bad endured great
hardships." Of the two hundred and ten persons who had sailed on the
"San Pedro," sixteen died on the voyage, and less than a score were
able to work when they arrived at Acapulco, all the rest being sick.

The previous record of the expedition is now continued. Legazpi makes
a treaty with the chiefs of Cebu, who acknowledge the king of Spain
as their suzerain. Gradually the natives regain their confidence
in the Spaniards, return to their homes, and freely trade with the
foreigners. Legazpi now is obliged to contend with drunkenness and
licentiousness among his followers, but finds that these evils do not
annoy the natives, among whom the standard of morality is exceedingly
low. They worship their ancestors and the Devil, whom they invoke
through their priests (who are usually women). Legazpi administers
justice to all, protects the natives from wrong, and treats them
with kindness and liberality. The head chief's niece is baptized, and
soon afterward marries one of Legazpi's ship-men, a Greek; and other
natives also are converted. The Spaniards aid the Cebuans against their
enemies, and thus gain great prestige among all the islands. They
find the Moros keen traders, and through them obtain abundance of
provisions; the Moros also induce their countrymen in the northern
islands to come to Cebu for trade. An attempt to reduce Matan fails,
except in irritating its people. A dangerous mutiny in the Spanish
camp is discovered and the ringleaders are hanged. The Spaniards
experience much difficulty in procuring food, and are continually
deceived and duped by the natives, "who have no idea of honor," even
among themselves. Several expeditions are sent out to obtain food,
and this opportunity is seized by some malcontents to arouse another
mutiny, which ends as did the former. On October 15, 1566, a ship from
New Spain arrives at Cebu, sent to aid Legazpi, but its voyage is a
record of hardships, mutinies, deaths, and other calamities; it arrives
in so rotten a condition that no smaller vessel could be made from
it. A number of men die from "eating too much cinnamon." Portuguese
ships prowl about, to discover what the Spaniards are doing, and the
infant colony is threatened (July, 1567) with an attack by them.

A petition (probably written in 1566), signed by the Spanish officials
in the Philippines, asks for more priests there, more soldiers and
muskets ("so that if the natives will not be converted other