EARLY TROUBLES.
Until the beginning of the nineteenth century, when Mexico became
independent of Spain, the Philippine Islands were governed for Spain by
that country. This worked great hardship in the islands. Mexico herself
was a dependency of Spain, and so the Philippines really became a
dependency of a dependency. All laws for the country were made in
Mexico, and in this way the islanders were removed one step farther from
the foreign ruler who was their king.
The High Court of Mexico appointed the governor-general, and at the same
time that it did so named the man who should succeed him. This it did in
order that there might be no time lost in filling the office when it
became vacant. When Legaspi died, therefore, his successor was already
appointed, and at once took up the duties of his office.
The new governor-general was named Guido de Lavazares (wē´dō dā lä vä
thär´ās), and he was a very different sort of man from Legaspi. He was
more warlike and less wise, and he liked to meddle in matters which did
not concern him. During his term of office, he went to the aid of a king
of Borneo who had been dethroned by his rebellious subjects, and helped
the king to regain his throne.
He was so elated with his success in doing this that he became
ambitious. He so far forgot common sense that he wanted King Philip to
let him and his Philippine forces make war on China and conquer that
country for Spain. He could not have done this, and the king of Spain
was too sensible to let him try. Later, however, the governor-general
had all he wished of fighting the Chinese.
After Legaspi’s death his grandson, Juan Salcedo, went on with the work
of setting up Spanish rule in the islands. He passed through the
northern part of Luzon, and wherever he went told the people that Philip
II. was their king. He made it a point always to make friends with the
great chief of any tribe to which he went. This chief he would win over
to swear fealty to Spain. Then Salcedo would leave him to rule as
before, only in the name of the king.
He promised to help the chiefs against their enemies, and was ready,
with his soldiers, to fight their battles whenever they needed him. In
turn he trusted them to be loyal to the king, and to keep their people
from rebelling. He did not try to improve the country in any way, or to
teach the people anything that would help them to make it better. His
one idea was to win territory for his king. This, indeed, was all that
the king wanted him to do.
Spain wanted much territory, a wide dominion, more than she wanted loyal
subjects. It was this greed for power and for wealth that caused her
downfall, and in the end lost for her the rich country which she had
gained at great cost.
Salcedo, after all, was a far better man and kinder to the people than
were most of those who came after him. He had much of that wise
kindliness which made Legaspi a good ruler. He took the country by
force, but he was not a tyrant. He did not oppress the people, nor did
he make unwise laws to govern them.
He made his headquarters in Ilocos Sur, meaning to rule the northern
provinces from there. He had, however, hardly settled down when news
reached him of a great danger that threatened Manila. Gathering all his
forces he marched southward as fast as his army could travel, to help
Martin de Goiti, who was still in charge of Manila, to defend the city.
It was this same danger, which so alarmed Salcedo, that gave Guido de
Lavazares his wish to fight the Chinese. It was a most unexpected
danger, and came without warning upon the colony.
At about the time when Legaspi was founding his capital at Manila, a
Chinese pirate named Li-ma-hong (lē mä hong´) was sailing the waters of
the China Sea. He led a large force of men as lawless as himself, and,
as time went on, he became the terror of sea-going folk all about there.
He grew so bold, and his pirate fleet so strong, that he dared to attack
even the great war junks of China. At last the Chinese Government
declared him an outlaw, and put a price on his head. After this the
China Sea was not a safe place for him, so he made up his mind to go
somewhere else.
[Illustration:
PLAZA DE GOITI, MANILA.
]
He had captured the crew of a trading junk, and from these men he
learned about the Philippine Islands. What they told him pleased him so
much that he decided to go to Manila, take the city, and set up a
kingdom of his own on Luzon. He felt certain of success in this
undertaking; for he had a fleet of sixty-two armed junks and a force of
4,000 fighting men. In his company were many tradesmen as well as
soldiers, and many women went with the fleet. He also had plenty of
supplies, and Li-ma-hong was sure that, once he had taken the country,
he could set up a colony.
He took with him, on his own junk, the crew of the captured junk, to
pilot the way, and with his fleet sailed for Luzon. In November, 1574,
they reached the north coast of that island. Here some of the pirates,
who went ashore for supplies, sacked and burned a village and killed
many of the Filipinos. Those who escaped made their way to where Salcedo
was, and told him what had happened. Thus it came about that the Spanish
captain learned of Li-ma-hong’s scheme before the pirate reached Manila.
