656 he arrived at Zamboanga. When
this valiant chief was informed of what had occurred, and learned that
the pirates were equipping at Simuay [River] a squadron to invade the
Visayas, he declared war on Corralat, without stopping to consider
whether his forces were inferior or not to those of the enemy, trusting
to the courage of his followers and the justice of his cause for the
issue of the undertaking. In this document he ordered that ten caracoas
should set out, under command of Don Fernando de Bobadilla; and these
vessels went to sea on December 30. This commander detached Admiral
Don Pedro de Viruega at the village of Sosocon, and Sargento-mayor Don
Felix de Herrera at Point Taguima. Through his spies, Corralat knew of
the departure of the squadron, and declined to send his boats against
the Spanish armada; and during twenty days Bobadilla waited in vain
for the pirate vessels. During this time the dato of Sibuguey, Mintun,
went to Zamboanga, offering the aid of his people against Corralat,
perhaps in order not to be the leader in paying for the losses of
the war. It was reported that the sultan had sent four vessels to the
village of that chief for rice, and Bobadilla set out to intercept this
convoy (January 2, 1657). On arriving at La Silanga, [95] two small
caracoas went ahead to reconnoiter the place; these boats conquered
a large vessel; but their crews intimidated the Lutaos who were in
the Spanish ship, telling them that they would soon be destroyed by
Corralat, who was expected in Mintun with fifteen vessels. As the
Lutaos of Bobadilla's squadron were inclined toward the sultan, or
were afraid of falling into his power, they threatened the commandant
that they would abandon the field when the battle was at its height,
if the Spaniards compelled them to fight against Corralat. In view
of this, Bobadilla was obliged to return to Zamboanga, losing so
propitious an opportunity to avenge the wicked perfidy of the old
sultan. Nevertheless, he seized a considerable number of small boats,
full of rice, and forty captives. The sultan, now a declared enemy,
and attributing to our weakness the failure to punish the murder of
the ambassadors, commanded his squadrons to commit piracies, under the
command of Prince Balatamay. That deceitful Moro, after committing
the most outrageous acts of violence in Marinduque and Mindoro,
returned to Mindanao with a multitude of captives and very rich spoils.

While Balatamay was r