who at that time was lieutenant-governor there. Four leagues from
this place, Limahon met a small galley sent out by the said Juan
de Salzedo after provisions, with but twenty-five soldiers aboard,
not counting the rowers--both soldiers and rowers being in very
small numbers, for they felt quite secure in this region, and had
no suspicion of meeting enemies. When the pirate Limahon's fleet
discovered the galley, they came down upon it, invested it, and
taking it easily, burned it, and killed its crew, without excepting
a single person. After this capture, Limahon continued his voyage,
according to his plan, and passed by the town of Fernandina, but
not so secretly that he escaped being seen by its inhabitants. The
latter informed the above-named lieutenant-governor of it, expressing
their astonishment at seeing so large an assemblage of vessels,
a sight never before witnessed in those islands. To him also, this
was a cause for wonder, and he was not a little troubled at what it
might mean. Seeing that these vessels were directed toward the city
of Manila, and thinking that so great a fleet, coming from such a
direction, could portend no good to the inhabitants of the city (who
were living in security and were but few in number, as we have said
above), he resolved to set out immediately with the greatest despatch
possible, and with the greatest number of men he could muster--about
fifty-four Spaniards--to endeavor, although at the risk of much
labor, to get the start of them, and warn the people of Manila,
and help them place the artillery in position, and do other things
needful for the defense of the city. The captain set out to carry this
determination into effect with all haste, from which it resulted that
the city and all its inhabitants were not completely pillaged and
destroyed. However, it was not possible to avoid all damage; for,
as their vessels were small, and the rowers few in number and not
picked men (since their hasty departure did not allow a choice), and