Will your Lordship advise me of your resolution to come to these forts, and whether the viceroy of India is coming now with the squadron that your Lordship has built.  What I can say is that your Lordship’s speedy arrival here matters so much, although it be with only your galleys, that on that alone depends the restoration of these two islands, which will be maintained with the hope that your Lordship will come hither in the time above stated.  If you do not come, the islands and the Spaniards who inhabit them will certainly perish; for although the king of Tidore is our friend, he is the only one, and he does not have the same assurance of his island as hitherto.  For that reason, it is advisable for me always to keep in this island the greater part of the infantry of this camp, divided among the fort of Santiago, the fort of Principe Tomanira, and Socanora.  From the above your Lordship will infer that I have need of protecting myself not only from the Dutch but also from the natives and our intimates; for things are very much changed from what your Lordship is informed.  Tidore, July 29, 1616.

Don Geronimo de Silva

Chapter IX.  Of the coming of the Dutch to Manila in search of Don Juan de Silva.

It was learned in Maluco from the Dutch commander who passed through the Strait of Magallanes and infested the coasts of Piru and Nueva Espana—­the same one who arrived at Manila just after the departure of Don Juan de Silva—­that Don Juan had laid his course toward Malaca and thence to Maluco.  Immediately all their ships were collected, and, repairing many, they equipped the ten best ones, taking the best artillery and men from their forts for that purpose, with the determination of awaiting Silva.  But when they saw that he delayed so long, and that he could not come to Maluco now, because of bad weather, thinking that he would have returned, they went to try issues with him at Manila.  On reaching the island of Mindanao, they learned of his death from the Indians.  They made a compact with the latter that each side should go to destroy the islands, even as far as the city of Manila.  The Mindanaos set out with a fleet that they had prepared, of seventy caracoas, which resemble galliots.  They anchored with them in the province of Camarines, where they had heard that one ship and two pataches were being built for your Majesty.  They killed and captured about thirty Spaniards and many Indians, set fire to the ships, and pillaged whatever they could lay hands on.  That disaster, which was very great, was the result of neglecting to send there fifty picked soldiers to guard the shipyard.  The chiefs of those caracoas divided into two parties because of disputes between them.  One party went toward Manila in search of the Dutch.  The other went to the island of Panay.  Captain Don Diego de Quinones, who was stationed in that island as commandant and captain of the Pintados Islands, hearing of this, sent Captain Lazaro de Torres with seven caracoas in pursuit of them; he defeated them, and captured four caracoas.  The rest took to the open sea in flight, and, those vessels being small, all of the men were drowned; for no news that they have reached their country has been heard here since.