"Father Belin took with him about eighty Christian captives of those
who have come to our soldiers--both in that entrance which was made in
the villages, and of those who have been escaping from the Moros since
the time of the arrival of Don Sebastian, who exceed one hundred and
fifty Christians. Among them, at times, were some Moros who requested
holy baptism. The eighty who arrived here were disembarked at the gate
of Saint Dominic, where the sargento-mayor was awaiting them with the
captains and adjutants and the company of the governor, who marched
them down in their midst. When the procession or march was ended,
the alcaldes and Father Belin went through the street which leads to
[the house of] the master-of-camp and [the convent of] St. Augustine,
to the palace. Having gone round by the parade-ground, they went up to
the governor, where Father Belin thanked his Lordship for the liberty
that had been obtained through his mediation. His Lordship ordered
them to be lodged in the city; and directed the father to bring the
chiefs to the palace next day, as he intended to clothe them as he
had those whom he sent to Basilan. Among them is a Moro who is a
Christian, who is accompanied by more than twenty persons of his
relatives and household. All of them have resolved to be baptized,
and to live among Christians in Cabuyao. [29] That was the chief who
brought Father Angel to the fort, and withdrew him from captivity
when he came to our people. The fact was that that chief captured a
girl about twelve years old in that village of Cabuya, whom he has
married during this time, with the intention of making her his chief
wife until his death. She, having seen the love that he showed her,
told him that if he wished her to live in his company willingly,
not only was she to be a Christian, but he was to become one also,
in order to be her true husband and live among Christians. In short,
she won him so that he determined to come with her to her village. He
persuaded his men to do the same, and in accordance with that they
have come. In the champan, he told his Tagal wife that she should
not tell the Castilians that he had captured her, lest they kill him
or do him some harm; but that she could say that she was bringing
him and all his people to captivity, as was a fact. Don Sebastian,
influenced by reasons of expediency, orders that that family return
to live in Mindanao."
October 31, the patache from the island of Hermosa entered this
port. It brings as news that five or six Franciscan and Dominican
friars are there, who have been exiled from China; and that they
hope to be able to reenter that country. The report that the Dutch
had occupied the post of Tanchui, which we had left, is said to
be false. On the contrary, the inhabitants of Tanchui came to beg
friendship and Spaniards, to which the only answer given was that
they should come with safety to the fort with their drugs, which
would furnish them a safe passage.
A champan also arrived from Terrenate at the end of October. It brought
news that the sargento-mayor, Francisco Hernandez, made an important
raid into the country of the enemies, with good result. He found in
Macasar the Spaniards who deserted from this place last year with
Captain Ramos, whom they had already killed through anger. Francisco
Hernandez begged the king for permission and aid to arrest them; and,
being given it, arrested them and placed them in the galleys.
A small vessel, called a cho, came from Macan November 2. It brings
more authentic news of the conversion of the king of China, than what
I wrote by the ships. The fathers say of him that he is earnestly
considering becoming and living as a Christian. Word is also received
that the fathers of the province of Macan, which is the same province
as that of Japon, formed a congregation; and that, because they
have strong hopes of the opening of the door for the conversion of
that kingdom, in which the faith has been so severely persecuted,
they have elected two procurators to go to Europa by two different
ways--Father Antonio Cardin, in the first place, who goes by way of
Goa; and Father Reymundo de Gouca, who is about to come to Manila in
order to go by way of Mexico.
At midnight on November 10, so fierce a gale of wind came from the
south that it broke five of the moorings of the flagship "San Luis,"
which was about to set sail to Terrenate, having been already laden
and with its artillery aboard. The wind carried away its shrouds,
and grounded it in the sand near Palanaque, but in such a manner
that it could be floated off after five days. The wind also drove
the second galley ashore, but without doing it any damage.
At dawn on the morning of the eleventh, the ship from India, which was
the last to go to Macan, anchored in the bay. It lost most of its masts
by the fierceness of the storm, and the others were disabled. That
storm struck them after they had already anchored. Had it struck them
outside, all think that no one would have escaped, to judge from the
way in which the ship is disabled.
