Copy of a letter written by Lucas de Vergara Gaviria, Governor of Terrenate
On the eleventh of the present month I despatched the ship “San Buena Ventura,” in which I informed your Lordship of occurrences here. That same night the ship “Santa Margarita” reached this port from Manados with the cargo brought by the fragata “San Miguel,” which returned to those islands. This ship brought the orders that its commander says were given him by Francisco Rosales, master of the “San Miguel,” in which your Lordship orders a quantity of cloves to be prepared to send to Eastern Yndia, in order that it may be exchanged for the supplies necessary for the fleet; and that two thousand three hundred pieces of Chincheo cotton are sent for it. I answer that I have them, and assert that your Lordship ought to have that master punished; for he did not give those orders to the accountant, Pedro de Almansa, when he left the ship at Manados to come here. Had he done so, there would have been, notwithstanding the season, some cloves which could have been bought, although not all the quantity ordered, and although it could not have been done when they arrived. At that time the selling had already been finished, and the Spaniards who lived there had a great quantity of goods in their houses on account of the scant supply of cloves; for the harvest was not so great as was expected. Consequently, as soon as I received the order sent me, I ordered a factory [i.e., trading post] to be established, and your Lordship’s orders to be executed. However, these four months no cloves can be traded; for until the end of that time the trees will not bear. Consequently, although great efforts be made, we shall not be able to send to Yndia until next December or January. Besides that, there would be great delay in buying forty-five bares[2] of cloves with cotton alone, which would be the amount at the prices current this year. In order that this may be done more quickly, it has been decided to put with them other kinds of cloth bought in Yndia, since these Moros wish to have a choice, some asking for one kind of cloth, and others for another. Thus all manner of care possible will be given to this matter.
Today when I was with the king of Tidore, he told me that he had heard sure news from the Ternatans that the natives of the islands of Vanda, together with the English who have a fortress there, had given poison to the Dutch who live there, from which many had died;[3] that their commander Lorenço el Real, was very much reduced; that the Dutch had taken two English ships which were cruising about there, and had put the Englishmen in the galleys; and that the Dutch fleet is coming to these islands to the number of eighteen ships and two galleys. He also said that the fort of Ambueno was burned, where that fleet has stopped until it can be rebuilt; but that they consider it certain from what they write that they will be here sometime in the month of July next. I am putting these forts into as good a condition of defense as is possible with the few men that I have. For never were there fewer Spaniards in these islands; since, if occasion should arise, I have not twenty men with whom I could reënforce any fortress, without creating a notable scarcity in the others. It cannot be less, since last year only thirty soldiers came, whom I brought; while in the two companies of this year have come forty-six. A like number of sick and crippled men have gone to that city [of Manila]; while there are others here who have died; and many are sick, who with more reason would be occupying the hospital than the sentry-boxes, were not the necessity so pressing. Although, thanks to God, as they are provided with food, they get along reasonably well on the little clothing that has come, yet I am continually having their garments patched. Thus everything possible is being done to encourage and please them, and I think they are in that condition. I have, glory to God, as I wrote to your Lordship, rice in the magazines to last until the end of next April, with the precautions that I am taking, making use of that which came from Macasar. My greatest cause for anxiety at present is my lack of a galley or two in order to oppose to those that they say that the enemy is bringing; for I have nothing but one rotten galliot—and that without crew, as I have written—which is the vessel that I seized from Pedro Alvarez de Abreo. I am repairing it, in order to do what is possible with it, and to attend to the communication with these forts, which are situated at points so dangerous. Will your Lordship send me a galley or two as quickly as possible, in order that I may do this better, and work what harm I may to the enemy (for these boats are the necessary things in this island, as your Lordship knows; and the enemy, knowing this, are not afraid of us). I need also some money and clothes for these poor soldiers; and some cloth from Yndia, if there is any, in order to put it in the factories as agreed upon, at the account of his Majesty; and some men, since they are so necessary. Therefore with what the galley or galleys that may come can bring, since I have rice for the time above stated your Lordship will not need to be in haste to send me help in defective vessels. But then I hope, God helping, that the fleet will have arrived from Castilla, and that it and that of those regions will come, even though somewhat late, both to bring that aid safely and to achieve the results that his Majesty desires, since these Dutchmen are quite stripped of men; and although they have many ships, and those from Olanda, they do not expect reënforcements as abundant as hitherto. It appears that all the natives are already turning against them, and are continually supporting the English in these regions with greater forces. The latter are so very hostile to the Dutch, that they will hasten to profit by a very good opportunity.[4] I regard it as certain, that in case that we wish to avail ourselves of the forces of the English, if our own are insufficient to destroy these Dutchmen, they will aid us in it very willingly, by short agreements that might be made with them. I know that this cannot be a bad thing for his Majesty, but very good. This English captain who is here has told me that if we wish to bring this about, his nation will do it. I advise your Lordship go that should necessity, perchance, compel us to undertake this, you may know what we are doing here about it.
