the fleet. This relation seems to have been the log kept by this
pilot. Many of its entries are simply reckonings. He gives the
names, tonnage, captains, and pilots of the different vessels. On
the nineteenth of November the banner and standard were consecrated,
and the oath taken. The fleet set sail four hours before dawn on
November 21, [62] On Sunday, the twenty-sixth, the course was changed
in accordance with the sealed instructions given to Legazpi. The
"San Lucas" separated from the fleet December 1. On the eighth,
Diego Martin, pilot of the "San Pablo," reported land but he was in
error. Next day an island was sighted, in which there were "about
one hundred Indians, a people well built and with long beards," for
which the island was called Barbudos. "The women have pleasant faces,
and these people are as dark complexioned as mulattoes. The women have
little gardens. They have certain roots from which they make excellent
bread, for I have tried it." [63] On the tenth they passed and named
the islands Placeres and San Pablo. Other islands were passed on the
twelfth and fifteenth. On the twenty-second they sighted a mountainous
island to the south, whose inhabitants saluted them as "chamurre,
chamurre," [64] or that is, "friends, friends!" This was the island
of Guam. They found it to have a good bay and good rivers of fresh
water. The products of this island are named, the people described,
and the troubles there briefly enumerated. "The master-of-camp and
Martin de Gueyte, with one hundred and fifty men, sacked and burned
two villages." During the eleven days spent here "masses were said
each day." Numerous words of the language spoken are recorded:
Friend, _chamor_; good, _mauri_; hereabout, _baquimaqui_; pleasant
to the taste, _mani_; take, _jo_; oil, _rana_; rice, _juay_; land,
_tana_; dry cocoa, _micha_; señor, _churu_; fresh cocoa, _mana_; iron,
_yrizo_; botija [a species of jar], _o_; gourd, _coca_; ship, _botus_;
nail, _yuro_; salt, _azibi_; sugar-cane, _tupotipor_; fish, _bian_;
no, _eri_; salt fish, _azuiban_; yam, _nica_; small, _segu_; wood,
_tagayaya_; green banana, _regue_; water, _ami_; tamal, _enft_; banana,
_jeta_; acorn, _puga_; net, _ragua_; pictured paper, _tricabo-tali;_
eyes, _macha_; rock, _rapia_; ears, _perucha_; paper, _afuipuri_;
teeth, _nifi_; palm-leaf mat, _guafal_; hair, _chuzo_; ginger,
_asinor_; hands, _catecha_; she, _reben_; foot, _ngmicha_; osier
basket, _pian_; beard, _mimi_; deep, _atripe_; leg, _achumpa_; crab,
_achulu_; this, _achi_; petaca [a leather covered trunk or chest],
_agu_; pitcher, _burgay_; come here, _hembean;_ star, _vitan;_ moon,
_uran_; sun, _afaon_; to eat, _mana_; large, _riso_. Their numbers
up to ten are: _acha, gua, tero, farfur, nimi, guanan, frintin, gua
[sic], ãgua, manete_. On the fourteenth of February, 1565, they
sighted the Philippines. Describing the natives, Rodriguez says:
"these Indians wear gold earrings, and the chiefs wear two clasps
about the feet.... All the body, legs, and arms are painted; and he
who is bravest is painted most." Juan de la Isla was sent with one of
the small vessels to reconnoiter a large and excellent bay at some
distance away. There he made blood-friendship with the natives, but
one of his men was treacherously killed. Rodriguez's reckonings were
taken according to the Mexican rather than the Spanish rules. Rodriguez
and Goyti were commissioned to explore among certain of the islands in
order to find safe channels for the ships. They found one such between
Panay and another island. They passed Tandaya and Cabalian during their
ten days' cruise, and the fleet, in consequence of their report sailed
to the latter place. The treacherous conduct of the Portuguese to both
Spaniards and natives is discovered. "The general determined to go
to Betuan, which is a very rich island, whence much gold is brought,"
and anchor was cast before Bohol, from which place Legazpi despatched
Juan de la Isla to explore westward, and Martin de Goyti eastward A
small boat was despatched under Rodriguez "to discover some islands
