the bay. We had taken with us from Panae a Moro, a native of the town
of Menilla, who has had intercourse with Spaniards for many years and
is well known among them; for, when the camp was in Zebu, he always
came to sell them provisions. Before the master-of-camp started on
this expedition from Panay, this Moro, and his wife and one son,
had become Christians. He left his wife in Panay, and accompanied
the master-of-camp as interpreter. He had taken with him his brother,
who was likewise a native of Menilla. When we entered the bay, these
men advised the master-of-camp not to cast anchor before the town of
Menilla itself, for the coast was treacherous, and to enter the river
it was necessary to wait for high tide. They advised him to anchor
in a small sheltered port, two leagues from the port of Menilla;
and thence to send word to Raxa [29] Soliman, the greatest chief of
all that country, with whom the terms of peace and friendship were
to be made, and whose opinion was to be heeded.

The master-of-camp found this advice good, and felt at ease about the
port; for he had been fretting over the possibility of finding shelter
in all that bay, which, because it was so large and spacious, seemed
almost harborless. Therefore we sailed straight to the harbor pointed
out by the guides, reaching it two hours before nightfall. The land all
around this bay, in the part where we anchored, and which the guides
declared to be the port of Menilla, was really marvelous. It appeared
to be tilled and cultivated. The slopes were smooth, and had but little
herbage. In fact, so excellent indications have not been seen in this
land, as were seen there. After the master-of-camp cast anchor in the
small port, the _praus_ and the frigate arrived there. On that day
it was decided to send to Raxá Soliman, lord of Menilla, to request
peace and friendship; and that the man appointed for this should be
the brother of Mehomete, the converted Moro. It was decided that the