Leaving the northern part of Luzon, the Chinese kept on along the coast
toward Manila. Before they came to the bay, however, the fleet was
caught in a typhoon. Several of the junks and some 200 men were lost in
the storm. Still, Li-ma-hong thought he had a force strong enough to
take Manila, so they went on. The pirate commander landed an army of
1,500 men before Manila, and sent them up to take the city.
[Illustration:
CHINESE WAR JUNKS ATTACKING MANILA.
]
They were led by a Japanese named Sioco (sē ō´kō), whom Li-ma-hong had
made his lieutenant, and in a few hours a savage fight was waging
between the Spanish and the Chinese. The Spanish force was small, but
well armed, and every man knew that he was fighting for life against a
cruel foe. No mercy was to be looked for from those wild pirates, and no
quarter was asked or given. Even the aged governor-general bore arms in
the fight, for every man was needed. The first Spaniard killed was brave
Martin de Goiti, but he was not the last. The little garrison was nearly
destroyed before their fortune turned and the pirates were driven back.
The Japanese leader Sioco was killed, and after that the Chinese fell
back and reëntered their junks.
A few days later Li-ma-hong himself led a second attack. But meanwhile
native troops had been gathered, and again the pirates were beaten. This
time the fleet retired to the mouth of the Agno River, and Li-ma-hong
set up his kingdom in what is now the province of Pangasinan. Here the
Chinese built temples and began to plant crops and engage in trade. They
felt very secure, and if they had been let alone the pirates would no
doubt have been prosperous; but punishment was at hand for them.
Juan Salcedo, with his soldiers, had reached Manila, and soon afterwards
a war junk from China came into harbor, looking for Li-ma-hong. This war
junk was sent by the emperor, who had learned of the mischief the pirate
was doing in the Philippines. The captain had orders to find Li-ma-hong
and bring him to justice, and he meant to do this if he could.
The junk joined the Spanish in an expedition by water, while another
force of Spanish and Filipino soldiers went forward to engage the
pirates on land. When these attacking forces arrived, Li-ma-hong saw
that he must retreat for his life, so he played a trick upon the enemy
and upon some of his own soldiers.
He told off some of his men to go forward against the enemy, and make
the latter believe that they were the main body of the Chinese. The
trick was successful. When the Spanish and native troops made the
attack, the pirates, after a show of fighting, began to fall back toward
the mountains. The enemy gave chase and furnished Li-ma-hong the chance
for which he was watching. With all his fleet he slipped down the river,
keeping under cover of the reeds and tall grass, gained the sea and
fled, leaving his soldiers at the mercy of the foe.
The Chinese thus meanly deserted by their leader did not wait to be
killed, but retreated in earnest to the mountains. Here they took refuge
with the Igorrotes, and here they spent the rest of their lives. They
married women from among the Igorrotes, and from them are descended
those people who are to-day known as the Igorrote-Chinese.
It was some time before peace and a sense of safety were restored in
Manila. Work was pushed more rapidly on the city walls, which were still
building, and upon Fort Santiago. Other troops of Spanish were sent from
Mexico to make the defense of the city stronger, but long before they
came Salcedo went back to his work in the north. He died of fever in
Ilocos Sur a year or two later.
Captain Salcedo was still a young man, but twenty-seven years old, at
the time of his death (March 11, 1576). Had he lived longer, he would
doubtless have become a great statesman, for he showed much tact and
wisdom in his dealings with the people. He was honestly mourned by both
the Spanish and the native soldiers of his army. A few years after his
death, his bones were brought to Manila and laid to rest beside those of
his grandfather, Miguel de Legaspi.
_Summary._—Up to the beginning of the nineteenth century the
Philippine Islands were governed as a dependency of Mexico. The High
Court of Mexico named the governor-general and made laws for the
country. Legaspi was succeeded by Guido de Lavazares. After Legaspi’s
death Salcedo went to Ilocos Sur to carry on his work of subjecting
the country to Spain. In 1574 the Chinese pirate Li-ma-hong made an
attack on Manila, meaning to take the city and set up a kingdom there.
Driven back from the city, he retreated to the mouth of the Agno River
and settled there with his pirate band. A Chinese war junk came to the
help of the Spanish, and Li-ma-hong was forced to flee. He escaped,
deserting some of his own soldiers whom he had sent inland. In 1576
Juan Salcedo died in Ilocos Sur.
_Questions._—Describe the government of the archipelago previous to
the nineteenth century. Who succeeded Legaspi? What sort of man was
he? What did Salcedo do after Legaspi’s death? What was his method in
dealing with the people? Give an account of Li-ma-hong’s invasion.
When did Juan Salcedo die?
[Illustration]