y's fort and fleet, and not
only the whole fort but the fleet was won, with some artillery and
the loss of many men on the enemy's side, without the loss of any
Spaniards. In this encounter the general of the fleet from Terrenate
was killed. This victory was a very important one, and with it the
whole island of Mindanao lost courage and were awed. The island was
surrendered peacefully, and is peaceful today. They acknowledged
obedience to our sovereign, the king, whereupon the robberies and
injuries which the Terrenatans were accustomed to commit in the
provinces of the Pintados, who are your Majesty's vassals, have ceased.

Before these happy results, Don Juan Ronquillo wrote a letter to Don
Francisco Tello, governor of the Philipinas, in which he told how
far this conquest of Mindanao extended, and the distress of the camp
for lack of supplies, unless he were continually assisted from these
islands. For that island is quite lacking in them, and altogether
of little profit or substance to his Majesty, as it is a poor and
wretched land, lacking in everything; and, even when it is pacified,
the natives there would not be able to pay tribute, on account of its
great sterility. It would likewise be impossible to come to close
quarters with the Indians, because they never stand their ground,
and are able to inflict injury with safety to themselves, shooting
arrows from the heights at the Spanish camp without any possibility
of being attacked in return, because they flee immediately to the
mountains. When the said governor, Don Francisco Tello, heard this,
he called a council of war of the most practiced and experienced
captains in the land; and, having read the letter of the said Don
Joan Ronquillo, all were unanimous that, if the island of Mindanao
was so fruitless and profitless, and the pacification would have to
spread so far over it, the said Don Joan Ronquillo should be ordered
to have a last fight with the natives of the island, and do them all
the harm possible, without endangering the camp; and that, this done,
he should strike camp, and go with all his men to the island of La
Caldera. When he arrived there he was to build a fort, well supplied
with artillery and provisions. He was to leave in it a garrison of one
hundred men, in charge of a good leader, as a check for Terrenate and
Mindanao. With the rest of his force he was to return to these islands,
where, at this time, the province of Cagayan was in rebellion,