or
eight sick persons at least have been cured by amulets of this sort.