who is bravest is painted most." Juan de la Isla was sent with one of
the small vessels to reconnoiter a large and excellent bay at some
distance away. There he made blood-friendship with the natives, but
one of his men was treacherously killed. Rodriguez's reckonings were
taken according to the Mexican rather than the Spanish rules. Rodriguez
and Goyti were commissioned to explore among certain of the islands in
order to find safe channels for the ships. They found one such between
Panay and another island. They passed Tandaya and Cabalian during their
ten days' cruise, and the fleet, in consequence of their report sailed
to the latter place. The treacherous conduct of the Portuguese to both
Spaniards and natives is discovered. "The general determined to go
to Betuan, which is a very rich island, whence much gold is brought,"
and anchor was cast before Bohol, from which place Legazpi despatched
Juan de la Isla to explore westward, and Martin de Goyti eastward A
small boat was despatched under Rodriguez "to discover some islands
that could be seen from here. We went in the frigate, fifteen men
and one Indian, who knew the language, the pilot of a junk captured
by the master-of-camp and Captain Martin de Goete." This detachment
coasted among various islands, among them Licoyon and Binglas. [65]
They were blown out of their course by a storm. A _prau_ was sighted,
but its occupants took flight, ran their vessel ashore, and hid on
the island. The Spaniards went to the _prau_, and found therein
a "little Indian girl of about three years, very pretty. She was
hanging over the edge of the _prau_ with her body in the water, and
screaming. When we came and wished to take her, she slipped into the
water and would wellnigh have drowned, had not one of our men leaped
in after her." Shortly after this a battle with other natives was
averted only by the wind blowing off the covering to their two pieces
of artillery, at sight of which the natives fled in confusion and hid
themselves. The inhabitants showed themselves hostile at all points and