Page:The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 (Volume 11).djvu/159

when Captain Xiron reported that he was in the Camarines, and that he had boarded the general's ship, which was coming well-supplied with munitions, arms, and artillery. He gave information also concerning the number of men who, in his opinion, were carried by the two vessels—about ninety men, of whom some were sick; and of his dealings with them, and that they claimed to be vassals of the king our sovereign. As soon as news of the enemy reached this city, Don Francisco Tello, governor of these islands, sent soldiers as scouts along the Camarines coast, with orders to hide all the provisions, as he was unaware of the generous supply that the enemy had. It is quite true, as the English themselves said, that they could have had as much as they wanted, by paying for it.

Captain Pedro de Arseo and Captain Christobal de Arseo Etaminchaca, both of the infantry, were also ordered to go with a command of men along the coast to form ambushes, should the enemy land. But this was all to no purpose, for the enemy, in little more than a month, came out of the bay and sailed away on one course or another—which seemed quite impossible to the people here, because they were confident that the enemy could not get out of the bay in which they lay. But it finally turned out quite to the contrary; for, as I say, they departed and laid their course to Capul, until they cast anchor in a harbor, where they are said to have cleaned the ships and sent men ashore to burn a small native village. One of the English was left behind there among the Indians, who seized and brought him to this city. They took his deposition, in which he told some of the things related above.