After Gomez Perez Dasmariñas saw that the sect of Mahoma was
effecting an entrance into the island of Mindanao by way of Maluco,
and that through the proximity and association of the said island
with the province of the Pintados, this sect was sure to insinuate
itself into the said province and others of the Philipinas Islands,
he tried to remedy matters by giving the pacification of the island
to Captain Estevan Rodriguez de Figueroa, of which your Majesty
has been informed. He approved the said agreements, declaring what
should be given to Estevan Rodriguez de Figueroa as a reward for this
pacification. The said Captain Estevan Rodriguez de Figueroa left
these islands in the month of April, in the year five hundred and
ninety-five, with thirty-six ships, large and small, well supplied
with artillery, and with two hundred and twelve Spanish soldiers,
and one thousand five hundred Indians. On the twentieth of the said
month, he arrived at the river of Mindanao, where are the largest
settlements on the island, and where the king of the island resides. On
the twenty-fifth he went ashore, leaving the master-of-camp aboard the
vessels with a guard for the security of the fleet. Marching in the
direction of one of the enemy's forts, they came upon an ambuscade
in their path. Coming to a hand-to-hand conflict, Captain Estevan
Rodriguez de Figueroa was wounded in the head by a knife-thrust,
and died in two days without regaining consciousness. At this turn
of affairs the soldiers, who had disembarked, retired to their
ships without avenging his death. The captains and soldiers held
a council and appointed as their captain-general, Joan de Lajara,
master-of-camp of the said fleet, who disembarked with his men,
and built another fort four leagues below the enemy's fort, where
they remained several days without accomplishing anything. Finally,
in the month of October, the said Joan de Laxara came to this city,
saying that he had left the camp to come to ask for help for the
men whom he had left there, for they were in great distress. Don
Francisco Tello, governor and captain-general of these islands,
thought that the said Joan de Laxara had done wrong in deserting
his camp, when he was able to ask for help by means of letters, or
by means of some other person. He imprisoned him for several days,
and tried to find some one to take charge of it. Finding that the
children of Estevan Rodriguez de Figueroa were infants, the eldest
being four years old, and that the guardians could not take care
of affairs of such importance and trust with the punctuality and
readiness necessary, and aware of the danger encountered by the men
who remained in Mindanao, he called a council of war of the most
practiced and experienced captains in the land, to consider their
resources. They were of the opinion that the said pacification thus
commenced should not be abandoned, that those Indians who were acting
so shamelessly should be punished, and that the said pacification be
prosecuted at the cost of the estate of the said Estevan Rodriguez,
which was pledged for it. With the requisite promptness, the said
governor appointed Don Joan Ronquillo, general of the galleys, to
finish the said pacification, giving him a sufficient force of men
and war-material for the purpose. While he was preparing to make this
expedition, Captain Toribio de Miranda was despatched before him,
with news of the coming of Don Joan Ronquillo with assistance and a
sufficient force to bring the undertaking to an end; and to encourage
them by showing them how little hardship they still had to undergo,
and that they should by no means stir from their position. Although
this message was despatched with the greatest celerity, when he arrived
at the port of La Caldera in the said island, which is forty leagues
from the river of Mindanao, he met there the whole camp and fleet
of Mindanao, which was coming to this city, after having burnt their
fort. The said Captain Toribio de Miranda, with the orders which he
bore, detained them and made them return to the river of Mindanao,
where Don Joan Ronquillo arrived with his fleet and army after a few
days; upon disembarking, he began to bring about some good results. At
this time a fleet arrived from the neighboring Terrenate to help the
Mindanaos, who had sent there for assistance. These were eight hundred
men under the leadership of an uncle of the king of Terrenate, who
entered the river of Mindanao where the Spanish camp was pitched. At
a distance of two leagues from it he disembarked and built a fort
and cavalier, without being disturbed. When this was discovered by
the Spaniards, he was attacked by them by land and water at once,
on November 15. They besieged the enemy's fort and fleet, and not
only the whole fort but the fleet was won, with some artillery and
the loss of many men on the enemy's side, without the loss of any
Spaniards. In this encounter the general of the fleet from Terrenate
was killed. This victory was a very important one, and with it the
whole island of Mindanao lost courage and were awed. The island was
surrendered peacefully, and is peaceful today. They acknowledged
obedience to our sovereign, the king, whereupon the robberies and
injuries which the Terrenatans were accustomed to commit in the
provinces of the Pintados, who are your Majesty's vassals, have ceased.
