Islands, as has usually been
done in past years, in several pataches and a galley. The Dutch enemy
had at their Malayo fort (which is almost within sight of our fort
at Terrenate), a very powerful ship which passed in front of our fort
several times discharging their artillery as if defying us to come out
and fight. After this bravado our men and Pedro de Heredia, governor
of those fortifications, armed two pataches and the galley (a force
much inferior to that of so powerful a ship) and went out to meet the
enemy. He boarded it and began to attack the soldiers in it; the enemy,
seeing that the fight was going against them, cut loose from our ship,
and retreated or fled to their fort. There their people arrested the
captain, because, although he had had the advantage on his side, he
had not sunk our little pataches, but instead had taken to flight. Some
of the Dutch and some of our men were killed in this fight.

At Xacatra, which is the capital of the Dutch possessions in all
these eastern regions, and at which their governor and captain-general
resides, there have been many harassing wars this year, because King
Xabo with a very powerful army had besieged them for many months,
seized and burned the suburbs, and killed many men. However, on account
of the many winter floods, Xabo had to retreat; but the Dutch are left
in considerable fear lest he will return, with the Portuguese giving
him assistance. On that account they have still further fortified their
forts, made greater provision of all necessaries, and detailed there
six galleons from the great fleet, which they maintain at Ormus for
the aid and defense of the Persian, [65] in order that the Portuguese,
who are threatening that fortress, may not recover it.

With the aim of relieving these islands and their natives from
the suffering that they endured in building galleys and ships, the
governor decided to send some Spaniards to the kingdom of Camboja,
which abounds in fine woods, to establish dock-yards; this purpose
was carried out. With the Spaniards it was decided to send some of
the Society, but for certain reasons this was not done, nor would
we permit it. The fathers of St. Dominic, however, permitted it;
and so some of them went there with the Spaniards, and were very well
received by the king of Camboja. They immediately commenced to carry
out their plans for the ships, while the religious built a church. The
king gave them permission to baptize and con