," Sargento-mayor Alonso Martin Quirante, an old and well-tried
soldier; in the ship "Rosario," Captain Lazaro de Torres, a daring
man in war; and in the other two pataches, two other captains. Each
vessel carried a quantity of artillery, each galleon having more than
forty very large pieces. There were many and very courageous men;
although when they saw that contrary weather was setting in it did
not fail to dishearten them, as was immediately seen. For scarcely
had they left the port of Cavite (even before emerging from that
bay), when so fierce a storm overtook them that the fleet was in
danger of being wrecked. One patache sprang a leak, and commenced to
take in water so badly that it was forced to make port and remain
there. The governor--seeing that as the season was so late, it was
quite possible that he could not get to the island of Hermosa and
return to port with the fleet; and as quite a long period had passed
since any reenforcement had been sent to our fort on the same island
of Hermosa; and since he imagined that they were suffering very
great need of everything necessary--in the probability of what might
happen, determined to send Captain Lazaro de Torres ahead with his
little vessel the "Rosario," which was carrying a large quantity of
food. As it was a small, swift-sailing ship, he hoped that it would
surely arrive, which was not looked for in regard to the rest of the
fleet. We shall relate the experience of this vessel later.

Our fleet proceeded on its course, but with so contrary winds from
the north that they [as it were,] consumed the vessels; and the seas
ran mountain high toward the heavens, so that one would believe
that they were trying to engulf them. They reached Cape Bojeador,
although after considerable danger. That is the end of the island of
Manila, where one crosses to the island of Hermosa. At that point the
storms increased so violently that, a council of the pilots having
been called, all thought that they should put in to port; for it was
impossible to go any farther until the next year, when the expedition
could be undertaken at a better season. They put back, and the fleet
reentered Cavite on September 6. That was considered as not a little
[good fortune by the Dutch]; for, as was afterward learned from some
Dutchmen, whom the Portuguese of Macan captured, the enemy on the
island of Hermosa were very weak and determined not to fight, but to
leave their fort at the arrival of our