The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 10 of 55 / 1597-1599 / 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

by Unknown

Relation of Mindanao

After Gomez Perez Dasmariñas saw that the sect of Mahoma was effecting an entrance into the island of Mindanao by way of Maluco, and that through the proximity and association of the said island with the province of the Pintados, this sect was sure to insinuate itself into the said province and others of the Philipinas Islands, he tried to remedy matters by giving the pacification of the island to Captain Estevan Rodriguez de Figueroa, of which your Majesty has been informed. He approved the said agreements, declaring what should be given to Estevan Rodriguez de Figueroa as a reward for this pacification. The said Captain Estevan Rodriguez de Figueroa left these islands in the month of April, in the year five hundred and ninety-five, with thirty-six ships, large and small, well supplied with artillery, and with two hundred and twelve Spanish soldiers, and one thousand five hundred Indians. On the twentieth of the said month, he arrived at the river of Mindanao, where are the largest settlements on the island, and where the king of the island resides. On the twenty-fifth he went ashore, leaving the master-of-camp aboard the vessels with a guard for the security of the fleet. Marching in the direction of one of the enemy's forts, they came upon an ambuscade in their path. Coming to a hand-to-hand conflict, Captain Estevan Rodriguez de Figueroa was wounded in the head by a knife-thrust, and died in two days without regaining consciousness. At this turn of affairs the soldiers, who had disembarked, retired to their ships Page 205without avenging his death. The captains and soldiers held a council and appointed as their captain-general, Joan de Lajara, master-of-camp of the said fleet, who disembarked with his men, and built another fort four leagues below the enemy's fort, where they remained several days without accomplishing anything. Finally, in the month of October, the said Joan de Laxara came to this city, saying that he had left the camp to come to ask for help for the men whom he had left there, for they were in great distress. Don Francisco Tello, governor and captain-general of these islands, thought that the said Joan de Laxara had done wrong in deserting his camp, when he was able to ask for help by means of letters, or by means of some other person. He imprisoned him for several days, and tried to find some one to take charge of it. Finding that the children of Estevan Rodriguez de Figueroa were infants, the eldest being four years old, and that the guardians could not take care of affairs of such importance and trust with the punctuality and readiness necessary, and aware of the danger encountered by the men who remained in Mindanao, he called a council of war of the most practiced and experienced captains in the land, to consider their resources. They were of the opinion that the said pacification thus commenced should not be abandoned, that those Indians who were acting so shamelessly should be punished, and that the said pacification be prosecuted at the cost of the estate of the said Estevan Rodriguez, which was pledged for it. With the requisite promptness, the said governor appointed Don Joan Ronquillo, general of the galleys, to finish the said pacification, giving him a sufficient force of men and war-material for the purpose. Page 206While he was preparing to make this expedition, Captain Toribio de Miranda was despatched before him, with news of the coming of Don Joan Ronquillo with assistance and a sufficient force to bring the undertaking to an end; and to encourage them by showing them how little hardship they still had to undergo, and that they should by no means stir from their position. Although this message was despatched with the greatest celerity, when he arrived at the port of La Caldera in the said island, which is forty leagues from the river of Mindanao, he met there the whole camp and fleet of Mindanao, which was coming to this city, after having burnt their fort. The said Captain Toribio de Miranda, with the orders which he bore, detained them and made them return to the river of Mindanao, where Don Joan Ronquillo arrived with his fleet and army after a few days; upon disembarking, he began to bring about some good results. At this time a fleet arrived from the neighboring Terrenate to help the Mindanaos, who had sent there for assistance. These were eight hundred men under the leadership of an uncle of the king of Terrenate, who entered the river of Mindanao where the Spanish camp was pitched. At a distance of two leagues from it he disembarked and built a fort and cavalier, without being disturbed. When this was discovered by the Spaniards, he was attacked by them by land and water at once, on November 15. They besieged the enemy's fort and fleet, and not only the whole fort but the fleet was won, with some artillery and the loss of many men on the enemy's side, without the loss of any Spaniards. In this encounter the general of the fleet from Terrenate was killed. This victory was a very important one, Page 207and with it the whole island of Mindanao lost courage and were awed. The island was surrendered peacefully, and is peaceful today. They acknowledged obedience to our sovereign, the king, whereupon the robberies and injuries which the Terrenatans were accustomed to commit in the provinces of the Pintados, who are your Majesty's vassals, have ceased.

