Don Juan de Alcarazo gave Him thanks, and shared the booty with Him. There was a terrible earthquake in the islands at this time, which none of them escaped. In the island of Panay, where I was stationed then, it lasted more than a fortnight. But none of the succeeding shocks were equal in violence to the first, which was so severe that all expected everything to be overthrown. The columns of the church and house, colliding against one another, strewed the ground on all sides, so that a thick club could easily be thrust around the columns. The same thing happened in the other convents, where the images fell and were broken into bits. In the church of Passi, which is of stone, and was then just roofed, all the upper part fell, and it sank in many places. Many rivers changed their course, as that of Aclan, which abandoned its former bed. Mountains were opened, and there were innumerable other terrible occurrences during that awful earthquake. At last it was the Lord's will that it should cease, and with it the fears of all. In Ilocos the shocks were also exceeding great, but not so severe in Manila. The Lord allows all this, so that we may recognize His power; and, recognizing it, love Him; and, loving Him, not offend Him. During these years, the Dutch enemy did not discontinue coming to the coasts of Manila, where they robbed the Chinese and did all the harm possible. They tried to capture the ships carrying aid [from Mexico], so that without war they were growing rich, and disabling the people of Manila. In this emergency the pilots carried sealed orders, which they were to open on the return voyage and learn the port where they had to go, thus defeating the designs of the Dutch enemy, and freeing themselves from the secret spies who were in Manila--who, as it was said, were not lacking. Consequently, in many years no company [of religious] entered Manila directly, so that whatever missionaries the ships carried were scattered, and, not reaching Manila, no benefit was derived from them. Father Fray Alonso del Rincon [54] was coming from Espana with a fine company of religious. He reached the port of Acapulco, where that year the flagship from these islands did not arrive. After it left Manila and rounded the shoals, it had been wrecked near Verde Island, for the tides drove it upon some reefs. The almiranta passed on, and immediately another despatch followed it which the governor made, when advised of the event. In the latter the pilot and commander was the overseer Gaspar Nunez. This boat sailed September 16, and our Lord was pleased to let it arrive, but both vessels were very small. The governor of Terrenate, Pedro de Heredia, was coming. At last a vessel happened to arrive from Peru, and was immediately laden. Our religious embarked in it, as also did the fathers of the Society. Although the other two small boats had sailed a fortnight before, this vessel overtook them, and all entered