Before these happy results, Don Juan Ronquillo wrote a letter to Don
Francisco Tello, governor of the Philipinas, in which he told how
far this conquest of Mindanao extended, and the distress of the camp
for lack of supplies, unless he were continually assisted from these
islands. For that island is quite lacking in them, and altogether
of little profit or substance to his Majesty, as it is a poor and
wretched land, lacking in everything; and, even when it is pacified,
the natives there would not be able to pay tribute, on account of its
great sterility. It would likewise be impossible to come to close
quarters with the Indians, because they never stand their ground,
and are able to inflict injury with safety to themselves, shooting
arrows from the heights at the Spanish camp without any possibility
of being attacked in return, because they flee immediately to the
mountains. When the said governor, Don Francisco Tello, heard this,
he called a council of war of the most practiced and experienced
captains in the land; and, having read the letter of the said Don
Joan Ronquillo, all were unanimous that, if the island of Mindanao
was so fruitless and profitless, and the pacification would have to
spread so far over it, the said Don Joan Ronquillo should be ordered
to have a last fight with the natives of the island, and do them all
the harm possible, without endangering the camp; and that, this done,
he should strike camp, and go with all his men to the island of La
Caldera. When he arrived there he was to build a fort, well supplied
with artillery and provisions. He was to leave in it a garrison of one
hundred men, in charge of a good leader, as a check for Terrenate and
Mindanao. With the rest of his force he was to return to these islands,
where, at this time, the province of Cagayan was in rebellion, whose
people are the most warlike of the island. They had grave suspicions
of Japon, and need of troops.
This order was sent immediately to Don Joan Ronquillo. When he
received it, he had had the good fortune above referred to. He ought
to have followed up such good luck and fortune, but failed to do so,
executing his orders immediately, without at all finishing the task
of calming the minds of several chiefs of the island, although he
left it pacified, and they had rendered obedience to and recognized
his Majesty.
Don Joan Ronquillo was also ordered to stop on his way back, at
the island of Jolo, which is twenty leagues from the harbor of La
Caldera. The king of Jolo rendered obedience to his Majesty many
years ago, and, although Jolo is an encomienda, he has paid no more of
the tribute than he pleased, having had but little intercourse with
Spaniards, and the island not having been thoroughly quieted. Don
Joan was to advise the king, and give him to understand the state of
affairs in the island of Mindanao; and order him, as it was pacified,
not to disturb it, warning him that he would be rigorously punished;
that since he had done homage so long ago, he should continue it; that
the Spaniards were settled on the island of La Caldera, whence they
could quickly come if any quarrels should arise; and that they would
maintain them in justice and defend them from their enemies. With this
order the said Don Joan Ronquillo, leaving the said island of Mindanao
in the condition above referred to and striking his camp, arrived,
with all his armament, at the island of La Caldera, where he built the
fort according to orders. Having mounted some artillery, and left a
garrison of one hundred soldiers, with Captain Christoval de Villagra
at the head of his men, well provided with supplies and munitions,
he went to Jolo, where he gave the king of that island to understand
what he was ordered. The king immediately rendered obedience again to
his Majesty. This done, the said Don Joan Ronquillo, with the rest
of his force, came to these islands, where investigations into his
conduct were made by the said governor, because he had not entirely
tamed the spirit of those chiefs, notwithstanding the orders which
were sent him to strike camp, since afterward he had had such good
fortune and an opportunity for it, had he remained--one fortnight
more being all that was required--and as nothing had been risked,
he could have done it.
