t any
danger, as caracoas are vessels which can be sunk with only the
oar of a galley. He went out to look for the Mindanaos; and as he
left by night, because of the proximity of the Dutch, he was not
perceived, and found the Mindanaos in the best position that could be
desired. The Mindanaos were intent on, and desirous of, gaining honor,
for they were stationed with all their fleet within a river called
Baco in the island of Mindoro. The galleys having been stationed at
the mouth of the river, it was impossible for even a single caracoa
to escape. Consequently when the enemy learned that the galleys were
there, they were disturbed, and let go their prize, and begged the
captives to intercede for them. They were determined, on seeing the
galleys, to desert their caracoas, and to go inland into the forests,
where not one would have escaped. But the courage to undertake the
most glorious enterprise (and one of importance for all the kingdom)
that could be offered was lacking; and, turning about, the galleys
went to another island, under pretense that there was a heavy wind,
and that they did not dare enter until it ceased, in order not to run
the risk of losing a galley. However that withdrawal was not without
profit, for they met one of the ships that had sailed for Nueva Espana
from Manila, which was coming back to port; and had the latter not been
warned it would have fallen into the hands of the Dutch, being ignorant
that they were at the mouth of the bay. Thereupon, although the wind
ceased at midnight, the galleys did not return until the afternoon of
next day, and were told that, just as soon as the enemy heard that they
were gone, they had very joyfully taken flight toward their country,
and with so great fear, that they did not even wait for one another.

One would believe that our Lord was doing everything necessary for
the preparation of the fleet in order to encourage them; for at the
same time came news that the two ships despatched that year from Nueva
Espana with the goods of the city and the reenforcements sent by the
viceroy both in money and in men for Maluco, had been forced to put
in at Japon in July because of the vendavals; and that the almiranta
had been wrecked, although the goods and men had been saved. Having
awaited favorable weather there, the commander (one Don Francisco de
Serna) had come, and had arrived on the coast of Pangasinan, twenty
leguas from where the Dutch were stationed. Being wa