and when Ensign Francisco Rodriguez met them with a white flag and without arms, the said Borneans without any shame came leisurely to him, beckoning him with the hand, and then forced him to retreat.  He gave an account of this to the said captain—­when his Grace saw this, and that he could not make war upon the said Borneans, because of his Lordship’s orders to the contrary and because their fort had been built up the river, where no galley or galleot could sail; and seeing that some of the reputation until then enjoyed by the Spaniards might be lost, and that no advantage was accruing to the service of his Majesty from his stay in this said island of Mohala; and that the people ran risk of becoming sick, not only from the waters of that land, but from the rains, the heat of the sun, poor food, want of exercise, and others difficulties:  he ordered sail to be set in order to return to the city of Manila, and to give an account of the expedition to his Lordship, the governor.  Thus he decreed, and ordered, and signed it with his name.  Witnesses were Father Baltasar de Miranda, Luis Briceno, Alonso Locano, and many others.

Don Juan de Arce Sadornil

Before me: 
Manuel de Caceres, notary

Most illustrious sire: 

In a clause of the instructions given me by your Lordship, you order me on my return from the river and settlement of Borney, to visit the river of Taguaran.  But because I was informed that the said river is not navigable by galleys unless at extremely high tide, and to anchor near the shore meant some risk—­for at the present season occur nightly heavy showers brought by the vendaval—­and because the king is not peaceably inclined, and considering that all the land would revolt, I concluded that it would be useless for me to go thither, since the said river of Taguaran is on the way to Borney, so that any one may very easily ascertain what he wishes.  In my opinion, if we effect a colony in Borney, the Spaniards must live where the king and the Moros are, in order to keep them under control.  In any other way they will be always unmanageable.  Whenever your Lordship wishes, I shall tell you some reasons that should induce us to make a settlement in no other place but where the Moros live.  Given in this galley “Espiritu Santo,” belonging to his Majesty, on the twenty-ninth of March, one thousand five hundred and seventy-nine.

Don Juan Darce

By order of his Lordship: 

Manuel de Caceres, notary

The order which we must regard and observe in the voyage and navigation from here to Borney is as follows.

The galleys shall follow the flagship, without preceding it, and at night they shall be vigilant, both in following the lantern, and in watching for certain shoals such as are wont to be in the sea, and for strange ships, as well as all else advisable.

When any galley encounters any danger, and needs help, it shall discharge a cannon as sign of distress; and all the other ships shall go to its assistance, to see what has happened.