utch, 630; of the Chinese, 10,000 men. The vanquished
left the fort on the day of the Purification of our Lady, six hundred
in number, and embarked in nine ships which had remained in the harbor.

In short, this [i.e., the Chinese] people is the most ingenious in
the world; and when they see any contrivance in practice they employ
it with more facility than do the Europeans. Accordingly, they are
not now inferior in the military art, and in their method of warfare
they excel the entire world. No soldier is hindered by providing his
food; every five men have their own cook. All are divided into tens,
and every ten have their own flag, and on it are written the names
of its soldiers. These tens are gathered into companies and regiments
with such concert and such ease in governing them that Europeans who
have seen it are astonished.

Consider the anxiety that must be caused by a nation so ingenious, so
hardy, so practiced in the military art, so numerous, so haughty and
cruel, in a city where all the forts together could not call to arms
2,000 Spaniards--and these of so many colors that not two hundred pure
Spaniards could be picked out from them--and occupying so much space
that for its suitable garrison it needs 6,000 soldiers. From this may
be inferred the joy that was felt throughout the city [at his death]
and the so special kindness of God in putting an end to this tyrant
in the prime of his life--for he was only thirty-nine years old, and
had spent his time in continued military practice from the year 1644
until that of 1662, when he conquered Hermosa Island. He was always
favored by fortune, and there was no undertaking in which he did not
succeed except the siege of Nanquin--which would be considered foolish
temerity by any one who will consider the strength and greatness
of that city--an enterprise in which he had to entomb or submerge
in blood his fortune and his acquired glories; yet it weakened him
so little that he quickly restored the losses, victorious over the
entire naval force of China.

At the beginning of June his Lordship gave permission to all the
[native] tribes to return home; they went away well satisfied and
loaded with praises. He gave the Chinese more freedom, permitting
them to remove to the villages adjoining the city, and releasing
them from serving on the ships [de las faginas] on account of the
great labors which they had performed before his Lordship's eyes in
completing, with so much