The Philippine Islands, 1493 1898: Volume XVII, 1609 1616 by Various

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The artillery was as follows. The flagship "San Juan Bautista" mounted
twenty-six pieces: four of the new guns, which were eighteen-pounders;
and twenty-two good guns, from four to twelve pounders.

The ship "Espiritu Santo," the almiranta, twenty-two pieces: three of
them of the said new guns; seventeen, from three to fourteen pounders;
and two swivel-guns.

The other four vessels carried four, five, or six medium-sized guns;
the galleys, what they generally carry.

Besides these vessels there were also two galliots and other small
boats laden with provisions, and sheltered by the fleet, and ready
to render assistance should occasion arise.

By day, and even by night, there was continual prayer and entreaty in
the city, in one place and another, for the successful outcome of the
affair. There was also a very solemn procession on Friday morning,
in which our Lady of Guidance [_Nuestra Senora de Guia_] was carried
to the cathedral church from her chapel, which is about one-eighth
of a legua distant.

The fleet anchored outside the bay. Although they intended to sail
at dawn on Friday to give the enemy a rude awakening, [28] they
were unable to do so; for on weighing anchor, at midnight, they were
delayed a long time, and happened to lose four anchors--one from the
almiranta, and three from the small vessels. This did not fail to
cause uneasiness; but at last the Spaniards were able to sight the
enemy on Saturday, between six and seven o'clock in the morning. The
enemy's flagship was riding with two anchors, and the other two vessels
were somewhat farther out to sea. At this juncture, our fleet began
to prepare for the battle. Orders were given for the crew to make
their confessions to the religious aboard the vessels. There were
sixteen of these from the religious orders which are in Manila--two
fathers of St. Dominic, seven of St. Francis, three of St. Augustine,
and four of the Society of Jesus. In addition there was another
religious, a Trinitarian, [29] who accompanied the governor, and a
secular priest. The soldiers proved very valiant and devoted on this
occasion. They uttered many expressions of joy at finding themselves
near the enemy. It seemed as if they were about to attend weddings
and balls with great pleasure and delight, rather than to fight with
vessels so powerful and well-equipped with artillery. Their greatest
anxiety was lest the enemy should run away when he saw our fleet; but
there was nothing to fear, for they were encouraged doubly to fight for
the honor of God and the fame of the Spanish nation. Both of these,
in a certain manner, depended on this battle in districts so remote:
the honor of God, because the Chinese were looking on and saying,
"Now we shall see who is more powerful, the God of the Castilians,
or the God of the Dutch;" and besides this, as the Dutch were about to
take a great part of the silk that they were intercepting, to Japon,
where they already had a trading-post, their trade would be established
firmly in that land, and that new field of Christendom would be in
danger of heresy (which spreads like a cancer), in addition to the
daily calamities to which it is subject under pagan lords. The honor of
the Spanish nation was also concerned, because the temper of many of
these peoples is, "Long live the conqueror!" and they do not dare to
stir because of their idea of the Spaniards. If these nations should
become insolent on seeing the Spaniards overwhelmed and conquered,
their pacification would cost more blood than the first conquest cost,
as has been experienced in Mindanao. Encouraged then, in this manner,
the vessels approached. The Dutch, without any faint-heartedness,
raised one anchor, and placed the other apeak, in order to go to meet
our fleet. They made fun of our fleet, and encouraged their soldiers
to fight by telling them that the Spaniards were coming to scare them
with egg-shells--alluding to the small size and slight force of the
vessels that they had seen. They bore down upon our flagship. At this
juncture, they did not omit to report a singular providence of Heaven,
namely, that our two vessels, the flagship and the almiranta, had some
good pieces mounted low down, whose ports had to be shut, whenever the
sea was choppy, as was experienced on one occasion of that sort. On
that account the enemy had a great advantage, for all their guns were
mounted high up. Accordingly it was our Lord's pleasure that there was
only enough wind to sail by, and the sea was almost like milk [_i.e._,
calm and smooth]. Finally the vessels closed; and each fired heavy
discharges of artillery and musketry. Our pieces--which, as I said,
were mounted low--made the enemy's hull [30] tremble with the damage
received from them. They killed men below decks, where they were
sheltered under their rigging, so that scarcely a man appeared. Our
men, who were above deck without a single shelter, also were injured
by their artillery and swivel-guns. However they did not lose any of
their spirit. They grappled the Dutch vessel, and stayed there fighting
more than three hours; and amid balls, pikes, and broad-swords, they
boarded the hostile vessel, with such courage and valor, that the Dutch
themselves were amazed to see them placing themselves in so manifest
danger without shelter. There was one who, when his companions tried
to make him retire by force, because he had received a ball in his
body, and a nail from a swivel-gun in his throat, tore himself from
those who were carrying him, and returned to the fight, with the fury
with which a wounded boar turns to avenge itself. Our men continued
to decimate the enemy so thoroughly that they had scarcely five men
on deck alive or unwounded. The commander was one of the first to
be killed. The enemy, seeing themselves without any power to resist,
tried to burn the ship. And they would have done it, to the evident
loss of our men, but that was prevented by the master of the vessel,
who, as he declared later, had always been a Catholic. He advised the
Dutch not to do such a thing, for, although they had already lost
their substance, they should not lose their souls. At this advice
they surrendered with fair conditions. Of the Spanish captives [aboard
the enemy's ship], only the Augustinian religious Fray Pedro Montejo
[31] was killed, by a ball from our vessel. The others were safe and
sound. Francisco Aguirre lost a leg in the battle, and being condemned
to be shot as a traitor one day after the victory, he died that same
night. The same that I have related of our flagship occurred in our
almiranta. It grappled with another good vessel, and defeated it after
having fought with it with the same valor. The infantry captains,
Don Pedro de Almazan and Don Juan de la Vega, [32] distinguished
themselves greatly in the battle, showing great courage and valor,
although they were very young. The others can also be praised with
good reason, for they proved themselves valiant captains. Such were
Soriano, Rosa, Don Antonio de Leos, and Captain Madrid.

