some of our men to set fire to their houses, but this rendered them
more ferocious. Some of them ran to the fire, which consumed twenty or
thirty houses, and there killed two of our men. The rest came down upon
us with greater fury; they perceived that our bodies were defended,
but that the legs were exposed, and they aimed at them principally.
The captain had his right leg pierced by a poisoned arrow, on which
account he gave orders to retreat by degrees; but almost all our men
took to precipitate flight, so that there remained hardly six or eight
of us with him. We were oppressed by the lances and stones which the
enemy hurled at us, and we could make no more resistance. The bombards
which we had in the boats were of no assistance to us, for the shoal
water kept them too far from the beach. We went thither, retreating
little by little, and still fighting, and we had already got to the
distance of a crossbow shot from the shore, having the water up to our
knees, the islanders following and picking up again the spears which
they had already cast, and they threw the same spear five or six times;
as they knew the captain they aimed specially at him, and twice they
knocked the helmet off his head. He, with a few of us, like a good
knight, remained at his post without choosing to retreat further. Thus
we fought for more than an hour, until an Indian succeeded in thrusting
a cane lance into the captain’s face. He then, being irritated,
pierced the Indian’s breast with his lance, and left it in his body,
and trying to draw his sword he was unable to draw it more than half
way, on account of a javelin wound which he had received in the right
arm. The enemies seeing this all rushed against him, and one of them
with a great sword, like a great scimetar[323] gave him a great blow
on the left leg, which brought the captain down on his face, then the
Indians threw themselves upon him, and ran him through with lances and
scimetars, and all the other arms which they had, so that they deprived
of life our mirror, light, comfort, and true guide. Whilst the Indians
were thus overpowering him, several times he turned round towards us
to see if we were all in safety, as though his obstinate fight had no
other object than to give an opportunity for the retreat of his men. We
who fought to extremity, and who were covered with wounds, seeing that
he was dead, proceeded to the boats which were on the point of going
away. This fatal battle was fought on the 27th of April of 1521, on a
Saturday; a day which the captain had chosen himself, because he had
a special devotion to it. There perished with him eight of our men,
and four of the Indians, who had become Christians; we had also many
wounded, amongst whom I must reckon myself. The enemy lost only fifteen
men.
He died; but I hope that your illustrious highness will not allow his
memory to be lost, so much the more since I see revived in you the
virtue of so great a captain, since one of his principal virtues was
constance in the most adverse fortune. In the midst of the sea he was
able to endure hunger better than we. Most versed in nautical charts,
he knew better than any other the true art of navigation, of which it
is a certain proof that he knew by his genius, and his intrepidity,
without any one having given him the example, how to attempt the
circuit of the globe, which he had almost completed.[324]
The Christian king could indeed have given us aid, and would have done
so; but our captain far from forseeing that which happened, when he
landed with his men, had charged him not to come out of his balangai,
wishing that he should stay there to see how we fought. When he knew
how the captain had died he wept bitterly for him.
In the afternoon the king himself, with our consent, sent to tell the
inhabitants of Matan, that if they would give up to us the body of our
captain, and of our other companions who were killed in this battle, we
would give them as much merchandise as they might wish for; but they
answered that on no account would they ever give up that man, but they
wished to preserve him as a monument of their triumph. When the death
of the captain was known, those who were in the city to trade, had all
the merchandise at once transported to the ships. We then elected in
the place of the captain, Duarte Barbosa, a Portuguese, and a relation
of the captain’s, and Juan Serrano a Spaniard.
Our interpreter, who was a slave of the captain-general, and was named
Henry, having been slightly wounded in the battle, would not go ashore
any more for the things which we required, but remained all day idle,
and wrapped up in his mat (Schiavina). Duarte Barbosa, the commander
of the flag ship, found fault with him, and told him that though his
master was dead, he had not become free on that account, but that when
we returned to Spain he would return him to Doña Beatrice, the widow
of the captain-general; at the same time he threatened to have him
flogged, if he did not go on shore quickly, and do what was wanted for
the service of the ships. The slave rose up, and did as though he did
not care much for these affronts and threats; and having gone on shore,
he informed the Christian king that we were thinking of going away
soon, but that if he would follow his advice, he might become master of
all our goods and of the ships themselves. The King of Zubu listened
favourably to him, and they arranged to betray us. After that the slave
returned on board, and showed more intelligence and attention than he
had done before.
