to the end that the Indians might not be busied in anything else than in getting wax for the alcalde-mayor. Hence this is the source and beginning of the troubles suffered by the poor Indians. They are not only not permitted to make use of their natural right, but are prevented from giving the due execution to his Majesty's orders, from entering and going out, from trading and trafficking one with another, and one village with another, for if they have anything to buy or to sell, it must be entirely for the alcalde-mayor. These notices are necessarily communicated in the lands of the infidels. Just consider, your Reverence, what will be the condition of their minds, when we try to reduce them to the knowledge of our good God, and to the obedience of the king our sovereign. I have informed the governor in regard to this, and since I do not expect any relief from his hand, I entreat your Reverence to procure it from the royal piety with the memorial and documents adjoined. If not we shall have to appeal to God, for such troubles are of very frequent occurrence in various parts of these islands. We never cease to wonder when we see some Spaniards here who are so destitute of Christian considerations, and so clothed in greed, God so permitting by His lofty judgments, in exchange for the martyrdoms that are lacking to us religious in Japòn." 832. We believe, although we are not altogether sure, that the suitable relief was given on one and the other side, for in the following years, we find that the Catholic faith made very extraordinary gains in Calamiànes. This is proved by the reëstablishment of the ancient convents and ministries. It appears that the chapter of 1686 erected a new mission in the village of Tancòn which was later moved to the village of Culiòn. The chapter of 1695 established another distinct mission in the island of Dumaràn, and that of 1698 a third one in the island of Lincapàn; and we see that that of 1746 has added two other ministries, the first in the island of Alutaya, and the second in the village of Calatàn. That is sure proof of the increase of the Christians, when the evangelical laborers are so increased. In regard to the above we must mention what appears from acts and judicial reports which the superior government of Manìla sent to the Council of the Indias, and which are conserved in its secretary's office in the department of Nueva España; namely, that when our province of Calamiànes was again given to us, all the islands contained only 4,500 Christian souls, but that in the year 1715 they amounted to 18,600. And even after the continual and furious persecution, which is mentioned briefly in the third volume [52] had intervened, with which it is undeniable that the number of believers had decreased greatly, father Fray Juan Francisco de San Antonio notes in the history of his province of San Gregorio de Philipinas [53] that there were 21,076 Christian souls in the islands of Calamiànes and Romblòn in the year 1735.