Limahon remained in this retired island with his fleet for some days, without daring to return to the mainland, for he knew that the king's fleet was guarding the coast; and although he despatched a few vessels on marauding expeditions, they did nothing of importance--returning, on the contrary, pursued by the king's powerful fleet.

He made some sallies with part of his vessels from this island, robbing all the vessels that he encountered, which, with their cargoes of merchandise and other articles, were sailing between the different islands, or between the islands and the mainland.

Among them he happened to meet two Chinese merchant vessels plying from Manila to China.

Immediately he had the holds of these vessels searched, finding the rich cargoes that they carried, which consisted of articles of gold and Spanish reals of four to the peso, given to them in exchange for the merchandise carried by them to the islands.

Limahon informed himself thoroughly of the characteristics and wealth of the land, and especially of the Spaniards in the city of Manila--who in all did not exceed seventy, because the others had left Luzon for the exploration and colonization of new islands.