“Enemies to God, because we abandon so easily, and without sufficient cause, the work we came to do for the honour of God and the salvation of souls. It is the great interest on which we have to turn both our eyes, to rescue from the captivity of the Devil those whom he looks upon as so secure; to turn the worship of the natives from him, and turn it to God, to whom they owe it, and whose it is.
“Enemies of the King, for impeding his service, which may be promoted in this place, without making other discoveries, incurring fresh expenses, or risking other fleets. It may be that what was intended will be achieved, for when the new world was discovered it was not known at first how important it was, there being only a few small islands of little or no value; yet, through the constancy of the discoverers, there were afterwards found the great and rich provinces of New Spain and Peru; while the return to Spain, for a long time laborious and difficult, is now made easy through the mercy of God.
“Enemies to the honour of our General, because he has expended his resources on the enterprise, leaving what he has left in Peru. Do you wish, solely for your whim, to destroy such Christian aspirations, which have endured so long?
“Enemies of our own honour, because, from this position where we now are, there is no place to which we can go that will not be in the dominions of our King, and whose Ministers will exact a very strict account of whence we came, where we have left the General, and what reason we had for abandoning a land which had been settled in the name of the King: more especially such a land as this which is fertile, with friendly and numerous inhabitants. In one way or another we cannot escape from offending our consciences, risking our lives, our honour, and our liberty. For all to go it is not possible, although we may wish it. To leave women and children, and helpless persons, would not be just. Would you go to New Spain? The Adelantado has already taken that route when he was in these parts before, but many died, and all went through terrible hardships during a long voyage; moreover, it is not always the season for such navigation. To go to the Philippines also has its difficulties.” Thinking it all over, and doing his best to combat their inconsiderate desire, the Chief Pilot concluded by saying: “Why do you litigate without any grounds, saying that you will embark presently? I will show, with the Adelantado, that what you want to do this day is impossible.”
Some of them, opening their eyes, appeared to be convinced by these arguments; but others were still obdurate. They preferred to trust to the ship rather than to what the land offered, and the water could be taken in 10,000 cocoa nuts, in joints of the canes, or even in the canoes of the natives, covering and caulking them; and they proposed other equally feasible contrivances. But the Chief Pilot said: “This is only a waste of time. Is it not for the Adelantado to decide what shall be done?” They said that “if the land will yield much food, how is it that we get nothing to eat from it?” “What certainty have you,” said the Pilot, “that the provisions obtained here will not get bad.” They answered that they were ready to risk that. As to water, they said that they would fall in with other islands on the route whence they could take in water; and that they would listen to reason, for they were reasonable beings.
Finally, they went back to their old song that they wanted to go to Manilla, which was a land of Christians. The Pilot said to them that Manilla was also a land of heathens, and that there being Christians was due to the discoverers who settled there; and that in our expedition a similar duty was required of us. In Manilla there are only some soldiers stationed by the King to guard the estates of the settlers; and it is better to remain here where we might become such as they are in fame and honour, than go marching there with shouldered arquebus. To this one of them answered that honour was where the Pope and the King were, and not among Indians. The Pilot then said that it was better to ask for what they wanted from their General, who was not a man to close his ears to a just petition; and that they should consider that their position was very offensive to the General, who desired to do what the King had ordered. What word soever sounded ill there would also follow as many more and as free. To this, one of the soldiers said: “Leave off! leave off! and leave it for he who wants to stay, for we intend to go, dislike it who may.” I was without a sword, and he with seven or eight others, went for theirs, and presently came back with heightened colour. Asking for the Camp Master, they all bowed their heads, with their swords in their hands, looking very fierce, not wanting much whispering, and secrets among some who spoke within hearing. They said publicly that they came to kill the Chief Pilot; and there was one who swore that they came saying: “Come, let us kill him, for he is the cause of our being in this land;” and others swore, and went so far with their menaces as to say: “What shall they drink in his skull.” Things did not look well. God knows what they intended.
He who had declared that they would go, spoke and said: “There is no one who does not wish to go from this land; one who keeps most apart was he who showed most willingness, but it does not signify.” He said most on that side, and was most resolved, both then and at other times; but as there were many people, there were as many arguments, and with loud voices. The Chief Pilot concluded what he had to say by declaring that all he had put before them was in the service of God and the King, and that he would sustain it to the death, as he had proved.
Chapter XVI.
How the Camp Master came on board the ship; what passed with the Adelantado, and between the Camp Master and the soldiers on shore, where the Chief Pilot talked to the Camp Master.