at these make a settlement in their lands, and aid them
against others who are their enemies, inhabitants of the same island,
with whom they wage civil war. They were well received by the governor,
and given a valiant captain with five hundred soldiers; and the father
provincial of the Society of Jesus gave two fathers from his residence,
to instruct them. All assembled at the town of Arevalo, where the chief
commandant of these provinces lives, one Juan Claudio de Verastigui,
who was ordered to set out immediately for Mindanao with his fleet,
whither he himself is going in person with his ships. The alcalde-mayor
of this city [25] is going to aid with fifty other soldiers for the
said purpose. A good result is hoped from it, and that either by
friendship of by force they will get a piece of artillery and some
ammunition from the Mindanaos that they took one year ago from the
governor. The latter ordered Don Juan Claudio not to return without it.

The occasion for that piece belonging to his Majesty remaining
in Mindanao was that Cachil Coralat, the natural lord of Mindanao,
seeing himself pressed by a tyrant in his kingdom, and seeing himself
conquered in a battle that they fought with him, hastened to this city
of Zebu to ask the Spaniards for help, sending one of his captains for
it. The latter was well entertained, and the piece was given to him
among other presents, twelve Spaniards and some ammunition being also
furnished with it. After the twelve Spaniards had been there for some
time, they were withdrawn, some say through fault of the Mindanaos,
and others that of the Spaniards. Consequently, as they left in haste,
the piece of artillery remained in Coralat's possession. At this
time, the Mindanaos from Manila having reached Octong, the piece was
requested from them in his Majesty's name, or satisfaction for it. The
Spaniards took from them some gold and equivalent articles in exchange,
and tried to capture some of them by means of an alferez, adjutant,
and soldiers. The Mindanaos, however, put themselves on the defensive
so courageously, and with so great wrath (or rather barbarity), that
their chief, one Salin--in the midst of the Spanish force and arms,
and in front of a fort that his Majesty has there--drawing a dagger,
plunged it into the adjutant through his groin and left him stretched
out. The officer next to the alferez--who was a fine soldier, and,
like the other, was on the inner guard in the Sangley s