The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 06 of 55: 1583-1588; 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 Close of the Nineteenth Century
History
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 06 of 55: 1583-1588; 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 Close of the Nineteenth Century
Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources
Fourth: In whatever port of the islands the fleet is to enter, there
will be ample accommodations, and full supplies for their reception;
and, if they come to Cagayan, there are several advantages. First:
they will come directly from España, without danger from islands,
shoals, or the like. Second: the river has a good bar and four braças
of water and more, at low tide. Third: it is on the China side, a two
days' sail distant. Fourth: it is nearest Xapon, Hermosa Island, and
Lequios. Fifth: between there and China there are so many islands that
the trip can be made in boats, and a close and quick communication
can be kept up, and it is easy to repair any accident. Sixth:
there are thereabout several islands, called the Babuyanes, where
there are swine, goats, and fowl in abundance, and considerable
rice. Seventh: there is in the land great store of swine and fowl,
and excellent hunting of buffalo and deer, which are so common that
two thousand large casks [_pipas_] of meat can be brought down in a
few days. Eighth: warehouses can and will be built there sufficient
to hold a hundred thousand fanégas of rice, which is the staple food
of this country. Ninth: there is great abundance of fish, as healthful
as meat. Tenth: the wine needed will be brought there in great plenty,
being palm wine, and very good. And from China can be brought what is
called _manderin_, which is very good and cheap, and is much drunk in
the islands. Eleventh: there will be a supply of jars of biscuit and
flour. Twelfth: kidney beans, even better than Spanish lentils, are
common in the islands. Thirteenth: there will be made here a supply
of sandals of _anabo_, which is an herb like hemp, of which rigging
is made for ships. There is also a great deal of cotton. Fourteenth:
linen cloth for shirts, doublets, breeches, hose, and other things
wrought of linen, is very common and cheap here, both of domestic
and Chinese make. Fifteenth: in Cagayan there is abundance of wood
for all kinds of vessels that may be built; this is true as well of
all the other islands; and nearly all, or at any rate the greater
part of the Indians, are carpenters and smiths. Sixteenth: iron for
nails, which is brought from China, is plenty, and so cheap that five
arrobas (a Chinese quintal) are worth eight or ten reals. Seventeenth:
cast-iron cannon-balls for large and medium-sized guns are furnished
by the Chinese, who sell them at two or three reals apiece, while
the manufacture alone costs eight or ten reals here. Eighteenth: the
Indians of these islands are already very skilful in making ships and
fragatas with the assistance and labor of a few Spanish carpenters,
who furnish them with plans and a model; they make them so quickly and
cheaply that a vessel of five or six hundred toneladas can be built for
three or four thousand pesos, as some have already been. Nineteenth:
above all, if his Majesty wishes to take up this enterprise seriously,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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