At Xacatra, which is the capital of the Dutch possessions in all these eastern regions, and at which their governor and captain-general resides, there have been many harassing wars this year, because King Xabo with a very powerful army had besieged them for many months, seized and burned the suburbs, and killed many men.  However, on account of the many winter floods, Xabo had to retreat; but the Dutch are left in considerable fear lest he will return, with the Portuguese giving him assistance.  On that account they have still further fortified their forts, made greater provision of all necessaries, and detailed there six galleons from the great fleet, which they maintain at Ormus for the aid and defense of the Persian, [65] in order that the Portuguese, who are threatening that fortress, may not recover it.

With the aim of relieving these islands and their natives from the suffering that they endured in building galleys and ships, the governor decided to send some Spaniards to the kingdom of Camboja, which abounds in fine woods, to establish dock-yards; this purpose was carried out.  With the Spaniards it was decided to send some of the Society, but for certain reasons this was not done, nor would we permit it.  The fathers of St. Dominic, however, permitted it; and so some of them went there with the Spaniards, and were very well received by the king of Camboja.  They immediately commenced to carry out their plans for the ships, while the religious built a church.  The king gave them permission to baptize and convert to Christianity any persons in his kingdom who wished it.

I wrote last year, that, annoyed by the injuries which these islands had received from the king of Sian, who had seized in one of his ports a ship of ours richly laden with silks, our galleons had gone there and made reprisals on some of his ships.  The latest news is that a ship was sent there with some of the Sianese who were captured, and some Spaniards, to give an account of the affair; and to tell the king that our people desired to continue in peace and friendship, but that he must satisfy us for what he had seized from us, and in return we would satisfy him for what we had seized from his people.  As yet we have had no answer from there, nor have we heard how the matter was concluded—­much less if our fathers who reside there lost their lives when our galleons did so much damage to the Sianese ships.

The outlook for Christianity in Cochinchina was very promising, and in the year 1627 eight hundred adults were baptized; but this year we have had news that the fathers had encountered adverse fortune, and were fearing expulsion from that kingdom—­but now they write that the tempest has already abated, and the skies are clearing.

In late years, there have been many wars in the kingdom of Tongin, which adjoins that of Cochinchina; but the Christians have been left in peace, and thus many have been converted to Christianity.  It is even reported that this same king and a brother of his had been or were to be baptized.  Would to Heaven that it were so! although hitherto there has been no certainty of anything, because we have had no letters from our fathers, on account of the said wars.