The 26th November, 1615, being in lat. 20° 26' N. they determined on shaping their course for the Ladrones across the great Pacific Ocean. On the 3d December, to their great astonishment, they saw two islands at a great distance, and next day a vast rock in lat. 19° N. fifty leagues from the continent of America.[100] The 5th they saw another new island, having five hills, that at first appeared like so many distinct islands. The new year 1616 was ushered in with distempers that proved fatal to many of the sailors. On the 3d of January they came in sight of the Ladrones, where they landed and procured refreshments. Setting sail from thence on the 26th January, they arrived at the Philippine islands on the 9th February, but the Indians refused to trade with them, because enemies of the Spaniards, though some among them, for that very reason, would willingly have transferred all the trade and riches of the country to them. In _Capul_, where they arrived on the 11th, the people gave them fat hogs and poultry in exchange for mere trifles. Having thus procured abundant refreshments, they set sail on the 16th, passing through the straits towards the bay of Manilla. [Footnote 100: The three Marias are nearly in the indicated latitude, but are only about thirty leagues from the western coast of N. America.--E.] They anchored in these straits on the 19th, where they saw a curious fabric erected on the top of trees, looking at a distance like a palace, but they could not imagine what it was. The 24th they passed the high and flaming hill of _Albaca_, and came in sight of the other end of the straits [of St Bernardino] on the 28th, when they anchored before the island, of _Mirabelles_, remarkable for two rocks which tower to a vast height in the air. Behind this island is the city of Manilla, and here the pilots wait for the ships from China, to pilot them safe to the city, as the passage is very dangerous. On the 5th of March they took several barks, which were going to collect the tribute paid by the adjacent places to the city of Manilla. They had now intelligence of a fleet of twelve ships and four gallies, manned by 2000 Spaniards besides Indians, Chinese, and Japanese, sent from Manilla to drive the Dutch from the Moluccas, and to reduce these islands under the dominion of Spain. On this news they discharged all their prisoners, and resolved to go in pursuit of the Manilla fleet.