to us for five or six days.  At the end of that time we decided that the fleet should continue its course along the thirteenth degree of latitude, so that we might strike a better land of the Filipinas, which the pilots were finding already, and should not strike Vindanao.  We followed our course in this latitude, and on Monday, January 21, we came in sight of land, which afterward proved to be one of the Ladrones Islands, called Gua.  We directed our bows to that island, but we were no more than two leagues from it when fifty or sixty praus under sail surrounded the fleet.  These praus were furnished with lateen sails of palm mats and were as light as the wind; this is a kind of boat that sails with remarkable speed, either with the wind or at random.  In each canoe were from six to eight Indians, altogether naked, covering not even the privy parts, which men are wont to cover.  They laughed aloud, and each of them made signs inviting us to his own town (for they were from different villages) and promising to give us food there.  At break of day we coasted the island and the next morning we cast anchor in a very good port.  The day had scarcely begun when a great number of those praus appeared about us.  There were so many of them, who came to trade with us, that some of our men who counted them affirm that there were more than four or five hundred of them around the ships.  All that they had to sell us were articles of food, namely, potatoes, rice, yams, cocoa-nuts, sugar-cane, excellent bananas, and several other kinds of fruit.  They also brought ginger, which grows in this island in so great quantity that it is a thing to wonder over; and they do not till or cultivate it, but it comes up and grows of itself in the open fields, just as any other herb.  The natives shouted at us, each one inviting us to buy of him.  The men of the fleet began to give them the face-cards from old playing cards, and to put bits of woolen cloth and other objects around their necks and on their heads.  The Indians seeing this asked for these articles, and adorned themselves therewith as they had seen our men do.  In these transactions many ridiculous things happened, and many jests were played.  Afterward our men began to give them nails, which the Indians liked so well that they desired nothing else after that.  They would smell them before taking them.  For each nail they gave measures of rice containing about half a fanega, more or less.  After the rice was drawn up into the boat by means of a rope, because the Indians would not trade outside of their canoes, and the packages were opened, it was found that only the top layer was rice and the rest straw and stones.  The Indian who had practiced this jest would clap his hands in glee, and laugh long and loud, and go from that vessel to another, to play the same trick.  Then again they would take the nails, and take flight without giving anything in return.  These and many other deceptions were practiced by