high value, although not a great quantity of them, because the
vessel was small. He began his voyage with favorable winds astern,
and when he had reached the latitude of more than 30 degrees, he
saw that he might turn toward India; but, the brisas beginning to
vex the ships, he ordered the return, and, arriving at these islands,
disembarked some Castilians whom he carried but who did not wish to go
with him. He steered for Malaca and India, in order to go, they say,
to Espana upon the voyage which his Majesty had ordered. He arrived at
Malaca and died, I think, in Cochin. Nothing more is known [of him],
nor [is it known] what will be done with the goods that he carried.

The ships from Nueva Espana arrived very late, at the beginning of
July. It was fortunate that the vendavals were very much delayed this
season; for, if they had begun when they usually do, it would have
been impossible for the ships to reach these islands this year. But
God chose to bring to us the governor [22] who was so much desired. A
grand reception, with many costly triumphal arches, was prepared for
him in Manila. But he embarked from the port of Cabite in a galley,
and entered quietly into the palace through a postern gate near by,
and therefore the whole reception fiesta was a failure. And when
they desired him to go out of the city again, in order that he might
enter with solemnity, he said that he did not wish them to carry him
in procession as if he were a penitent, and so he remained there.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHILIPPINAS ISLANDS

The governmental district of the islands commonly called Philippinas
comprises seven principal provinces, not to mention many other
islands and smaller provinces within its jurisdiction. Five of these
principal provinces are in the island of Luzon, which is four hundred
and sixty leguas in periphery and extends about from the thirteenth
to the twenty-first parallel. One can travel two hundred leguas in a
straight line on this island, for it is even longer than this. From
east to west, between the Cape of Spiritu Santo (the first sighted when
coming from Nueba Espana) and the bay of Manila, it is eighty leguas;
and from south to north, between the same bay and Cape Boseador,
in the province of Cagayan, which is opposite Japon and China, it is
one hundred and twenty leguas. The capital of Cagayan is the city of
Nueba Segobia, which was settled by Governor Don Goncalo Ronquillo de
Penalosa in fifteen hundr