He left orders for the fleet to return to Manila, and to convey thither his embalmed body.  Thereupon our fleet returned.  It was in as bad shape as if it had been a year at sea; for at that part of the Strait where it was anchored the air was so unhealthful and the water so poisonous that the soldiers began to sicken immediately, and to die swollen up and yellow; and some days forty or fifty of them were thrown into the sea.  All asserted that had they remained there one fortnight longer, not enough men would have been left to manage the sails, nor could they have brought back the galleons—­which returned without anchors, for the few that they carried were lost in the currents, which are very strong.  And had they not found nineteen anchors, which they bought, they would have perished.

Chapter VIII.  Of the opposition to Don Juan de Silva from all the city, and the opportunity that he lost by not taking the advice that they gave him.

Strange are the judgments of the Most High, and nothing happens by chance that His infinite providence does not register.  The Portuguese regarded as certain the coming of Don Juan de Silva to the Strait with his fleet, and attributed to him, as was evident, the saving of their possessions.  But he who regards the opportunity that Silva lost, and how much more important it would have been not to have left Manila, but to have been there when the enemy (who passed through the Strait of Magallanes) arrived, will see how unsatisfactory was the Malaca expedition.

Don Juan de Silva had already prepared his fleet, and his yards were already squared, when a discussion arose as to whether it was advisable for him to go in search of the enemy, for which purpose he had prepared it.  A general meeting of ecclesiastical and secular cabildos, the bishop, and the orders, was called, together with the royal Audiencia.  Silva made them a harangue, and showed a royal decree that he had received shortly before, in which it was ordered that he should make the expedition.  He read what was most suitable to his purpose, whereupon Doctor Vega, your auditor, asked him to give it to the secretary to read publicly, as they wished to know its contents.  It was read, and your Majesty ordered in it that the viceroy of India be advised, so that both should join forces and go in pursuit of the enemy with their fleets, and that the viceroy should act as superior officer if he came in person.  From this, they took occasion to oppose Silva, and said that he was not obeying your Majesty’s orders.  They reminded him that he did not have sailors, because while the fewest number of sailors necessary for ten galleys amounted to fifty, he did not have twelve effective ones, because they had fled, as above stated.

Item:  That he was only carrying two iron anchors for each galleon, disproportionate to their size, besides two others of wood, which are called cenepites; and that he was going into seas with strong currents and shoals, where he had to anchor every day, with evident peril and known danger of losing his fleet.