run of losing the communication with
your city; for we had to enter boldly into the enemy's country,
as one of the boats of the friendly Indians from Zanboanga had
done. Finally, as the evil of the want of food was most pressing,
and as without food we could neither go back nor forward, I resolved
to reenforce the pass of Vutil, so that the enemy could not pass that
way and join with the people of Buyahen. The troops who were acting as
porters kept the pass, and immediately, at the same time, I sent the
people who were above down to the sea, ordering Captain Juan Pacho,
who was at their head, not to come back without bringing in first all
the rice which he had harvested and cut, as aforesaid. I got a galley
ready with a good deal of trouble, for there was not even bonote [5]
to calk it, and I had to go in person among the houses of the Indians
to find some. I launched it, and fitted it with guns and new rigging
to make it ready; for I was resolved that if the enemy fled I should
follow them even as far as their own country. When the men got back
I embarked, on Thursday morning, which I reckon to be the third of
November. By noon I had come in sight of the enemy, where I anchored,
and we exchanged cannon-shots. Seeing that he had a larger force than
I had understood, I immediately sent an order to Captain Guerrero who
was in Butil, that he should come down to the river of Vitara to the
sea, with a galliot, and enter the mouth of this river of Mindanao
and come within sight of the enemy, and exchange cannon-shots on his
arrival. He did so, arriving at noon on Friday. On the way he met an
outpost of the enemy, and killed a few Indians who were with them,
with a cannon-shot. When he arrived at cannon-shot distance from the
fort he anchored, and commenced to fire. The enemy replied so well
that at the first shot they hit the galliot, and it was only by good
fortune that it did not go to the bottom. With the second they killed
a soldier. With such exercise the day was passed. Saturday morning,
Lumaguan having arrived with some troops that were expected, I ordered
Captain Guerrero to land immediately with twenty-five soldiers and join
me, leaving the rest and the captain of the galliot in it, with orders
that, when the troops began the investment, the galliot should come up
close to the mouth of a lake which was close to the fort. Accordingly,
when these troops came I landed ninety men with Captains Juan Pacho,
Guerrero, Ruy Go