The third [Dutch] vessel was defeated by the two vessels "San
Yldefonso" and "San Pedro." However so complete a victory was not
obtained as with the others; for when it caught fire, they could not
extinguish the flames. Two excellent bronze pieces were melted by the
fire; and when the flames reached the powder, it blew up the men and
other things and set fire to the neighboring forests, where the fire
lasted for six days. However, they were able to take the artillery. Ten
Chinese vessels witnessed the battle. That was of no little importance,
because of the opinion that they formed of the Spaniards, and the
fear of our men that struck them, besides that which they have always
had. Three of those vessels had already been plundered, and the other
seven expected the same thing. But seeing themselves free, they went
to the governor to thank him for his kindness in freeing them. Having
received permission, they proceeded to Manila immediately, where they
made great feasts for the governor after their arrival.

The fourth Dutch vessel was outside and quite near a Japanese vessel
that it had captured, whose captain and pilot were inside the Dutch
vessel. These having displayed a banner on which was written "Viva
Holanda" ["Long live Holland!"], and a letter of safe-conduct from the
Dutch factors in Japon, the captain of the said vessel answered that
the Japanese had nothing to fear, and that his commander would give
them the best of treatment. But the Dutch only wished to see if they
had any Portuguese or Castilians aboard. But on hearing the sound of
firing, they became anxious; accordingly, sending the said [Japanese]
captain and pilot to their ship, and having crowded all sail in their
own, they commenced to flee in all haste. Others had come in this
Japanese vessel, Spaniards from the ship "San Francisco;" and among
them was its commander, Juan de Esguerra. The Lord delivered them
from this second peril by so signal a victory. The [Dutch] patache
was also looking for vessels. Coming in that night with a Chinese
prize, it sent its boat ahead to reconnoiter the position. Finding
different signs from those that it had left, it became suspicious,
and accordingly began to flee. The almiranta, the ship of Captain Juan
Pardos de Losada, and the flagship of the galleys went in pursuit of
it, but although they searched the neighboring coasts twice, they did
not sight the vessels, or discover what direction they took. The last
time when they went to run along the coast, they met a ship; and, as
it seemed to be the patache, the galley pursued it with sail and oar,
but found it to be a vessel from Macao. The bishop of Macao, [33] of
the Order of St. Dominic, was coming on business of great importance
for the welfare of that community. Thinking our vessels to be Dutch,
they fled at their utmost speed, and threw overboard all their cargo,
although it was valuable, in order to make the vessel lighter.

News of the victory reached Manila at two in the morning. At that hour
the bells were loudly chimed and the people uttered many expressions
of joy. Next day a very solemn procession was made, as a token of
thanksgiving. The procession marched from the cathedral to our church,
where a sermon was preached. It caused great consolation throughout the
city and in all those who were present. After the sermon the governor
sent letters to each order, thanking them for the prayers that they
had said for his success. The one that came to me read as follows:

"We discovered the enemy this morning, and the battle began at seven
o'clock. It lasted about four hours, and during that time, our Lady
and the glorious St. Mark showed themselves favorable to us. For we
obtained the victory with the surrender of their flagship to ours,
and their almiranta to ours. Fire was set to the other ship, and it
was burned. Thus the battle was ended with but slight loss to us,
and some wounded. I confess that this victory has been given me by
reason of the prayers of your Paternity and those reverend fathers,
whom I thank for their care in this, and assure them that I shall
consider the same in what pertains to my office, by aiding whatever
may be of pleasure to your Paternity. May our Lord preserve you,
as I desire. From this vessel "San Juan Baptista," April 24, 1610.