News arrived on the night of November 20 that the second patache,
which was going to Octong to get a cargo of rice for Terrenate,
was driven ashore some leguas from here by the gale of wind above
mentioned, but that all the crew were saved.
Early on the night of November 21, the two galleons, "San Luis"
as flagship and "San Juan" as almiranta, left for Terrenate. The
commander-in-chief is Don Pedro de Almonte, and the admiral Don Alonso
de Alcocer, although with the title of governor of the almiranta
galleon. The commander of the flagship as far as Sanboangan is
Don Pedro Fernandez del Rio, who is captain and sargento-mayor for
the voyage.
A despatch [-boat] arrived from Sanboangan on the last of November,
which carried some Joloan captives. It happened in this wise. The
king of Jolo, desiring to recover his hill, and to fortify himself
anew with the arms that the Spaniards had there, set a snare for
them with this bit of treachery. He caused an Indian (who was a
clever leader of the fishermen), called Cahapitan, and his men to
become very friendly with the Spaniards and to sell them fish--a
thing that our men, not knowing his intentions, valued very highly,
because of the privation that they were suffering. After some days
he came with a message from the king, to the effect that he wished
to submit and to pay tribute, and that he was sending Indians to be
registered. In the meantime the fathers [30] were warned by a certain
Capot, a Christian, who had escaped, that the king was beyond all
question plotting treason, and they advised the commander of those
forts of it. He replied that the fathers were entertaining fears,
and that no attention was to be paid to it. He allowed Cahapitan,
as well as those who were to be registered, to enter the fort with as
much security as if they were in Old Castilla. Eight hundred Indians
having registered, a day was assigned for many more to come. The
Moros chose that day for the execution of their treachery. Cahapitan
arrived, with the word that he was bringing three hundred more, who
should be allowed to enter with him in order to be registered. By
that time there were already about two thousand Moros in ambush,
while others were in ships on the sea, in order that they might,
on seeing the signal, do their part--namely, kill the Spaniards,
and seize the fort. And that would have happened just as they wished,
if God in His ineffable providence had not obstructed it; for, at the
time agreed upon, the commandant caught a high fever, and accordingly
answer was sent them to return on another day, as he would not register
them [that day]. The Moros urged strongly that they be registered,
and their urging caused suspicion. Accordingly, a resolute answer was
sent that he would not register them until next day. Seeing themselves
frustrated in their principal intent, they went to the stone-quarry,
where the force of twenty-three galley negroes and some Sangleys were
getting stone, being guarded by only five Spaniards. Alleging peace,
they landed; and, attacking them, killed two Spaniards, three negroes,
and one Sangley, and wounded two Spaniards, who, with the other one
that was unhurt, escaped; and they captured the others--to the number
of thirty-eight persons, counting dead and captured. The commandant,
having learned of the treachery through those who escaped, sent a
despatch to Sanboangan asking for help. It was God's pleasure (and
that was another of His wonderful providences), that the commander Don
Pedro de Almonte should have determined of his own accord to visit
Jolo with a small fleet, which he had difficulty in collecting. He
was met at sea by the despatch-boat. He made haste and arrived at so
opportune a time that he met Cahapitan and all his men. Cahapitan,
hiding his treason, went to meet him with a white flag. The commander
Don Pedro received him cordially, but told him that he should follow
him to the fort, in order to be well assured that he was free from
guilt. He followed the commander very securely with thirty-six
persons; for he had so deceived the commandant at Jolo that he was
persuaded that Cahapitan was guiltless, and thus he assured the
commander Don Pedro. That deceit was brought about by his having
entrusted to Cahapitan a quantity of goods in order to trade them
for drugs of the country. Yet the commander, Don Pedro, although he
freed Cahapitan and two old men at the persuasion of the commandant,
in order that they might carry a letter to the king of Jolo (for the
commandant petitioned the commander, saying that he would advise that,
and the traitor [i.e., Cahapitan] desirous of performing another act
of treachery, facilitated it), detained all the other men. Cahapitan
went straight to a place where he had three negroes and two Sangleys,
who had fallen to his share as the principal author of the deed. He
ordered them to be killed, and his men killed four more of them; but
one, a Sangley, attacked him, and killed him with his own dagger. The
Sangley came all bloody to the fort, and disclosed the whole evil
plot. Thereupon the commandant awoke as from a profound slumber, in
which his self-interest had buried him. Afterward he confessed that he
had done wrong in not believing the fathers; thereupon the commander,
Don Pedro de Almonte, sent his boats under Captain Gaspar de Morales,
to overrun the island. In that raid much harm was done to the enemy,
to the profit of their allies, who secured rich pillage. Almost all
the people escaped; but those people who were captured, together with
those of Cahapitan, were made slaves. They numbered in all fifty,
besides three who were killed. That punishment made them tremble,
and many have concluded to settle quietly and to give hostages. All
the above I have taken, in summary, from a very long letter of Father
Alexandro Lopez, who took part in the whole affair; and was in the
fleet that went round the island.
