20.  Upon hearing of the death of his vice-provincial, father Fray Rodrigo de San Miguel became very eager to make his voyage to Espana to solicit new workers.  He asked and obtained duplicate despatches from the most prominent and distinguished inhabitants, from the ecclesiastical and secular cabildos, from the governor, and from the royal Audiencia.  All the documents were confirmed by the most illustrious bishops, who said that the discalced Augustinians were very observant of their rule in their ministries, very zealous in the conversion of souls, and therefore very advantageous, useful, and even necessary.  That would oblige his Catholic Majesty to concede them the mission that they desired.  The orders also confirmed the documents, especially the observantine Augustinians, in which they confuted the preceding adverse testimonies.  Then he embarked with so favorable and extensive despatches; but his voyage was very disagreeable.  They suffered a severe storm amid these islands, in which were lost boats that had anchored at Manila and Cavite.  The stormy winds obliged them to sail to Japon, from which altitude they continued their course, with constant squalls, until they sighted Cape Mendocino—­whence, coasting the shores of Nueva Espana, they finally anchored at Acapulco, after innumerable terrors and dangers, and after a most distressing voyage of seven months.

21.  The father went overland to the North Sea, and embarking at Vera Cruz, continued his course.  On the voyage a raging tempest carried them to the coasts and banks of Terra Nova—­[i.e., Newfoundland].  That deviation from their course made water and food grow scarce, so much so that daily rations of only two ounces of sea-biscuit were dealt out, and the same proportion of water.  The ship sprang a leak, and took so much water into the hold that they reached the Terceras as by a miracle.  There they rested and equipped themselves, in order to finish their voyage to Cadiz.  Thence the father went to Madrid, where his requests were listened to kindly, and his despatches conceded to him.  In virtue of them, he had already called together twenty religious; and he determined to embark in the fleet that was being sent to the Malucas with reenforcements.  He could not effect that, because that order had been lost with the obligations expressed in another part.  Accordingly it was necessary to accommodate himself to the trading-fleet which was being despatched to Vera-Cruz, although with a small number of missionaries; however, considering the extreme lack of them [in the islands] great relief was furnished even by these.