The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 21 of 55: 1624; 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 21 of 55: 1624; 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
We left father Fray Joan de San Geronimo and his twelve associates,
anxious to finish their journey, continuing their road from Mexico
to the port commonly called Acapulco, because it was necessary to
embark once more in order to reach Philippinas, where God our Lord
had prepared many souls who, oppressed by the demon, had no ministers
to lighten their darkness. There was already in the said port a ship
ready to sail, called "Espiritu Santo," and they were accordingly
detained but a short time. They finally set sail on the twenty-second
of February, that year of one thousand six hundred and six, in all
safety, and all being overjoyed at seeing themselves nearer the land
that they were seeking. Some incidents happened on that voyage which
were afterward regarded as miracles, and all attributed them to the
good company of so notable religious whom they carried. The first
one was that, the ship being all but sent to the bottom by burning,
the fire having approached near some barrels of powder, warning was
given in so good time that it could be extinguished, when if there had
been but little more delay, this would have been impossible. The second
seemed more prodigious; for on a certain very clear and serene night,
shouts came from the bow from those who were stationed there, crying,
"Land! land!" The pilot and sailors were thunderstruck as soon as they
saw themselves upon some shoals or sunken rocks, and already lost
beyond all remedy. Thereupon bewailing their misfortune, they tried
to seek confession, as quickly as possible. They thought that all
efforts were useless; therefore they cared for nothing else. However
they tried to cast the line, but uselessly, for their lines were cut,
and they the more confounded by their slight hopes of life. The ship
went ahead into that chasm [_rebentaçon_]--as it is called--as if
it were passing through a strait; and after having sailed a goodly
stretch without accident, among so many reefs, they found themselves
on the high sea, free from everything.
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