that
they could take or kill any of us. He granted life to a few soldiers
and boys that fled from this camp and went to his fleet. During the
time of this blockade, the flagship was burned because it was of
no use, and so that the nails it contained might serve for a ship
that was being made. At this time came the news that the _capitana_
"San Pablo" had been lost in the Ladrones during a storm, and while
the ship was moored. All the people had escaped and came to these
Filipinas islands in a bark which they made from a small boat. It
was a marvelous thing that one hundred and thirty-two people should
come in it as they did. May God pardon whomsoever did us such harm
in losing this ship in this manner. The Portuguese had notice of
this loss, and, having kept us surrounded all the rest of the year,
went away from this port on the first of January of this year 69, with
different ideas from those which they brought hither--because they had
maintained that we must go with them to India; and the captain-general
demanded in his papers or summons that we should leave these islands,
since they were within the demarcation of the king of Portugal. Now
because, as I said, the governor will give your Majesty at greater
length the news of all this, and is sending a relation and the
copy of the demands, I shall say nothing further of it. I finish by
saying that the despatch-boat "San Lucas" is being sent away today,
in order to request that your Majesty may send us sufficient help,
suitable to our need, which is very great, as they who are going to
you in this ship will bear witness; and by referring you to all that
I have before explained to your Majesty. In the ship "San Juan,"
which left this port on the twenty-sixth of July, of the year 67,
I sent certain tamarind trees and ginger roots to be planted in the
more fertile districts of that Nueva Espana. Now I am sending your
Majesty by Rrodrigo Despinosa, chief pilot who came in the _capitana_,
some roots of pepper already sprouted, for the same purpose. I, as
a zealous servant of your Majesty, am always, so far as my little
strength permits, watchful of everything that concerns the royal
service. And because I personally desire to inform your Majesty of
these things, and in order that I may do it as fully as I have heard
it, I beg your Majesty to do me the favor to send me your favorable
permission, in order that I may do so in the first ship that may leave
these parts for that N