Wednesday morning, the 1st of May, the Christian king sent to tell
the two commanders that the jewels prepared as presents for the King
of Spain were ready, and he invited them to come that same day to dine
with him, with some of his most honoured companions, and he would
give them over to them. The commanders went with twenty-four others,
and amongst them was our astrologer named San Martin of Seville.
I could not go because I was swelled with a wound from a poisoned
arrow in the forehead. Juan Carvalho, with the chief of police, who
also were invited, turned back, and said that they had suspected
some bad business, because they had seen the man who had recovered
from illness by a miracle, leading away the priest to his own house.
They had hardly spoken these words when we heard great lamentations
and cries. We quickly got up the anchors and, coming closer to the
beach, we fired several shots with the cannon at the houses. There
then appeared on the beach Juan Serrano, in his shirt, wounded and
bound, who entreated us, as loudly as he could, not to fire any more,
or else he would be massacred. We asked him what had become of his
companions and the interpreter, and he said that all had been slain
except the interpreter. He then entreated us to ransom him with some
merchandise; but Juan Carvalho, although he was his gossip, joined
with some others, refused to do it, and they would not allow any boat
to go ashore, so that they might remain masters of the ships. Serrano
continued his entreaties and lamentations, saying, that if we departed
and abandoned him there, he would soon be killed; and after that he saw
his lamentations were useless, he added that he prayed God to ask for
an account of his life at the day of Judgment from Juan Carvalho, his
gossip.[325] Notwithstanding, we sailed immediately; and I never heard
any more news of him.
In this island of Zubu there are dogs and cats, and other animals,
whose flesh is eaten; there is also rice, millet, panicum, and maize;
there are also figs, oranges, lemons, sugar-canes, cocos, gourds,
ginger, honey, and other such things; they also make palm-wine of
many qualities. Gold is abundant. The island is large, and has a
good port with two entrances: one to the west, and the other to the
east-north-east. It is in ten degrees north latitude and 154 east
longitude from the line of demarcation.
In this island there are several towns, each of which has its principal
men or chiefs. Here are the names of the towns and their chiefs:—
Cingapola: its chiefs are Cilaton, Ciguibucan, Cimaninga, Cimaticat,
Cicanbul.[326]
Mandani: its chief is Aponoaan.
Lalan: its chief is Teten.
Lalutan: its chief is Japau.
Lubucin: its chief is Cilumai.
All these countries were in obedience to us, and paid a kind of tribute.
Near to Zubu there is, as we said, the island of Matan, the most
considerable town of which is called Matan, and its chiefs are Zula and
Cilapulapu. The village, which we burned on the occasion of the fatal
battle, is named Bulaia.
In this island, before we lost our captain-general, we had news of
Maluco.
(_Book III of the Milan Edition._)
+Departure from Zubu.+
When we were at a distance of eighteen leagues from the island of
Zubu, near the head of another island called Bohol,[327] in the midst
of that archipelago, seeing that our crews were too much reduced in
number, so that they were not sufficient for managing all the three
ships, we burned the _Conception_ after transporting into the other two
all that it contained that was serviceable. We then took the S.S.W.
course, coasting along an island called Panilongon,[328] where the
people were black as in Ethiopia.
We then arrived at a large island,[329] the king of which having come
on board our ship, in order to show that he made alliance with us and
would be friendly, drew blood from his left hand, and stained with it
his breast, his face, and the tip of his tongue. We then did likewise,
and when the king went away, I alone accompanied him on shore to see
the island.
We entered a river[330] where we met many fishermen, who presented some
of their fish to the king. He then took off the cloth which covered his
middle, and some of his chief men who were with him did the same, they
then all began to row and to sing. Passing near many houses, which were
on the brink of the river, we arrived at two hours of the night[331]
at the house of the king, which was two leagues from the mouth of the
river where the ships were.