that could be seen from here. We went in the frigate, fifteen men
and one Indian, who knew the language, the pilot of a junk captured
by the master-of-camp and Captain Martin de Goete." This detachment
coasted among various islands, among them Licoyon and Binglas. [65]
They were blown out of their course by a storm. A _prau_ was sighted,
but its occupants took flight, ran their vessel ashore, and hid on
the island. The Spaniards went to the _prau_, and found therein
a "little Indian girl of about three years, very pretty. She was
hanging over the edge of the _prau_ with her body in the water, and
screaming. When we came and wished to take her, she slipped into the
water and would wellnigh have drowned, had not one of our men leaped
in after her." Shortly after this a battle with other natives was
averted only by the wind blowing off the covering to their two pieces
of artillery, at sight of which the natives fled in confusion and hid
themselves. The inhabitants showed themselves hostile at all points and
the Spaniards had several narrow escapes on this island of Negros. From
here they crossed to the island of Cebú. "This Cibuy is a fine island,
about sixty leagues in circumference and thickly populated.... We found
fourteen or fifteen villages on its sea-coast.... We did not dare to
go ashore, although we were in need of food." The detachment returned
to the fleet after twenty days, although they had been ordered only
to cruise during six. The natives and two soldiers sent to look for
these men had missed them by going to the opposite side of the island
from that where Rodriguez had been The fleet set sail for Cebú, where
after landing they found the village deserted. Legazpi ordered that
each mess of four soldiers should take one house and the rest of the
houses be destroyed. Everything was removed from the houses before
any were destroyed. The general ordered that a thick set palisade of
stakes be built, including therein a few wells of fresh water. "This
village was built in triangular shape, with two water-fronts and one
land side." The artillery was placed to defend the coast, while the
Spaniards relied on the palisade for protection on the land side, until
the fort could be built. Companies were sent out to scour the country
for food, and "always brought back fowl, hogs, rice, and other things
... and some good gold." The natives to the number of one hundred came
to make peace one day. "In this town when we entered we found therein
a child Jesus. A sailor named Mermeo found it. It was in a wretched
little house, and was covered with a white cloth in its cradle, and
its little bonnet quite in order. The tip of its nose was rubbed off
somewhat, and the skin was coming off the face. The friars took it and
carried it in procession on a feast day, from the house where it was
found to the church that they had built." The natives were told that
they thus honored the child Jesus. "After the mass and the sermon,
the general went to treat with the king for friendship, telling him
that we came thither for the King of Castilla, whose land this was, who
had sent other people here before, and that they had been killed--as,
for instance, Magallanes (and when Magallanes was mentioned, the king
was much disturbed); but that he pardoned everything, on condition
that you be his friends." To this peace the natives acceded, but
as in other instances only for the moment; they failed to return
at the appointed time to conclude the preliminaries, and killed one
of the Spaniards. A body of men was sent out who captured more than
twenty of the natives, among them a niece of the king, which was the
means of getting into friendly touch with the people once more. The
"San Pedro" was ready now to set out on the return trip to New Spain
being well supplied with provisions for more than eight months. "Two
hundred persons, with ten soldiers and two fathers, the father prior,
and father Fray Andres de Aguirre," sailed with it on the first of
June. (Tomo ii, no. xxxiii, pp. 373-427.)
