taken when the southwest wind began to blow so violently, that our
people were compelled to put into a harbor, and to find shelter for
that night behind a promontory. Four _praus_ and the frigate, unable
to do this, found shelter farther away; and, keeping always in sight
of the shore, these vessels looked for the ships all that night. The
next morning they were overtaken by five of the other vessels and the
frigate, which were searching for them. The master-of-camp and captain
Juan de Salzedo were still behind, with the large junk and the other
_praus_. At break of day, the _praus_ which had preceded the others
reached the river where the Chinese ships were anchored. The Chinese,
either because news of the Spaniards had reached them, or because they
had heard arquebuse-shots, were coming out side by side with foresails
up, beating on drums, playing on fifes, firing rockets and culverins,
and making a great warlike display. Many of them were seen on deck,
armed with arquebuses and unsheathed cutlasses. The Spaniards, who
are not at all slothful, did not refuse the challenge offered them by
the Chinese; on the contrary they boldly and fearlessly attacked the
Chinese ships, and, with their usual courage, grappled them. This was
certainly a rash move on their part, for the Chinese ships were large
and high, while the _praus_ were so small and low that they hardly
reached to the first pillar of the enemy's ships. But the goodly aim
of the arquebusiers was so effective that the Chinese did not leave
their shelter, and the Spaniards were thus enabled to board their
ships and take possession of them. There were about eighty Chinese
on board the two ships; about twenty were killed in the affray. The
soldiers searched the cabins in which the Chinese kept their most
valuable goods, and there they found silk, both woven and in skeins;
gold thread, musk, gilded porcelain bowls, pieces of cotton cloth,
gilded water-jugs, and other curious articles--although not in
a large quantity, considering the size of the ships. The decks of