_Manuel de Caceres_, notary
In the port of Mohala, on the twenty-sixth day of the month of March,
one thousand five hundred and seventy-nine, the said captain, in
observance of the above decision, in the presence of me, the notary,
and the witnesses hereunto signed, ordered Ensign Salvador de Sequera,
accompanied by the men assigned to him, to embark in the Neapolitan
fragata belonging to this fleet, in order to go to the islets of
Polocelemin and Paingaran, in order to see whether the natives had
constructed any fort, after the departure of the said governor to
the city of Manila. When this was done, he should return without
going elsewhere; and if he met Moro bancas and vessels, he should
fly white flags in token of peace. He was ordered to try to open
conversation with them; and, even if the said vessels were to fire
some artillery, the said ensign and his companions were not to answer
them. On the contrary, they were to fly the said white flag of peace,
and to return to this fleet. Father Baltasar de Miranda and Alonso
Cornejo were witnesses to the above, and the said captain signed it.
_Don Juan Arce_
Before me:
_Manuel Caceres_, notary
After the above events, in the said month and year abovesaid, in the
said galley, the said captain having ordered three soldiers in a light
boat, one hour before dawn, to try to talk with some Indians, and,
if possible, obtain information regarding the king, of the condition
of his affairs, and other necessary things; and having brought the
Bornean Indians prisoners, the said captain summoned each of them
to his presence. Through the agency of the interpreter Sitahel, they
were asked where the king and his people were, and what was decided
upon. The first said his name was Usman, and that he was a native of
this island of Mohala. The second day after the arrival of our fleet
at this port, some of the king's slaves came in bancas, with orders
that all the people should assemble up the river. This witness asked
a slave of the said king where the latter was, to which the slave
answered that on that day he was going to retire to the fort, where
already were the women, artillery, provisions, and other things. He
was to leave the tumangan and bandara in the city, so that these men
might have ordinarily two or three scout-boats with artillery at the
bar; if the Spaniards resolved upon going up the river or to enter it,
they should flee to the fort. This witness went also the next day to
the settlement of Borney, and found that the king had gone to the
said fort, and that the said tumangan and the bandara were in the
city. When asked why he did not go to the fort as did the others, he
replied that, because he did not find his mantelin who is a person
holding the office of captain and sergeant, with forty men under
him--in Borney, and learned that he was outside of the bar, he was
coming in search of him. When asked how many Portuguese vessels had
passed there during the last vendabals, and what forts King Soltan has
built or intends to build, he said that two vessels had passed--one
of deep draught and a galley--and that they had traded as usual with
the Borneans. The Portuguese went to the settlement, and the Borneans
went to the vessels. In regard to the forts, the king had built one
up the river where the people are gathered. It is named Talin, and
is made of palm-trees three or four estados high. They are now busy
constructing a mosque. This witness had heard that as soon as the said
mosque was completed, galleys would be begun in the ship-yard. There
was no fort at Paingaran. There is nothing else; and, the same being
read, he declared it true. He appeared to be about thirty-three or
thirty-four years of age. The said captain signed the above.
_Don Juan Arce_
Before me:
_Manuel Caceres_, notary
[The deposition of another Moro follows, being in substance the same
as the above, with a slight addition in regard to the panguilans
Maraxa de Raxa and Salalila, which is similar to other testimonies
concerning them.]
Then immediately, upon this said day, month, and year aforesaid, the
said ensign, Salvador de Sequera, the ensign, Francisco Rodriguez,
and the others who went in the said fragata as above said, to the said
islets of Polocelemin and Paingaran, returned to the said captain. They
said that, as they went upon this errand in accordance with his Grace's
orders, they met nine ships and some caracoas. As soon as these saw
these vessels, they flew their white flag as a token of friendship,
in order that the others should come to talk with them. But these
ships refused to come, and fired some artillery at them. The said
ensigns having witnessed this, the said Salvador de Sequera requested
me, the present notary, to attest it, so that if might appear in the
records. In response to his request I gave the present signed with my
name. Then the said ensigns returned, without doing anything else than
to make the said signs of peace. The natives refusing, as above said,
to come, but on the contrary persisting in discharging their artillery,
they returned, and declared this before the said captain and myself,
the present notary. They signed the above with their names, as did
also the said captain.