At Christmas came news that the Chinese pirates were pillaging these
neighboring coasts. A fleet was sent to attack them, under command
of Captain Maroto, which returned on the second of January, 1639. The
report he gives is, that some Chinese of the Parian of Manila fled in
a champan. They attacked another champan on the sea beyond Mariveles,
pillaged it, and sent it to the bottom. They attacked another anchored
in a port, and pillaged and burned it. After that they put out to sea,
in order to cross over to China. Our men brought in the Chinese who
had escaped from both champans.
Later, at the beginning of January, news came that the same men were
pillaging, although in more remote districts where they had captured
some boats and killed many Spaniards and Indians, who were sailing
quite unsuspicious of danger. Consequently, a few champans under
command of Don Pedro Bermudez were again sent against them.
January 15, General Don Geronimo de Sumonte took possession of [the
post of] castellan and other offices at this port.
On January 18, news was received that the fleet of our champans
encountered the pirates in the entrance of Mindoro, eight in
number. They were pursuing a boat of the Augustinian fathers. The
Spaniards attacked the pirate's flagship, a champan, which, after our
men had damaged it considerably, escaped, with one other vessel. The
rest were either sunk entirely, or driven ashore with the loss of all
their men. Of those driven ashore, some Chinese were captured alive,
and they were executed by various rigorous modes of punishment. [31]
Our men did not follow the two other champans, as it was already
night. The latter returned toward the coasts of this island of Manila,
where other of our boats were sailing, and committed some depredations.
January 27, a violent north wind sunk a boatload of Joloan captives
who were fleeing from Manila, six of whom were captured.
February 24, an advice-boat arrived from Macan with news that the
Portuguese had done a thriving business in the fairs of Japon, but
that the Japanese were very particular that no priests should go
there. Accordingly they came to request that the fathers in these
islands wait patiently, and that no priests go there until God gives
a better opportunity.
March 4, the father provincial arrived from the visit to Pintados. Two
days previous they had been attacked by two champans of Chinese
pirates--who were beaten off, however, because our vessel had
sufficient defense. Later however, they saw that the pirates were
pursuing another champan, and that of the father provincial hastened
to aid the latter, with which aid that vessel escaped safely--which,
had he not aided it, would infallibly have been captured.
March 20, came tidings that large pieces of planking, masts, and the
ribs of a vessel which had suffered shipwreck had been found on the
coast of Paracali, opposite Manila. From appearances, it is thought
that it is the almiranta "San Ambrosio," which sailed for Mexico from
these islands last August, quod Deus avertat ["which may God forbid"].
In the middle of March, the ship from India set out for Goa. It was
the one which had come from Goa, and after setting out for Macan had
returned disabled to put in at this port. The cho from Macan returned
to its city by November. The four fathers of the Society who belong
to that province are going. Don Pedro Bermudez sailed once more, with
three champans, to attack the Chinese pirates who were harassing the
coasts of this island, and had committed depredations. They attacked
the flagship champan, which was a large vessel; they killed sixty
Sangleys in it, and seized and sent to Manila the others. These men
have disclosed extensive treacheries that the Chinese were plotting
in order to stir up the country. The authorities have been making
arrests and investigations, and they are still doing so; and in
the middle of April they hanged six of the Sangleys. They declared
that they were building two champans on the Pangasinan coast, of the
heaviest planking, and suitable for fighting. The Spaniards went for
these vessels, and brought them to Manila with the carpenters who
were working on them. God had great pity for these islands.
