taken and ascertained the truth and found that the Captain and his men were here and did their duty faithfully. Further proof and truth was ascertained a few days later from the soldiers I sent by land to reconnoitre the coast where the Frigate was lost--they brought word that the thirteen vessels which had been sent to chase the Frigate were coasting along slowly taking on water and wood. They had disembarked and taken up lodging in the Indian huts, the Indians fleeing with fear. Some, by gifts, had been induced to return, others came to me for protection. Following this, I received further news that three of the thirteen vessels were lost and the crew on land. This proved not to be true--in going over the Bar three launches were lost and a few of the men drowned. Feeling it was not right to have the enemy land on your Majesty’s domain, where we are at present safe and on friendly relations with the Indians, I immediately gave orders and gathered a large force of Indians and, with a hundred and fifty of our men, I set out determined to find the enemy and thrust them out. I appointed Captain Melchar Durante to take command here during my absence, he being an old man of much experience. I was continuing my pursuit of the enemy when I received news of their having re-embarked and sailed off, so I returned sending one of the Sergeants with a squad of twenty men to the Bar, and that they might recover the three launches if they were worth it. This they did promptly, returning with two of the launches in fair condition, the third they left as it was too badly injured to be of use. They brought the same news of the enemy’s proceedings. On the 20th of said month a Frigate arrived. On sending out to recognize her, we found it to be Spanish. It was one of the fleet which was overtaken by the enemy and brought in forty-seven persons, mariners and passengers, among them an Augustinian Monk. It was what was left of the three vessels taken by the enemy of the thirteen vessels. They were captured off Cape San Antonio. On one of the vessels were the papers and information sent by the Viceroy to Don Carlos Ybarra, General of the Spanish fleet, which was coming from Spain. They captured it near Cape Catoche, and the papers for General Ybarra and your Majesty were thrown overboard to prevent the enemy from getting them. They were in the enemy’s power for twelve days, when they put them on this small Frigate with scant rations, and told them they were free to come to this Garrison, where they arrived half-starved. I took them in and fed them at your Majesty’s expense, as part of them had lost their lives in your service and they were your vassals. They remained here a month, and on the first opportunity which presented itself, I gave them passage for Havana. Among the forty-six persons were four pilots and four boatswain who gave a long account of what they heard while prisoners. They particularly spoke of the Armada in charge of Tomas Raspuro, which they had been