1565. Log of the return voyage to New Spain kept by Rodrigo de
Espinosa. [66] This man was the pilot of the small vessel "San Juan,"
commanded by Juan de la Isla. He was ordered to accompany Estevan
Rodriguez on the return passage of the "San Pedro," under the command
of Felipe de Salcedo. Setting sail on June 1, from the "Port of Zubu,
... between the island of Zubu and the island of Matan, this latter
island being south of Zubu," the "San Pedro" took a general northerly
and easterly direction. The passage through the islands is somewhat
minutely described. On one island where they landed to obtain a fresh
supply of water, they saw "two lofty volcanoes." This island they named
Peñol ["Rock"]. On June 10 the island of Felipina was reached, whence
the trip across the open Pacific was commenced. Often the direction of
the wind and the reckoning of the sun, are chronicled--also the days'
runs, which vary between five and forty-five leagues. June 21, Corpus
Christi Day, a headland was sighted on the starboard side, which had
the appearance of a ship at anchor, and to which the name Espíritu
Santo ["Holy Ghost"] was given. By September 15, Cebú lay fifteen
hundred and forty-five leagues toward the west. On the eighteenth
an island on their starboard side was named Deseada ["Desired"],
and the log reads sixteen hundred and fifty leagues from the point of
departure. On Saturday, the twenty-second, land was sighted; and next
day the point of Santa Catalina, in twenty-seven degrees and twelve
minutes north latitude, received its name. From that point they coasted
in a southeasterly direction along the shores of southern California
to its southern point in "twenty-three degrees less an eighth," naming
the headland here Cape Blanco, from its white appearance. Near this
place died the master of the vessel, "and we threw him into the sea at
this point." On the twenty-seventh the chief pilot "Esteban Rodriguez
[67] died between nine and ten in the morning." The small islands
southeast of Lower California were passed and it was estimated that
they were in the neighborhood of cape Corrientes. On the thirtieth,
cape Chamela was passed; and on the first of October, the "San Pedro"
lay off Puerto de la Navidad; the chart showing a distance of eighteen
hundred and ninety-two leagues from Cebú. "At this time I went to
the captain and said to him, that I would take the ship wherever he
ordered, because we were off Puerto de la Navidad. He ordered me to
take it to the port of Acapulco, and I obeyed the order. Although
at that time there were but from ten to eighteen men able to work,
for the rest were sick, and sixteen others of us had died, we reached
this port of Acapulco on the eighth of this present month of October
after all the crew had endured great hardships." (Tomo ii, no. xxxiv,
pp. 427-456.)
Following this relation is a document showing the estimates made by
the two pilots and the boatswain, by command of the captain, of the
distance between Cebú and Puerto de la Navidad. The first estimate
was made on July 9. The map of the chief pilot was found to measure
eighteen hundred and fifty leagues, but in his opinion the distance was
about two thousand leagues. Rodrigo de la Isla Espinosa [68] declared
that an old map in his possession showed more than thirteen hundred
and seventy leagues, [69] but he increased the amount to about two
thousand and thirty leagues. Francisco de Astigarribia's map measured
eighteen hundred and fifty leagues, but his estimation was about two
thousand and ten leagues. On September 18 the same three men estimated
the distance from Cebú to the first land sighted--"an island off the
west coast of New Spain" and lying in about thirty-three degrees--at
seventeen hundred and forty leagues sixteen hundred and fifty leagues,
and sixteen hundred and fifty leagues respectively; the highest
point reached had been a fraction over thirty-nine degrees. (Tomo ii,
no. xxv, pp. 457-460.)
