The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898; Volume 49: 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 49: 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
8. On the fourteenth of the said month of September word was received
from the river of Canas, in a latitude a short distance from the islet
of Fortuna, that a ship and its boat had been seen in said river. That
piece of news communicated by two Indians, caused great anxiety in
Manila, and people variously conjectured as to whether it were the
"Philipino" or whether the "Trinidad" had put back, or perhaps whether
it were some foreign ship. Order was immediately given for an official
to go from Cavite to prove the news, and follow the ship as far as
possible. But after three days of this diligence, and the ship had
not been found, it was asserted that another ship had been seen in
Mariveles. Through the neglect of the alcalde-mayor of Orani, in not
having imparted this news immediately, as he must have had bantayes
[129] or bajias in Mariveles, he was ordered to be imprisoned, and an
official put in his place. Without delay a message [cordillera] was
despatched through all the Embocadero, ordering people to be on their
guard, as a ship, whose destination and nationality were unknown, had
been seen. If the "Philipino" had already entered, it was to be advised
(and a letter was written to the commander with this order) not to
enter by the bay, but by Sorsogon, Camarines, or any other place, in
order to discharge its silver and despatches, and to be on the lookout,
and give full report of everything. This order was duplicated within
three days, and a galley was being prepared with an official already
appointed and the instruction advisable for this same measure. But on
going to execute it, and on embarking with the galley, on the afternoon
of September 22, it was frustrated by the sudden entrance into the bay,
at five in the afternoon of the same day, of the English squadron.
9. The entrance of this squadron composed of thirteen ships,
which formed in line and with wind or easter astern, entered
and took possession of the bay, surprised our minds greatly. They
stretched from the middle of the bay in a circle to the point called
Sangley. The confusion of Manila and its environs with so unlooked-for
a squadron, in an unprepared place can not be imagined. The people
ran through the streets. Those of the suburbs came into the city,
those of the city went outside, and there were some persons (as was
learned afterward), who started immediately for the mountains and
for Laguna. The archbishop could do no less than be surprised, and
much more the chief inhabitants and auditors who surrounded him. But
it was immediately resolved to write to the leader of the squadron,
and that was done with courtesy, asking him his nationality and
destination and granting him port and provisions according to his
need and the custom of civilized nations.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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