Page:The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 (Volume 03).djvu/48



On the first of July of last year, I despatched from this port Captain Felipe de Salzedo in the flagship to that Nueva España, to give your Excellency an account and relation of what had occurred until then, and to carry specimens of articles produced in this land. It pleased God that the ship should be wrecked while at anchor in one of the Ladrones Islands; for it was driven on the coast and all that was on board was lost, except the crew. They returned to these islands with much difficulty, in the boat, which they repaired for that purpose, as well as they could. Felipe de Salçedo saved the packet of letters for your excellency, which accompanies this letter. A few days after the departure of the flagship from here, I heard that a Portuguese fleet was coming toward us. In fact, it came in sight of this port—seven vessels in all, sailing in a line, four galleons and three fustas. The captain-general of the fleet was a gentleman called Gonçalo Pereira. At first, he declared that he came there only to see us and to inquire whether we needed anything that he