in sight day before yesterday in the morning. Some vessels were sent
in pursuit, in order to bring me word of the course which they steer,
and whether they are together or separate, [_In the margin_: "This is
well, and let him take good care until the news from them be known."]

I have received a letter from Malaca, which Antonio Pinto de Fonseca
says that he received from your Majesty, with notice and order to
give it to me, to the effect that there and in these regions the
confederated Dutch and English were about to come with fifty-one
ships--sixteen of which had already left, and thirty-five were in
two squadrons which were being equipped. Of these the sixteen which
had left Holland have already arrived at their factories in Sunda,
whence, likewise, it was learned that they say they are expecting this
year the remainder. Fadrique Lopez de Soysa, commandant of that city
[_i.e._, Malaca], gave me almost the same information. Conformably
to this, and to several advices which I have had from Japon, and to
others which I have been able to secure through my own investigations,
it appears that these enemies are considering carrying on this war
in earnest and with energy; for with these ships which have arrived,
those which are expected, and more than sixty which I wrote to your
Majesty in the last despatch that I understood they had, those of
both nations amount to more than a hundred, without counting those
which the French have. If I had the eighth part of that number, and
sufficient men to man them, and to keep this city and the important
posts and forts of this island garrisoned, it would not trouble me
much to see them involved in the cost and expense of such a fleet;
for if I had the means with which to withstand their first attack,
or to inflict upon them some severe blow; or if they did not know my
position, and I could cause them anxiety or divert them from their
object--there is no doubt that their fleet itself would be disarmed and