First, it is to be taken for granted that they are located in the mountains and ridges called Ygolotes, at somewhat less than eighteen degrees of latitude; and as the land in itself is so lofty, it is cold, although its inhabitants go naked except for some garments made from the bark of trees. This region lies between the provinces of Cagayan, Ylocos, Pangasinan, and Tuy. The people are light complexioned, well-disposed, and intelligent.[5] It is reported that about eighteen or twenty thousand Indians use lance and shield. They are at war with their neighbors up to certain boundaries. Beyond those boundaries those peoples trade with one another; for the Ygolotes descend to certain towns of Pangasinan with their gold, and exchange it for food—hogs, carabaos, and rice, taking the animals alive to their own country. Until that food is consumed, or but a little time before, they pay no heed to securing any gold. Then each man goes to the mine assigned to him, and they get what they need, according to what they intend to buy, and not any more. They are a people as void of covetousness as this; for they say that they have it there at hand for the times when they need it.
It is probable that the mines here are very numerous and rich; and it is a well-known fact that for these many centuries the greatest quantity of gold, and that of the finest quality, in these islands has been and is still obtained there; and at the present time this industry is as active as ever. Although gold is obtained in certain parts of these islands, such as the island of Masbate, Catanduanes, Paracali, and the Pintados, yet none of it is in such quantities as that here; and this has been always, and now is the general opinion. Consequently one cannot doubt that a great treasure could be secured with expert men and the order to work those mines, since rude Indians, without any skill except in washing, obtain so great a quantity. It is said that one can obtain more gold in the rewashing of what the Indian leaves than the latter obtains.
It is also said that the wealth of these mines lies in certain mountains, in a district of four or five leguas in extent, and included between two large rivers which flow into the province of Pangasinan. The natives do not cultivate the land—for one reason, because of its great sterility, and the lack of ground to cultivate; and, on the other hand (which can more easily be believed), because, confident in their gold mines, they have thereby sufficient to purchase whatever they wish from Pangasinan, where the nearest abundant supply of provisions is to be found. The richest and chiefest among them is he who has more heads hanging in his house than the others; for that is a sign that he has more food, and gives more banquets. These mountains contain large pines, and other trees found in Castilla. Don Luis Dasmariñas, as above stated in the relation of Captain Miranda, sent Captain Clavijo to discover those mines; but he did nothing therein, because his guide was wounded on the road.
It is not known that these people have as yet received any evil religious sect. Accordingly they are pagans, and but little given to pagan rites, at that. On the contrary they are very lukewarm in their idolatry, and consequently it will be easy to inculcate in them the holy Catholic faith, as they are a race uncorrupted with pagan rites. One may greatly hope, with the divine aid, that their souls will be stamped with the faith, like a clean tablet. The same is said of the inhabitants of Tuy.
Don Gonzalo Ronquillo, former governor of these islands, sent Juan Pacheco Maldonado to discover those mines. It was said of this man that he was of little diligence and intelligence, and that he remained two months amid those mountains, in which period he could not catch a single Indian except only two women. At the end of that time, he returned because his provisions were all consumed. He brought a quantity of earth with him, which he declared to be from the mines. A charlatan—who had been brought from España, at a salary of one thousand ducados, as an assayer—having made the test, found no gold in this earth. They say that the reason was, that he threw salt into the mass that he was about to smelt; and that salt should not be thrown into gold as is done in smelting silver. As then but few men knew of that, they did not investigate this difficulty. That test was, accordingly, worth nothing, since the experience of so many centuries and that of the present prove that those mines contain quantities of gold, most of it of twenty-two carats; for almost daily those Ygolotes go to a village of the province of Pangasinan, as to an emporium, to buy provisions in exchange. Of this one cannot doubt in the least.
This race and the inhabitants of Tuy, and those of many other provinces and mountains, have a cruel, barbarous custom, which they call “the cutting off of heads.” This is quite usual among them, and he is considered as most valiant who has cut off most heads in the civil wars waged among themselves and with their neighbors. This race are ruled by certain superiors whom they call “chiefs,” who are the arbiters of peace or war.
The above relations follow the fragments of certain old papers that have been found, and the narratives of persons acquainted with these matters. From them one can easily infer the lack of care among those who have ruled the country, to know the truth concerning the Ygolotes; but in no event would that have been work lost. On the contrary, according to the opinion of many men who have lived a long time in the country, it is regarded as very probable that a wealth of gold would have been discovered, like the silver of Potosi.[6] The same is true of Tuy, even if no other wealth should be attained beyond the inestimable one of having reduced to the faith of Christ a province so vast, and which is said to number more than 100,000 souls; that would be a most lofty and divine work and one accompanied by great temporal advantage.
After having reached this point in the present relation, I saw the men who made the test of the earth brought from the Ygolotes. They were two men sent by Joan Pacheco from Tuy to Don Gonzalo Ronquillo. They tried to deceive the latter by bringing some bars of very fine gold, which they said was taken from the mines which had been discovered. Some doubt having been expressed at this, the governor had the metal or earth pulverized in their presence, and had the said men make the test. Being ignorant of that business, they did not obtain a grain of gold. On being urged, they said that those bars had truly been obtained from the Indians of the mines of the Ygolotes; accordingly, they did not come from the earth that had been brought. Thereupon Juan Pacheco came, without any clearer explanations, which sufficiently demonstrates his lack of intelligence, since he was unable, in so long a time, to catch any Indians in order to talk with them. If the Indians descended to the plain daily, as they do at present, for food, as would seem necessary, they could have caught many of them; for, as above stated, the natives resort to Pangasinan, as to a market or fair. Given in Passi, July three, one thousand six hundred and nine.
Doctor Juan Manuel de la Vega