Chapters II and III
[Upon the receipt of the king’s letters, the viceroy of New Spain, “with the concurrence of the Audiencia, summoned father Fray Andrés de Urdaneta, and after having delivered into his own hands the letter that had come for him from his Majesty, intimated to him the importance of the expedition and the great spiritual advantages that would accrue from it.” When urged to accept the trust, Urdaneta responded that he must first communicate with “his superior, who stood to him in place of God.” The consent and order of the latter was readily obtained, and Urdaneta accepted the expedition “with so great joy and gladness, that the fire that glowed in his heart was well shown by his eagerness.” In continuation of the project, “the viceroy took measures to establish a shipyard in Puerto de la Navidad—one hundred and twenty leguas from the city of Mexico, and situated in nineteen and one-half degrees north latitude—so that three or four ships of different burden might be made;” for this expedition was not only to discover routes, but to colonize and take possession of the islands. By the advice of Urdaneta, “Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, an illustrious gentleman, and one of great prudence and valor, and above all, an excellent Christian,” was chosen as commander of the expedition, the viceroy carefully consulting the friar so that a good choice might be made.[3] In discussing the voyage, Urdaneta “proposed that they should first go to discover Nueva Guinea. He expressed the great advantages that would arise from this, the chief being that it could be the stepping-place to the whole world. Nueva Guinea is near the equator, and stretches east three hundred leguas and north live or six degrees. On this account it has been doubted whether it is mainland, because it extends so far toward the Salomon Islands[4] or the Straits of Magallanes. However, now that the opposite coast of Magallanes has been navigated the doubt has been destroyed, and it has been discovered that it is not a continuation of that land, but an island surrounded by the water of the South Sea. Father Urdaneta had discovered this island in company with Alvaro de Saavedra. In the year of 28, he returned to this land and anchored, when wrecked by terrible storms that they experienced, which forced them to return. Then they did not land, but from the coast, the island appeared very pleasant, and displayed good anchorages and ports. Its inhabitants are black, tall, robust, and well built in general. Hence, Father Urdaneta thought it advisable to go to this island first, and make a few entrances, until they could discover its products, and if it were fertile and suitable, to colonize it. If it were not suitable, still, some one of its ports would be of great importance, to serve as a station for all the other expeditions, which they might wish to make to all the islands of the archipelago, which are innumerable and nearly all undiscovered.” The viceroy, while not opposing the opinion of the friar, and even giving him to understand that it would be followed, at the end gave a different order.]
[For the voyage the Augustinian provincial, with the concurrence of the other religious, selected the missionaries who were to be “the foundation stones upon which that church was to be established:” the prior, Andrés de Urdaneta; Martín Rada, “the most eminent man in the astrology of that time,” who proved of great aid to Urdaneta in scientific lines; Diego Herrera, who was to spend “all his life in the Filipinas, with great temporal and spiritual gain, until at last, he lost his life in the year of 76, when he was drowned;” Andrés de Aguirre, who was also to spend all the rest of his life in the islands, making two journeys to Spain in their interest; Lorenzo Jimenez, “who died while waiting at Puerto de la Navidad to embark;” and Pedro de Gamboa. When all was about in readiness to sail, the viceroy Luis de Velasco died. In eulogizing him, Esteban de Salazar says: “Of his virtue and valor, and his Christian spirit, we cannot speak in sufficiently fitting terms, for he was the light and model of all goodness and for all Christian princes. Although he lived amid the treasures of the Indians so many years, he kept his soul so noble and so uncorrupted, and his hands so continent, that he died poor.” Notwithstanding the death of the viceroy, preparations went on. Legazpi, on arriving at port, took inventory of his men, and found that, counting soldiers, sailors, and servants, they amounted to more than four hundred. There were two pataches and two galleys. The flagship was the “San Pedro,” of about four hundred tons’ burden; the almiranta was called “San Pablo,” and was under command of Mateo del Sar (sic). In this vessel embarked Fathers Diego Herrera and Pedro de Gamboa; the others sailed in the flagship. “A grandson of the general, named Felipe de Salcedo, a lad of sixteen, also embarked. He afterward attained great prominence in the islands, and is therefore given special mention here.” A native, Pedro Pacheco, brought from the islands on the return of the survivors of the Villalobos expedition, was also taken as interpreter. The two pataches were in command of Alonso de Arellano and Juan de la Isla. After Legazpi had given his instructions to the officers, the fleet set sail November 21, 1564, the men all having invoked the blessing of God upon their voyage.]
