While our armada, thus prepared, was daily in readiness to set sail, the governor sent out in two directions to reconnoiter the enemy. The news brought back by the spies was that the Hollanders had reached a village of Indians on the coast of Ilocos. They entered the church and committed a thousand sacrileges, particularly that of cutting off the nose of a figure of Christ. They found a large quantity of wine, delivered themselves up to it, and became veritable wine-sacks. They say that if twenty soldiers had been there at the time, they might have played grand havoc with the enemy. The Hollanders finally set fire to the place and withdrew to their ships. Only one remained on shore to sleep off his intoxication. When he awakened and saw that the ships had already set sail, he cast himself into the water--of which he had need, in order to water the great quantity of wine he had cast into his stomach. He saw that the ships were far away, and in order not to drown he was forced to return to land. Here the Indians caught him and took him to Manila. The Dutch ships put to sea and never again appeared. On news of this the excitement of the fleet ceased, although there was no lack of opinion that it would be well to pursue the enemy, because he was fleeing to China to plunder. Although all this was said on good ground, others (and a majority) said that whether the enemy were fleeing very opportunely or not, it was better for us to remain quiet with such a fleet as we had; that our fleet would be increased by the galleon expected from Macan, and by those which were being built in these islands, all of which ships combined would be force enough for next year; and besides this, the enemy had gained nothing, but rather had lost, through the expenses which he had incurred in maintaining a fleet so many months without recompense. This opinion prevailed, whereupon the matter was dropped and the fleet became idle; when, behold, mere goes forth a false report that the enemy is in these islands plundering the ships that come from China. Everything is again in commotion; the fleet again prepares itself, and goes out in the morning; but the truth becomes known that there is no enemy, and the fleet is quiet again. The basis of this false rumor was the fact that the enemy went toward the coast of China to plunder, and one day encountering a Chinese ship going to Japon, robbed it. The Chinese vessel came to these islands to seek aid; and at once arises the outcry that it must have been robbed in the Philipinas, and that there must be enemies here. The truth is confirmed by the fact that at this time a Portuguese ship came from Macan, but in all this coast encountered not a single Hollander.