He determined to chastise the audacity of the Moors, who were, as usual, infesting the provinces and coasts of Bisayas, and he sent against them an armament which succeeded in burning their towns and villages: but this was by no means doing them any essential injury; they had little to lose, and in return they laid waste nearly the whole of the Spanish possessions with fire and sword. However much Señor Tamon was desirous of repressing the depredations of these pirates, he found it impossible, the low ebb of the treasury opposing a sufficient bar to his fitting out such a force as might answer any other purpose than that of a temporary check on their ravages. The Governor's resources being thus too much limited to enable him to make the necessary exertions against the Moors, he called a council of the principal inhabitants of Manila, in which it was resolved, that it was absolutely requisite for the public safety that a number of different armaments should be fitted out; that forts should be erected along the coasts, and points of communication and rallying established between the towns; and that, in aid of the royal funds, a contribution of five hundred dollars should be imposed on each town. Some of the religious establishments had found it necessary to adopt the expedient of erecting works round the different churches, where the Indians might take refuge from the inroads of the Moors. Others constructed watchtowers on elevated situations, with a view to discover the enemy, and give the necessary alarm, taking due care to visit them during the night, to ascertain that the centinels were sufficiently vigilant, thus discharging the twofold duty of pastors and military officers. By this arrangement, even no fishing town was without its small fort or station for its protection. The royal funds, however, contributed in no respect to this desirable object; the public was indebted for it solely to the friars, who, from their slender stipends, made the necessary disbursements to the superintendants of the works and for the pay of the soldiers; and succeeded, by persuasion and threats, in inducing the towns to furnish materials and workmen, expending much money, and exercising great perseverance, in order to complete the necessary means of defence.