cowardly as Indians, they begged me to write
to China that Limahon was dead. For this purpose, they tried to procure
many human heads, which many natives of this land are wont to keep as
treasures, in order to declare that they had that of Limahon. They
made a false seal, claiming that it had belonged to Limahon, from
whom they had taken it. They endeavored to have me write to China
from here after this manner, but I always told them, whenever they
broached the subject, that the Castilians did not know how to lie,
and that we could not discuss such trivial matters. I consulted the
captains and religious concerning the present, and we agreed that it
was not convenient to send one, but that we would furnish them with
provisions. Therefore we supplied them generously, and they left this
port on the fourth of May of the year seventy-six. They took with them
two fathers, Fray Martin de Errada and Fray Augustin de Alburquerque,
and my letters, a copy of which I am sending, as well as an order
for the fathers to remain there to preach. The Chinese did not take
any Spaniards with them; however, they begged for some of our people,
later, thinking that the latter would take something to give them or
which they could seize. During their stay here I treated them very
well, but there is no way of softening their hearts, except by means
of gifts--although, to my way of thinking, weapons would avail more.

40. The kingdom of China is very large. It is a two days' journey
from the head of this island thither for Spanish ships. Sailing from
this port one day until one loses sight of land, on the next day China
is seen. They themselves call their country "the kingdom of Taibiu;"
those of the Yndias, and other peoples, call it China. This means "a
very remote land," just as in Castilla they called Nueva Espana and
Peru "Las Antillas." Thoughout these islands they call the Chinese
"Sangleyes," meaning "a people who come and go," on account of their
habit of coming annually to these islands to trade--or, as they say
there, "the regular post." Here they style the Portuguese, "Parangue,"
taking the name from _margaritas_ [pearls]. They were given this name,
because they were the first who sold pearls. The captains describe
the kingdom of Taibiu in the following manner:

It has fifteen provinces, with viceroys, while the people out-number
those of Germany. The king is now a child of thirteen. He has a mother
and tutors, and it is about three