In the following year of 1618, with these religious he sent father Fray Alonso del Rincon (then prior of the convent of Manila) to Espana as procurator, in order to give account of the affair in Espana; and to bring back religious, for death was rapidly thinning the ranks of those who remained.  He had good success, as we shall see.

After the good result with the Dutch at Octong, which we have described above, it happened that the Mindanaos conspired with their neighbors, and came to plunder the islands, with a goodly number of caracoas and vessels of all burden.  They robbed much, captured, seized, and burned, more than what can well be told; and, as fast as they filled their boats, they sent them home.  The commander of the Pintados, Don Diego de Quinones, was notified.  He happened to be in Octong, where he immediately had seven very well equipped caracoas prepared, with Indians to row and Spaniards to fight.  He appointed creditable men as commanders of them, and, as commander-in-chief of them all, Captain Lazaro de Torres, the man who was with him in the affair with the Dutch.  The fleet set sail in stormy weather, and coasted the island of Panay in search of the point of Potol, because the enemy had to pass by there in order to return home.  This occasioned much toil because of the fury of the wind.  Finally they reached the river, four leguas from Potol.  There they anchored, for the brisas, which there are side winds, were breaking the counterbalances of the caracoas.  At that place the Indians told him that the enemy had arrived at Hambil, an islet which, stretching between Potol and the island of Tablas, forms channels between them.  Thereupon he left, notwithstanding the severe weather.  Father Fray Martin de San Nicolas, associate in that priorate, accompanied him from here, in a suitable boat.  At length, by dint of rowing, they reached the island, and when in shelter of it, they learned that the enemy had anchored near by, behind a point that served them as a harbor.  Then order was given to the caracoas to follow and do their duty, and at daybreak sail was set, in order to take the enemy before they could perceive him.  I have no wish to cast blame upon the commanders of the caracoas, for they were men of great courage and punctilious honor.  Hence, they did not remain behind purposely, but because they could sail no faster, for all boats are not equal.  To conclude, when the enemy were sighted, Captain Lazaro de Torres found himself alone with three caracoas—­his own, that of Alferez Patino, and that of Alferez Francisco de Mendoza, a creole from Sugbu.  Our flagship went straight toward the enemy.  The others stationed themselves in between, where they played havoc with the smaller craft.  The small boats of the enemy perceiving themselves attacked so suddenly, without further counsel than that of fear, took to the open, which is there of great extent, and scattered.  It is reported that their loss was heavy, and that only such and