_Don Juan de Arce_
_Francisco de Rodríguez_
_Salvador de Sequera_
Before me, and I certify thereto:
_Manuel de Caceres_, notary
Then in the said galley on this said day, month, and year above
stated, the said captain, before me, the undersigned notary, summoned
before his Grace, the said Usman, Amat, and two other youths, all
Borneans. Through the mouth of the above-mentioned Sitahel, they
were instructed that they should tell King Soltan, the tumangan, the
vandara, and the other chiefs, that the said captain did not intend
to enter the river, nor begin hostilities against him--although he
had not kept his word and had tried to injure his men--because the
said governor did not wish any harm to be done them, nor that they
and their town should be destroyed, but desired his friendship. For
this reason he ordered that he [Sadornil] should not attack them,
or enter his settlement, or do them any injury, under pain of being
beheaded. Although the men brought by the said captain had seen
his rudeness, and were desirous to retaliate, he had not consented
thereto; nor had his Grace desired such a thing, that he might not
exceed the orders of the said governor. Likewise they were to tell
the said king and the others that, since peace with the said governor
was so advisable, they should send a ship to confer and a person to
treat concerning the said peace. If they would come, the said captain
would wait two more days for them. Then returning to these men their
weapons and vanca, and presenting them gifts and food, and showing
them other good treatment, he let them go freely. They left, and I,
the present notary, certify thereto--Juan de Santiago, Pedro Granado,
and Sergeant Cristoval de Arqueta, being witnesses.
_Don Juan de Arce_
Before me:
_Manuel Caceres_, notary
In the said galley, "Espiritu Santo," on the twenty-eighth day of the
month of March, one thousand five hundred and seventy-nine, the said
captain--having seen that the last Borneans sent as messengers by his
Grace, on the twenty-third of this present month, did not return,
but that, on the contrary, the above affair of Ensign Sequera had
happened, who went to reconnoiter the island of Polocelemin; and that
also no answer had been returned by the Indians despatched on the
twenty-fifth of the same month; and that the said Borneans, yesterday,
the twenty-seventh of this said month, came with ten or eleven vessels
very near this fleet, and when Ensign Francisco Rodriguez met them with
a white flag and without arms, the said Borneans without any shame came
leisurely to him, beckoning him with the hand, and then forced him
to retreat. He gave an account of this to the said captain--when his
Grace saw this, and that he could not make war upon the said Borneans,
because of his Lordship's orders to the contrary and because their fort
had been built up the river, where no galley or galleot could sail;
and seeing that some of the reputation until then enjoyed by the
Spaniards might be lost, and that no advantage was accruing to the
service of his Majesty from his stay in this said island of Mohala;
and that the people ran risk of becoming sick, not only from the waters
of that land, but from the rains, the heat of the sun, poor food,
want of exercise, and others difficulties: he ordered sail to be set
in order to return to the city of Manila, and to give an account of
the expedition to his Lordship, the governor. Thus he decreed, and
ordered, and signed it with his name. Witnesses were Father Baltasar
de Miranda, Luis Briceño, Alonso Locano, and many others.
_Don Juan de Arce Sadornil_
Before me:
_Manuel de Caceres_, notary
Most illustrious sire:
In a clause of the instructions given me by your Lordship, you order
me on my return from the river and settlement of Borney, to visit the
river of Taguaran. But because I was informed that the said river
is not navigable by galleys unless at extremely high tide, and to
anchor near the shore meant some risk--for at the present season occur
nightly heavy showers brought by the vendaval--and because the king
is not peaceably inclined, and considering that all the land would
revolt, I concluded that it would be useless for me to go thither,
since the said river of Taguaran is on the way to Borney, so that
any one may very easily ascertain what he wishes. In my opinion,
if we effect a colony in Borney, the Spaniards must live where the
king and the Moros are, in order to keep them under control. In any
other way they will be always unmanageable. Whenever your Lordship
wishes, I shall tell you some reasons that should induce us to make a
settlement in no other place but where the Moros live. Given in this
galley "Espíritu Santo," belonging to his Majesty, on the twenty-ninth
of March, one thousand five hundred and seventy-nine.
