o have the Castilians for so near neighbors, and tried to drive them
out. Perhaps they were influenced in this by having as neighbors those
who had a better right and reason to the Molucas than themselves. This,
I think, must have been why our Lord favored the Castilians' cause
the more. Perhaps had the Portuguese examined the matter more closely,
they would not have given the Castilians so many occasions for glory,
nor have demanded investigations so greatly to their satisfaction--or
rather, [as it proved,] their loss.

Resuming, then, the thread of my history, I say that this Bornean
youth, who was well versed in affairs of the islands and knew
their chiefs, because of his continual communication with them,
wished to repay the Spaniards for the kind treatment that they had
given him--or rather he wished to obtain their good will, in order
to regain his liberty. He began to treat for peace, and to harmonize
discordant spirits, so that affairs might be meliorated, by reason of
what the Spaniards requested. He assured the islanders of the great
moderation which the Spaniards would exercise toward them, and that
they would commit no wrong or violence. He accomplished this with so
good grace, that he brought the chiefs Sicatuna and Sigala before the
commander. These chiefs drew blood with our men, and made a lasting
peace. But none of these exploits was important, because they found
it all tiresome and inconvenient to continue of one mind.

Already was the season well advanced, and our commander was anxious
about the affairs of Nueva Espana. He desired to give a good account
there of his expedition, and feared lest, by the delay, they might
doubt his success or care. He was right in correcting this wrong,
because, although no doubts arise where confidence is, yet all
the kingdom was in great suspense; for the patache "San Lucas,"
which sailed with our fleet, had scarcely gone two hundred leguas
from Puerto de la Navidad, when it maliciously separated from the
others. After pillaging those islands, it returned to Nueva Espana,
and said that a storm had separated them, and that, without doubt, all
the rest of the fleet was lost. For that reason, then, the commander,
to allay the fears caused in Nueva Espana by the delay, called a
council, according to his custom. There he proposed the questions
that had arisen concerning that matter, which he himself had already
considered. He besought all to counsel him in this as to what