Before these happy results, Don Juan Ronquillo wrote a letter to Don Francisco Tello, governor of the Philipinas, in which he told how far this conquest of Mindanao extended, and the distress of the camp for lack of supplies, unless he were continually assisted from these islands. For that island is quite lacking in them, and altogether of little profit or substance to his Majesty, as it is a poor and wretched land, lacking in everything; and, even when it is pacified, the natives there would not be able to pay tribute, on account of its great sterility. It would likewise be impossible to come to close quarters with the Indians, because they never stand their ground, and are able to inflict injury with safety to themselves, shooting arrows from the heights at the Spanish camp without any possibility of being attacked in return, because they flee immediately to the mountains. When the said governor, Don Francisco Tello, heard this, he called a council of war of the most practiced and experienced captains in the land; and, having read the letter of the said Don Joan Ronquillo, all were unanimous that, if the island of Mindanao was so fruitless and profitless, and the pacification would have to spread so far over it, the said Don Joan Ronquillo should be ordered to have a last fight with the natives of the island, and do them all the harm possible, without Page 208endangering the camp; and that, this done, he should strike camp, and go with all his men to the island of La Caldera. When he arrived there he was to build a fort, well supplied with artillery and provisions. He was to leave in it a garrison of one hundred men, in charge of a good leader, as a check for Terrenate and Mindanao. With the rest of his force he was to return to these islands, where, at this time, the province of Cagayan was in rebellion, whose people are the most warlike of the island. They had grave suspicions of Japon, and need of troops.

This order was sent immediately to Don Joan Ronquillo. When he received it, he had had the good fortune above referred to. He ought to have followed up such good luck and fortune, but failed to do so, executing his orders immediately, without at all finishing the task of calming the minds of several chiefs of the island, although he left it pacified, and they had rendered obedience to and recognized his Majesty.

Don Joan Ronquillo was also ordered to stop on his way back, at the island of Jolo, which is twenty leagues from the harbor of La Caldera. The king of Jolo rendered obedience to his Majesty many years ago, and, although Jolo is an encomienda, he has paid no more of the tribute than he pleased, having had but little intercourse with Spaniards, and the island not having been thoroughly quieted. Don Joan was to advise the king, and give him to understand the state of affairs in the island of Mindanao; and order him, as it was pacified, not to disturb it, warning him that he would be rigorously punished; that since he had done homage so long ago, he should continue it; that the Spaniards were settled on the Page 209island of La Caldera, whence they could quickly come if any quarrels should arise; and that they would maintain them in justice and defend them from their enemies. With this order the said Don Joan Ronquillo, leaving the said island of Mindanao in the condition above referred to and striking his camp, arrived, with all his armament, at the island of La Caldera, where he built the fort according to orders. Having mounted some artillery, and left a garrison of one hundred soldiers, with Captain Christoval de Villagra at the head of his men, well provided with supplies and munitions, he went to Jolo, where he gave the king of that island to understand what he was ordered. The king immediately rendered obedience again to his Majesty. This done, the said Don Joan Ronquillo, with the rest of his force, came to these islands, where investigations into his conduct were made by the said governor, because he had not entirely tamed the spirit of those chiefs, notwithstanding the orders which were sent him to strike camp, since afterward he had had such good fortune and an opportunity for it, had he remained—one fortnight more being all that was required—and as nothing had been risked, he could have done it.

Captain Christoval de Villagra, confident in the submission which the king of Jolo had made to his Majesty, sent thirty soldiers to the said island to look for supplies. When they arrived there they found there an uncle of the king of Mindanao, a brother-in-law of the king of Jolo, whom, because he was restless and rebellious, they banished from the said island. He treacherously killed thirteen soldiers; notice of this being brought to the governor, the latter immediately sent as governor of the said fort of La Caldera, Captain Page 210Joan Pacho, a person practiced and experienced in that land, to inflict punishment upon Jolo. As soon as he had arrived at La Caldera, he began operations, and left there for the said punitive expedition with sixty Spaniards, with whom he engaged the enemy. Finding the latter in a high place difficult to ascend; and at the time of the attack being overtaken by a rainstorm, and deceived by some Indian spies into the bargain, whom he sent to reconnoiter the enemy—from this combination of circumstances it happened that the said Captain Joan Pacho and nineteen soldiers were killed. The rest retired without securing any advantage or avenging themselves. News of this being brought to the governor, he sent Captain Toribio de Miranda, a good soldier, to take charge of that place, with orders not to make any entry, or inflict any punishment until he was ordered to the contrary. The latter is not permitted to be done until there is a better supply of men and money in the islands, because without these there will be a greater risk, for the king of Jolo is assisted by his brother-in-law. When there shall be a better supply of men and money, Miranda will be sent expressly to punish all the people of this island, and ravage it, because it is dangerous and of no profit.

The island of Mindanao is almost three hundred leagues in circumference. It is a land of slight elevation; although of good climate; it is sparsely settled, and its inhabitants very warlike and inclined to arms. Their only aim is to rob and kill. There is a scarcity of supplies in some parts, though cinnamon is found in some districts, and a large quantity of wax everywhere. Tortoise shells are also found. They weave cloth from medriñaque and some from cotton. All Page 211the inhabitants on the coast and the river profess the doctrine of Maoma, and those of the uplands are heathens. Although it cannot be maintained without assistance, still it is necessary to maintain it, in order to avert the injuries which on the other hand would be received by the islands of the Pintados. It would usually be necessary to bring an army for their defense, if the Spaniards should abandon the island of Mindanao, and the chiefs rebel.

[Endorsed: “Relation of the condition of the island of Mindanao, cited in section ix of the letter of July 12, 1599, concerning the war.”]