had equipped with musketeers and seamen, to hinder the fireships--and picked up a Dutchman, the only one left alive. This man informed us of the enemy's plans, and of their signals, and said that they had another fireship--his statements entirely agreeing with those of the captives already mentioned. This fierce and stubborn battle lasted from seven o'clock in the evening until daybreak, without the loss of a single man on our flagship, and only two wounded; the almiranta did not lose over five men killed. This must be one of the most unusual records known in naval warfare; it was a favor, evident beyond doubt, from God and His mother, who protect the Catholic power in these islands, on account of its importance to the propagation of His holy faith. The damage sustained by the heretics was well understood from the care with which they began to retreat as soon as daylight came. The whole day was spent by both sides in cleaning and repairing their vessels; but the enemy continued to retreat. Although our commander gave orders to summon them again to battle, by discharging a gun, and began to bear down upon them, they made no reply. Two days afterwards, on July 31--a day consecrated to the glorious patriarch St. Ignatius de Loyala, founder of the Society of Jesus--our commander trusting to the fact that the saint was his countryman and patron, besought him, with ardent faith, to further, as a matter of justice, the accomplishment of the hopes which we based upon his patronage. Finding that he was sailing with a north wind, to windward of the enemy, our commander, with eager courage, ordered all sails to be spread, and started in pursuit of the enemy; he soon overtook the Dutch ships between the island of Maesse de Campo [65] and Mindoro, At two o'clock on the same day, he courageously forced our two galleons among the six vessels of the enemy, and another horrible battle was fought. The artillery was all fired as often and as skilfully as musketry could have been used. The enemy attacked our almiranta, but it defended itself and assailed the enemy so bravely that it inspired fear and astonishment. Our flagship was so veritable a volcano that no vessel dared to give her a broadside. The enemy's flagship attempted to do so, but was so badly damaged that it had to retreat, setting more than twenty men to work the pumps; but, finding it impossible to keep afloat, they raised a piece of canvas in our sight, a sign that she was in great danger of sinking. Throughout the afternoon the fight continued with the same obstinacy and vigor, with the determination on our part not to stop until we should reduce the enemy's ships to splinters, or send them to the bottom. The heretics made their last effort by attempting to send close to our flagship their second fireship, which was large enough to carry thirty cannon; it was escorted by two other ships and towed by some lanchas. Our commander, as one so experienced in military affairs, ordered the