anged. The
French pilot Pierres Plin, and a Greek were also hanged. The others
were pardoned after being severely reprimanded. More than forty
persons were implicated in this conspiracy. "The governor imposed
only one order upon the foreigners, namely that none of them should
speak any other language than Spanish." It was discovered that some
of these men had conspired while at Puerto de la Navidad to make off
with the "San Lucas," and that one night the sails had been lowered
on the "San Pablo" under pretext that Legazpi's ship had done the
same, the intention being to desert. Through the promptness of the
master-of-camp, who threatened to hang the pilots if they lost
sight of the "San Pedro," the conspiracy was foiled. The mutiny
suppressed, attention was given to securing food. Five _praus_ of
natives set out for the province of Baybay, taking with them articles
of barter--Legazpi preferring that natives should go on this errand,
as he feared that the Spaniards would wrong the islanders. These men
delayed, as well as those who went to Panay, and it was thought,
purposely, believing that the Spaniards would be driven from the
island by hunger. So great was the famine that cats and rats were
eaten by some of the soldiers. Goyti was sent with a number of small
boats and a detachment of one hundred men to the villages hostile to
those of Cebu, with orders to buy food and try to procure peace and
friendship with the natives. He sent back several boat-loads of food,
and on his own coming announced peace with five villages. Finally
the natives who had gone to Panay returned, after three months'
absence, bringing many excuses and but little food. Meanwhile news
came from Baybay, where many of the former inhabitants of Matan
and Gavi had sought refuge, of hostile excursions against the town
of Mandam, an ally and friend of the Spaniards. These people from
Baybay carried their insolence so far as to say they would burn the
Spanish settlement. Legazpi sent two chiefs to Baybay to demand the
release of the prisoners taken at Mandam. The messengers were scoffed
at, and the marauders returned to Mandam in greater force, where
they committed many depredations and made many prisoners. Legazpi
determined to teach these arrogant natives a lesson, and ordered the
master-of-camp to go thither; but granted a few days' delay at the
petition of the Cebu natives, who said that many of their men were at
Baybay, as well as those despatched th