Page:The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 (Volume 11).djvu/169

which seemed to be coming toward them, which they took to be the enemy's flagship, which was already ours, and that it was being sent, like their own, to be repaired. Their expectation was not unfounded, for they had seen our men in it and heard them shouting, "Victory!" so that it seemed to them that nothing else could be possible. But in actual truth it was the enemy, who was coming, upon seeing his almiranta, to see if he could assist it. But when the enemy saw the two ships close together, and heard no noise of guns, he tacked about, and hitherto nothing has been known of his whereabouts. It is believed that his flagship was badly injured and battered, since it did not wait, although victorious by having sent our flagship to the bottom. However, we may give credit to some who said that when they were in the water, they saw the crew of the enemy casting lances at our men who were swimming, whom they could overtake.

Our almiranta, after its recent success, set sail to return to Manila, where they thought that our flagship was calmly lying at anchor. They arrived at Mariveles and there they heard of the misfortune our people had suffered. The admiral sent a messenger to the governor of this city to procure his orders, and to tell him that he was waiting there. He was ordered to follow instantly and pursue the enemy as far as Malaca, or wherever else he might hear that he was. Immediately he received another order to cruise among those islands - when, if he should not find the enemy, he was to return. This he did after sending the survivors of the enemy to this city. The admiral himself came later to the city, and the governor ordered him to be arrested, but afterward set him at lib-