into
the enemy's small boat without orders from the general, whereby a few
escaped, while others had recourse to our own small boat. Thus eight or
ten of them contrived to escape, without waiting for anything else. A
little before this, they addressed the general, Antonio de Morga,
saying: "Escape, your Grace, for the ship is sinking." He answered
that it was not suitable to his reputation to leave his ship and not
die with all the others, from which answer it was understood that,
in case the ship went down, he was confident of his own strength and
dexterity. The rest of our men--it may be seen what sort of men they
were--seeing that the vessel was settling little by little, and that
the enemy did not cease to serve their guns, huddled together in fright
as they saw their ship filling with water--a state of affairs which
would make others undertake not only the exploit of boarding the ship
and mastering it, but even more difficult enterprises. In short, by the
just judgments of God, which our sinful countrymen so well deserved,
He disturbed their minds and deserted them, so that they would make no
effort, excepting a few--of whom I shall make particular mention below,
because they deserve it. There was one who, in order that he might
take them with him, ordered a gold chain and other jewels brought
to him. Seeing things in this condition and the danger so evident,
a father of the Society, by name Father Santiago, took a crucifix
in his hands, and commenced to call out to the Christian Spaniards:
"Where is that courage of yours? See, this is the cause of God! Die,
die like good soldiers of Jesus Christ! If you do not care to be food
for fishes, consider that the lesser of the two evils which threaten
us is to board that ship of the enemy, for if we are losing one ship,
we are gaining another." After this exhortation, several men hastened
to board their enemy's ship. Those who did not do it were prevented
by two reasons: first, because they saw a fire breaking out on the
enemy's ship, caused by some charges of powder which they set off
purposely to terrify our men, and make them believe that they were
about to blow up the ship; the second, because our pilot told them
that, although the ship was so full of water up to the second deck,
all hands could be saved even if the ship were lost, as the distance
from there to the island of Fortuna was little more than one-half
legua, and, if they would cast loose from the enemy and c