Captain Christoval de Villagra, confident in the submission which the
king of Jolo had made to his Majesty, sent thirty soldiers to the said
island to look for supplies. When they arrived there they found there
an uncle of the king of Mindanao, a brother-in-law of the king of Jolo,
whom, because he was restless and rebellious, they banished from the
said island. He treacherously killed thirteen soldiers; notice of
this being brought to the governor, the latter immediately sent as
governor of the said fort of La Caldera, Captain Joan Pacho, a person
practiced and experienced in that land, to inflict punishment upon
Jolo. As soon as he had arrived at La Caldera, he began operations,
and left there for the said punitive expedition with sixty Spaniards,
with whom he engaged the enemy. Finding the latter in a high place
difficult to ascend; and at the time of the attack being overtaken
by a rainstorm, and deceived by some Indian spies into the bargain,
whom he sent to reconnoiter the enemy--from this combination of
circumstances it happened that the said Captain Joan Pacho and nineteen
soldiers were killed. The rest retired without securing any advantage
or avenging themselves. News of this being brought to the governor,
he sent Captain Toribio de Miranda, a good soldier, to take charge
of that place, with orders not to make any entry, or inflict any
punishment until he was ordered to the contrary. The latter is not
permitted to be done until there is a better supply of men and money
in the islands, because without these there will be a greater risk,
for the king of Jolo is assisted by his brother-in-law. When there
shall be a better supply of men and money, Miranda will be sent
expressly to punish all the people of this island, and ravage it,
because it is dangerous and of no profit.
The island of Mindanao is almost three hundred leagues in
circumference. It is a land of slight elevation; although of good
climate; it is sparsely settled, and its inhabitants very warlike
and inclined to arms. Their only aim is to rob and kill. There is
a scarcity of supplies in some parts, though cinnamon is found in
some districts, and a large quantity of wax everywhere. Tortoise
shells are also found. They weave cloth from medriñaque and some from
cotton. All the inhabitants on the coast and the river profess the
doctrine of Maoma, and those of the uplands are heathens. Although
it cannot be maintained without assistance, still it is necessary to
maintain it, in order to avert the injuries which on the other hand
would be received by the islands of the Pintados. It would usually
be necessary to bring an army for their defense, if the Spaniards
should abandon the island of Mindanao, and the chiefs rebel.
[_Endorsed:_ "Relation of the condition of the island of Mindanao,
cited in section ix of the letter of July 12, 1599, concerning
the war."]
The State of the Kingdom of Camboxa in Relation to these Phelippinas
Islands
The past year, one thousand five hundred and ninety-six, Don Luis
de las Marinas, governor of these islands, sent Captain Joan Xuarez
Gallinato with an armed fleet to the assistance of the king of
Canboja, who had asked him to defend him from the king of Sian, who
had threatened him; and the former offered to introduce Christianity
into his kingdom and make friends with the Spaniards. When aid
arrived at Canboxa, it appeared that the king had retired with his
children to the kingdom of Laos, for fear of the king of Sian, who
had occupied his kingdom; and that Anacaparan, military commander
of Camboxa, had assembled the greater part of the people of Camboxa,
who had remained. Having met the Sianese and recovered the kingdom,
he was powerful enough to claim it and become tyrant. Some of the
Spaniards who arrived at Canboja beforehand without their commander,
on account of a storm which separated them on the way, although they
were received with simulated friendship by Anacaparan, heard later
that he was plotting to kill them. Provoked by this and other injuries
which a number of Chinese, who had gone to the cities of Hordemuz and
Sistor (the chief cities of that kingdom) in five trading-vessels,
had inflicted upon them, and for which the tyrant refused to give
them any satisfaction and justice, the Spaniards, who numbered about
forty soldiers, attacked the Chinese and Anacaparan and his men, a
