of the excellent disposition and Christian spirit
of the master-of-camp—whom father Fray
Martin had considered as a son; for he was the grandson
of the adelantado Legaspi, the first governor, colonizer,
and discoverer of the Filipinas, whom the father had
accompanied from Mexico, and had brought with him
the said master-of-camp when he was still a child—they
resolved to obey the order and go to take leave of
him and their other friends in the army. For this
purpose they left the port and directed their course
to Pangasinan, a distance of but seven leagues from
the said port. And after they had sailed three
leagues, so violent and contrary a wind struck them
that they were unable to proceed, and were forced
to return to the port of departure. They sent
their unanimous decision with Pedro Sarmiento, by
means of the vessel in which the above-mentioned two
soldiers had come thither—inasmuch as,
being small and furnished with oars, it could, without
so great danger, and sheltered by the land, reach
Pangasinan more easily—in order that he
might, in the name of all, give their compliments
to the master-of-camp and take leave of him, and of
their other friends. He was commissioned to request
these not to forget in their prayers to commend them
to God, and to ask that He would protect and aid them,
that they might attain the consummation so greatly
desired by all. He was enjoined to bring back
with him the interpreter whom they were to take with
them, namely, a Chinese lad, baptized in Manila and
named Hernando, who was thoroughly acquainted with
the Spanish language. Pedro Sarmiento arrived
at Pangasinan and carried out his orders to the letter.
But the master-of-camp was dissatisfied with this,
as well as the captains and soldiers with him, by
whom the fathers and soldiers were greatly and deservedly
loved. These determined to send a summons to the
fathers, asking the latter to come to see them, since
they were so near. When the fathers heard this
message, they were not without the suspicion above
mentioned. But inasmuch as they could not refuse
to obey his order and civil request, they left Buliano
under a favoring wind—for the storm had
abated by this time, leaving the sea somewhat rough—and
arrived on the same day at Pangasinan, where they were
received with the utmost rejoicing by the master-of-camp
and the others. Their suspicion proved to be
quite contrary to the others’ thought; for the
master-of-camp not only did not detain them, but sent
them on their way with all haste, delivering to them
immediately, according to the governor’s order,
all the slaves—whom the soldiers to whom
they belonged surrendered willingly, when they understood
the purport of the order. He also gave them the
interpreter for whom they asked, and everything else
necessary for the voyage. The master-of-camp begged
Omoncon by letter, for the latter had remained at Buliano,
to care for and protect them as was expected from
him, and promised him the same thing as the governor