_Don Juan Darce_
By order of his Lordship:
_Manuel de Caceres_, notary
The order which we must regard and observe in the voyage and navigation
from here to Borney is as follows.
The galleys shall follow the flagship, without preceding it, and at
night they shall be vigilant, both in following the lantern, and
in watching for certain shoals such as are wont to be in the sea,
and for strange ships, as well as all else advisable.
When any galley encounters any danger, and needs help, it shall
discharge a cannon as sign of distress; and all the other ships shall
go to its assistance, to see what has happened.
The Neapolitan vessel shall go as much as possible in advance of the
flagship; and, in case it should come upon any shoal or promontory
that juts out too far, if it be daytime it shall return to give
advice thereof; but if at night, besides turning to give advice,
it shall fire a small piece of its artillery so that we may stop and
take the necessary steps.
If perchance any galley should lose the route through either bad
weather or any other cause not malicious, it shall continue its
voyage to the island of Malaca, where the one arriving first will
await the other.
Should any enemy attack us at sea, with intent to annoy us, the two
Bornean galleys shall go to the flagship--that in charge of Ensign
Francisco Rodriguez on the right, and that in charge of Antonio
Cañedo on the left. The Neapolitan ship shall take up a position at
the stern of the flagship, in order to assist in what is ordered.
The vessels shall take care always to anchor near the flagship,
keeping watch over their oars. They shall be alert. From Malaca each
afternoon they shall ask for a watchword, so that, if they meet any
hostile ship, it may be known. A copy of these instructions shall be
given to the other galleys, so that they may keep them. Given on the
seventh of March, one thousand five hundred and seventy-nine.
_Don Juan Arce_
Before me:
_Manuel de Caceres_, notary
The order to be observed at present by the soldiers in this fleet,
while anchored in the port of Mohala, or wherever else, is as follows.
First, although the natives of the river of Borney are peaceful,
they shall buy no slaves who are natives of the island of Borney,
even if the natives wish to sell them. If they wish to buy any slaves
not natives of the said island, they shall not do so, except in my
presence, in order that I may find out his native place, and whether
or no he can be bought.
_Item_: No soldier shall dare to kill any cattle here or in any other
part where they have them, so that the king of Borney and the other
natives may see that we do not come to harass them, but that we wish
their friendship.
_Item_: No soldier shall disembark or go from his ship to take water
or any other thing, except when the flagship takes in water, and
he is summoned. Then the landing shall be effected with great care,
and the commanders of the galleys shall signify what soldiers are to
disembark. They shall be advised not to take any water that is not in a
newly-made well, so that the water may not be poisoned by the natives.
_Item_: All the galleys shall keep close sentinel guard at night, and
shall keep their arms ready. Each night they shall assign a watchword,
and the galleys shall not fire any shot unless compelled by necessity.
_Item_: No one shall dare go to the Sangley ship anchored at this
port, in order to avoid the insults and damage that the soldiers are
wont to inflict on the said Sangleyes. If they need anything, they
shall send their slaves to buy it. They shall in no point infringe
the above regulation, under penalty of punishment to him who shall
act contrary to this, with all the severity allowed by law. In order
that this paper may be manifest to everyone, it shall be read and
proclaimed in all the ships of the fleet, in the presence of the
commanders. Given on the galley "Espíritu Santo," on the twenty-first
of March, one thousand five hundred and seventy-nine.
_Don Juan Arce de Sadornil_
By order of the captain:
_Manuel de Caceres_
(Thereupon, on the said day, month, and year above stated, I, the said
notary, read and proclaimed the decree above set forth, by order of
the captain, to the soldiers of the said galleys, in the presence of
the commanders. They said that they heard and would obey it. Witnesses
were Francisco de la Mesquita, Juan de Santiago, and Pedro Granado.