in Portuguese India, February 22, 1547. Fray Geronimo de
Santisteban writes to the viceroy of New Spain an account of the
expedition of Villalobos. He names and describes very briefly
the islands in their course; at one of these they cast anchor,
and he gives a description of its people and resources. "February
29 we saw the islands of Bindanao [Mindanao], San Juan, and San
Antonio." [27] One of the vessels had been badly damaged in a
storm before reaching the island named Matalotes. At Mazaua Bay
they began first to experience famine and sickness. As food was
refused them on the island of Sarrangan, and their men attacked,
they determined to take it by force. The island was soon gained,
and "Rui-Lopez labored with that people with entreaties and gifts
to make friendship, and to induce them to return to their houses,
but in vain." Then began the hunt for food in various places, but
much opposition from the natives was encountered. Santisteban says
"If I should try to write, to your lordship in detail of the hunger,
need, hardships, disease, and the deaths that we suffered in Sarragan,
I would fill a book ... In that island we found a little rice and sago,
a few hens and hogs, and three deer. This was eaten in a few days,
together with what remained of the ship food. A number of cocoa-palms
were discovered; and because hunger cannot suffer delay, the buds which
are the shoots of the palms were eaten. There were some figs and other
fruits. Finally we ate all the dogs, cats, and rats we could find,
besides horrid grubs and unknown plants, which all together caused
the deaths, and much of the prevalent disease. And especially they ate
large numbers of a certain large variety of gray lizard, which emits
considerable glow; very few who ate them are living. Land crabs also
were eaten which caused some to go mad for a day after partaking of
them, especially if they had eaten the vitals. At the end of seven
months, the hunger that had caused us to go to Sarragan withdrew us
thence." The booty of the island was but little, for the natives had
carried away and hidden the greater part of their possessions. The
vessel of Villalobos and two small brigs put out from this place
of famine to go to the upper islands, the other vessels having
been sent on ahead on various commissions. After sailing for forty
leagues, the large vessel was unable to advance farther, and put in
at a bay called Sacayan [Cagayan], to await good weather, while