[Other expeditions.] Two years afterwards, a second expedition was fitted out, under the command of Loaisa, who died after they had passed through the Straits of Magellan, when they had been a year on their voyage.  The command then fell upon Sebastian, who died in four days after his predecessor.  Salazar succeeded to the command, and reached the Ladrone Islands, but shortly after leaving there he died also.  They came in sight of Mindanao, but contrary winds obliged them to go to the Moluccas.  When arrived at the Portuguese settlements, contentions and jealousies arose, and finally all the expedition was dispersed, and the fate of all but one of the vessels has become doubtful.  None but the small tender returned, which, after encountering great difficulties, reached New Spain.

The third expedition was fitted out by Cortes, then viceroy of Mexico, and the command of it given to Saavedra.  This sailed from the port of Silguattanjo, on the 31st of October, 1528, and stopped at the Ladrone Islands, of which it took possession for the crown of Spain.  It afterwards went to Mindanao, and then pursued its voyage to Timor, where part of the expedition of Loaisa was found remaining.  From Timor they made two attempts to return to New Spain, both of which failed.  The climate soon brought on disease, which carried off a great number, and among them Saavedra.  Thus the whole expedition was broken up, and the survivors found their way to the Portuguese settlements.

The fourth expedition was sent from New Spain, when under the government of Don Antonio de Mendoza, for the purpose of establishing a trade with the new islands, and it received orders not to visit the Moluccas.  This expedition sailed in 1542, under the command of Villalobos.  It reached the Philippine Islands without accident, and Villalobos gave them that name after Philip ii, then prince of Asturias.  Notwithstanding his positive instructions to the contrary, he was obliged to visit the Moluccas, and met the same treatment from the Portuguese that had been given to all whom they believed had any intention to interfere in their spice trade.  The squadron touched at Amboina, where Villalobos died, an event which caused the breaking up of the expedition; and the few Spaniards that remained embarked in the Portuguese vessels to return home.

The fifth and last expedition was ordered by Philip ii to be sent from Mexico, when under the government of Don Luis de Velasco, for the final conquest and settlement of the Philippines.  With this expedition was sent Andres Urdaneta, a friar, whose reputation stood very high as a cosmographer:  he had belonged to the ill-fated expedition of Loaisa.  This was the largest that had yet been fitted out for this purpose, numbering five vessels and about four hundred men.  The command of it was intrusted to [Legaspi.] Legaspi, under whom it sailed from the port of Natividad, on November 21, 1564, and upon whom was conferred