Jesuits, and the P3,000 paid to ransom Villa
Corta's life was returned, Brereton remarking, that if the sentence
against him were valid, it should have been executed at the time,
but it could not be commuted by money payment. At the instance of the
British authorities, a free pardon was granted and published to the
Chinese, few of whom, however, confided in it, and many left with
the retiring army. Brereton, with his forces, embarked for India,
after despatching a packet-boat to restore the Sultan of Sulu to
his throne. In connection with this expedition, 150 British troops
temporarily remained on the Island of Balambangan, near Balabac Island,
and Anda sent a messenger to inquire about this. The reply came that
the Moros, in return for British friendliness, invited the hundred
and fifty to a feast and treacherously slew 144 of them.

During this convulsed period, great atrocities were
committed. Unfortunately the common felons were released by the British
from their prisons, and used their liberty to perpetrate murders and
robbery in alliance with those always naturally bent that way. So
great did this evil become, so bold were the marauders, that in time
they formed large parties, infested highways, attacked plantations,
and the poor peasantry had to flee, leaving their cattle and all
their belongings in their power. Several avenged themselves of the
friars for old scores--others settled accounts with those Europeans
who had tyrannized over them of old. The Chinese, whether so-called
Christians or pagans, declared for and aided the British.

The proceedings of the choleric Simon de Anda y Salazar were approved
by his Sovereign, but his impetuous disposition drove from him
his best counsellors, whilst those who were bold enough to uphold
their opinions against his, were accused of connivance with the
British. Communications with Europe were scant indeed in those days,
but Anda could not have been altogether ignorant of the causes of
the war, which terminated with the Treaty of Paris.

A few months afterwards Anda returned to Spain and was received
with favour by the King, who created him a Cavalier of the Order of
Charles III. with a pension of 4,000 reales (about L40), and awarded
him a pension of 3,000 pesos, and on November 6, 1767, appointed
him a Councillor of Castile. In the course of the next three years
Gov.-General Jose Raon, who superseded La Torre, had fallen into
disgrace, and in 1770 Anda was appointed