When we reached the house, people came to meet us with many torches,
made of canes and palm leaves, full of the before-mentioned gum, called
_anime_. Whilst supper was being got ready, the king, with two of his
chiefs, and two rather handsome ladies, drank a large vase full of
palm wine, without eating anything. I, excusing myself saying that I
had already supped, only drank once. In drinking they use the ceremony
which I have already described in speaking of the King of Massava.[332]
Then the supper was brought, which consisted of rice and fish, very
much salted, in porcelain dishes. Rice with them takes the place of
bread. They cook it in the following manner, which is common to all
these countries. They place inside an earthen pot like ours, a large
leaf which lines it all round internally, then they put in the water
and the rice, and cover up the pot. They let it boil until the rice has
taken the consistency of bread, and then they take it out in pieces.
When the supper was over the king had brought a cane mat, and a mat of
palm leaf, with a cushion of leaves, and this was to be my bed. I slept
there with one of his chiefs. The king with the two ladies went to
sleep in another place.
When it was day, whilst breakfast was being prepared, I went to take
a turn in the island, and entered several houses, constructed like
those of the neighbouring islands; I saw there a good many utensils
of gold, but very little victuals. I returned to the king’s house,
and we breakfasted with rice and fish. I succeeded in making the king
understand by signs, that I should like to see the queen; and he made
a sign to me that he was content, and we set out together to the top
of a hill, under which her house was placed. I entered the house and
made her an obeisance, she did likewise to me. I sat down by the side
of her; she was weaving a palm mat to sleep upon. Throughout her house
were seen porcelain vases suspended to the walls, and four metal
timbals, of which one was very large, another of middle size, and two
small ones, and she amused herself by playing on them. There were many
male and female slaves for her service. We asked leave and returned to
the king’s house, who immediately ordered a refreshment of sugar canes.
After midday, as I wished to return to the ships, the king, with
the other chief men of the island, desired to accompany me in the
same _balangai_, going by the same river; on its right bank I saw on
an eminence three men hanging to a tree, the branches of which had
been cut off. I asked of the king what those unhappy people were, he
answered me that they were malefactors and thieves. These people go
naked like their neighbours. In this island are found pigs, goats,
fowls, rice, ginger, find other things which were common to the islands
named before. That which is most abundant is gold. They showed me
certain valleys, making signs that there was more gold there than hairs
on the head, but that as they had not iron to dig it out, it required
great labour to acquire it, and which they did not choose to undergo.
The king is named Raja Calanao.
This part of the island called Chipit is the same land as Butuan and
Calagan, it passes above Bohol, and borders on Massava. Its port is
good enough; it is in 8° N. latitude, and 167° of longitude from the
line of demarcation; it is fifty leagues distance from Zubu. Towards
the North-west is the island of Lozon,[333] which is at two days’
distance; a large island, to which come to trade every year six or
eight junks of the people called Lequii.[334]
On leaving this place, and taking our course between west and
south-west, we touched at an almost uninhabited island, which
afterwards we learned was named Cagayan. The few people there are
Moors, who have been banished from an island called Burné.[335] They
go naked like the others, and carry blow-pipes with small quivers at
their sides full of arrows, and a herb with which they poison them.
They have daggers, with hilts adorned with gold and precious stones,
lances, bucklers, and small cuirasses of buffaloes’ hide. These people
took us for something Divine or holy. There are some very large trees
in this island, but little victuals. It is in 7° 30′ North latitude,
and forty-three leagues from Chipit.
Continuing our voyage we changed our course to between West and
North-west, and after running twenty-five leagues, we arrived at a
large island, which we found well provided with victuals, and it was
great good fortune for us since we were so reduced by hunger and so
badly supplied, that we were several times on the point of abandoning
the ships, and establishing ourselves on some land, in order to live.
In this island, which we learned was named Palaoan, we found pigs,
goats, fowls, yams, bananas of various kinds, some of which are half a
cubit long, and as thick as the arm, others are only a span long, and
others are still smaller, and these are the best; they have cocoa nuts,
sugar canes, and certain roots like turnips. They cook rice under the
fire in bamboo canes, or wooden vessels, and it keeps longer than that
cooked in earthen pots. They draw from the rice with a kind of alembic
a wine that is better and stronger than the palm wine. In short we
found this island to be a promised land.
