Page:The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 (Volume 11).djvu/160

Toward the last of November, one of the negroes, named Salvador, who had escaped by swimming one night near Capul, arrived here. He reported that the enemy were directing their course toward Maluco, and that meanwhile they were trying to discover if there were any plunder among these islands. He said that the capture of the enemy would be greatly facilitated by attacking them with a fleet; and his advice was not bad. All this time the enemy were coming nearer, until they anchored in the port of El Frayle, near Mariveles, where they lay very much at ease and without any fear, watching for the vessels coming to this city. They captured a fragata, which they sank. They took a quantity of flour from a Japanese vessel that was on its way here. In order to quiet the Japanese, they gave them a sword, and a few trinkets of no particular value. They captured a Chinese champan, by which they were informed that the Chinese vessels would arrive within a few months, laden with silks and merchandise of great value. This news pleased the enemy so highly that they did not propose to leave until they should seize some of the Chinese. From this place they wrote a letter to Don Francisco Tello, in which they declared that the Indians there had stolen a number of fowls from them, that his Lordship should order the Indians to make them good, and that they were coming to pay their respects to him. It may be seen by this how little they feared the governor.

While these things were taking place, the governor had three ships fitted out—one from the city of Cebu, to act as flagship; another, a galizabra, still in the shipyard—which was launched a few days before the departure—called "San Bartolome," to act as almi-