On April 18 came the flagship and patache of the Terrenate relief
ships; they say that the almiranta was driven to leeward of them
near Macasar. The soldiers remained with the commander Don Pedro
de Almonte, in order to make an expedition in Mindanao, together
with other squadrons of ships that have sailed from Caragan and
Bisayas. From Xolo they write that the inhabitants have attempted to
plan other acts of treason like the past. The leaders have either
been killed or are in the galleys. Father Melchor de Vera writes
of the Moros near Sanboangan that some of them are being baptized,
and that there are hopes of a great conversion.
On May 30 arrived the almiranta from Terrenate. They have suffered
many hardships, especially of thirst, which was so great that some of
them even drank salt water. They bring as news from Mindanao that our
men are building a fort at La Zavanilla, in the country of Corralat;
and that he, as well as Moncay, has retreated. Manaquior is daily
becoming more friendly. With the ships of Terrenate came one hundred
and fifty Siaos and fifty Terrenatan Christians, to take part in this
war. They were already about to enter the lands of the enemy. The
commander, Don Pedro de Almonte, also sent a portion of a fleet to
coast about the island of Xolo; for a report was current that Dato Ache
was getting ready to go out to pillage. To Mindanao had already come
one hundred and twenty valiant Caragas, who had always accompanied
Corralat from the time when they killed the priests in their land,
[32] and to whom Don Sebastian had sent a pardon.
News of a new revolt came from Nueva Segobia. The natives killed
seventeen persons, counting soldiers and their wives. They did not
wish to kill the father who instructed them, as he was a mild-mannered
man. Don Marcos Zapata went to attack them, and killed thirty and
captured thirty others. The rest retreated to the mountains.
It is learned from a ship from Macan, that the second patache, in which
were two of the recently-ordained fathers, and which sailed from here
in November, has not arrived at that city. During the last few days
the report has been current that both it and the vessel from India
(which sailed again from here in March) have been pounded to pieces
on the shoals of Paragua, and that great bits of wreckage have been
washed up at Calamianes, whence they write this. These losses will
be a great calamity.
News came on May 23 that, our men having arrived overland at the
lake of Malanao, [33] in the island of Mindanao, two thousand five
hundred armed Indians were waiting for them in battle array. They
could not sustain the discharge of our firearms, and retired to the
lake. Our men had carried six boats in pieces, to fit them together
and navigate in them. When the Malanaos saw them on the water, they
gave themselves up as lost. Some five thousand of them fled, while
more than one thousand remained and offered homage and tribute to the
king our sovereign. They were all registered, and began immediately
to render allegiance. They admitted ministers of the gospel, and
gave hostages and security in everything. Doubtless those who fled
and hid will soon appear and submit.
The fathers write from Jolo that Dato Ache has been entirely unable to
do anything since the occurrence at Lami, in which he was buried. [34]
It is added that since these things are so, all the Joloans are
perishing from famine. They will never humiliate themselves or
give signs of surrendering. In some raids that have been made, the
Spaniards have killed and captured some of their chiefs. Among them
was a pirate who captured the beneficed priest Francisco Vazquez,
and refused to give him up for less than two thousand pesos. Now he
is paying it in the galleys, where he has been put at the oar.
Father Alexandro Lopez writes from Jolo that the commandant of that
island [i.e., Xines Ros] begged pardon in public from God and the
fathers for the insults that he had uttered, and for the injuries
that he had done them; and that he was building the church for them
with much fervor, before his successor should arrive.
