Governor-General Legaspi was a strong, wise ruler for this country. He was a man far ahead of his times and of his people, “a good man among men, and a great man among statesmen.” If his plans for the Philippines had been carried out, the history of the islands would be very different from what it is to-day. If those who came after him had been as wise and as kind as he, the Filipinos would have been a happy, contented people.
But dark days came all too soon to the colony. On the 20th day of August, 1572, Legaspi died, worn out by the hard labors of his active, useful life. He was buried in the Augustine Chapel of San Fausto, in Manila, and another sort of rule soon began in the islands.
Summary.—The Victoria, commanded by Juan Sebastian del Cano, reached Spain in September, 1522. She was the first ship to sail around the world. Twenty years later Ruy Lopez de Villalobos commanded an expedition which went to Samar. He named this island “Isla Filipina,” and later Legaspi gave the name “Islas Filipinas” to the entire archipelago. Miguel de Legaspi commanded an expedition sent out by King Philip II. to settle in the islands. With him came the Augustine friar P. Urdaneta. This fleet left Navidad, Mexico, November 21, 1564. The Spanish went to Cebu, conquered the people, and then began to make friends with them and to build up the government. Later the Spanish had trouble with the Portuguese, who came to claim the country, but were driven away. In 1570, Juan Salcedo came out. He went to Luzon, took Maynila, and then sent a messenger to Legaspi to tell him to come there. Legaspi was in the Visayas, pacifying the country, but he at once went to Maynila. He was well received by Lacondola and Soliman, and set up his capital in Maynila. He formed the City Council, made a plan for the city, and had work begun on the walls. He began a wise and humane rule in the islands, but died, in August, 1572, before he was able to carry out many of his plans.
Questions.—When did the Victoria return to Spain? What had she done? How did the Islas Filipinas get their name? Who was Miguel de Legaspi? Who was Urdaneta? When did Legaspi’s expedition start? Where did it sail from? How was he received in Cebu? Who was Juan Salcedo? Tell of his work in Luzon. When did Legaspi come to Manila? Who received him? When was the City Council founded? What sort of man was Legaspi? When did he die?
Chapter III.
THE COUNTRY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Before we go farther with this story of the Philippines, let us look, for a little while, at the country itself, and the people who live in it.
Men who are wise in science tell us that there must have been in the Pacific Ocean, some thousands of years ago, a great body of land that has now sunk out of sight. We do not know when it sank; but after it did so there must have been, one after another, a great many volcanic eruptions that broke up the sunken continent into smaller tracts of land. Many of these eruptions took place under water, and with the overflow of lava the separate tracts grew larger.
Later still this sunken land began slowly to rise from the sea. In some places this change is still going on. New islands have come up out of the sea within the memory of people who are still alive, and there have been, within modern times, great changes on some of the Philippine Islands. The whole group is of volcanic origin, but there are now very few active volcanoes left in the country. Of these Mayon (mī ōn´), in the southern part of Luzon, is the largest. This is said to be the most beautiful volcano in the world. Its form is a perfect cone. Taal (tä´äl) volcano, which is on an island in Lake Bombon (bôm´bôn), is also a famous volcano.