_Don Juan de Silva_."

And inasmuch as he makes mention of our Lady and St. Mark, I must not
neglect to report a matter that seems worthy of consideration. At the
beginning when the war was discussed, the governor had a dream. In it,
he saw a venerable man, who told him that he would obtain a glorious
victory on St. Mark's day. Although it seemed too late to go to
attack the enemy, as it was thought that he had already gone with
his ships full of plunder--which meant to go with shouts of victory,
yet on this account the governor hastened to sail before the day of
the holy evangelist, with the intent of punishing the enemy. However,
he could not prepare the fleet as was necessary before April 21. Making
an attempt to attack the Dutch on Friday, the twenty-third, they could
not, for the reason above stated, of losing their anchors. Consequently
the time went by until the twenty-fourth, for us, Saturday, the day
of our Lady. The governor had had her image put on the royal standard
and implored her aid by that verse, _Mostrate esse Matrem_ [_i.e._,
"Show thyself to be our Mother"]. This day was for those who came
from Maluco the twenty-fifth of April, or St. Mark's day, as it was
also for those from Japon. It is an extraordinary thing to find this
conflict in the days when they unite, namely, those who sail east
and those who sail west meet. [34] It appears that those days had,
as it were, overlapped, so that the victory might be obtained on our
Lady's day, for our favor; and on St. Mark's day for the ruin of the
Dutch--the saint warring upon them as on Calvinists, since Calvinists
made spiritual warfare upon his state of Venecia. Besides, the victory
was gained past noon on St. Mark's day, when his day strictly begins.

In the pocket of the dead commander was found a copy of the order
given to his vessels for their departure, which was to be within
one week after St. Mark's day. As a farewell, he had intended to
make a demonstration in Manila Bay with many streamers, pendants,
and bannerets. But may our Lord decree that these heretics go to no
place where they may prosper better.

Before the return of the fleet, they sent in the wounded on either
side (who were numerous) to this city, where they were tended with
great care. A Dutch surgeon helped in the treatment of the Dutch and
Spaniards. That surgeon had been aboard the enemy's flagship, and he
displayed great skill. The governor went to visit his soldiers upon his
arrival, and consoled them for their pains, and praised them as brave
and valiant men. The sick men were greatly consoled at that. Before
entering Cavite, the governor assembled the volunteers, and thanked
them in his Majesty's name for their toil, and for the good that
they had achieved. He assured them that he would without fail assist
their necessities, since they had also assisted the king's service. To
those who had died in their services for all, his Lordship instituted
certain honors with a mass and sermon in [the church of] St. Francis
in this city; and he erected for them a rich catafalque, elegantly
adorned. This catafalque had three square stories. On each corner was
a pyramid. On the last story was a tomb covered with crimson brocade
from the spoil, instead of the pall. The rest of the catafalque was
filled with tapers, and Latin and Spanish epitaphs, and with images
of mortality [_muertes_], with appropriate inscriptions. The church
was all hung with different colored silks, and displayed signs of
gladness rather than of weeping, because of the so glorious death
of those who perished. On them were conferred the following honors:
the pontifical chant; the mass by the bishop of Macao, in the presence
of the governor, Audiencia, the ecclesiastical and secular cabildos,
and all the orders. After that the spoils were distributed. They were
very rich, for the said vessels contained a quantity of silk and silver
(not to mention the hulls of the vessels, the ammunition, and more
than fifty pieces of artillery), and other things such as wine, oil,
etc.--all worth three or four hundred thousand pesos.

Many of the Dutch who were wounded have confessed, and died reconciled
to the Church. Among them was the master who, as I said above, had
prevented the fire, in order not to lose his soul. We hope that he
gained his soul, for he died from a wound received in the flight from
the battle, with signs of great repentance for his sins, and leaving
excellent pledges of his salvation. Father Andres de la Camara, of
the Society of Jesus, attended to the Dutch. He was a native of Gante
[_i.e._, Ghent], and although he has seldom used his own language
[_i.e._, the Flemish] for eighteen or twenty years, one would believe
that our God's mercy aided him with especial efficacy; for he conversed
with the Dutch elegantly and fluently of the divine mysteries. Such
is the outcome of the war. Now we shall recount something of other
matters concerning what I have thus far told.