We presented ourselves to the king, who contracted alliance and
friendship with us, and to assure us of it, he asked for one of our
knives, with which he drew blood from his breast, with which he touched
his forehead and tongue. We repeated the same ceremony.[336]
The people of Palaoan go naked like the other islanders, they almost
all till their own fields. They have blow-pipes, with thick arrows more
than a span in length, with a point like that of a harpoon; some have
a point made with a fish bone, and others are of reed, poisoned with a
certain herb; the arrows are not trimmed with feathers, but with a soft
light wood. At the foot of the blow-pipe they bind a piece of iron, by
means of which, when they have no more arrows, they wield the blow-pipe
like a lance. They like to adorn themselves with rings and chains of
gimp and with little bells, but above all they are fond of brass wire,
with which they bind their fish hooks. They have some rather large
domestic cocks, which, from some superstition, they do not eat, but
they keep them for fighting; on such occasions they make bets and offer
prizes, which are acquired by the owner of the conquering cock.
Going from Palaoan towards the South-west, after a run of ten leagues,
we reached another island.[337] Whilst coasting it, it seemed in a
certain manner to go forward;[338] we coasted it for a distance of
fully fifty[339] leagues, until we found a port. We had hardly reached
the port when the heavens were darkened, and the lights of St. Elmo
appeared on our masts.
The next day the king of that island sent a prahu to the ships; it was
very handsome, with its prow and stern ornamented with gold; on the
bow fluttered a white and blue flag, with a tuft of peacock’s feathers
at the top of the staff; there were in the prahu some people playing
on pipes and drums, and many other persons. Two almadias followed the
prahu; these are fishermen’s boats, and a prahu is a kind of fusta.
Eight old men of the chiefs of the island came into the ships, and
sat down upon a carpet on the poop, and presented a painted wooden
vase full of betel and areca (fruits which they constantly chew), with
orange and jessamine flowers, and covered over with a cloth of yellow
silk. They also gave two cages full of fowls, two goats, three vessels
full of wine, distilled from rice, and some bundles of sugar cane. They
did the same to the other ship; and embracing us they departed. Their
rice wine is clear like water, but so strong that many of our men were
intoxicated. They call it arak.
Six days later the king again sent three very ornamented prahus, which
came playing pipes and drums and cymbals, and going round the ships,
their crews saluted us with their cloth caps, which hardly cover the
tops of their heads. We saluted them, firing the bombards without
stones. Then they made us a present of various victuals, but all made
with rice, either wrapped in leaves in the form of a long cylinder, or
in the shape of a sugar loaf, or in the shape of a cake, with eggs and
honey. They then said that their king was well pleased that we should
make provisions here of wood and water, and that we might traffic at
our pleasure with the islanders. Having heard this, seven of us entered
one of the prahus, taking with us presents for the king, and for some
of his court. The present intended for the king consisted in a Turkish
coat of green velvet, a chair of violet coloured velvet, five ells of
red cloth, a cap, a gilt goblet, and a vase of glass, with its cover,
three packets of paper, and a gilt pen and ink case. We took for the
queen three ells of yellow cloth, a pair of slippers, ornamented with
silver, and a silver case full of pins. For the king’s governor or
minister three ells of red cloth, a cap, and a gilt goblet; and for the
herald who had come in the prahu, a coat of the Turkish fashion, of red
and green colours, a cap and a packet of paper. For the other seven
chief men who had come with him, we prepared presents; for one cloth,
for another a cap, and for each a packet of paper. Having made these
preparations, we entered the prahu, and departed.
When we arrived at the city, we were obliged to wait about two hours
in the prahu, until there came thither two elephants covered with
silk, and twelve men, each of whom carried a porcelain vase covered
with silk, for conveying and wrapping up our presents. We mounted
the elephants, and those twelve men preceded us, carrying the vases
with our presents. We went as far as the house of the governor, who
gave us supper with many sorts of viands. There we slept through the
night, on mattresses filled with cotton, and covered with silk, with
sheets of Cambay stuff.
