Joaquín Martínez de Zúñiga

“ In a few days he found himself master of the whole province, and he appointed Jesus of Nazareth to be Captain-general of it, he himself assuming the title of his Alcalde Mayor for the protection of the Catholic religion, and of the dominions of the King of Spain. He published a manifesto, which breathed the true spirit of Christianity; always wore his rosary; and obliged the Indians to hear mass, ordering them to confess, and to take care that the children went regularly to school. ”

“ There are many lakes in the island of Luçon; the most considerable is that called by the Spaniards Laguna de Bay. The river, which washes the walls of Manila, flows out of this lake, and thus a communication, by means of boats, is open to its surrounding shores. This lake is about 30 leagues in circumference, and about 120 fathoms in depth. In the middle of it is an island, which holds out a refuge to some Indian families. They live by fishing, and preserve their liberty by prohibiting the approach of strangers to their asylum. ”

“ The Dominican friars, in endeavouring to escape, often ran the risk of their lives; some were, however, enabled to get away, but those who remained were obliged to refuse the sacrament to the Indians, and for which they intended to murder them, until the voice of the women, as also of [225] those who had not entered into the rebellion by choice, prevailing, it was resolved to spare their lives. To add to all their troubles, those poor friars had the additional regret to find their fidelity suspected, merely because they were not murdered by the Indians. ”

“ Such is the general ignorance, such their indolence, their blind and culpable confidence in Providence, that the extent of their cultivation, and the collection of their produce, is limited to their immediate wants. The most horrible misery is often the result of this perilous security, so much at variance with the benevolent views of nature. Common animal instinct teaches us to provide for the future, but the Spaniards cannot boast of even this foresight.
It is computed that there are about 12,000 Christians in Manila. ”

“ They are acknowledged to be a submissive and industrious people, and we must conclude that the profits of agriculture were so much less secure or less productive than those of commerce, that the latter was preferred; and their habits of industry being far superior to those of the indolent Spaniard, and the more indolent native, we cannot wonder at their retreat, with their acquisitions, from a country the government of which, so far from encouraging them with a permanency of establishment, drew from them, in the person of the Governor, a large revenue, as a tax on their temporary residence. ”

“ Such is the misery these poor friars undergo, that at times they are compelled to subsist on what is allowed them for their escorts, and live without that protection, rather preferring to be exposed to the insults of those heathens, than to perish through hunger. The military stations are also very thinly scattered, and the loyal Indians very incapable of imposing any restraint on their countrymen. ”

“ Languishing in inactivity, they are without energy, and appear equally indifferent to virtue as to vice. Indolence, a dereliction of life and timidity, constitute their character, and misery is their habitual state; but there are districts to which the Spaniards have been unable to penetrate. In vain have they tried to subdue those who have retired thither; in vain applied force, severity, and punishment, to subjugate and convert them. ”

“ Tobacco succeeds well here; the chiroutes of Manila are in high repute all over India for their agreeable flavour; even the ladies smoke them all day long.
The cocoa of Manila is considered as superior to that of America; it is the only tree whose cultivation is attended [261] to in all the Philippines, because so much use is made of chocolate. It is the general beverage, and is presented as refreshment on visits: cocoa, as well as tobacco, are not indigenous in the Philippines; they were imported from New Spain. ”

“ The intercourse with the Chinese port of Amoy, and with the north-eastern ports of China, employs seven or eight junks, which bring with them annually from three hundred to five hundred new adventurers, who work their passage over, bringing each his packet of goods, with which, it may be presumed, he forms his capital for trade during his residence there, and for which residence, it may be equally presumed, he contributes annually to the Governor: these junks likewise furnish to those who have acquired a competency the means of revisiting their native country with their riches. ”

“ Jolo is only a small island of 30 to 40 leagues in circumference: it notwithstanding merits the attention of the European powers, on account of its being so well adapted for the cultivation of spices, and generally for commerce.
It produces a great many elephants; amber is found there, and there is a pearl fishery. Its harbour is a retreat for the Moors, who piratically infest these seas, distress the navigation of the Spaniards, and carry off in their incursions the colonists, of whom they make slaves; the coast is furnished with fish sufficient for the daily food of the inhabitants ”

