The History of the Great and Mighty Kingdom of China and the Situation Thereof, Volume 2 (of 2)

by Juan González de Mendoza

[38] Misspelt for Baeza, in the province of Jaen, in Andalusia.

The fryer Costodio would with a very good will haue carried more of them, but he durst not for two causes; the one for that hee would not haue beene discouered, and the other (which was the principal occasion), because he would not leaue that prouince of the Illocos without such as shold instruct them, whereas were many baptized: for which respect he left some behind him, which afterwarde hee would have beene very glad that they had beene in his companie. There were three Spaniards souldiers that did beare them companie, the one was called the ancient Francisco de Duennas, of Velez Malaga—the other John Diaz Pardo, of Saint Lucas de Barameda, the third Pedro de Villa Roel of the citie of Mexico. Besides these they had a boy of China who could speak the Spanish tongue, and was one of them that were taken at the siege of Limahon the rouer, and other foure Indians of Manilla.

They departed from this little islande upon a Munday, the first quarter in the morning which was the fifteene day of the said moneth of June, and sayled that way so nigh as they could gesse to be the way vnto China, without pilot or any other certaintie, more than that which God did shewe and put into their minds with their great desire, which seemed vnto them to comprehende and bring it to passe. This day the winde was contrarie and against them, which was the occasions that they sayled but little. Towardes the evening, the winde changed and blewe at the north (the which winde vppon that coast is very dangerous), which made them greatly afrayde; yet was that feare driven away by an other feare much greater than that, which was that they should be discovered, and that they should be pursued by the commandemente of the governour of Manilla, for which occasion whereas they should have throwed themselves under the land, they wrought contrary and cast about vnto the sea in great danger to have beene cast away; but it was the will of God that when as night came, the winde did calme (which commonly falleth out to the contrary), but the sea remayned very rough and loftie, that they thought verily to have beene drowned with the furie thereof, for it tossed the frigetta in They were in great perill. such sort, that it seemed a whole legion of diuels had taken holde on both sides of the shippe, forcing the one against the other that it rowled in such sort that many times the halfe decke was in the water, so that the mariners could not stand upon their feete, but were driven to sustaine themselves by the ropes and cables. But the religious men trusting in God, whose zeale had caused them this great trouble, did pray and desire him with many tears, that hee would deliver them out of the same daunger, and not to give place vnto the diuell for to disturbe them of their voyage and enterprise.

The Fryers vsed certaine coniurations for that S. Antonie was a sleepe. These their orations and prayers did so much prevaile, with certaine coniurations which they made against the diuels, (who they thought they did see visibly), that after midnight the north winde ceased and began to blowe at the north east, with the which the sea began to waxe calme; so that they might make their way to be east north east, for that they had intelligence that that course was the shortest cut to the firme land. This winde which was so favourable vnto them, did increase so much in two hours that the sea waxed loftie and caused them to forget the sorrowe past, and constrained them (for that the shippe was but small) to cut their mast ouer borde, and to put themselves vnto the courtesie of the sea with little hope to escape the danger. But our Lorde whose zeale did moove them to attempt that iourney, did direct their voyage in such sort, that the next day following it came to be calme in such sort that they might set up a newe mast, in the place of that which was cut ouer borde in the storme, and therewith to nauigate forwardes with their begunne voyage. So upon the Fryday following at the break of the day they sawe lande, and thinking that it had beene the firme land of China they gave thanks unto God, and rejoiced, in such sort that they had cleane forgotten the troubles of the stormes and foule weather passed, so they made towards it and came thither about noone, but when they were a shore, they found that it was but a small island and situated foure leagues from the firme land; and for that it was so nigh, a farre off it seemed to be all one thing. But when they came unto this ilande they did discover many ships which were so many in number that it seemed all the sea to be covered with them. The friers, with the great desire they had for to knowe in what port they were, they comanded to gouerne their ship towards whereas they were, who when they saw them, and could not know them by the strangenes of their ship and sailes, they did fly from them all that ever they could. The which our men perceiving and could not imagine the cause thereof, they were very much agrieued and sorrowful, and the more for that they could not learne nor vnderstand where they were. But seeing nigh vnto them to the lewarde three ships, they made towards them, and when they were somewhat nigh they put themselves as the others did. In this sort they spent all the rest of the day in going from one port to an other vnto those ships, for to informe themselves where they were; but all this diligence prevailed them nothing at all till it was almost sunne set. They entred with their frigat into a gut vnder the shore, whereas fell from a high rocke which was more than one hundredth fatham by estimation, a stream of water which was as bigge as the bodies of two men together.

