Almost four hundred persons went ashore—that is, all except some twenty-five or thirty, who were drowned in the course of the voyage. After a time the sea washed ashore some pieces of gorgoran,[20] satin, and velvet. Those who had gotten away with less clothing wrapped these about their bodies, while they made sandals from bits of silk, like those of leather worn by shepherds in España, because of the sharp rocks upon which they were walking barefoot. They found two Japanese in some fields, and were greatly comforted thereby; for they imagined that land to be a desert islet without any food, upon which fortune had cast them to die. However, they would have had not a little mercy from God if they had been able to die after confessing at leisure. The Japanese guided them to a town near by, where they were given some rice for their support. There most of them were kept carefully guarded for many days. The chief Japanese continued to take charge of all the silk that could be saved, but did not give it up until an edict therefor was granted to the Spaniards by the king. Consequently some of it was given to them; but the Japanese rebought it at what prices they wished, paying for it very impure silver. Consequently the Spaniards were scarce able to get fifty thousand pesos in current Castilian money for it; although it is regarded as certain that if all that could have been saved had been delivered to the Spaniards, and they had sold it at a just price, they would have received five hundred thousand pesos beyond all doubt. Although General Juan de Esguerra tried to negotiate with the king for the return of some forty boxes which were held by one of the Japanese lords, he failed to do so. On the contrary, the counselors advised him to be content with what had been returned, unless he wished to keep nothing. In short they are pagans, who believe in only the law of might, and do not keep faith and friendship more than they think advisable. Governor Don Rodrigo de Bivero visited the king in his court at Suronga. The king received him and treated him with great honor, and gave him one thousand taels as a concession. Each tael is worth ten reals when made into money. The general gave this money to the people to provide for their journey to Nangasaqui, whence many have come to this city [i.e., Manila]. Don Rodrigo de Bivero and Father Montes continued their voyage in the ship “Santa Ana,” which was in Bungo. The Japanese came very near attacking it, but they say that they did not do so because such action was not expedient; for they had injured their trade with Macao, by attacking the galleon en route from that city to Japon with silk, until they had to burn it, with the loss of eight hundred thousand taels; and they would curtail their trade with this country and suffer great lack of silk.
I will end this relation with the affairs of, and voyage to, Maluco, for whose relief, as I stated above, two galleys made an expedition. The food and men were divided among various caracoas, fragatas, and champans, in Oton. After setting sail, they proceeded without disaster as far as Sarragan in Siao. There one of the boats was wrecked by a fierce gale, although only one Spaniard and ten Indians of its crew were drowned. The rest escaped without weapons or anything else besides their shirts. Those who escaped were given shelter in the other boats. One afternoon while continuing their voyage, they discovered four Dutch vessels, in sight of the island of Maluco. They put to sea in order to escape them, with the intention of making port that night. In this way some of them reached a place of safety. But one fragata, which carried one of the captains, went toward the enemy, because our men had not reconnoitered the land well. Consequently, in the morning, it found itself surrounded by four ships and one patache, and accordingly had to remain with them. Those [Dutch] ships also seized a large champan which had been left behind, and which carried a cargo of food and goods, belonging both to the king and to private persons.
These boats that were captured by the Dutch contained all that we were sending to the fathers at Maluco—namely, one hundred and two baskets of clean rice, thirty-one jars of wine, meat, and butter, which were very necessary to them, in the condition of affairs there, for Father Masonio having gone to visit the fort of Bachan, with nine slaves who served him as a boat-crew, they were taken by the Dutch and their Terrenatan allies. In the fight sixteen Spanish soldiers were killed, besides some of the natives. Of the slaves whom the father was taking with him, three were killed and six were captured by the Dutch. After the father confessed the wounded and entered their fort, he escaped and hid for a week in the woods; and, although many persons were paid by the Dutch to look for him, they could not find him. In that place the father lost a large supply of food, besides other things. It was being sent to him there from Malaca, to whose province pertains the port of Maluco. Not the least of his losses was to be deprived of his companion, by the death of Father Gabriel de la Cruz,[21] who was called Rengifo in España. The latter was his only associate in that exile. A long illness preceded his death, although during it he continued to work as if he were healthy and alone. He died after a long life of glorious labor in the islands of the Moros, so devoid of human consolations, but so full of the consolations of heaven—as our blessed Father Francisco Javier certified, who was the first to sow there the seed of the gospel. His death caused great sorrow, because that field of Christendom remained without a shepherd. Although they tried to send a companion to Father Masonio from Malaca, over three hundred leguas away, sending by way of these islands Father Antonio Pereira, they were not successful, for the latter died on the voyage, in the manner that I stated at the beginning.[22] But we hope, through our Father, that some day those seas will become free from pirates, so that Maluco may be supplied from its own province with men and other necessities.
Word is also received from Maluco that the Dutch commander, Pablo Blancard, was ransomed this year. The Dutch gave eighty thousand pesos for him last year; and now they have given fifty-two Spaniards held captive among them, one hundred natives friendly to us, the fragata and all its cargo, and six thousand pesos in money.
I have endeavored to make this relation very faithful for the greater glory of God our Lord. May He preserve your Paternity[23] for the welfare of all the Society. Manila, July 1, 1610.
[1] Father Gregorio Lopez was a native of the town of Alcocer, in the bishopric of Cuenca. He studied theology at Alcalá de Henares, but took the Jesuit habit in Mexico. He filled in Mexico the chairs of the arts and of theology, and was master of the novitiates. After sixteen years’ residence in Mexico he went to the Philippines, where he became a teacher of Christian doctrine, and rector of the seminary at Manila. He was later vice-provincial and then provincial of his order for eight years, being the first provincial. He died at the age of fifty-three, on July 21, 1614. He spent fourteen years in the Philippines.
[2] La Concepción says (Hist. de Philipinas, iv, p. 284) that the Dutch unexpectedly encountered at Panay a Spanish force, on its way to the Moluccas, who compelled the invaders to retreat.
[3] Francois de Wittert. See Vol. XV, pp. 323–328.