_Account of the factories, and the posts garrisoned with infantry and
artillery, that the Dutch enemies maintain in the islands of the East._
_Item_. From these factories are taken food and other provisions for
Maluco, and a ship of a thousand toneladas of pepper every year.
_Item_. In the island of Caramandel they maintain two factories
without a garrison. One of them is in the port and country of Achen,
[26] and the other in the same island, which is called Chambi. There
is sent from these factories a shipload of a thousand toneladas of
pepper, gold, and jewels.
_Item_. In Negapatan they have a factory, without a garrison; from
it are carried cloths, which the Terrenate Indians of Maluco wear.
_Item_. In the island of Jor [27] there is at present one factory,
without a garrison; and 400 bares of pepper are shipped from it every
year. A bare [_i.e._, bahar] is known to contain 600 libras.
_Item_. In Patane there is a factory, without a garrison; from it are
shipped glazed earthenware, silk, and various drugs which come from
China, and one shipload of more than 600 toneladas of pepper each year.
_Item_. In Cian [_i.e._, Siam] they have a factory, without a garrison;
from it are carried jewels and various drugs of much value.
_Item_. In Borneo they have a factory, without a garrison. Thence
are sent gold, jewels, and camphor.
_Item_. In Japon they have a factory, without a garrison. Thence are
shipped military supplies and provisions for Maluco; and thus the
Dutch greatly hinder the progress of Christianity in that country.
_Item_. In Macazar they had two factories; but have removed them thence
because the king and the natives do not get along well with them.
_Item_. In the island of Banda they have a garrison, with artillery
and troops. They gather there Masatrella nutmegs to the amount of
more than 1,600 bares each year.
_Item_. In the island of Caramandel they have a fortress with a
garrison and two factories, one called Masapotamia, [28] and the other
Petapulli; from them is carried cloth to trade and barter in Maluco.
_Item_. In the island of Bachan they have a garrisoned fortress;
more than a hundred bares of cloves are shipped thence each year.
_Item_. In the island of Maquian they have three garrisoned fortresses;
and 1,200 bares of cloves are gathered there each year.
_Item_. In the island of Mutiel they have a garrisoned fortress. From
this island they ship more than 350 bares of cloves each year.
_Item_. In the island of Tidore they have a garrisoned fortress,
and his Majesty has another. The whole island yields each year about
600 bares of cloves, of which half, or a little less, is secured by
the Dutch.
_Item_. In the island of Terrenate they have two garrisoned fortresses,
and his Majesty has one. The island yields each year more than 700
bares of cloves; and the profitable part of it is gathered by the
Dutch, as they have friendly relations with the natives, while his
Majesty obtains never a pound--although it is true that the greater
part is lost through war.
From these islands--Bachan, Maquian, Motiel, Tidore, and
Terrenate--which are the ones that Don Pedro de Acuña won back and
left in peace and quiet, with an amply sufficient garrison to maintain
them, the enemy enjoys and obtains each year nearly two million pesos
in profit. The reason for this loss to us was that, on account of Don
Pedro's death, so many quarrels arose between his adherents and those
of the Audiencia that they spent all the time in making war against
each other with ink and paper. In the meantime the enemy fortified
themselves in Malayo, and took possession of the island of Maquian,
and those of Motiel and Bachan, and the other ports which they now
hold, without its costing them a drop of blood. But this burnened
us with much ignominy; for we--being occupied in wasting paper and
ink in lawsuits, which have continued to this day--both by this loss
and that other which first arose from the dismantling of a fort in
Mindanao which had been built in the port of La Caldera, have given
the enemy an opportunity to take possession of so large a part of
these islands. And the worst is, that these factions are lasting to
this very day, and are causing the many losses and the great expenses
which your Majesty now incurs; and these hatreds will not be lacking,
for they are so deeply rooted. It is for us to apply a check to them,
for from them has sprung the loss of respect to whomsoever should
have it, and thence have come to this court reports so sinister.
What is recounted in this relation is from the mouth of General Pablos
Blancar, who was our prisoner in Terrenate. Being grateful for the
good treatment which he had and received from my hand, he gave me
this, assuring me that it was altogether true; and I even agree with
what he said, for, being disgusted with his countrymen because they
did not help him, and feeling grateful for the friendship which he
personally received in my house, he told me--as it were, in payment
for that, and by way of vengeance on his own countrymen--all that I
have recounted. As for the failures to serve your Majesty on the part
of our people, I have restrained myself in many respects, for they
are more important than I can express; but I advised Señor Don Diego
de Ybarra of them in the year 1617. I am certain of everything which
happened there, as I was present there in person, and saw these things
with my own eyes, being in those islands as captain and sargento-mayor,
and governing them in the absence of Don Jeronimo de Silva. [29]