so that the pirate, imagining that they were a caracoa belonging to a fleet, began to flee.  To do this more quickly, they abandoned the small boat, after taking off all its crew.  Thus they rowed so quickly that our men could not overtake them.  Ours took the little boat, which proved of no little use; for as they came near the island of Mindoro, they saw that the weather was growing very bad, that the clouds were moving more quickly, and that the wild waves of the swollen sea were running high.  They took good counsel—­namely, that of father Fray Juan de Lecea—­to place themselves in a little house, and put ashore all their belongings, and beach the boat, which they could have done.  But the Indians refused to work, a vice quite peculiar to them, and everything was lost.  The elements began to rouse themselves, and the winds to blow with so great fury that no greater tempest has been witnessed in the islands.  Our caracoa went to pieces and all its cargo was lost, except what was later cast ashore.  During that same storm six galleons were wrecked in the islands; they were the best that the king has launched.  Among them was that so famous galleon “La Salvadora.”  When the fleet returned from Malaca, Don Jeronimo de Silva, who was in charge of the department of war, ordered those vessels to be taken out for repairs; and they were taken out, to their loss.  Some sank, others were driven aground.  Many men perished, both Spaniards and Indians, as well as Japanese, Sangleys, and workmen.  It is a loss that Manila will ever bemoan.  Therefore they say there:  “In truth thou art welcome, Misfortune, when thou comest alone.” [46] Manila had had a loss as great as that of the governor, Don Juan de Silva; and now that was followed by the loss of the galleons, with so many souls.  I know, not how a babe at the breast was saved on the deck of a galleon, or rather in its hatchway.  She was found by Admiral Heredia (who was going to the Pintados), on a beach, and he reared her as his own daughter.  It was the mercy of God, and when it pleases Him to employ that mercy toward any of His creatures, there is no power to contradict it, nor any danger from which it does not issue safe and sound.

The little boat which the father vicar-provincial, Fray Juan de Lecea, captured from the Camucon enemy was useful to him.  He embarked in it alone, and coasted along that island as far as Baco, a distance of more than twenty leguas.  Thence he crossed to Manila, after having bargained with a champan of Baco to go for father Fray Francisco Bonifacio.  But this diligence was not sufficient for him to arrive in time for the election, because of the weather.  The Indians suffered more, for they returned to their villages singly, and some of them even were lost, as they did not know the way.  The father prior of Aclan sought shelter in a port of the island of Hambil during the storm; and although he did his utmost to arrive in time, he was unable.  But he arrived just after the chapter was concluded, and served for nothing else than to give it obedience and to return with the others.  However, father Fray Francisco Bonifacio remained as prior of Tondo; although he had wished to go to Bisayas, the sea so frightened him that he was very fortunate to remain.