Letter from Miguel Lopez de Legazpi to the Marques de Falces


On the first of July of last year, I despatched from this port
Captain Felipe de Salzedo in the flagship to that Nueva España,
to give your Excellency [8] an account and relation of what had
occurred until then, and to carry specimens of articles produced in
this land. It pleased God that the ship should be wrecked while at
anchor in one of the Ladrones Islands; for it was driven on the coast
and all that was on board was lost, except the crew. They returned to
these islands with much difficulty, in the boat, which they repaired
for that purpose, as well as they could. Felipe de Salcedo saved
the packet of letters for your excellency, which accompanies this
letter. A few days after the departure of the flagship from here,
I heard that a Portuguese fleet was coming toward us. In fact, it
came in sight of this port--seven vessels in all, sailing in a line,
four galleons and three _fustas_. The captain-general of the fleet
was a gentleman called Goncalo Pereira. At first, he declared that he
came there only to see us and to inquire whether we needed anything
that he could supply us; but after he had entered the port with fine
words, offers, and promises both general and specific, he tried to
persuade us to go with him to India, saying that he was surprised at
our remaining so long in this land, when we knew that it belonged
to the king of Portugal. I answered him that I had believed myself
to be on land of his Majesty, but that, not being a cosmographer,
and not possessing a commission from his Majesty in regard to it, I
did not wish to contradict him or quarrel with him on that subject. I