defenseless and separated
and thus incapable of resistance.

They are more circumspect on the sea, when danger does not oblige
them to make resistance. For since these natives do not fight for
reputation, but only for gain, they seek to assure that, and not to
buy it too dear with their blood. Therefore, when they meet a ship
which they think cannot make any resistance they go to it in certainty
of making it a prize, and that they will catch it a half-legua from
shore. However small it be, they do not care to seize it if there
is any danger. They continue to row about it, until they cause it to
waste its powder in spectacular warfare, and then, when they see it
weakening, they attack it with great valor throwing by hand so many
missile weapons that no man can [safely] show his face; and when they
get within range there is rarely a man who is not wounded, for they
hurl these missiles in showers. No matter how well equipped a boat
may be, if once it gets within their range it has to surrender;
for then their men, both sailors and soldiers hurl their arrows
with both hands, so that they confuse those who uncover themselves
for the fight. But by startling them from a distance, that danger
is not imminent, and less resistance suffices. In order that this
may be better understood, I shall relate some attested incidents of
such encounters. One happened to an inhabitant of Dapitan, with whom
I sailed for many days. He, when going toward his village in a small
boat, met the fleet of the Joloans. A ship with one piece immediately
left the fleet to pursue him. The Indian carried a musket, and after
he had discharged it the enemy, recognizing it, moderated their zeal,
and coming within range discharged their own piece. Then they backed
water in order to load again and repeated the attack, always keeping a
close watch on the musket. In this way they made three attacks, until
at the third their piece became enraged, and breaking its carriage,
fell into the sea. Thereupon the enemy dared attempt nothing more,
and retired. The same fortune happened to Father Antonio Abarca, [35]
of our Society, of whom we shall make honorable mention later. He,
having left me in Dapitan in order to go over to Bohol, on that same
day while sailing toward that island, and while still one legua away
from it, found three hostile joangas of Joloans at another island,
small and uninhabited, called Illaticasa, which attacked him at the
same time. There was b