The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 — Volume 03 of 55: 1569-1576; 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 03 of 55: 1569-1576; 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
[The following letter, dated July 30, of this same year, is identical
with the foregoing in almost every word, as far as the twenty-sixth
section. The new matter in the second letter is herewith presented.]
26. Up to this point, this letter is a copy of the letter which I wrote
to your Majesty by the ship "San Juan." What afterward occurred is,
that the said ship left this port on the nineteenth of the present
month. May God grant the propitious voyage for which we hope.
27. One of the two ships despatched from Nueva España has not yet
arrived, nor do we know anything about it. I have sent men to look
for it in two different directions, with the oared boats of these
natives. It is thought that the vessel is detained on account of
stormy weather, and that with the help of God it will soon be here.
28. On the twenty-fourth of this month, there arrived at this city
Captain Pedro de Chaves, who, when Captain Juan de Salcedo returned
from the province of Los Camarines, had remained there with men
to continue the exploration and pacification still remaining to be
carried on. When Captain Juan de Salcedo returned from that province
the whole land was quiet and tranquil, and its natives, as well as
those of the province of Albay, were reduced to the service of your
Majesty. He had also won over the island of Catanduanes five leagues
from that coast The natives of that island were famous sea-pirates,
who did much injury wherever they went. The people of that region are
well disposed, and possess gold, mines, and plenty of provisions. Now,
with God's help, the whole land will be apportioned and distributed
among the conquerors of these islands, according to your Majesty's
orders. The mines of Paracali, which are a day's journey from Bicor
River, will be settled, for they are in a suitable place; and when
they are given to the Spaniards and worked by them, the land will
increase in population and its commerce will prosper. I have faith
in God that from this small beginning He will enlarge and increase
the kingdoms and seigniories of your Majesty, and we shall be able
to carry the true knowledge of the holy Catholic faith to so many
barbarous and blinded men who are found in these regions, including the
vast kingdom of China and many others. Heaven has this good fortune
in store for your Majesty, so that it may be fulfilled during these
propitious times of your Majesty.
29. Accompanying this letter, I send a map of the island of Luçon and
of the coast of the mainland of China, from which it appears that,
from the coast and great river of Cagayan at the northern extremity of
this island to the nearest point of China, it is but a short distance
by sea, a matter of forty leagues or thereabout. By next year when
we shall have seen and explored more of this land, I shall send your
Majesty a fuller description of it than now.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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