ed certain Spaniards, who had gone there
in vessels belonging to friendly Indians. The island of Banton is
about fifteen leagues from Cibuyan. It is a small circular island,
high and mountainous, and is thickly populated. The natives raise a
very large number of goats here, which they sell in other places. The
natives of this island of Banton, as well as those of Cibuyan, are
handsome, and paint themselves. From the island of Banton to that of
Bindoro there is a distance of about twelve leagues. The master-of-camp
reached this latter place, and anchored there with all the vessels
in his charge. Mindoro is also called "the lesser Lucon." All its
ports and maritime towns are inhabited by Moros. We hear that inland
live naked people called Chichimecos. As far as could be seen, this
island lacks provisions.

News reached the master-of-camp that, in a river five leagues from
the place where the ships had anchored, were two vessels from China,
the inhabitants of which these natives call _Sangleyes_. [23] Seeing
that the weather did not permit him to send the large ship, because the
wind was blowing south by west, he despatched Captain Juan de Salzedo,
with the _praus_ [24] and rowboats to reconnoiter the said ships, and
to request peace and friendship with them. This step had scarcely been
taken when the southwest wind began to blow so violently, that our
people were compelled to put into a harbor, and to find shelter for
that night behind a promontory. Four _praus_ and the frigate, unable
to do this, found shelter farther away; and, keeping always in sight
of the shore, these vessels looked for the ships all that night. The
next morning they were overtaken by five of the other vessels and the
frigate, which were searching for them. The master-of-camp and captain
Juan de Salzedo were still behind, with the large junk and the other
_praus_. At break of day, the _praus_ which had preceded the others
reached the river where the Chinese ships were anchored. The Chinese,
either because news of the Spaniards had reached them, or because they
had heard arquebuse-shots, were coming out side by side with foresails
up, beating on drums, playing on fifes, firing rockets and culverins,
and making a great warlike display. Many of them were seen on deck,
armed with arquebuses and unsheathed cutlasses. The Spaniards, who
are not at all slothful, did not refuse the challenge offered them by
the Chinese; on the contrary they boldly and fearle