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
Abuyo, Cavalian, Tandaya, Barciogama, and other islets, among these
which I have mentioned. They are divided among the same citizens of
Çubú. Very few of them have peaceable inhabitants. With them as with
the others, it is best to bring about peace in these islands. Rice,
cotton, great numbers of swine and fowls, wax, and honey are produced
there in great abundance. There are many mines, as has been shown, and
the natives say that they are well populated. There is gold in all of
these islands; but the most important thing is wanting, Spanish people
to colonize them. There remains to the west the island of Panay, which
was very populous and fertile, and yielded great abundance of rice,
swine, fowls, wax, and honey. The natives say that there are gold
mines in this island; and, since they say it, it must be true. The
gold found there is very pure. When the governor was in that island
there fell upon it--because of our sins and those of the natives,
or God knows what--an extremely great plague of locusts, which has
lasted three years and still continues. No field is sown which they
do not destroy. A great famine and pestilence have sprung up among
the natives of that island, so that more than half of them have died;
and they will continue to die until God our Lord is pleased to remove
his anger from over it. From that island to the island of Luzón it is
about sixty leagues, and in the course is that of Mindoro. This is an
island where much wax and honey is produced. It contains many gold
mines, and rivers where gold is gathered. I have been all about it;
on the farther coast, which is to the south, it is well populated,
while on the northern coast is the village called Mindoro, as well as
other thickly-populated rivers. Those who have not seen it or set foot
upon it say that it contains about eight thousand men. I shall dare
to affirm from what I have seen of it that it has more than fifteen
thousand. It is very near the island of Luzón. Between this island
and the others above named, lie many small islets, which are friendly,
although they have but small populations. As I say, next is the island
of Luzón, where the governor resides now, and which was settled in the
manner above related. This island is thickly populated and large. The
greater and better part of it is still to be conquered, I would say
from what I have seen of the villages and land. It does not seem to
me that there will be any more resistance from any of them when they
learn of the advantages of friendship with the Spaniards; for they
have already been informed of the way in which those are treated
who resist. To the present time, all that has been explored in this
island is about fifty or sixty leagues along the coast from Manilla
to Yvalón, [47] which is the landing-place for the ships sailing to
Nueva Spaña. On the farther coast, to the north, nothing is explored
except the mines of Paracali, which were discovered by Captain Juan
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account