l, whom he charged
with negligence of his orders. The admiral was tried, the charges
sustained, and traitorous misdeeds proved against him; therefore
he was abandoned on a desert island near the coast of Chile. [23]
Then the general appointed as admiral one of the most valiant and
experienced soldiers of his band. He reached the coast of Chile,
where he made a few captures, although of no especial importance. The
first was a fragata, [24] which was seized near the island of Sancta
Maria Domingo de Rramos in the year 1600. They were informed by this
vessel that two ships had gone to Arica for the king's silver; but
they were warned that there were war-vessels at Callao. This fragata,
they say, was carrying three consignments of gold; but our men, upon
seeing that they were lost, threw it overboard. The enemy seized the
pilot, who was a Portuguese, and took the fragata along with them,
together with two negroes who were aboard of her. The latter told
them that the pilot had had all the gold thrown overboard, whereupon
they ordered the pilot to be cast into the sea alive. They captured
at Santiago on the same coast another vessel laden with tallow and
Cordovan leather [morocco]. Considering that it was worth little to
them, they burned it, and its crew escaped by swimming, except a few
Spaniards and natives who perished in the water. The enemy seeing
that they were acquiring small profit in that neighborhood, decided
to go up along the coast of Nueva Espana, and wait at the entrance of
the Californias for the annual vessels from these islands--the very
purpose and object for which they had resolved upon their navigation,
as is evident from the aforesaid. However they abandoned that purpose,
upon being told by the negroes whom they had brought with them that
Don Luis de Velazco, viceroy of Piru, had left Lima in person for
the port of Callao to superintend the preparation of a large fleet,
as he had been informed that pirates had passed and were along the
coast. The enemy, fearful of this, and recalling the fact that,
five years previously, Arricharse de Aquines, [25] an Englishman,
was defeated and captured by our men, after the greater part of his
force was killed, decided to abandon their voyage to the Californias,
and to head for these islands, with the intention of awaiting at the
Ladrones the shipments of silver from Nueva Espana to Manila. With
the said intent, they put to sea, but after sailing for several days,
the