above--had retreated. They were commencing to repair that vessel, and
it cost even more trouble than if it had been built new. The Spaniards
also equipped the two small vessels as well as they could. For lack
of iron for nails, they removed the gratings of the windows, [24]
While Manila was laboring under this anxiety, the strength of the
enemy was increased by a good ship. That vessel came with food, and
thus caused this community much distress. But greater suffering would
have been caused had the Dutch commander's resolution, made in Maluco,
been carried out--namely, that a fortnight after his departure this
ship and one other should follow him hither; and, besides these, a very
large and well-equipped galleon named "The Devil from Holland" built
on purpose to fight with the galleons of Eastern Yndia. The Dutch at
Maluco considered it inexpedient to send more than the said vessel, and
especially so to send the galleon. They considered it very unadvisable
to send it among islands where, if it were wrecked, its loss would
be great and irreparable. It was all the miraculous disposition of
Heaven, as will be seen later. With this new accession, the Dutch
commander determined to come again in sight of Manila. Accordingly he
entered the bay on January 19, and without doing more than to gather
new information concerning our scarcity of vessels, he remained there
until the twenty-seventh of the said month. Then he again left the
bay, and commenced to capture the Chinese vessels that were already
coming with the accustomed merchandise and food. The Dutch seized from
the Chinese their hams and capons, and the choice wine. [25] And even
before the eyes of the Chinese themselves, they gave themselves up to
the wine to such an extent, that the Chinese observed it, and made
jests at, and ridiculed them, talking of them and comparing them to
the most degraded Indians who were wont to become intoxicated. The
Dutch usually threw all other articles of food into the sea, saying
that the Spaniards had no need of them. They seized so many fowls that