numerous force, in his palace. They made so great havoc among them,
that they killed the tyrant king and many of his men, completely
crushing them. They took the Chinese ships, and without harm or
injury retired to their own ships, defending themselves from a much
greater number of warlike enemies and elephants who charged them. At
this juncture the rest of the Spaniards arrived at Camboxa with
their commander. Considering what had just taken place, and that
the land was in rebellion and the legitimate king in the country of
the Laos, he thought that it would be impossible to set foot there
on account of the unfavorable condition of affairs. He started to
return to these islands; but, as the weather was not suitable for the
voyage, he coasted along Cochinchina, where he repaired his ships,
and sent overland, to the kingdom of the Laos, Bias Ruiz and Diego
Bellosso, well-known to the king of Canboxa, to acquaint him with
what had taken place in his kingdom, so that he should descend upon
it. Thereupon he left Cochinchina, where he had had some unpleasant
encounters with the king and natives, in which, however, he sustained
no loss. He reached these islands in September of ninety-six, with
the flagship and part of his men. The other ship was crippled by
a storm and made port at Malaca, and the rest of the men came in
the following year from Malaca. When Blas Ruiz and Diego Bellosso
reached the kingdom of the Laos, they found that the king of Canboxa
and his elder son were dead, and that the younger, called Prauncar,
alone remained, together with his mother and grandmother. This son,
in company with Blas Ruiz and Diego Bellosso, descended upon Canboxa,
with an auxiliary force of six thousand Laos. They found the country
divided by factions, and that a son of the tyrant whom the Spaniards
had killed had returned to reign over the greater part of it. There
were many battles with these enemies of theirs, all of which--by the
help of Blas Ruiz and Diego Bellosso, and about ten Spaniards, from
those who had made port at Malaca, who joined them--were gained by
Prauncar. These few Spaniards did marvels in the sight of all these
heathens, so that Prauncar, the legitimate king, has recovered his
whole kingdom, except one small province which still remained for
him to subject. On account of this, and of the friendship which his
father had had with the Spaniards, and the assistance which he had
just received from them, he wrote to me by an ambassador of his, who
came to this city, of the outcome of all these matters, asking me to
send religious and Spaniards to settle his kingdom, make Christians,
and build churches, offering every facility for it. At this time Don
Luis Dasmariñas, having some knowledge of affairs in Camboxa, urged
me to give him permission to go with some men at his own cost to begin
the conversion of that kingdom, and its settlement by Spaniards. This
expedition being proper, in my opinion and that of the Audiencia,
because of its many consequences for the service of God and his
Majesty--whence the so desired entry to the mainland could be begun,
in order that the many heathens there may come to the knowledge of
the holy Catholic faith, and submission to his Majesty--I made an
agreement, regarding the expedition, with the said Don Luis, with
the conditions and in the form which is contained in the copy which
accompanies this, together with the letters which I am writing to King
Prauncar. Therefore Don Luis Dasmariñas collected an armed fleet,
well provided with men, arms, and supplies and other necessaries,
and also some religious. He sailed with them from the harbor of
this city, in the middle of September of this year. The ambassador,
well-satisfied with so strong an expedition, left after him. I hope,
our Lord willing, that he has already arrived at Camboxa, because
the voyage is a short one, and that he is about to begin what we so
much desire. I made a list of the men in these islands, particularly
of the supernumeraries who had come from Nueva España. I found many,
who on account of being lazy, and the land being too poor to support
them, seemed to me suitable for this expedition, especially as this
occupation of theirs from which so much good is expected, was to be
made without any cost to his Majesty. I shall continue my account.
