and of less importance and strength, was the admiral’s ship.  With these he had entered the South Sea through the Strait of Magallanes, and skirted the coast of Chile; and then came and anchored outside the entrance to these islands, in the bay of Alvay.  After making inquiries about affairs in these islands, and finding that there was no fleet, and no arrangement by which one that could molest him could be created, he passed by Capul and proceeded on his way until he reached the mouth of the bay of this city of Manila.  There he made some captures and committed some robberies on vessels which entered, and he was hoping to commit greater ones on the ships which are expected this year, both from China and from Nueva Espana, with the money belonging to these islands.  On this account your Lordship, together with the royal Audiencia, by a decree in due form dated the last day of the aforesaid month of October, commanded me to go to the port of Cavite and to place it and keep it in a state of defense; and likewise to finish some vessels which had been begun there in the dockyard, and to prepare and put in order those which could be used quickly for a fleet to go out and resist and punish the enemy.  By working personally day and night, without having anything given to me for it, I put all this into operation with the greatest diligence and care, in thirty-two days.  When I came to this city to give your Lordship an account of the good condition of the fleet—­in order that it might be immediately arranged who was to go out in it, and the soldiers and seamen who were to embark—­considering the fact that the corsair still remained near this bay, your Lordship, influenced by urgent causes and reasons, ordered and commanded me in writing, in the name of our lord the king, to set out with the volunteers of this city, who were placed at my disposal for this expedition.  It was understood that I was to conduct this expedition, and, with another body composed of hired soldiers from this district, was to go out as quickly as possible in search of the enemy, and was to fight with him until I overcame him or sent him to the bottom.  There were many other conditions which are contained more fully in the letter of instructions which your Lordship gave me, signed and sealed, to which I refer.  In fulfilment of this, and only for the service of God and of our lord the king (which service your Lordship commended to me so strongly), leaving my house and quiet life, leaving my wife and nine children, I obeyed your Lordship’s command.  At my own cost, without having anything supplied from the royal treasury either to myself or to the volunteers who were with me, and who formed the larger part of all the body, I embarked on the fleet on the twelfth day of the month of December of the aforesaid year, taking as flagship the vessel “San Diego,” which is of about two hundred tons burden; and in its convoy the ship “San Bartolome” as admiral’s ship, of the same burden, in command of the captain Joan de Alcega, admiral of the fleet, and other small vessels for the service of the fleet.