On the following day we remained doing nothing in the house till
midday, and after that we set out for the king’s palace. We were again
mounted upon the elephants, and the men with the presents preceded
us as before. From the governor’s house to that of the king, all the
streets were full of men armed with swords, spears, and bucklers, the
king having so commanded. We entered the palace still mounted upon the
elephants; we then dismounted, and ascended a staircase, accompanied by
the governor and some of the chief men, and entered a large room full
of courtiers, whom we should call the barons of the kingdom; there we
sat upon a carpet, and the vases with the presents were placed near us.
At the end of this hall there was another a little higher, but not so
large, all hung with silk stuffs, among which were two curtains of
brocade hung up, and leaving open two windows which gave light to the
room.
There were placed three hundred men of the king’s guard with naked
daggers in their hands, which they held on their thighs. At the end
of this second hall was a great opening, covered with a curtain of
brocade, and on this being raised we saw the king sitting at a table,
with a little child of his, chewing betel. Behind him there were only
women.
Then one of the chief men informed us that we could not speak to the
king, but that if we wished to convey anything to him, we were to say
it to him, and he would say it to a chief or courtier of higher rank,
who would lay it before a brother of the governor, who was in the
smaller room, and they by means of a blow pipe placed in a fissure in
the wall would communicate our thoughts to a man who was near the king,
and from him the king would understand them. He taught us meanwhile
to make three obeisances to the king, with the hands joined above the
head, raising first one then the other foot, and then to kiss the hands
to him. This is the royal obeisance.
Then by the mode which had been indicated to us, we gave him to
understand that we belonged to the King of Spain, who wished to be in
peace with him, and wished for nothing else than to be able to trade
with his island. The king caused an answer to be given that he was most
pleased that the king of Spain was his friend, and that we could take
wood and water in his states, and traffic according to our pleasure.
That done we offered the presents, and at each thing which they gave
to him, he made a slight inclination with his head. To each of us was
then given some brocade, with cloth of gold, and some silk, which they
placed upon one of our shoulders, and then took away to take care of
them. A collation of cloves and cinnamon was then served to us, and
after that the curtains were drawn and the windows closed. All the men
who were in the palace had their middles covered with cloth of gold and
silk, they carried in their hands daggers with gold hilts, adorned with
pearls and precious stones, and they had many rings on their fingers.
We again mounted the elephants, and returned to the house of the
governor. Seven men preceded us there, carrying the presents made to
us, and when we reached the house they gave to each one of us what
was for him, putting it on our left shoulder, as had been done in the
king’s palace. To each of these seven men we gave a pair of knives in
recompense for their trouble.
Afterwards there came nine men to the governor’s house, sent by the
king, with as many large wooden trays, in each of which were ten or
twelve china dishes, with the flesh of various animals, such as veal,
capons, fowls, peacocks, and others, with various sorts of fish, so
that only of flesh there were thirty or thirty-two different viands.
We supped on the ground on a palm mat; at each mouthful we drank a
little china cup of the size of an egg full of the distilled liquor of
rice: we then ate some rice and some things made of sugar, using gold
spoons made like ours. In the place in which we passed the two nights
there were two candles of white wax always burning, placed on high
chandeliers of silver, and two oil lamps with four wicks each. Two men
kept watch there to take care of them. The next morning we came upon
the same elephants to the sea shore, where there were two prahus ready,
in which we were taken back to the ships.
This city is entirely built on foundations in the salt water, except
the houses of the king and some of the princes: it contains twenty-five
thousand fires or families.[340] The houses are all of wood, placed on
great piles to raise them high up. When the tide rises the women go
in boats through the city selling provisions and necessaries.[341] In
front of the king’s house there is a wall made of great bricks, with
barbicans like forts, upon which were fifty-six bombards of metal, and
six of iron. They fired many shots from them during the two days that
we passed in the city.
The king to whom we presented ourselves is a Moor, and is named Raja
Siripada: he is about forty years of age, and is rather corpulent.
No one serves him except ladies who are the daughters of the chiefs.
No one speaks to him except by means of the blow-pipe as has been
described above. He has ten scribes, who write down his affairs on thin
bark of trees, and are called _chiritoles_.[342] He never goes out of
his house except to go hunting.