They flung out, or rather
raised, the greater yard (which they were carrying down), shook out
the sails full, and then were able to make land with the sides under
water, and the sea running sky-high. They just missed scraping the
sunken rocks about the island. The most courageous man among them
was our religious, for no one, neither soldier nor sailor, met the
danger with greater courage or resolution. At length they reached
Hermosa Island at a time that proved the redemption of those men, for
already were they eating rats. They were in the extreme of necessity;
for neither did any Chinese come, nor had the Spaniards any silver to
attract them, for that is the most efficacious allurement. Captain Don
Antonio de Vera had gone out with twenty men; but some Indian chiefs
daringly killed him and his men. Captain Lazaro de Torres rallied to
this necessity. He went outside, relieved the fort, gave what food he
had, and then--having nothing to do, and suspecting that the governor
had put back into port--he returned with our religious.
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