After Don Luis Perez Dasmariñas sailed from this city from the
port of Cavite, with two moderate-sized ships and one fusta, with
the said force, well provided with supplies, arms, and munitions,
taking with him as admiral, Pedro de Beistigui, he went by way of
Bolinao, [30] to catch the tide from there, in order to cross with
it to the mainland, above the shoals of Aynao [_i.e._, Hainan],
near Camboxa. A few days later, news came to the governor from the
alcalde-mayor of Nueva Segovia in Cagayan, that the fusta of Don
Luis's fleet, in charge of Captain Luis Ortiz, had made port there,
badly crippled by a heavy storm, which had separated them from the
fleet, shortly after the departure from Manila. They followed the
coast until they came to the bar of the said city of Segovia. It was
preparing to sail again in search of the said fleet; this they did,
after such repairs as were possible within ten days. After that, other
news was received from the alcalde-mayor that the admiral's ship of
the fleet was also lost in the same storm on one of the Babuyanes
Islands, where the men, artillery, and clothing were saved; that
the ship was lost; and that vessels were sent in which the admiral,
his crew, and their clothing should be brought to the said city,
which was effected. They brought the news that the storm had been
very heavy and had lasted five days; and that the flagship, being a
more seaworthy vessel, had put to sea and had been seen no more. An
order was sent immediately to the alcalde-mayor of Cagayan to provide
supplies from another ship, and other necessities for the admiral,
so that he could pursue his voyage. It was done as soon as possible,
with new instructions and orders from the governor to follow the
course which Don Luis gave him in his instructions at the time of his
departure; and that if he should arrive at Camboxa before his general,
he was to execute the orders in his instructions for the undertaking,
whereupon he left. Some months before Don Luis Perez Dasmariñas
sailed from the Ffilipinas, Captain Don Joan Çamudio had sailed in a
small but well-fitted vessel for China, to purchase iron, saltpeter,
lead, tin, and other very necessary articles for the provision of the
camp at Manila; because, for three or four years, the Chinese have
not brought anything of this kind in their vessels. He encountered
considerable resistance to his entry into China on the part of the
Portuguese from Macao--who, hearing the news of his arrival, set out
to find him, and tried many times to sink or burn his ship, and to
show him other evil treatment. It was their intention to prevent
the Spanish from coming to China or knowing anything about it or
its trade; and this they tried to do with the greatest obstinacy and
enmity. But affairs were managed so well with the viceroy of Canton,
called the _tuton_, and especially with the _laytao_, or chief judge
of that province, that not only were the Portuguese prevented from
uttering their previous calumnies against the Spaniards--namely,
that they were robbers and highwaymen, coming to make war on China,
and other things of that sort--but the Chinese even assigned and gave
to the Spaniards a port eight leagues from Canton, called Pinal; so
that, from that time on, the Castilians of Manila and the Philipinas
Islands, if they wished, could come there freely and securely to trade,
and for any other purpose that should arise. They were allowed ingress
into the city of Canton, and a house was given them there, in which to
assemble by night or day. This very much astonished the Portuguese,
because it was a thing that the Chinese had never done for them. Don
Joan Çamudio and his men lay in this harbor of Pinar with their ship,
busy supplying their needs, when they were informed that Don Luis
de las Marinas, with the flagship of his fleet, had run before the
storm spoken of above, had made the coast of China, and had landed
near Macao; that the ship was so weakened that it sprang a leak there,
and foundered, the crew, artillery, and munitions being saved, with a
small part of the clothing that they carried. They also learned that
the Chinese mandarins there gave the Spaniards a kind reception, from
whom the latter procured a few vessels with which to get to Pinal,
where they were informed that Don Joan and his men were; and that
the Portuguese of Macao not only refused to help them in this matter,
but also contrived to subject them to considerable inconvenience and
ill-treatment, in order to complete their destruction. After this,
Don Luis himself arrived at Pinal with his men and the remains of
the shipwreck, by the vessels given them by the Chinese, avoiding the
Portuguese of Macao who were the enemies of the Castilians. Don Luis,
upon finding himself and his men in the harbor of Pinal, in company
with Don Joan de Çamudio and his men, made known the particulars of
his past loss, but did not lose his courage for continuing his Camboxa
expedition, thinking that the other two ships of his fleet had gone
on. Therefore he immediately sent to Canton to ask permission of the
laytao to buy a ship in which to continue his journey. The Portuguese
again opposed them, showing greater assiduity and uttering greater
fabrications than they had done before with Don Joan de Çamudio--saying
that they were corsairs, and that they had followed Don Joan to join
him and make raids on China. But it profited them little, because
the laytao of Canton ordered Don Luis and his men to enter the harbor
of Pinal, where the other Castilians were, where they would be given
whatever they needed. Don Luis de las Marinas was very much pleased
and comforted at this, and continued in his determination, especially
in securing a ship which he needed. He could not buy, nor anyone sell
him one without the permission of the laytao, on account of strict
laws against it. There was an abundance of cloth in this country,
with which they immediately provided themselves, besides supplies and
munitions. Don Joan de Çamudio accommodated him with some artillery,
and other things that he had, of which Don Luis had need, so that now
the only thing lacking was a ship. They brought every influence to
bear on the laytao, but the Portuguese in Canton continually opposed
them by every means.
