e was wont to do when that suited him,
and also made some trifling raids through the agency of the people of
Sibuguey, and threatened the Zebuans at Dapitan. But all became quiet
when the office of governor of those coasts was assumed (June 16, 1659)
by Don Agustin de Cepeda, a great soldier--who died in decrepit old
age as master-of-camp of these Filipinas. Corralat knew, much to his
sorrow, the valor of this able officer, and therefore did not dare to
anger him, content that the Spaniards should leave him in peace. Don
Agustin, as a prudent man, determined to try measures to secure peace;
and, conferences having been held, those measures were carried out,
with very advantageous arrangements for our forces.

The frequent raids of these Moro pirates, both Mindanaos and Joloans,
were one of the greatest hardships which these Filipinas Islands
suffered through many continuous years; they were the scourge of the
natives of the islands of Pintados and Camarines, Tayabas, and Mindoro,
as being nearest to the danger and most weak for defense. These
people paid with their beloved liberty for our neglect to defend
them--not always deserving of blame, on account of the mutations of the
times. Few Spaniards have been the prey of these vile thieves, except
some who were very incautious; but amends have been made for these
by many religious and some secular priests, ministers in the Indian
villages, who have suffered rigorous captivities and cruel deaths. No
small amount of expenditure has fallen on the royal exchequer; for
those pirates have caused innumerable expenses in armed fleets, most
of them useless because the news of the loss did not reach us until
the pirates were returning unhurt to their own lands. At times it has
given even the governors and captains-general of these islands plenty
to do in defending them from these pilfering thieves, as we saw in
the first part of this history, in the case of Don Sebastian Hurtado
de Corcuera and others. All the life of Cachil Corralat--which was a
very long one, for it exceeded ninety years--and that of his father
Bahisan kept our vigilance continually on the alert, and caused us
to found and maintain the fortified posts of Zamboanga, Sabanilla,
Malanao, and others--which caused so much expense and no profits;
for the forts defend only a small space, and the sea has many roads,
and thus they did not hinder the Moro fleets from sallying forth
whenever they chose. Moreover, Corralat h