His Majesty’s two fortresses in Gilolo, as your Lordship knows, serve only as garrisons for eighty soldiers, sixty of them Spanish. They are continually dying and falling sick, and because of our lack of men in these forts, which are of importance, those men would prove very advantageous here, while there they are of no use. Whenever the enemy may attack them in force, they cannot be succored by either sea or land. Consequently, I think, for these and other reasons, that it would be wise to withdraw them before the enemy oblige us by force to do so. Will your Lordship order this to be considered, and ordain what is most advisable. At present the enemy have two ships, as I wrote in my previous letters.
The surgeon sent by your Lordship for this hospital I am sending back, as he is useless here—both because father Fray Juan de Santamaria, a lay brother of St. Francis, is here, who attends to this with charity, willingness, and great skill; and because the former has certain defects or excesses that are not suitable for a country so short of the sort of thing that he specially cares about, and of which even the sick are in want. Consequently, he would do better in Panay or La Pampanga, and his Majesty would save six hundred pesos of salary.
Just now I learned from the king of Tidore that many Dutchmen were killed at the burning of the fort of Ambueno. Yesterday a ship arrived at the forts of Malayo from the Sunda. I suspect that it does not bring altogether pleasant news, for it entered very silently. All say that the fleet in Ambueno will come. However, it is said that the commander Lorenço el Real and other captains were killed in that fire, besides other prominent people. Consequently there are three of the enemy’s ships here now.
The ship “San Antonio el Chico” [i.e., “the little”] is going with this despatch, and the “Santa Margarita” will remain here. Further nothing else offers at present of which to advise your Lordship, whom may our Lord preserve with all possible prosperous estate. Tidore, June 30, 1618.
Lucas de Bergara Gaviria
As I have heard that Governor Lucas de Vergara Gaviria is giving your Lordship a long account of the condition of affairs in these islands, I shall not say more in this than to refer to his letter, and only to greet you in my own name, and tell you of the so great afflictions of these islands. Never have they been seen in such a condition, both because of the disastrous loss of the fleet of vessels that was expected here this year with a great force, and because not even one galley was sent, from three or four that are cruising about there, although it is known that some islands and forts cannot have communication with others except by means of galleys. For they are our succor from dangers, and protection to the besieged, not considering that one galliot here now is such that, rather for reputation and ostentation than for use, the governor preserves it. For that reason, the scarcity of succor, and the news of the loss of the fleet, the courage of all has been greatly moderated, while that of the enemy has been strengthened. And so when they heard of it, they were very glad and went out to collect their ships in order to attack these strongholds of his Majesty and my land. Although they come, as they have published, with fifteen or twenty warships and two galleys, I am very confident that they will accomplish nothing; because we are so well fortified and supplied with provisions which come from Macaçar and from those parts that the governor has protected. By the help of God’s favor, I am at present making an effort in this my city to resist the enemy by all ways. But it may be understood meanwhile that your Lordship should succor these forts promptly, with great liberality and urgency; for otherwise, if any thing be lost (may God forbid), let it be known that I have done my duty, since for many years I have advised this, and from now I give notice that this is not to be charged to my account. For since, when we were expecting a great force, not only it did not come, but only this little succor was sent, this people did not take it well; for they considered the failure as indicating rather the little power of the Spanish king than the present need of those islands.
I have received the chain and stuffs, although these were wet, and value them as is fitting. There is nothing else to say except this, may our Lord preserve your Lordship for many long years, as I desire. Tidore, May seventeen, one thousand six hundred and eighteen.