At this time, the end of December, ninety-eight, Don Joan de Çamudio,
having made haste from China, set sail from Pinal, leaving Don Luis
de las Marinas and his men settled there, waiting for permission
to leave China with their ship, regarding which they still had no
definite assurance. In a few days Don Joan reached the coast of Luzon
in safety, and entered the harbor of Cavite. He brought letters from
Don Luis Perez Dasmariñas. From them and what Don Joan said, they
were informed of what had happened to Don Luis and his flagship, and
that he was waiting in Pinal, until he should secure a ship, so that
he could continue the undertaking which he had begun. He requested
assistance of arms, munitions, and other things which were lacking at
Canvoja, to be sent him. The governor was much pleased with this news,
which was better than he had hoped, because it was feared lest the
fleet of Don Luis with all his men had been wrecked and drowned in
the great storm they had encountered, because nothing had been heard
of the flagship for so long a time. He immediately sent the things
that Don Luis requested on a vessel, which was about to sail to the
kingdom of Sian, in charge of Captain Joan de Mendoza y Ganvoa. A
little later, in the month of May, some trading-ships came from
China to this city of Manila, from one of which they received letters
from Don Luis de las Marinas and his men, advising them that he had
finished his preparations for his voyage and expedition; and that,
after the departure of Don Joan de Çamudio from Pinar, he had again
suffered greater vexations and persecutions from the Portuguese of
Macao, but that the mandarins had silenced the latter, and had even
inflicted the lash, regarding the matter as one which concerned the
Chinese. He said that he would sail some time in March for Camboxa. He
also mentioned other things they saw in China at that time.
In the middle of the month of June last, four soldiers, sent by
Don Luis Perez Dasmariñas to Don Francisco Tello, governor of the
Philipinas, came here in a small vessel, bearing advices that Don Luis
was still at Pinal in some distress. He had bought a Chinese ship
at Canton which seemed in good condition, in order to continue his
voyage to Camboxa. Having embarked, he was already two days on his
way after leaving port, when the ship began to leak in the stern,
so that at considerable danger he was obliged to make port again,
where he was scarcely able with great risk to arrive, The ship being
of no use, he asked the governor to send him assistance in men, arms,
and munitions, and also a ship from the islands, in order to prosecute
his voyage. The governor, being suspicious of Japon, and having few
men and arms, wrote to Don Luis, with the approbation of the royal
Audiencia, that he was himself in great need of the things requested
from him, and at present more than ever. Therefore he requested and
counseled Don Luis, that since he found himself so exhausted, and
with a so inadequate supply of all things to continue his expedition,
and with no prospect of help now or afterward from the Philipinas,
he would advise him to return to Manila and abandon the enterprise,
since the voyage had turned out so unfortunately; and that besides
that, there was great need of his men in the islands. Don Luis was
not ordered strictly to do this, as he had spent so much money on this
expedition. This message is being sent him by Captain Joan Tello, who
will leave in about a week for Pinar, to continue the good beginning
made by Don Joan de Çamudio in the province of Canton. I believe that
for that very reason of having spent so much, Don Luis may wish to
investigate the state of the kingdom of Camboxa. This may be done
in such a way that we may attain what we so much desire, namely,
the establishment of the holy gospel in that kingdom, which will be
of so much importance. May our Lord direct this matter.
_Don Francisco Tello_
[_Endorsed_: "Relation of the condition of the kingdom of Camboxa,
as regards the Phelippinas Islands, cited in section 11 of the letter
on the war, July 12, 1599"]