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
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
The Harbour is so large, that some hundreds of Ships may ride here:
and is never without many, both of their own and strangers. I have
already given you an account of the two Ships going and coming between
this place and Acapulco. Besides them, they have some small Vessels
of their own; and they do not allow the Portuguese to trade here, but
the Chinese are the chiefest Merchants, and they drive the greatest
Trade; for they have commonly 20 or 30, or 40 Jonks in the Harbour at
a time, and a great many Merchants constantly residing in the City,
beside Shop-keepers, and Handy-crafts-men in abundance. Small Vessels
run up near the Town, but the Acapulco. Ships and others of greater
burthen, lye a League short of it, where there is a strong Fort also,
and Store-houses to put Goods in.
I had the major part of this relation 2 or 3 years after this time,
from Mr. Coppinger our Surgeon, for he made a Voyage hither from
Porto Nova, a Town on the Coast of Coromandel; in a Portuguese Ship,
as I think. Here he found 10 or 12 of Captain Swan's men; some of
those that we left at Mindanao. For after we came from thence, they
brought a Proe there, by the Instigation of an Irish man, who went
by the name of John Fitz-Gerald, a person that spoke Spanish very
well; and so in this their Proe they came hither. They had been here
but 18 months when Mr. Coppinger arrived here, and Mr. Fitz-Gerald
had in this time gotten a Spanish Mustesa Woman to Wife, and a good
Dowry with her. He then professed Physick and Surgery, and was highly
esteemed among the Spaniards for his supposed knowledge in those Arts:
for being always troubled with sore Shins while he was with us, he
kept some Plaisters and Salves by him; and with these he set up upon
his bare natural stock of knowledge, and his experience in Kibes. But
then he had a very great stock of Confidence withal, to help out the
other, and being an Irish Roman Catholick, and having the Spanish
Language he had a great advantage of all his Consorts; and he alone
lived well there of them all. We were not within sight of this Town,
but I was shewn the Hills that over-looked it, and drew a draft of
them as we lay off at Sea; which I have caused to be engraven among
a few others that I took my self:....
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account