hat must be done with the fleet. I
trust in our Lord that, if it reach here safely, it will give us very
good results. I offer on my part to procure those good results with
its aid, as far as possible. I shall not again mention in detail the
reasons existing as to why your Majesty should send us this aid, as
they have been written so often by so many men, and are so evident
and well known; and in order to conquer or conserve, or to make war
in any manner, that reenforcement and money are needed. As there is
so great a need of both these things and of small boats, as I wrote
your Majesty in those letters that you acknowledged, I heard that
the rebels of Olanda were coming to these islands with fourteen ships
and a number of caracoas. These latter are the craft of our enemies
of Mindanao, and they do the most harm to these natives. Although
it appeared impossible to make sufficient preparation to resist them
and prevent the depredations which were to be feared from so large a
squadron, I resolved to exert my utmost efforts in order to attend to
our defense, notwithstanding my lack of all things necessary for it
that should have been sent me. Almost at the same time as the news,
arrived the rebels. They had only five ships with high freeboard, to
which were added two others, also large ones, a part of four vessels
that we heard were to come from Japon--according to what was learned
from that kingdom through the fathers of the Society, and by way of
Terrenate, and from some prisoners captured along this coast, not far
from here. The latter, landing in order to reconnoiter the country,
so that they might land some Dutchmen on it, fell into the hands
of a company that I had placed in ambush with the great desire to
gather information and learn the designs of the enemy. In short, it
was learned from those advices, and especially from those from Japon,
that not only was it their intention to pillage the ships from China
(whence proceeds the commerce that sustains this island) and commit
the depredations of former years, but also to await the vessels from
Nueva Espana, in order at once to conclude and finish everything. That
obliged me to make the night day with my continual toil, so that
the Spaniards who were scattered throughout these islands might be
prepared and collected; and artillery cast, which was lacking to
me for what was necessary (even a place where I could get the metal
and the alloy). Then the workmen on two ships