They shortened the
voyage every year to that country. Don Fernando de Silva also built a
galleon that is now in the port of Cavite. He built some small rooms
or quarters of stone for the soldiers in the Plaza de Armas, wherein
three hundred men may be lodged, without the expenditure of a single
peso from your Majesty's royal treasury. He is a calm and prudent man,
one of good example, fearful of God, and zealous for your Majesty's
service and the increase of your royal treasury. He has abilities
for governing, and if your Majesty occupies him in other governments,
you will be as well served as you have been during the time while he
has had this charge. [_In the margin_: "That we are advised of what
he says."]

Governor Don Juan Nino de Tavora, who just arrived in these ships that
came from Nueva Espana with reenforcements, shows excellent valor and
zeal for the service of your Majesty; and if God grants him life to
execute the good purposes that he evidently possesses, I doubt not
that these islands will not only lift their head, but that they will
return to their former grandeur. He has entered on his government with
a secure foothold, since he finds them free from the Dutch enemy--who
have allowed us to breathe this year, and have given opportunity for
more ships to come from China than for several years past. The same has
been true of the ships from Goa, India, and Macan. All of them have
entered the port of Cavite; so that already this community appears
another and a very different one from what it was before. I trust,
with the help of His Divine Majesty, that the governor will aid it,
for the proofs that he has hitherto given are those of an excellent
governor and Christian, and one fearful of his conscience.

Although we have had no Dutch enemies this past year, powerful
enemies of the inhabitants about these islands have not been wanting
to disturb the natives and those whom they capture suddenly in the
villages of the coast. It is a thing that I have experienced myself,
suffering so great anguish that I thought I should lose my life in it;
for I found myself surrounded by thirty-four caracoas and galeotas of
Mahometan enemies--Borneans, Joloans, Camucones, and Mindanaos--about
one hundred leguas from this city of Manila, while going to visit my
district at a village called Cabotagan. They assaulted me at five in
the morning, while I and all my retinue were asleep. We awoke at the
clamors, and had no other res