Spain and Her Colonies, Compiled from the Best Authorities
History
Spain and Her Colonies, Compiled from the Best Authorities
Spain -- History
The Chinese troops therefore, harassed on all sides, made a precipitate
retreat on board the fleet, and Li-ma-hong set sail again for the west
coast of the island. Foiled in the attempt to possess himself of Manila,
Li-ma-hong determined to set up his capital in other parts. In a few
days he arrived at the mouth of the Agno River, in the province of
Pangasinan, where he proclaimed to the natives that he had gained a
signal victory over the Spaniards. The inhabitants there, having no
particular choice between two masters, received Li-ma-hong with welcome,
and he thereupon set about the foundation of his new capital some four
miles from the mouth of the river.
Months passed before the Spaniards came in force to dislodge the
invader. Feeling themselves secure in their new abode, the Chinese had
built many dwellings, a small fortress, a pagoda, etc. At length an
expedition was dispatched under the command of Juan Salcedo. This was
composed of about two hundred and fifty Spaniards and one thousand six
hundred natives well equipped with small arms, ammunition and
artillery. The flower of the Spanish colony, accompanied by two priests
and the Rajah of Tondo, set out to expel the formidable foe. Li-ma-hong
made a bold resistance and refused to come to terms with Salcedo. In the
meantime, the Viceroy of Fokien, having heard of Li-ma-hong’s daring
exploits, had commissioned a ship of war to discover the whereabout of
his imperial master’s old enemy. The envoy was received with delight by
the Spaniards, who invited him to accompany them to Manila to interview
the governor.
Li-ma-hong still held out, but perceiving that an irresistible onslaught
was being projected against him by Salcedo’s party, he very cunningly
and quite unexpectedly gave them the slip, and sailed out of the river
with his ships by one of the mouths unknown to his enemies.[10] In order
to divert the attention of the Spaniards, Li-ma-hong ingeniously feigned
an assault in an opposite quarter. Of course, on his escape, he had to
abandon the troops employed in this maneuver. These, losing all hope,
and having, indeed, nothing but their lives to fight for, fled to the
mountains. Hence, it is popularly supposed that from these fugitives
descends the race of people in that province still distinguishable by
their oblique eyes and known by the name of Igorrote-Chinese.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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