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The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 — Volume 02 of 55: 1521-1569; Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Beginning of the Nineteenth Century

History

The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 — Volume 02 of 55: 1521-1569; Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Beginning of the Nineteenth Century

Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources

and most of the crew killed, and the remainder made prisoners. The
accusation is made that these three men, in company with others, had
themselves killed their captain. The document closes with various
observations as to recent events, and states various needs of the
Spaniards. The governor praises Saavedra, declaring that because of
his diligence he is worthy of great rewards. (No. xiv, pp. 241-313.)

Letters and documents follow which give details of the voyage of
Loaisa, and events in the Moluccas until the year 1535. From a letter
written (May 3, 1529) by Hernando de Bustamante and Diego de Salivas
it is learned that Jorge Manrique, captain of the "Santa Maria del
Parral," had been killed by his own men; and that sixty-one of those
sailing in the fleet died a natural death, nine were drowned when the
"Santi Spiritus" was wrecked, nine were killed by the Portuguese,
and four were hanged. A writ handed to the king from the Council of
the Indies says that German factors denied the report of the death
of Loaisa; and it is advised that one or two caravels be sent from
New Spain--from Colima, or Guatemala, or Nicaragua--to find out the
truth of this report.

A letter from Hernando de la Torre states that "Juan Sebastian del
Cano, who was captain of the ship wrecked in the strait," became
captain-general at Loaisa's death and "died a few days afterwards;"
and that of the one hundred and twenty-three men of the "Victoria,"
and twenty-five others who came with Saavedra, only twenty-five men
were left. In an investigation concerning matters connected with
Loaisa's expedition, Juan de Mazuecos declares (September 7, 1534)
that Loaisa had died of sickness, four hundred leagues from the Strait
of Magellan; and that all who ate at his table had died within the
space of forty days. Like depositions concerning this expedition are
taken from several others, among them being Fray Andres Urdaneta. A
document made up from the above investigations says that Loaisa's
death was in the last of July, 1526, and that the Ladrones number
in all thirteen islands, "in which there are no flocks, fowls, or
animals." (Nos. xvi-xxv, pp. 323-400. These documents are much alike.)

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

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