his--seeing that he was not sufficiently strong with the men
at his command to defend himself against the forces coming against
him, and that he was in great danger if he waited--he collected his
companions, and led them to a seaport a few leagues from that place,
going thither with so great rapidity and so secretly, that before the
inhabitants of this place, accustomed to live quite without fear of
such assaults, were aware of it, he was master of the port and all its
vessels. In these vessels he and all his men embarked immediately,
weighed anchor, and made for the open sea, thinking (and with good
reason) themselves safer there than on land.

Perceiving now that he was master of that whole sea, he began to
plunder as many vessels as he could, both foreign and native, so that,
within a short time, he was well provided with seamen and the other
necessities demanded in his new calling. He pillaged and despoiled
all the coast towns, and committed many other atrocities. He became
powerful, having collected a fleet of forty vessels, composed of
both those that he had seized in the first port, and those that he
had appropriated at sea, and a large following of shameless men,
quite satiated with their robberies and murders. He bethought
himself of undertaking things of greater import, and set about it,
having the boldness to attack large towns, and committing numberless
atrocities--so that throughout that entire coast where he was known he
was greatly feared; and even in coasts very far from there the report
of his cruelties was spread abroad. While engaged in these practices he
happened to meet with another pirate like himself, named Vintoquiam,
also a native of China, who was resting at anchor in the port, not
apprehending any danger. Here, gaining the advantage through his
great daring, he fought with the latter's fleet, and conquered him,
although Vintoquiam had sixty vessels, large and small, and a strong
force of men, capturing fifty-five of his vessels; Vintoquiam escaped
with the other five. Limahon, now finding himself with a fleet of
ninety-five vessels, manned by a numerous and bold following (all of
whom knew that execution awaited them if taken), grew bolder and lost
every atom of fear, devising new atrocities; and he not only attacked
and plundered large cities, but seized and destroyed them.

A fleet is prepared in China against the pirate Limahon, and
he retires to Tonzuacaotican, where he hears of affai