The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 38, 1674-1683: 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 38, 1674-1683: 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
"Father, they have been counted." "Then for the love of God, will
you give me at least a little of that hot water?" "Yes," he said,
"I will give you that." I went up along the beach, where I found a
dirty half of a cocoanut-shell, deeply encrusted with sand; I washed it
with my hands and got my hot water in it. I put into it a half-crust
of dry sago (even though it remain a whole day in water, the water
will not penetrate it), and I managed to eat some mouthfuls of it,
although it was very hard on my teeth, and drank my hot water. With
that, I was content to take a bit of exercise, and to finish with
prayer what was lacking to me [for my meal].
5. When the tide went down, the seamen went to catch shellfish on the
reefs which were exposed. They caught curious kinds of snails, toads,
and snakes of a thousand forms and shapes. Everything tasted good,
and we grew fat. I reached such a state that I stole sago, when I got a
chance and could do it secretly. Many times I asked what dainties were
more necessary than a little rice boiled in water. In Manila I observed
very strictly the rules laid down by the physicians that I should not
eat butter, or this or that; but during the voyage I ate such things,
that I know not how I lived. Qui dat nivem sicut lanam [32] applies
here. We left Totole on the first of August. Those cruel men put us
all in great risk of losing our lives; four of us had already died,
and others of us were sick. I noted one very curious thing, namely,
that a poor negro, who had embarked only to beg alms in Macasar,
began the voyage so weak that he could not stand upright. Yet all
that hardship and misery (in which he had the greatest share) cured
him completely; and he fattened so much that he did not appear to
be the same man. At sunset of the day of our father St. Dominic,
we crossed the line and entered south latitude. The line crosses
two islands, called Dos Hermanas [i.e., Two Sisters]. The wind blew
so cold off shore that we all wrapped ourselves in all the clothes
that we had. In Europa, in more than 50 degrees north latitude, men
were burning with the heat at that time, while we under the line were
shivering with cold. Who can understand that philosophy?... Two days
after, we reached the kingdom of Caile, [33] which lies in one and
one-half degrees south latitude. It has an admirable bay, more than
three leguas long and two wide. As soon as we had anchored, a Manila
Indian came to us, one Juan de la Cruz. He read very devoutly, and
had his rosary about his neck. I ransomed him for twenty pesos and
took him to Macasar, where he proved to be a great rogue. He told
us that there were two Portuguese there, and we went immediately
to see them. On the way, we visited a petty king who regaled us on
cocoanuts. Captain Navarro asked for some water to drink. The queen
said that there was none in the house, and the king in anger ordered
them to go for some immediately. On hearing that, the queen went out of
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