The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 17 of 55: 1609-1616; 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 17 of 55: 1609-1616; 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
The ship "Santa Ana," almost entirely dismantled by the violent winds
and heavy seas, reached Japon, and its arrival there was through not
a little of God's mercy. Although it remained thirteen days aground in
a port of the kingdom of Bungo, [36] still it did not go to pieces. On
the contrary it was able to refit, and intends to prosecute its voyage
this June of 1610.
The ship "San Francisco" of the said two ships [that failed to reach
Nueva Espana] encountered a greater storm. From the first it gave the
passengers plenty of fear, both because of its dangerous leaks and a
poor helm, and because of the disservices to the Divine Majesty which
were committed. To narrate all its fortunes would be long, so I shall
content myself by referring to some of them. In this country, leave
to return to Castilla is granted with difficulty. [37] Accordingly,
certain persons desirous of returning are wont to go below deck and
conceal themselves until the ship is fifteen or sixteen days at sea,
at which time they open the hatchway and come out into the light of
day. Such people are called _llovidos_ [_i.e._, stowaways; literally,
"those rained down"], and feed themselves from the stores of the
passengers. While they remain hidden, they open jars of food and
liquor, which causes not a little annoyance to their owners. After
coming out of their place of concealment, they accommodate themselves
one day with one mess, and next with another, and thus exist throughout
the voyage. One day a passenger of high rank gave a blow to one of
these persons. The aggrieved one was so overwhelmed with sadness and
grief from what had happened to him, that he appeared inconsolable. One
of our fathers, talking to him in order to console him, found him
like one demented, and he seemed to rave. Finally, when it was least
expected in the ship, the poor wretch cast himself into the sea. It was
noted with wonder that, although he made no movement with his body or
tried to swim--which he could have done, as the weather was fair--he
floated above water for half a legua. Later, during the last storm,
a wave washed off the man who struck him, and he was found drowned
on the strand, a most hideous and misshapen mass. During the first
gale the ship, at its beginning, because of obeying its helm poorly,
was struck head on. The sails pulled with such force on the masts,
that, as the captain dared not take them in, they were blown into
shreds. The pilots began to throw overboard whatever was above decks,
until nothing was left on them. They threw overboard the boat, and the
boxes and bales of merchandise On that account the sailors lost their
poor possessions, and some of the passengers lost a goodly amount. The
ship tossed and rolled frightfully, and dipped below the water on both
sides. Consequently it shipped so much water that it was generally
half an estado deep above decks. The waves were furious and high,
and so great that the fore and after cabins shipped water. One wave
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