Don Juan became sorely perplexed, and could not come to a decision as to whether to careen his vessels and wait until the following year for the viceroy of Goa, or whether to return to Manila.

Death overtook him in that perplexity, on April 19 of the same year.
He left orders for the fleet to return to Manila, and to convey thither his embalmed body.

Thereupon our fleet returned.

It was in as bad shape as if it had been a year at sea; for at that part of the Strait where it was anchored the air was so unhealthful and the water so poisonous that the soldiers began to sicken immediately, and to die swollen up and yellow; and some days forty or fifty of them were thrown into the sea.

All asserted that had they remained there one fortnight longer, not enough men would have been left to manage the sails, nor could they have brought back the galleons--which returned without anchors, for the few that they carried were lost in the currents, which are very strong.