“ There is a volcano on the south side of Mindanao which burns incessantly, and serves as a landmark to vessels frequenting this navigation.
The island of Jolo, or Sooloo, seems to be the point of demarkation between the Philippines and the Moluccas. The Dutch pretend that it is a dependency on the Moluccas; and the Spaniards are so much persuaded it is one of the Philippines, that they have repeatedly attempted an establishment there; and not having succeeded by mild measures, they have endeavoured to render themselves masters of it by force. ”

“ Supported by their courage, animated by their hatred, they dare approach even the gates of the capital: their progress is marked with pillage, murder, devastation, and rape; they even live at the expense of such of their countrymen as have submitted; they carry off, they tear from them the support of a miserable existence, which these latter have neither the strength nor the courage to defend. ”

“ The English finding themselves very weak, and rather alarmed at these incursions of the troops of Malinta, called in all the piquets which were without the city, and dug ditches, in order to cut off the communication, and have a less extended line to cover; and in a manifesto which they published, ordering the Spaniards to retire within the walls of the city, out of the range of the artillery, which they were obliged to keep playing against these Malinta troops, to prevent their surrounding them, they bestowed on these troops the appellations of canaille and robbers. ”

“ The Indians, who had been sent out of the town, with those who lived in the suburbs, and the prisoners whom the English had the imprudence to liberate from the prisons, spread themselves through the quarters of Santa Cruz and Binondoc, and exercising all the rights of conquerors, plundered them, murdered all that resisted, ravished the women, and committed every species of atrocity ”

“ The difficulties which have been thrown in the way of the unloading and loading of vessels, have thoroughly disgusted the merchants of the Isle of France; a commerce, nevertheless, which might be rendered equally advantageous to both nations.
The only vessels admitted at Manila are those of the Chinese and Indians, on the pretence that these people may thug be made converts; these are the vessels which import into Manila the articles of absolute necessity and of luxury, and take in exchange the piastres brought by the galleon from Acapulco. ”

“ Augustine should be imprisoned in their own houses: when, however, this was known throughout the city, such consternation prevailed, that Velasco revoked his decree, and delivered in his report with all diligence to the Royal Audience, who, without proceeding any further with the examinations into this business, ordered that a minute of it, as it then stood, should be forwarded to his Majesty. This wise proceeding tranquillized the minds of the inhabitants of Manila, who had felt exceedingly alarmed during the progress of the enquiry. ”

“ The Philippines and Moluccas are commonly divided into two distinct Archipelagos; but, in my opinion, all these islands in reality form but one; and if they were all under one Sovereign, they would, doubtless, be comprehended under one designation.
The Philippines are attached to the crown of Spain, and the Dutch possess the Moluccas. These last are more deserving of consideration, and richer than the [252] first. They owe their fertility to the industry of a nation laborious, commercial, and addicted to cultivation. ”

“ Señor Anda, in consequence of the death of the alcalde of Bulacan, appointed Bustos [194] governor of that province, continuing him as his lieutenant-general, and ordering him to raise troops, and teach them the manual exercise, while the inhabitants in the neighbourhood of Manila, with the monks, contributed arms, lead, and other articles of war, exciting, at the same time, desertion from the city, and expecting by all these means to enable Anda to form a respectable body of troops, with which he might confine the English to Manila, and possibly drive them out of it. ”

“ As the chief magistrate of the English, and in their name, he ordered some soldiers whom he had raised from the mountaineers of other provinces, who had taken refuge at Ylocos, to make all the friars prisoners; and that there might be no resistance on the part of the towns, he promised them that the English should send them other clergy to administer the sacrament to them. The monks, who were Augustines, made no resistance, and with all possible despatch joined their Bishop in the convent of Bantay (which is merely a short walk from Bigan) , waiting the ultimate determination of the tyrant. ”

“ Diego de Silang, an Indian, very quick and artful, and who being a native of Manila, spoke the Spanish language well, began to revolutionize this province, by telling his countrymen, that in order to maintain the Catholic faith, and to preserve the country in obedience to the King, it was requisite to join together and arm against the Spaniards, and deliver them up to the English, against whom they had no means of resistance. ”