A champan arrived here on May 30, with fifty arrobas of nails which
had been taken from the wreckage of the ship which, as I said, had run
aground on the coast of Paracali. Those whose opinion is most accurate
in that matter have examined it, and believe that it is all from the
almiranta "San Ambrosio." On that account the profound sadness that
was general in April and May has ceased; for it had been reported
that indubitable signs were found that the flagship had been wrecked.
On June 17 arrived a despatch from Sanboangan. The news brought by it
will be told by a letter from Father Pedro Gutierrez. "On setting out
for Terrenate, the commander, Don Pedro de Almonte, left an order that,
when the boats of the volunteers arrived at Samboangan, they were to
skirt the coast of Jolo. Six caracoas did that, as well as six other
boats from Basilan, under command of Adjutant Cristoval de las Heras,
and manned by some Spaniards. Inside of a fortnight, they coasted about
the island of Jolo and came to another small islet near by. They burned
many boats, killed some Joloans, and brought back a goodly number of
captives, without having lost any of our men. They did not delay longer
because a fixed time had been assigned to them. The said commander Don
Pedro came back from Terrenate on the sixth of March. As the almiranta
had not arrived, he despatched Sargento-mayor Don Pedro del Rio to La
Zabanilla with most of the fleet, so that he might fortify himself
in La Sabanilla and reduce a village of Caragas who had formerly
come to Corralat, when fleeing from the Spaniards. Thereupon, as
soon as the said sargento-mayor arrived at La Zabanilla, he began to
build the fort, which was finished in good shape, and he reduced the
Caragas; and, when the general arrived, he was already holding them
in La Zabanilla. As the almiranta did not arrive, the commander Don
Pedro came with the rest of the fleet. While he was in La Zabanilla,
a despatch from Captain Don Francisco de Atensa was brought. It gave
advices that he had arrived at the lake of Malanao, [35] having entered
by the gulf of Pangi [i.e., Panguil] with the Spaniards whom he had
in Caraga, as well as with Caragas and Butuanes; and having fought
with those of the lake, the Moros fled, and immediately, on the next
day, the chiefs began to come in to submit to the Spaniards. They
all did that except one, named Mancaya. In order to accomplish that,
the commander sent Sargento-mayor Don Pedro del Rio, with his company
and about five hundred Indians. They all reached the lake where they
found it unnecessary to stop, as Captain Don Francisco de Atensa
had pacified all the inhabitants of the lake, and Mancaya; and they
had given hostages and firearms, and had registered themselves to
pay tribute to the number of one thousand tributes. They promised to
receive fathers. Thus those villages of the lake were already reduced,
and had also given up some Christian captives whom they had taken. The
lake of Malanao is of a cold rather than a warm temperature, and the
people have plenty of rice and native fruits. Between the lake of
Malanao and La Zabanilla there are three chiefs who were related to
Borongon; those chiefs proceeded to some very rough mountains near
the lake. It is said that they have about three thousand warriors,
who are devoted to Corralat; and as he was not a declared friend of
the Spaniards, they gave us plenty to suffer on the return. For, as
the road was in such shape that it was necessary to go single file,
some of the Indians who accompanied the Spaniards were wounded. But
although the enemy made several ambuscades, they could not inflict
more damage, because of the care with which the march was made--until
Holy Saturday, when it began to rain; when a great number of them
attacked us from ambush and killed one Spaniard, who was without
[fire: crossed out in MSS.] arms, as he was sick. They also killed
four Indians, and wounded four others. It was our Lord's pleasure
that, notwithstanding the rain, the arquebuses of the Spaniards,
who were near, were not without effect. With that, no more damage
was done us; the enemy fled, dropping about thirty shields in their
flight, and they received some damage. The troops of Sargento-mayor
Don Pedro del Rio arrived at La Zavanilla, where Captain Pedro Navarro
had been left in command of the infantry, which was in the fort. The
commander, Don Pedro de Almonte, had gone to Buayen with the rest of
the fleet; and, having sent a message to Moncay, the latter answered
that he would fight. In order to seize the posts of the enemy, the
commander, Don Pedro, sent two boats to the mouth of a creek, by which
reenforcements could be taken, so that they could not reach Moncay by
that way; and also to a lake which was up the river of Buayen, which
was not only an entrance to Buayen, but also where the enemy had their
retreat in an excellent fortification. The best fortification was in
a swamp. On that undertaking, the commander, Don Pedro, sent Captain
Juan Lopez Lucero with his company, and our ally Manaquior and his
men. That was all very necessary, because of the great number of men
that the enemy had. They fought for three days, at the end of which,
it was our Lord's pleasure to let our men dislodge the enemy with
heavy loss. Of our men only one Spaniard was wounded and one or two
of Manaquior's men were killed, and one or two others wounded. Our
men burned all the houses and fortifications.
