KUNGL. SV. VET. AKADEMIENS HANDLINGAR. BAND 57. NIO 4. 87 



1646. The galleon "San Luis", commanded by General Don Fernaxdo Lopez 

 Perona, left Acarmlco late in the season and, near the Philippines, encountered the 

 vendavals prevalent, so that, before land was sighted, it passed through fierce tempests, 

 löst its masts, and finally made the unlucky port of Cagayan (near Cape Engano). There, 

 driven by the currents, it struck on the rocks and was torn open at the keel — not, however, 

 before the commander had placed in safety the men and the registered silver, and after- 

 wards removed the artillery. The commander died in Cagayan a few days after his 

 arrival. (Bl. & Rob. XXXV, p. 250. Brit Mus. Add. MS. 17625.) 



The ship "San Diego", recently built, sailed from Manila for New Spain. Regarding 

 it as certain that the coasts were clear of enemies, the authorities did not carry out their 

 first intention of sending other ships to escort the "San Diego" as far as the Embocadero. 

 It happened a few days låter, that the galleon, having left the port, foimd itself, while 

 still in sight of Mariveles near an islet called Fortun, at nightfall near a Dutch ship. The 

 galleon carried her guns on the ballast and the various decks were littered with boxes 

 and utensils, as is nsually the case when one of these ships sails on so long a voyage. 

 General Cristoval Marquez de Valencuela, commander of the galleon, hurriedly 

 disencumbered five iron cannon, bringing them to bear on the enemy, and stood on the 

 defensive. That action was sufficient to secure his retreat toward Mariveles; entering 

 the bay, with the loss of a few killed, he arrived at the port of Cavite. Under the 

 escort of the galleons "Encarnaciön" and "Rosario", he again left that harbour on 15 

 September; but after a fresh encounter with the Dutch it was resolved that the "San 

 Diego" should not sail for New Spain, but put in at Mariveles. (Bl. & Rob. XXXV, 

 pp. 243, 247. ) 



1647. No ship was dispatched from Acapulco; nor coulcl any ship leave Manila 

 because the Dutch held command of the sea. (Bl. & Rob. XXXVI, p. 51.) 



1648. The patache "Buen Jesus", under command of General Cristoval Romero, 

 sails from Acapulco on 8 April. The voyage went well at first with favorable winds; and 

 in July the commander made port at the harbour of Lampon. "He learned there that 

 the Dutch were still committing piracies along the coast. The day when the patache 

 entered, God covered it with the shade of a cloud so dense that it was sufficient to hide 

 it from the enemy. As soon as they anchored they put ashore the money and supplies, 

 and sent it all as quickly as possible to Manila. The cloud having been taken away, 

 the Dutch hastened to search the anchoring places. Finding that the patache had escaped 

 them, and that it had already cast anchor in a safe port, they launched their small boats, 

 well manned with crews and arms. The commander, having seen that, set the patache 

 afire at its very moorings, and then, with the few sailors who had remained with him, 

 retired to the mountains, whence he came to Manila. The enemy, who saw the ship 

 converted into ashes, seized, as a small revenge, only some small pieces of ordnance, 

 that the fire left, for nothing else remained." (Bl. & Rob. XXXVII, pp. 81, 287.) 



The "Nuestra Seriora de la Encarnaciön" sails from Manila on 6 May 1648 and 

 arrives safely at Acapulco on 12 December. {Brit. Mus. Add. MS. 17625.) 