In this gut there was three other ships, and they came to an anker in the middest amongest them, the which beeing done they asked of them what countrie that was, but they answered nothing, nor made any semblance, but looked the one upon the other; and in beholding of the Spaniards they gave great laughters. In this gut they remained all that night, almost amased to see how those people were, as though they were enchanted; and they without any light of their desire, which was to knowe where they were. So the next day folowing (which was Saterday), very early in the morning they set sayle, and went amongst a great sort of islandes, always bearing vnto them, which they thought to be the firme lande, being greatly amarueiled to see the infinite number of shippes both great and small that they sawe; some were a fishing, and some under sayle, and other some ryding at an anker. The same day about noon there happened unto them a strange and miraculous thing, and it was, that passing through a straight that was but a quarter of a league of bredth, which was betwixt the firme lande and a small islande, in the which was continually four score ships of warre set there for watch and warde; they passed through the thickest of them and were never seene, for if they hadde, without all doubt they had sonke them or slain them. Their order and commission is so straight given them by their generalles of the sea, in the which they are commanded, that whatsoever kinde of people of strange nations that they do meete upon the coast, for to kill them or sinke them, except they do bring licence from some governor of such cities as be upon the coast; for that such as doo meane to have traficke doo sende to demand the same, leaving their ships a great way at sea.

This lawe for to watch and warde was made and ordayned (as they do say), in respect of the Japones who did enter into certain of their portes, dissembling themselues to be Chinos; being apparelled as they were, and speaking their language, they did vnto them great and strange hurtes and damages, as is declared in the booke before this. So when they were passed this straight, they sayled almost sixe leagues forwardes into a verie fayre and great bay, following other shippes that went before them; for that it seemed that they would enter into some port, and there they might informe themselues where they were, which was the thing that they most desired. When they had sayled about two leagues in this bay, they overtook one of the three shippes, and asked of the people that were within her (by the intrepreter they had with them), whether they sayled, and what lande that was which they sawe before them.

Then the principall that was in that ship, did put himself into his boat the which hee had at sterne, and came vnto the ship where the Spaniards were, the better to vnderstande what they did demand; for they before by reason that they were somewhat farre off the one from the other, could not vnderstande the Spaniards demand but by signes. So when that he vnderstoode their request, he answered them that it was the country of China, and how that he came laden with salt from the citie of Chincheo, and went to make sale thereof vnto the citie of Canton, which was so nigh hand that they might ariue there before night. But when that he was entred into the Spanish ship and saw the friers and the rest that were in their companie, and saw that their apparell and speech was strange vnto him, he asked of them what they were and from whence they came, and whether they went? (and when that he vnderstood that they were Castillos, and of the islands Philippinas, and came from the said islands and were bound vnto China, with intent to preach the holy gospell), he asked them whose licence they had to conduct them vnto the firme lande? But when he vnderstood that they had none, hee asked them howe they passed and escaped the fleete of ships that was in the straight aforesayde? The Spaniards answered, that they found no impediment nor let. So he being greatlie amazed as well of the one as of the other, entered into his owne boate, and with great furie departed from their shippe and went into his owne; but at his departure the Spaniards did request him that he would conduct them vnto the citie, who gave them to vnderstande by signes that he woulde, although he feared the rigorous punishment that in that kingdom is executed vppon all such as doo bring into the same any man of a strange nation (as hath been tolde you in the first part of this historie.) So hee fearing that if hee shoulde enter with him into the port, the fault would be imputed unto him, therefore at such time as hee came within halfe a league of the riuer's mouth, he cast about his shippe and sailed to sea, and went so farre that in a short time the Spaniards had lost the sight of them; who when they saw that they had no guide, they followed the course of another shippe that they had discovered before the other did cast about to sea, for which occasion the other two ships that we spake off before were departed. So a little before the sunne set, they discouered the mouth and entrie of a great and mightie brode riuer, out of the which came two great streames or armes, and in them many ships entering in and going forth; and considering how they had the winde which serued them well they entered into the same. But when they had sailed forwards a quarter of a league, they discouered so great a multitude of barkes that it seemed vnto them a grove, or some inhabited place, and as we drew nigh vnto them, they not knowing our shippe, all began to flie and run away with so great noise, as though they should haue beene all set on fire or smoke in that place. The Spaniards seeing that they were the occasion of this feare amongst them, they withdrew themselves into the middest of the riuer, whereas they strooke saile and came to an anker, and there they did ride all that night, and it was in such a place that none of al the other barks and boats came nigh them by a great way.

The next day following, which was Sunday, the one-and-twentieth day of June, they weighed anker, and went vnder their foresaile vp that arme of the riuer, the which within a little while they had sailed did ioine with the other arme aforesaide, and was in that place of so great widenesse that it seemed to bee a sea; there sailed in and out many shippes, barkes, and boates, of whom the Spaniards demaunded how farre the port was off from that place, but they answered nothing at all, but with great laughter and wonder to see the Spaniards and their kind of attyre, they departed. But when they had sailed two leagues up the riuer, they discouered a high towre and very faire, vnder the which were at an anker a great number of shippes; thither they sailed right on. So when as they came right ouer against the towre, they saw on shore a great mighty crane, to discharge merchandize withal, whereat lay many ships; but when they came to the point, fearing that some ordinance would be shot at them, they strook all their sailes, according vnto the vse and custom in the ports of Spain. They, after a while that they had remained in that sort, and saw that neither the towre nor the ships did make any motion towards them, they turned and hoised up again their sailes and went wheras al the ships were, and when they came amongst them they let fall their anker; wheras they did ride, looking when they would come to demand of them anything.