Don Francisco Tello, an Andalusian knight, succeeded Gomez Perez in the government of Filipinas.  He reached Manila in the year one thousand five hundred and ninety-six.  He immediately set himself to learn the condition in which his predecessors had left matters, and to provide aid for the garrisons.  For, since the emperor of Japon had caused those glorious martyrdoms among the religious of the Order of St. Francis, in the year one thousand five hundred and ninety-five, of which news had so lately been received, it was feared that he was going to menace Filipinas.

The inhabitants of the islands [sic] of Mindanao hate our nation as deeply as do the Ternatans, and take arms against us in each and every disturbance, as they did in that last one of Ternate.  Consequently Estevan Rodriguez de Figueroa made certain agreements with Don Francisco Tello, by virtue of which he made war on the Mindanaos and Ternatans at his own expense. [288] Estevan Rodriguez was so rich that he could undertake that exploit with safety.  He lived in Arevalo, a town of the island of Panaz [sic], one of the Filipinas.  He set out with some galleys, fragatas, and champans, and one ship, with Spanish soldiers; and more than one thousand five hundred natives from Pintados, as pioneers.  He reached the river of Mindanao April twenty, one thousand five hundred and ninety-six, whereupon the natives of the place (who are especially called Mindanaos) on seeing so brave a people, fled along up the river, and abandoned their settlement to the fury of war.  The majority of them arrived at the town Buyahen, where Raxamura, king of the Mindanaos, was then living.  The latter, because of his youthful age, did not have the government in charge, and everything depended on Silonga, an esteemed soldier and captain.  Our men, proceeding up the river, reached Tampacan, five leguas from the above village.  Prince Dinguilibot, uncle of Monao, its legitimate lord (also a youth), was governing it.  These rulers were, of their own accord, friends to the Spaniards and consequently, on seeing their arms, went out peacefully to meet them, and offered them their help.  They told the Spaniards that the enemy—­and they were also hostile to the men of Buyahen—­had taken refuge in their fort at that place.  Estevan Rodriguez, having heard the news and having complimented those princes, ordered the fleet to weigh anchor and to continue the pursuit for four leguas, always up stream, to Buyahen.  Having arrived, he landed his men on St. Mark’s day.  Master-of-camp Juan de la Xara led the men, although they landed with but little order, for they had not fought with the Mindanaos, and thought that it would be easy to rout them—­as if for that reason, or for any other consideration, one should permit a lack of military discipline.  Estevan Rodriguez tried to correct the confusion by his presence, by landing in person.  He went clad in armor so strong, that a charge from an esmeril [289] would not