The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 by - (read any book TXT) 📕

de Salcedo was dead. He also asked him what Spaniards remained in Manila, about their fort and artillery, whether ships came annually from España, and what soldiers they brought. This witness said that many Spaniards remained in Manila, for ships came from Castilla every year bringing many people, all of whom remained; and that they had built a very large fort containing forty pieces of artillery. Many other things which he could not remember were asked him, after which the said king dismissed him; whereupon this witness went to the house of a relative of his, on the other side of the river. As he was finishing his breakfast, for it was early morning, about nine or ten Moros entered, bound him, and took him to the said house of the king, who asked him anew many questions concerning the Spaniards, which he does not remember, except that they threatened him that, if he did not tell the truth, they would kill him, and whether the said letter was witchcraft. Upon this witness asserting that he had told the truth, they took him to the prison and thrust both his feet in the stocks, put a chain about his neck, bound his hands, and set a Moro named Tumanpate to guard him. While in this condition, a Moro named Haguandatan entered the said prison, drew a Moro dagger three palms long, and said to him: "Have no fear. I killed Magachina thus, and gave him a dagger-thrust near the neck, from which he died." He was a slave of the king and turned to go, saying that he was going back to the sea and the fleet to fight with the Castilians. Then many other Moros came in to kill him, but the jailer forbade it and would not allow them to kill him. Afterward, about nightfall, he heard many shouts and outcries from the said river; and, upon his asking the said jailer what it meant, the latter told him that the Bornean fleet was fleeing from the Spaniards. Thereupon this witness asked that he be not killed, and said that he would give him money. Accordingly, at night the jailer took him from the said prison to a house of his up the river and told him that the king of Borney and many Indians had fled up the river; and that he should write a note, so that his relative should pay his ransom. While here, his relative aforesaid, named Siandi, came and gave him a culverin [24] of three quintals weight, with other Spaniards—he alone remaining, for the other man, his relative, turned back, leaving this witness in the power of the Spaniards. Likewise this witness declared that when they took him to the river of Borney, he met on the way a son of the said king of Borney who was going to fight with the said fleet. This man told him where he was going, and how the said letters had come to his father; and thus let him go. And this is the extent of his knowledge, and of those events. It is the truth. Having read it to him and given him to understand it, he affirmed and ratified it. He is about thirty years old. He did not sign it, but the said interpreter did. He said it is known that the Borneans killed his companion, the said Simagachina.

Juan Ochoa Ttabudo

Before me:

Alonso Beltran, his Majesty's notary

And after the above events, on the same day, month, and year, above-mentioned, the said governor in the said flagship and with the other galleys and small ships in his convoy, entered the bar of the said river of Borney and came to the village, where it was reported that the said king of Borney resided; where also were the fragatas of his Majesty and other vessels that had entered the port, in pursuit of the said Borneans. And having arrived at the said village with certain soldiers and troops, the governor entered its chamber, and it remained for him to give two taes of gold and four slaves. Then the prisoner was released. Upon this witness going down the river with another relative of his, named Sicollao, they met a Spaniard named Diego Martin, and joined a large house which was there, and below the said river, said to be the house of a son of the said king of Borney. This house contained a large and well-finished piece of artillery, and a number of culverins, frecones, and other offensive arms. Advancing toward the houses where it was reported that the old king of Borney lived, near the said house, they saw a large galley with more than twenty-four benches on each side. It contained a large swivel-gun and another smaller piece, both loaded, and having on them some quinas, [25] which appeared to be the arms of the king of Portugal, and each one furnished with two handles. The said galley contained also four other culverins mounted in the place where the cargo is stored; and the galley carried a quantity of ammunition for the said pieces. Some four or five galleots of sixteen or eighteen benches each were found also, with many falcons, and culverins, and one of them with a half sacre. [26] After disembarking, the said governor entered a house reported to be that of the old king of Borney. There he found a large gourd filled with papers, among which were three letters—two written in the characters and language of Borney, one bearing a signature, namely, "Don Leonis Pereyra Martin Ferreyras;" the third was written in Portuguese, beginning, "Noble and honored king of Borneo." It was dated at Ebora, March seven, one thousand five hundred and seventy-three, and bore a signature, namely, "El Rey" ["The King"]. By order of his Lordship, I, the said notary, took possession of the said letters. The said governor went also by land to a house, wherein was kept the gunpowder. He found there eighteen Bornean jars filled with powder, twenty-four filled with saltpeter, and many loaves of sulphur; more than five hundred lances and conpites, with which the said natives shoot; many shields, pikes with iron heads, a great quantity of small and large iron balls of many kinds, and many arrows; and two or three jars of poisonous herbs. Also at the door of the said arsenal was a piece of artillery, a broken swivel-gun (also bearing the arms of the king of Portugal), with its large handles; four other fresones, large and long, with four chambers; two cannon-cases for artillery, one very large and without any piece; and a stone ball, slightly thicker than a man's body. Another large house, said to belong to Indian chiefs and captains, was entered. A number of culverins and some gunpowder were found there. Then the said governor went to the mosque located in the said town, where he found a large chair, upon which, they say, sat the preacher who expounded the doctrine of Mahoma to the said Borneans. Near this chair was a block of marble containing painted and gilded pictures of idols. This and the said chair the governor ordered taken from the said mosque, as well as a trough which the Borneans said contained water wherein whoever bathed went straight to heaven at his death. This trough was removed by order of the said governor, along with other articles, and the idols contained in the mosque. There were collected also throughout the said town a great number of projectiles, falcons, and culverins. This ammunition and artillery was ordered to be collected and kept by the said governor, so that the said Borneans could not use it. All that happened on this said day passed before me and many others. I certify thereto—the treasurer Salvador de Aldave, the ensign Juan de Gamboa, Luis de Garnica, Francisco Chacon, and many others being witnesses.