"At that same time the commander, Don Pedro de Rozas, marched from
the Spanish fort to that of Moncay, which was very strong; for,
besides being surrounded by swamps and water, and by a dike that
had been made, and besides the fort (which was built long ago) of
stone, there had been added ditches, terrepleins, and stockades with
their bulwarks. Having reached it, our men planted two bulwarks upon
fascines with which they could bombard the enemy's fort. At the end
of three days, a white flag was displayed; and there was a cessation
in the hostilities, for the time being. Moncay, having declared
that he wished to become a friend, abandoned the fort that night,
after setting fire to some of the houses. Next day our men finished
burning what was left. Not a little wonder was caused, and thanks
to our Lord, at seeing that so strong a fort had been gained with
the loss there of one Spaniard and two wounded, one of whom died
afterward; and four wounded Indians, of whom one died. Besides that,
they burned many fortified houses, and destroyed palm-trees and sago
plantations. Some days afterward, the commander sent Don Agustin de
Cepada to reconnoiter the creeks. The latter came upon a well-fortified
house, which he burned. He sent Sargento-mayor Pedro de la Mata to
coast along the shores, and do all the damage possible to the enemy. He
found a fortified hill also, and it was regarded as a miracle that it
was taken without any loss of our men. It is thought that the chief
man in the post was one who was in the bulwark; for as soon as he was
laid low by a volley from the Spaniards, all the enemy fled, and the
Spaniards burned all the fortifications and the neighboring houses.
"The commander, Don Pedro, also sent Captain Don Francisco del Castillo
to an islet which was situated opposite the bar of Buayen. He captured
some Lutaos, destroyed a great number of boats (and the same was done
by Adjutant Don Albaro Galindo, who destroyed some boats); but found
no people. He sent the chief Manaquior to discover whether there were
any means of finding Moncay, and returned at the end of fourteen or
fifteen days. As there was no way of being able to pursue Moncay,
and as the season was advanced, and many were falling sick, and as
he had to go to Jolo, the commander, Don Pedro Almonte, went with
the rest of his fleet to La Zabanilla, after having planned that the
Spaniards who remained in the fort of Buayen, and the men of Manaquior,
should continue to pursue Moncay--all being under the order of Captain
Juan Lopez Lucero, castellan and captain of the said post.
"The inhabitants of Basilan, who had gone to Jolo to do all the damage
possible to the Joloans--in company with six Spaniards, under command
of Alferez Juan de Ulloa--returned with seventy-seven captives and
some of our Bisayans, who had been seized by the enemy. They destroyed
about two hundred boats, counting large and small, first selecting for
themselves fifteen of the best. They reported that a Lutao chief of
Jolo, named Lohon, had taken to the fort of Jolo fifty other captives,
with which, necessarily, the [forces of the] Joloans must be exhausted.
"The commander, Don Pedro de Almonte, coming from Buayen, reached
the passage of the river of Sibuguei; and Datan, the chief of the
river, registered eight hundred tributes, and handed over the arms
and Bisayan slaves that he had there."
We received news here, on the twenty-fifth of June, that the sea
of Camarines is continually floating ashore more fragments of the
wrecked ship, which some think that they recognize as belonging
to the flagship. Consequently, it has begun to be rumored again
as more probable that, if only one ship has been wrecked, it is
the flagship. But others are of the opinion that the wreckage shows
unmistakable signs of the two ships, both flagship and almiranta. That
casts a gloom over all the land. If that has happened (which may God
not have permitted), it is thought that it will be impossible for
these islands to recover in many years.