A ship of Chinese merchants went to Maluco to trade merchandise with
the Dutch. The latter gave the captain of the said vessel, called
Caichuan, a general, fourteen thousand pesos to invest in trust for
them. He returned to China, and thinking that it was a good sum,
and that there was no one to bring suit against him, he kept the
said money, as he never again expected to see the Dutch. Some of
the interested persons were in these Dutch vessels, and they did not
fail to ask, of every ship that they seized, after that of Cachuan,
and threatened to punish him severely if they caught him. Had he
been seized, it would have been a great loss to this city, for,
as is affirmed, he brought fifty thousand pesos invested by our
citizens. His time to come arrived, and when he least expected it,
he found himself near the Dutch patache. He started to escape, and
the patache to pursue him. Cachuan, seeing himself closely pursued,
cried out to his men that there was good hope of help, and advised
them all to kneel down and ask protection of the God of the Castilas
[_i.e._, Castilians] as they call us--saying that He was sufficiently
able to deliver that ship from the Dutch, since it contained so much
property of those who adored and served Him. They prayed, whereupon
a fresh wind immediately came, which took them, against their wish,
to an unknown islet, where the patache lost sight of them. The
Chinese did not cease to pray as above for the space of five days,
twice each day. At the end of that time, they had a favorable wind,
with the aid of which they entered the channel used by the ships of
Castilla, many leguas from their right and usual path, and at last
reached port in safety after the victory.

The ship from Japon for which the Dutch had so ardent a desire ran
great risk in its voyage. It arrived [in Japon] after a violent gale,
almost under water, without rigging and masts. There it learned from
the Dutch factors that their vessels were about to come to harass
these islands. On that account they did not return as quickly as they
intended, waiting until they believed that we had already driven
the Dutch away with our fleet. Although, when they had reached the
province of Pangasinan, we had already obtained the victory, still
they had no news of it. Accordingly, assured of finding enemies,
they went into a safe river after landing their cargo, because of the
bar, which was dangerous. Then when about to leave the river again,
after hearing the good news, they were wrecked, and lost considerable
property, besides their boat.

The vessel from Macao, laden with wealth of amber, musk, pearls,
and precious stones, and more than three hundred slaves, would have
fallen into the hands of the Dutch, who were awaiting it, had not
a shoal stopped it, and knocked it to pieces, and caused the death
of some hundred persons of the five hundred aboard it. Among the
drowned were two ecclesiastics who were returning from Macao, but
recently ordained priests; and Captain Tijon, who not a few times
had escaped from similar shipwrecks. The rest of the people went to
an uninhabited island, where the Lord had prepared for their support
a great number of turtles, and of the birds called boobies [_bobos,
i.e._, "stupid"], [35] to which this name is applied because they
allow themselves to be caught with the hand. After the wreck of that
ship, Garci Perez de Baltasar, appointed sargento-mayor of this camp,
embarked in a small boat which they fitted up, with as many people
as it could carry, to beg that some one be sent from this city to get
the people on the island. After several days' voyage, they were seen
and perceived by the Dutch, which obliged them to ground their boat
on the beach and take to the woods inland. They all escaped overland,
and arrived safely at Manila; their boat was burned by the Dutch. When
the expedition against the latter was ended, they sent for the people
who had been left on the island; but as yet they have not arrived.

In the beginning of January, 1610, a fragata was sent to Macao with
warning for the said ship to remain there until the Dutch were driven
from these seas. As commander in it was the pilot, Juan Bernardo de
Fuentiduenas, who was sick with the fever. He went on the voyage,
and before dawn of Thursday, January 28, ran foul of a reef, where no
land could be seen in any direction, except a few rocky points at low
tide. The fever left the pilot at this sudden catastrophe, and at dawn
the Spaniards saw on the reefs a large ship, that looked like a Chinese
vessel, which had been wrecked. They went to this vessel to get its
small boats. Entering it, they found not a soul, living or dead. But
they found considerable silver scattered about. Not content with what
they found in the vessel, the Indians began to dive into the water
to see if they could find any more. Their efforts were not in vain,
for they must have found in that way about eight thousand reals of
eight to the peso, although somewhat oxidized by the sea-water. From
the top of the little elevation, an islet was discovered, of not more
than one legua in circumference. They went thither in successive trips
of the small boat, and found three Lequian Indians, who had been there
for months. They were the only survivors of ten who had left their
country. On this island, the Spaniards refitted, as well as possible,
their boat and another one that the Lequians had at hand, although
it was also small. They divided themselves between the two boats, and
taking as much of the money as they could carry, started for Macao. A
short time after, a very violent vendaval struck and separated the
boats. The boat of the pilot Fuentiduena, obedient to the waves, was
able to escape the danger and reach its destination. Nothing is known
of the other. It is regarded as certain that it has foundered, and
that its occupants have perished. The ship for which they were looking
in order to warn it had left Macao five days before for Manila, where
the pilot himself returned many days after. Upon his relation of the
event, he was sent as pilot of the boat that went to look for the men
of the wrecked ship. On the way, perhaps he will look for the reef or
the Chinese ship again, in order to finish getting what money it has.

