The foundation of the first church among the Indians of Tanchuy,
a district of the island of Hermosa, and the events which happened
among those Indians.
[The father provincial, father Fray Bartholome Martynez, after
building a church in the new city of San Salvador, went on to Tanchuy,
a province of the same island and a port known to the vessels which
come to it from China. It is fourteen leguas from the chief city in
it. When the fort was built there, to which the name of St. Dominic
was given, he was present, doing all he could to prevent damage
to the natives. Many of the latter fled away to Senar, where he
followed them and built a church. The ministry in this province of
Tanchuy was entrusted to father Fray Francisco de Sancto Domingo, a
son of the convent of Zamora. His companion was brother Fray Andres
Ximenez. They went by sea, having a perilous voyage, and were met
when they landed by father Fray Jacintho de Esquivel.] The three
went with Captain Luis de Guzman and some soldiers, to set up in the
village of Senar a beautiful image of the Virgin of the Rosary. They
went on foot and with great difficulty, as it had rained the day
before and was still raining, and part of the way they went mid-leg
deep. Not a single soldier said the things which are usually heard on
such occasions. On the contrary, loaded as they were with mud, they
comforted themselves by saying: "At last we are going to establish the
faith." The captain, Luis de Guzman, to whom this region owes much,
because of his valor and Christian spirit, and his kind treatment of
the natives in it, marched barefoot, encouraging them and saying:
"Come on, my children; doubtless there is much good here, because
the beginning is so hard." A messenger was sent ahead to notify the
Indians, and by their help the streets were covered with branches;
they fitted up a half-castle [46] with powder, which they had prepared,
and they arranged for a graceful sword dance. When the image, which
they carried as ceremoniously as possible, reached the village,
they placed it in the church. The sky cleared, and the sun came out
as if to rejoice in the festival; and after a mass of the Virgin of
the Rosary had been said, they bore her in procession--the soldiers
firing off their arquebuses, and the castle discharging its salute,
and the dance being performed in token of the possession taken of
this country by the queen of heaven, and of the conclusion of the
devil's ancient control over it. [The Indians rejoiced greatly,
the chiefs being invited to dine with the captain. After this they
gave a ball after their fashion--a very disgraceful one in our eyes,
because at every turn they drink a draught of a very bad wine which
they have. This kind of ball or dance they keep up for six or eight
hours, and sometimes for whole days. The chiefs kept boasting that
their village was the finest in the island, since they had Spaniards,
a father and a church, as the others had not. They desired to return
the invitation of the captain with one to a feast after their own
manner--which is a repast of dogs rather than of men, since they eat
nothing except meat so rotten that the bad odor of it serves them
as salt. After the feast the soldiers, the captain, and father Fray
Jacintho returned to Tanchui; while father Fray Francisco and brother
Fray Andres remained as a guard of honor to the Virgin. Father Fray
Francisco, thinking that the Spaniards would be lonely without their
holy image, thought best to return it; but the Indians were so much
grieved that it was given back to them, and they rejoiced greatly,
though they were not yet Christians. A great part of the labor of the
conversion fell upon the brother. The Lord wrought miraculous works
through his hands, keeping the sick alive until they might receive holy
baptism, and doing wonderful works of healing. The kindly treatment
of the fathers at last made the Indians feel sufficient confidence
in the Spaniards to return to their previous places of abode, whence
they had fled from fear. One lay brother was in the island of Hermosa
for five years among the Indians, who, although they had not been
pacified, never harmed him. He baptized a number, brought down
from the mountains many who had fled from fear of the Spaniards;
and with them formed a village of moderate size named Camuarri,
which is constantly increasing in numbers, and greatly needs a church.]