peril was greater.  The most skilful pilots of those seas managed the galleys, but notwithstanding their care and that of the captains and experienced sailors, they fell off their course and reached the islands of the Celebes or of Mateo, more than sixty leguas to the leeward of Ternate.  Contrary winds were blowing, and they had to correct their mistake by dint of rowing.  In that manner, and with great difficulty, they reached Ternate March twenty-six, on Easter day.  With their observance of that day, so propitious to all creation, they forgot their past dangers, and changed them into joy and hope.

[Don Pedro finds the rest of his fleet at Tidore instead of at Ternate, as he has expected; but sees at the latter place a Dutch ship, which shows fight.  However, leaving the ship for the present, Acuna sets about the reduction of Ternate with his own forces and those of the king of Tidore.  Landing at Ternate April first, that fort is approached in two divisions, meeting with no opposition until they arrive near the walls.  Gallinato’s advice as to placing the soldiers is followed, and the Ternatan scouts in trees are replaced by those of the besiegers.  Active operations begin, and after various minor successes the wall is carried by assault, and the old fortress built by the Portuguese is captured.  On entering the city the soldiers fall to looting.]

When the men entered the city, every one gave himself to his fury and to plundering.  Don Pedro had issued a proclamation, conceding that all the enemy captured within those four days should become slaves.  The captains halted near the old church of San Pablo, which had been fortified by the enemy for this war.  There were various opinions as to what course was to be followed.  Some thought that they should attend to preserving what was gained; others that they should go ahead to gain the chief fortress.  Captains Vergara and Villagra were of the latter opinion; and so great was the exuberance of the soldiers and their desire for danger that one of them, a native of Estremadura, of the company of Captain Sevil—­who was an Arragonese, and a gallant fighter, who also approved the advice to pass on—­seized Captain Villagra in his arms, and carried him thus for more than ten paces, exclaiming, “O good captain, attack the enemy, attack him!” and then set him down.  Thereupon the captain struck him with the flat of his sword, because he had at such a time seized him so impudently.  The soldier bowed, and said gracefully and smilingly, “Give me another, by God! [cuerpo de Dios] and attack them!” In fact Vergara and Villagra attacked the principal fortress with few men and gained it, and were the first to enter its gates.  However they were not the first to go up, for while they were ascending very quickly by the stairs, at the entrance of the hall an old soldier, named Barela, a corporal to Captain Cervantes, hurried past them.  He, on entering, took a gilded water-jar, shaped like an urn and very skilfully chased, from a rich side board and salver placed in the hall, saying to the captains, “Gentlemen, I take this in token that I entered here with your Graces.”  Accordingly he took it, with the consent of all.  Then the entire palace was given over to the pillage of the soldiers, and exposed to their greed.  Don Pedro tried to restrain them, but was obeyed only near the end of the sack.