I certify thereto:

Alonso Beltran, his Majesty's notary

And after the above events, in the settlement on the said river of Borney, on Sunday, the twentieth day of the month of April of the said year one thousand five hundred and seventy-eight, the very illustrious Doctor Francisco de Sande, governor and captain-general for his Majesty in the islands of the West, with all his soldiers and troops in line of battle, entered certain houses said to belong to the said king of Borney, and went through several of them from one part to another, and said that he was taking, and did take, possession of them, in the name of his Majesty, King Don Felipe, our sovereign. From here, marching in battle-array, he disembarked, and went hither and thither in various parts, had many branches cut from trees there, and entered the mosque of the said town, and a large house which was among others in the settlement; here he ordered his lodging to be prepared and at present is lodged there. All this he declared that he did in sign of possession, and for the possession which he was taking and did take of the said settlement and of all the island of Borney with intention to hold and defend it in the name of his Majesty from whomsoever might try to oppose him. For defense of the troops in the said settlement, he ordered a stockade to be built, like a fort, where his Lordship and all the other Spaniards are lodged. He ordered me, the said notary, to testify to this; and I, the said notary, certify to all the abovesaid, for these events took place before me, as one coming upon the said conquest-witnesses thereto being Pero Lucas, Luis de Garnica, Francisco Chacon, and many others.

Alonso Beltran, notary of his Majesty

And after the above events, in the said village on the river of Borney, on the twenty-fourth day of the month of April of the above year, the said governor summoned an Indian before him who, through the interpreter Juan Ochoa Ttabudo, declared himself to be one Sinagua, a native of the town of Balayan, one of the six Moros who left the flagship at his Lordship's order with Simagat and Simagachina, with two letters for the king of Borney. He was advised (but without administering the oath, because he was a Moro) to tell truly what he knew and had seen, and the injuries and ill-treatment inflicted upon him and the others. He said that what he knows and what occurred is the following. As before declared, this witness is one of the six Moros whom the said Simagat and Simagachina took with them when they carried the letters to the king of Borney at the order of his Lordship. When they reached the fleet of the king of Borney, stationed in the port of an islet to forbid the entrance there of the Spaniards, and when the said Borneans saw them, these envoys were seized and each one placed in a separate galley—except this witness and one other Moro, one Sungayan, who were imprisoned together and put in fetters under the deck. This witness does not know what was done with the others. The next morning they took this witness and his above-mentioned companion and led them before a captain, whose name he does not know. This captain ordered them to be freed and food to be given them. Then he ordered them to be placed in the said galley without this witness seeing any of the others who had gone with them. Because he was below in the said galley, this witness did not see the fight between the said Moros and Spaniards, except that the vessels of the said Borneans took flight, and that the galley in which this witness was fled up the river of Borney, until its captain and crew landed. Taking this witness and his companion with them, they marched inland one and one-half days, without this witness knowing whither they were taking them. Finally, for fear of the said Borneans, they hid themselves; for the said Borneans were fleeing across country. This witness and his said companion fled and returned, until they found a small boat in which they embarked to look for the Spaniards (keeping hidden in order not to meet any Borneans), until they met certain Spanish vessels, which they accompanied to the village, where the governor and Spaniards now are. Here they found alive the said Simagat, who told them how he had been ill-treated, his gold taken from him, and himself threatened with death; and that the said Borneans had killed the said Simagachina. This witness is convinced of his death, for he has never appeared nor have they had any news of him. As he does not understand the language of Borney, he cannot tell what passed among the said Borneans, when he was captured; he knows this and naught else.

And he declares it true, and affirms and ratifies the same. He is about twenty-five years of age. He