Chapter IV
Of the voyage made by our religious to the Western Islands
Great undertakings are wont never to lack their obstacles, which although they do not fail to unnerve those of feeble intellect, yet seem to serve only as spurs to the lofty-minded, to make them not abandon what is undertaken; and these latter show greater courage, when Fortune shows herself most contrary. And the devil, when he divines that any work is on foot that may be for the service of the Lord unless he can hinder it, at the very least manages to impede it, and does his utmost to render it of none effect. Thus in this departure, they did not fail to have their misfortunes, but having conquered these by their courageous souls, they continued their voyage. For four days had they ploughed the waters of the sea, when the general thought it best to open his Majesty’s despatch and read the instructions given him, and find the route that he was ordered to take. The instructions were given him under lock and seal, and he was ordered not to open them, until he had sailed at least one hundred leguas. For the opening of the instructions, he had all the men of account in the fleet assembled; they found that, in accordance with his Majesty’s decree, they were ordered to go straight to the islands, now called Filipinas. When they were reached, a portion of the army and the religious were to remain there, while Father Urdaneta, with the other portion of the fleet, was to return in order to establish the route, until then unknown, as this was the object and chief purpose of his Majesty Father Urdaneta was extremely sorry at this, for he had always been given to understand that his opinion would be followed on this voyage. But it was certainly considered best by the Audiencia; for, besides their fulfilling in it his Majesty’s will, they observed that the journey to Nueva Guinea embraced many things, and Father Urdaneta could not discover so quickly the return voyage from the Filipinas to Nueva España—and this was the chief aim of that expedition, and the object of greatest importance that was sought.
After they had understood, then, his Majesty’s will, by the instructions that were read in their presence, all obeyed them as loyal vassals, and in pursuance thereof, began to lay their course, which with so certain a beginning as that of obedience and the sacrifice of their own wills, already promised a prosperous end. They changed their course, descending to the nineteenth degree, in which lie the islands of Los Reyes[5] and Corales.[6] From this point they began to take a direct course to the Filipinas. In order to do this, an order was issued to steer west by south, and all the fleet was ordered to do the same, and, as far as possible, not to separate from the flagship. But should the vessels be separated by any storm, they were given to understand that they were to follow the said route, until they made some of the islands of the Filipinas, where they would all meet. Upon this they again invoked the most sweet name of Jesus, and sailed with favoring breezes until they reached the ninth degree; and then the commander again called an assembly to discuss the voyage. There they took the latitude, and all the pilots disagreed by as much as a point of the compass, some of them making it two hundred leguas more than the others; and they could agree on neither the latitude nor the daily runs.
Father Urdaneta asserted that the Corales Islands had already been passed, and that they were farther on their journey. Accordingly he gave orders to make the tenth degree and sail toward the Arrecifes[7] and Matalotes[8] Islands, which are very much farther. They sailed along this course until January 9, when they discovered land. They went closer to it, and saw a small island, which was seemingly about three leguas in circumference. It was covered with trees and cocoa-palms, but as it was surrounded by reefs, they could not anchor at it. They sailed about the island, and spied a settlement situated among some palms, and some Indiana on the shore. But they were likewise unable to anchor there, for, on casting their anchor, they found more than fifteen brazas of water. Finally a small boat was lowered, which contained Father Urdaneta, together with the master-of-camp, Captain Juan de la Isla, and Felipe Salcedo. They reported on their return that those people were friendly, well disposed, and gentle; that they had no manner of weapon, either defensive or offensive; that they were clad in reed mats, very fine and well finished; and that the island contained many excellent fruits, fish, Castilian fowl, and millet. They reported also that the Indians were full-bearded. On this account those islands were called Barbudos. They did not stop at these islands, or at any of the others that they sighted afterward, where, certainly, our religious would leave portions of their hearts, melted with fire and love for their fellow-creatures, to all of whom they would desire to give a portion of the light that they carried, so that those peoples might be withdrawn from their dense darkness. But since now they could do no more, they would commend them to God, so that by His goodness He might open the door for them which He was now about to open to the other islands, for those people had been redeemed no less than the others. In short, they continued to pass those islands, obedient to the orders that they must not stop until they should teach Filipinas. At those islands it was better ordained that the seminary should be established, so that from that point the light and instruction might spread to the shores of other islands. Without any doubt, the Filipinas are the best suited for this purpose, as they are near great China, and not far from Japón, Siam, and Camboja, while even the land of India is said to be within sight; and the islands are surrounded by an infinite number of other islands, inhabited by immense multitudes of people.