The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 12 of 55 / 1601-1604 / 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

Chirino here describes the funeral and mortuary customs generally prevalent in the islands. The natives practice a sort of embalming of the dead. The dead person is usually buried in the lower part of his own house; and the funeral is succeeded by feasting and carousing—the immediate relatives, however, fasting. At the death of a chief, a curious taboo is placed upon the entire village, silence being imposed upon all, under penalty of death. If a man be slain by violence, his death is avenged by his relatives, the innocent as well as the guilty being slain by them. Chirino draws curious parallels to all these customs from the history of various nations, as recorded by both sacred and profane writers. He devotes a chapter to the description of "feasting and intoxication among the Filipinos." They eat little and drink much; but, even when intoxicated, they do not become frenzied or incapable.

The labors of Jesuit missionaries in the island of Bohol are further recounted. They find the people unusually well disposed toward the Christian religion, and very earnest and devout; all their idolatrous and immoral practices are soon abandoned, lest they displease the missionaries. Many are converted, and in an epidemic the lives of these Christians are preserved by their using holy water as a medicine.

Chirino gives some description of the island of Mindanao and its characteristics. He praises the bravery of its people, of which he relates some instances. The Jesuits Ledesma and Martínez open a mission in the southern part of the island, and soon obtain many conversions, including those of several chiefs; the circumstances of some of these are narrated. Juan del Campo and a lay brother accompany Figueroa on his expedition to the Rio Grande of Mindanao, where the governor is slain; soon after, the priest dies, of whose life and virtues Chirino gives a brief sketch.

The thanks of the Editors, for useful information, loan of books,
and other valued favors, are extended to the following persons:
Edward E. Ayer, Chicago; Rev. E.I. Devitt, S.J., Georgetown College,
Washington, D.C.; James H. Canfield, librarian of Columbia University,
New York; Asa C. Tilton, School of History, University of Wisconsin;
Herbert E. Bolton, Department of History, University of Texas;
William Beer, librarian of Howard Memorial Library, New Orleans;
Roland G. Usher, Boston; James A. LeRoy, U.S. consul, Durango,
Mexico; David P. Barrows, Superintendent of Public Instruction,
Manila; T.H. Pardo de Tavera, member of U.S. Philippine Commission,
Manila; Rev. A. Coleman, O.P., and Arthur S. Riggs, Manila;
Rev. Anthony Huonder, S.J., editor of Katholischer Missionen,
Luxemburg; Rev. Francesco Ehrle, S.J., prefect, and Mons. Mariano
Ugolini, of Vatican Library, Rome; Mons. Wenzel, Vatican Archives;
Rev. Alphonse Giroux, S.S., Colegium Canadense, Rome; Rev. Antonio
Ceriani, prefect of the Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Milan; Paul Lemosof,
Société de Géographie, Paris; Antonio Graiño y Martinez, Madrid;
José Maria de Valdenebro, University of Sevilla; José Gonzalez Verger,
Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla; C.J. Zulueta, collecting librarian
for the government of the Philippine Islands, now at Sevilla. Also
to officials of the following libraries: British Museum, London;
Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris; Biblioteca Vittorio Emanuele, Rome;
École de Ste. Genevieve, Paris. Favors have also been received from
many of the persons to whom acknowledgment was tendered in Vol. I
of this series.

The Editors

February, 1904.

DOCUMENTS OF 1601-1602

Expedition to the Malucas Islands. Arias de Saldanha, and
others; 1601-02.
Principal points in regard to the trade of the
Filipinas. Alonso Fernandez de Castro; [undated; 1602?].
Various documents relating to commerce. Fray Martin Ignacio
de Loyola, and others; [ca. 1602].
Letter to Felipe III. Antonio de Morga; December 1, 1602.

Source: All these documents are obtained from the Archivo general de Indias—from MSS., except the second, which is a rare printed pamphlet.

Translations: The first document is translated by Henry B. Lathrop, of the University of Wisconsin; the second, by José M. and Clara M. Asensio, and Emma Helen Blair; the third, by James A. Robertson; the fourth, by Norman F. Hall, of Harvard University.