barbarous people are incapable.  Furthermore, they had fastened on the very curtains some large spars bent like a bow, so that when anyone attacked it, by cutting one end loose from the inside a hundred men would be thrown down—­namely, all who were climbing upon the rampart platform.  It was intrenched at intervals in such wise that it was necessary to win it step by step, and from below, if one undertook to take it by storm.  There were a great many pikemen to receive the stormers, and they felt so safe that they put their women and goods on the inside to guard them better.  Thus they lost everything, and the booty was very rich, although the Indians obtained the most—­more than did the soldiers, of whom eighteen came out wounded (including the two captains, Guerrero and Grabiel Gonzalez), most being wounded by bullets and arrows.  They had fortified this fort strongly; and since they had lost it first, having considered it so long as a last hope for their safety, they thought of nothing more after losing it but being left in peace in the one which they at present hold; for already they have hardly a hand’s breadth of land left, and there they are fortifying themselves as much as possible.  This will not succeed, for without my going there they will come to ask peace from me—­in a few days I hope, because the grain is growing up all over.  In this way the whole country becomes ours and the crops are left ready to be gathered.  They lie so near to Buyahen that the sentinel bells can be heard from one place to the other.

They are retreating and there is no one who can go ahead.  They are sending chiefs from a distance to conduct us peaceably, who wish to become our friends and pay tribute.  On the first of November I arrived anew at the mouth of this river on the site of Mindanao, where the fort which belonged to the Spaniards when they took the country was burned.  There was a fleet there of more than sixty ships and we did not know what people they carried; but, believing that it was those whom we were awaiting from those islands, I was glad that they had arrived in so good time, and sent some of the friendly Indians to reconnoiter them.  They said that they were Terrenatans.  I immediately sent Captain Grabiel Gonzalez to make certain who it was, and on the way he met a caracoa which was on sentinel duty.  Some arquebus-shots were exchanged, and without any injury he came back with the information.  There were at this time in the whole camp, provisions for not more than nine days; and the munitions were so far spent that, having no matches, the soldiers were going about with fire-brands in their hands—­for the few matches and balls which they had, had been taken by the troops who were outside harvesting the grain.  We had to consider that as soon as we sent to call them back we were lost; for if the rice were not cut we should have nothing to live on.  Likewise, on the other hand, I saw the great injury which I should suffer if the enemy