June 27, a destructive hurricane came down upon this port from the
northwest, and veered about to almost all points of the compass. It
overturned some houses, and did great damage in all the others and in
the churches. It blew the tiles through the air as if they were bits
of paper. The galleons along the shore were a great cause for anxiety;
and the commander, Don Geronimo de Sumonte, and Captain Pedro Munoz
hastened to them quickly, with the prominent men of this port, all of
whom worked valiantly. That was very necessary; for the galleon "San
Juan Baptista," although held by eleven cables, came dragging upon "La
Concepcion," which was being made ready to sail to Mexico. They would
infallibly have been dashed to pieces, had they not been attended
to so carefully and diligently. Of the other smaller craft, some
have been wrecked; and some men were drowned. It was God's pleasure
to allow the wind's fury to last only four hours. Had it blown with
the same violence during all the twenty-four hours while it lasted,
no ship would have escaped, and not a house or church would have been
left standing. Two hundred houses were overthrown in the village of
the Indians. But what caused most fear to those natives (and the old
men say that they have never seen such a thing, or heard it told by
their ancestors), is that the hurricane carried into the air the small
boats that they use, which are called bancas and resemble canoes. It
is said that they were blown about like paper, and that when they
fell again they were broken to pieces. The hurricane blew with the
same violence in all the surrounding villages, and caused the same
damage; it blew down one hundred and seventy houses in Palanaque.
Since July 7 there have been very severe storms of wind and rain. On
the nineteenth the passage boat [36] was wrecked in the bay and
it is said that eighteen persons were drowned. Many illnesses have
occurred during that time, in which a great number of people of all
nations have perished. Because of this, and because many have been
persuaded that the two ships of the past year have been wrecked--not
only because of the signs that the sea has thrown up, but because
news of their arrival is so belated--there is a universal gloom and
sorrow over all the country, such as it has never had before. May
God in His mercy console the land.
On July 19, a letter was received from the alcalde-mayor of Nueva
Segovia, which states that two English galleons had anchored in a
port of that coast, and that they are coming to this port of Cavite
to trade; if the weather permits them to reach this place, their
intentions will be known.
In the afternoon of July 24, six of the men who had sailed in the
flagship of last year, which was wrecked September 20, 1638, by the
fury of a tempest in the Ladrones Islands--on an island thirty-five
leguas away from the islands where our ships generally land on the
voyage--arrived here. Besides those who were drowned, many were killed
by lance-thrusts from the natives. Those who escaped went from island
to island to those of Uan and Harpana, [37] where they have been
well treated. The reason alleged for that was, that the Spaniards
are good men, and leave them iron when they pass there. From the
island of Uan the natives despatched six Spaniards and two Indians
in two boats, furnishing them with food from what they had. They
commended themselves to God, crossed the open stretch of more than
three hundred leguas, which they did in but one fortnight--a wonderful
thing, if one will but consider those small boats which are of much
less burden and steadiness than pirogues and canoes, and even smaller
than they. They arrived almost dead with hunger, thirst, and lack of
sleep. Our fathers of the Society of Jesus received them in Palapag,
and cared for them for several days; after that they recovered,
and immediately set out in a champan with a good supply of food. The
Indians of Uan sent those Spaniards, so that they could give the news
and send a boat for the other twenty-two Spaniards who are there alive,
with some Indians and negroes, and carry them iron, etc.
As soon as the tidings were told in this port of Cavite, the sobs
and cries were so many that all were stunned, for there is no one
who has not lost a son, a father, a brother, a brother-in-law,
a father-in-law, a son-in-law, or a husband. The loss has been one
of the greatest that has ever visited these islands, because of the
loss of men and the poverty of the islands. [38]
Good news is received of the almiranta, for they say that they saw it
but shortly before they were wrecked, sailing on a good tack; and that
it was a swift sailer, and seaworthy. Consequently it is thought that
it has arrived at Nueva Espana. May God grant that it has so happened.