and it was nowhere to be seen. Meanwhile a _prau_
which I had despatched with two soldiers and the chiefs Cicatuna
and Cigala to the island of Cubu to endeavor to ascertain some
news concerning it, had returned, bringing no news whatever of its
whereabouts. On Holy Saturday, three hours before daybreak, while
we were thus plunged in great anxiety and grief, fearing that our
companions might have been lost, captured, or killed, the shout "the
frigate! the frigate!" was heard in our fleet. Turning my glance,
I beheld it entering the bay. Only the Burnei pilot was missing;
the others looked well and strong, although they had suffered from
hunger. On arriving, they informed us that the island which they had
coasted had a circuit of one hundred and fifty leagues, and that
on their return they had passed between it and the opposite coast
of Cubu. [100] They reported that this island of Cubu was densely,
populated, containing many large villages, and among them were many
people inhabiting the coast, and inland many cultivated districts. The
above-mentioned soldiers who went to Cibu in the _prau_ with Cicatuna
and Cigala said that the same thing was to be observed on the other
coast, and that the port of the town of Cibu admitted of anchorage,
and was excellent. I decided to take the fleet to that island--a plan
I carried out, with the intention of requesting peace and friendship
from the natives, and of buying provisions from them at a reasonable
cost. Should they refuse all this I decided to make war upon them--a
step which I considered justifiable in the case of these people;
for it was in that same port and town that Magallanes and his fleet
were well received. King Sarriparra and nearly all the natives were
baptized, and admitted to our holy faith and evangelical teaching,
voluntarily offering themselves as his majesty's vassals. Magallanes
and more than thirty of his companions were afterward killed while
fighting in behalf of this island against the people of Matan, a
thickly-populated island situated near this one. Afterward the two
islands made peace privately between themselves, and the inhabitants
of the town of Cibu killed many of the Spaniards of the same fleet,
and drove the remaining few away from their land. Hence we see that all
this is sufficient occasion for any course whatever. In accordance with
this last opinion the fleet left the port of Bohol and we reached the
port of Cibu on Friday, April 27, 1565. We h