1565-1567. Relation of occurrences in the Philippines after the
departure of the "San Pedro" to New Spain. [70] To a Moro who presented
himself as a deputy from the chief Tupas, Legazpi expressed his sorrow
that the natives were fleeing to the mountains, and would not give
credence to the friendship and peace offered them in the name of the
king, by the Castilians. Word was sent to Tupas that Legazpi regretted
the necessity of warring with the natives, and that, when they wished
to return, they might do so peaceably. Although they treacherously had
killed a Spaniard, he, on his part, had treated well the two women and
two children captured by him, and would restore them freely to their
husbands and fathers, without ransom, whenever they chose to return to
ask his pardon and to make peace. That same afternoon two chiefs--one
of whom, Simaquio, was the husband of one of the women and the father
of the two children--came into the fort. They declared themselves
to be brothers of the chief Tupas. Simaquio "came to deliver himself
to the governor, saying that the latter could do what he wished with
him and his, and that he should hold them as slaves, or sell them in
Castilla, or do what he pleased with them." Legazpi permitted him to
see his wife and daughters, telling him "that he had been as watchful
of their honor, as if he had kept them in his own house." Simaquio
signified his desire "to be ... the friend and vassal of the king
of Castilla, and to have perpetual peace and friendship, and that he
would never be found lacking in it." To this Legazpi replied that it
was necessary to treat with Tupas and the others jointly, "and that in
this manner it would be ascertained who wished peace and friendship,
and who did not; that he [Simaquio] should go and confer regarding
peace and friendship with Tupas and the other chiefs; and that after
such talk and conference, and getting the opinion of all, they should
return to finish these negotiations and conclude the matter. Meanwhile
his wife and daughters would receive good care and treatment, and he
could rest assured that after peace had been made, he [Legazpi] would
be their father and they his children, and he would look, after them
and protect them as such." This good treatment reassured the natives,
and a few days later Tupas appeared and a treaty of peace was made,
the conditions of which follow. "First, they make submission, and bind
and place themselves under the dominion and royal crown of Castilla
and of his majesty, as his natural vassals, promising to be faithful
and loyal in his service, and not to displease him in any way. They
promise to observe, fulfil, and obey his royal commands as their king
and lord; and to obey, in his royal name, the governor and captain
residing in these islands, and to receive the latter whenever he
should come to their islands, towns, and houses--whether he were angry
or pleased, whether at night or day, whether for peace or for war,
without any resistance or hostility, to fulfil his commands, and not
to withdraw themselves from this dominion, now or in the future. This
they promised for themselves and their future descendants, under risk
of falling under and incurring the penalties which should be imposed
in case of treachery and treason against their king and lord.
"_Item:_ on condition, that the chief who killed Pedro de Arana
by treachery should not enjoy this peace and friendship, until he
had appeared before the said governor to make his plea, and whose
punishment the said governor said he reserved for himself." The said
Tupas and chiefs declared that they accepted this condition; and that,
if they could, they would bring this man to his lordship so that he
might be punished.
"_Item:_ on condition that, if the said Tupas and chiefs asked the
said governor for the aid of his men against any Indians hostile to
them, who were making or should make war upon them, the said governor
was obliged to give them aid, protection, and reenforcement of men
for it. Likewise if the said governor should request people from the
said Indians, they would be obliged to volunteer to fight against his
enemies. All the spoils taken when the said Spaniards and Indians
were acting in concert should be divided into two equal parts,
of which the said governor and his people were to have one part,
and the said natives the other.
"_Item:_ on condition that, if any Indian, a native of this island,
should commit any crime or wrong against any Spaniard, or take
anything pertaining to and connected with the Spaniards, the said
chiefs would be obliged to arrest him and bring him as a prisoner to
the governor, in order that he might be punished, and justice done. And
if any Spaniard should do any wrong or damage to the natives, or take
anything belonging to them, the said chiefs and natives were to notify
the said governor, and show him the proofs thereof, so that he might
punish the wrong, and execute justice according to law.
"_Item_: It is a condition that, if any slave or other person flee
from the Spanish camp, and should go inland where the Indians live
and inhabit, the said chiefs and natives be obliged to arrest him and
bring him before the governor; likewise if any Indian, man or woman,
free or slave, come to the Spanish camp from the Indians, that the
said governor promises to send him back and surrender him--so that
neither side defraud or hide anything from the other.
"_Item:_ It is a condition that the said chiefs and natives shall
be obliged, in selling to the Spaniards any or all provisions native
to their land, and which they may wish to sell the latter, to demand
only the just prices current among them, and those usually imposed by
them, without advancing the price above its usual value. This price
shall be fixed and understood, now and in future, and there shall be
no change in it. Likewise the said governor shall fix moderate rates
on the articles of barter brought from Spain for the natives. After
these prices are fixed, neither side may advance them.