“ A Governor was appointed with an assistant, and great expense was incurred in support of the establishment, as it was necessary to send almost every thing from the Philippines, all those islands producing little else than a species of potatoe, and some other objects of as little value.
There is no doubt that other productions might be reared, but the rats are so numerous that they consume every thing, and very frequently the hurricanes destroy the seeds before they come to perfection. ”

“ There is, besides these, in the mountainous parts, a description of people absolutely in a savage state; they shun the face of man, they even shun each other; they are solitary wanderers; they stop when night overtakes them, and take their rest in the hollows of trees; they are strangers even to domestic life. ”

“ These dispositions being made, the city was delivered up to pillage, and the soldiers spreading themselves over the town, plunder and robbery became general, and was accompanied by those [170] atrocities which are usual with victorious troops, although, to say the truth, there was no reason to complain of the English soldiers, as they were sufficiently moderate, in comparison to what generally takes place on such occasions. The Indians were much worse than they, for they discovered where the riches of their masters lay, in order that they might participate in the plunder. ”

“ The annihilation of the Royal Audience was a misfortune both to the inhabitants of Manila, and likewise to the Governor, as it was the means of giving validity, in the name of the King, to his atrocities. He consulted Señor Torralba, and agreed that he should be released from his dungeon, and confined in the hall of the Royal Audience, where the [28] functions of this respectable tribunal were exercised by one individual, of notorious character, who had been deservedly disgraced, and was a prisoner by order of his Majesty. ”

“ In the interior of the large island of Papua, or New Guinea, there exists a race of men called Haraforas, who live in trees, to which they mount by means of a notched piece of wood, which they draw after them, by way of guarding against surprize.
The principal commerce of the Papuans is with the Chinese, of whom they purchase their different instruments and utensils. They give in exchange ambergris, sea snails, tortoiseshell, small pearls, birds of Paradise, lories, and other birds, which they stuff with great dexterity. The women appear to be industrious ”

“ The frigates sailed, but were very long in making the island of Capul, where an English Jesuit was the residing priest. The currents and foul winds contributed much to retard the expedition, but seeing them determined [179] to prosecute their voyage, and insisting that a pilot should be given them for that purpose, threatening they would raise all the Indians in case of refusal, a Meztizo, in whom the Spaniards could confide, was sent for that purpose, but he was enjoined to detain the frigates in the harbour mouth as long as possible. ”

“ In the empire of China, the determination of the emperors to oppose the propagation of the Christian religion seemed daily to become stronger, and the Viceroy of Tonquin, who knew that in his province there were many concealed missionaries, persecuted the Christians in every way, in order to induce them to discover them, when, on the imprisonment of several with this view, the missionaries voluntarily came forward and delivered themselves up to the tyrant. ”

“ Señor Anda, by the possession of the Philipino’s money, was enabled to collect a respectable force; all the Spaniards who had retired from Manila, and lived in misery, enlisting under his banners, to procure pay and subsistence. This force being appointed and rendered effective, he ordered his Lieutenant-General, Bustos, to form a camp at Malinta, a house belonging to the Augustine friars, a league and a half from Manila. ”

“ The English force arriving in sight of the convent, our people did much mischief by means of a cannon loaded with case-shot, which commanded the street, and as the Chinese composed the vanguard, they alone suffered, and that severely. The English commander ordered his field-pieces to be pointed at this gun; and so correct was the aim, that the head of Ybarra, who commanded there, was carried off, which so appalled the Indians, that they fled in a most tumultuous manner ”

“ This lake is bounded on the west by high mountains; the level country is fertile, and is inhabited by a people of gentle manners: they employ themselves in manufacturing matting, cloth, and different fabrics, from the abaca. Perhaps the first monks who were sent to convert them were attracted there by the mildness of their character.
The Spaniards, in supplying them with a religion, have left their laws unaltered; in fact, their ancient usages are retained, and they are governed by an Indian of their village, nominated, however, by the Spaniards, and whose authority they acknowledge. ”