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The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898—Volume 39 of 55, 1683-1690: 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 — John Shaqi

History

The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898—Volume 39 of 55, 1683-1690: 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

When the Sultan visits his Friends, he is carried in a small Couch on
four Mens shoulders, with eight or ten armed Men to guard him; but
he never goes far this way; for the Country is very Woody, and they
have but little Paths, which render it the less commodious. When he
takes his pleasure by Water, he carries some of his Wives along with
him. The Proes that are built for this purpose, are large enough to
entertain 50 or 60 Persons or more. The Hull is neatly built, with
a round Head and Stern, and over the Hull there is a small slight
House built with Bamboes; the sides are made up with split Bamboes,
about four Foot high, with little Windows in them of the same, to open
and shut at their pleasure. The roof is almost flat, neatly thatched
with Palmeto Leaves. This House is divided into two or three small
Partitions or Chambers, one particularly for himself. This is neatly
Matted underneath, and round the sides; and there is a Carpet and
Pillows for him to sleep on. The second Room is for his Women, much
like the former. The third is for the Servants, who tend them with
Tobacco and Betel-Nut; for they are always chewing or smoking. The
fore and after-parts of the Vessel are for the Marriners to sit and
Row. Besides this, they have Outlayers, such as those I described at
Guam; only the Boats and Outlayers here are larger. These Boats are
more round, like the Half-Moon almost; and the Bamboes or Outlayers
that reach from the Boat are also crooked. Besides, the Boat is not
flat on one side here, as at Guam; but hath a Belly and Outlayers
on each side: and whereas at Guam there is a little Boat fasten'd to
the Outlayers, that lies in the Water; the Beams or Bamboes here are
fasten'd traverse-wise to the Outlayers on each side, and touch not
the Water like Boats, but 1, 3 or 4 Foot above the Water, and serve for
the Barge Men to sit and Row and paddle on; the inside of the Vessel,
except only just afore and abaft, being taken up with the apartments
for the Passengers. There run a-cross the Outlayers two tire of Beams
for the Padlers to sit on, on each side the Vessel. The lower tire
of these Beams is not above a Foot from the Water: so that upon any
the least reeling of the Vessel, the Beams are dipt in the Water,
and the Men that sit are wet up to their Waste: their Feet seldom
escaping the Water. And thus as all our Vessels are Rowed from within,
these are Paddled from without.

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