Three ships left here in July of 1609 for Nueva Espana, and all of
them were exposed to dangers and storms. The ship "San Andres,"
which was almiranta, and was the only one to reach Nueva Espana,
encountered so terrific storms that its bow was under water during
most of the voyage, and they were in so great danger that the pilot
vowed never to embark again--a very rare thing.

The ship "Santa Ana," almost entirely dismantled by the violent winds
and heavy seas, reached Japon, and its arrival there was through not
a little of God's mercy. Although it remained thirteen days aground in
a port of the kingdom of Bungo, [36] still it did not go to pieces. On
the contrary it was able to refit, and intends to prosecute its voyage
this June of 1610.

The ship "San Francisco" of the said two ships [that failed to reach
Nueva Espana] encountered a greater storm. From the first it gave the
passengers plenty of fear, both because of its dangerous leaks and a
poor helm, and because of the disservices to the Divine Majesty which
were committed. To narrate all its fortunes would be long, so I shall
content myself by referring to some of them. In this country, leave
to return to Castilla is granted with difficulty. [37] Accordingly,
certain persons desirous of returning are wont to go below deck and
conceal themselves until the ship is fifteen or sixteen days at sea,
at which time they open the hatchway and come out into the light of
day. Such people are called _llovidos_ [_i.e._, stowaways; literally,
"those rained down"], and feed themselves from the stores of the
passengers. While they remain hidden, they open jars of food and
liquor, which causes not a little annoyance to their owners. After
coming out of their place of concealment, they accommodate themselves
one day with one mess, and next with another, and thus exist throughout
the voyage. One day a passenger of high rank gave a blow to one of
these persons. The aggrieved one was so overwhelmed with sadness and
grief from what had happened to him, that he appeared inconsolable. One
of our fathers, talking to him in order to console him, found him
like one demented, and he seemed to rave. Finally, when it was least
expected in the ship, the poor wretch cast himself into the sea. It was
noted with wonder that, although he made no movement with his body or
tried to swim--which he could have done, as the weather was fair--he
floated above water for half a legua. Later, during the last storm,
a wave washed off the man who struck him, and he was found drowned
on the strand, a most hideous and misshapen mass. During the first
gale the ship, at its beginning, because of obeying its helm poorly,
was struck head on. The sails pulled with such force on the masts,
that, as the captain dared not take them in, they were blown into
shreds. The pilots began to throw overboard whatever was above decks,
until nothing was left on them. They threw overboard the boat, and the
boxes and bales of merchandise On that account the sailors lost their
poor possessions, and some of the passengers lost a goodly amount. The
ship tossed and rolled frightfully, and dipped below the water on both
sides. Consequently it shipped so much water that it was generally
half an estado deep above decks. The waves were furious and high,
and so great that the fore and after cabins shipped water. One wave
carried away a considerable portion of the stern gallery, together
with four little slave girls who were in it. In this way they passed
one night, almost in despair of seeing the morrow. But day came,
and they repaired the ship by binding other sails that were carried
for that purpose. After this storm the ship was very crank, and even
in fair weather its sides were under water, although it had a high
freeboard. Consequently, it shipped so much water that the waves
washed over the decks with great noise and uproar, and entered the
berths where the better-class passengers are generally quartered. The
rigging had to be repaired piecemeal. Consequently, for those reasons,
and as the vessel lacked other necessities, some tried to make them put
back to Manila. However, this was without effect, and they proceeded
on their way with some storms; and in the last, which was frightful,
the people had no safety, even inside the boat, for the waves tore
them from it, and drew men after them. The ship leaked very badly,
and consequently it was necessary to work the pumps continually. All,
seeing the danger before their face, helped in this; even Don Rodrigo
de Bivero, [38] who had just completed his office as president of
the Audiencia and governor and captain-general, assisted in his turn,
as did Father Pedro de Montes and the other religious.

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