Yesterday and day before yesterday, the entire revolt was regarded as suppressed and ended, without there having been any disturbance on the other side of the river. This morning, the twenty-ninth of this month, we saw many large fires toward Manila; we knew not what to think, until we received a letter in which we were informed that from the other side of the river from the river San Mateo, many new insurgents had come, who were burning everything; and the fires that we saw were Meyhaligue[6] and Santa Cruz, on opposite sides of the river. From the Parián alone different troops of soldiers, both foot and horse, have sallied out against them; we are hoping for their entire success. We are informed that people are talking very earnestly of taking steps to prevent such things from ever happening again; for this purpose there was held yesterday a general conference of all the civil, military, and religious.[7]
[1] Meaning that the failure to receive the usual supplies of money from Mexico had rendered the Manila merchants unable to buy the goods brought by the Chinese traders—the latter being thus unable to maintain their shops in Manila, and obliged to return to their own country.
[2] Apparently some words have been omitted in Ventura del Arco’s transcription; probably it should read, “upon us for our past sins”—or possibly, “for the past two years.”
[3] Spanish, regalos; referring to the articles (mainly those of luxury) imported from Mexico by citizens of the islands.
[4] Shells or hollow balls, sometimes of clay, sometimes of heavy canvas, which were filled with combustible substances; when kindled, they were shot or hurled against the enemy, either to cause injury by their explosion, or to set his works on fire.
[5] “A mountain called Socol, distant from Calamba a short league” (Diaz, Conquistas, p. 406).
[6] This was an estate belonging to the Jesuits (Diaz, Conquistas, p. 408).
[7] Pastells’ transcript of this document (Colin’s Labor evangélica, iii, p. 129) contains a few lines of additional matter, as follows:
“Of the whole affair a full relation will, I think, be printed; so I leave it here, entreating our Lord to look with pity on these islands, which are so full of misery and poverty.”