14. A short time before my arrival in the islands, a very peculiar thing happened. Some Indians had been married, and, as they were about to eat, the bride was desirous of going down to the river to wash her feet, as they are in the habit of doing every day and every hour. The house stood partly over the river, as is their custom. While she was washing, a crocodile attacked her and carried her off. At her cries and the noise, some of the people ran out and saw the poor girl in the teeth of the crocodile, which was making off with its prey. The bridegroom, who beheld with his own eyes such a spectacle, blind with love and aroused by anger, with dagger in hand (but more rashly than prudently) threw himself into the water, and followed the beast that was carrying off his beloved prize. He overtook it and fought with it; he recovered his wife and returned triumphantly with the spoil in his arms, but she was already dead and lifeless. The bridegroom came back a widower, and sad and mournful, and with tears was that wedding ended. That was a notable and very memorable occurrence. Many Indians have escaped from those monsters. It has been learned by experience that they are very sensitive in the eyes. Consequently, those who do not lose their presence of mind attack them in that part, on which occasions the crocodile flees as best it can in order to escape. It is said by all the people of that land that when the female lays its eggs, it always goes to some place where there is a current of water near by. The young animals having been hatched go down into the water, where their mother is waiting for them with open mouth. As many as she can catch she eats, but all that escape her, by one side or the other, remain free and alive. This they say is the reason why not all the rivers are full of those animals, although there are many rivers where they abound. I shall return to the crocodiles on another occasion.
[The chapter closes with the account of the baptism of an infant who had been abandoned and thrown into the sea by its mother.]
[1] The translation of the title-page of this book is as follows: “Historical, political, ethical, and religious treatises on the monarchy of China. A brief description of that empire and curious instances regarding the emperors and magistrates of that country. Accompanied by a diffuse narrative of various events and singular things in other kingdoms, and various voyages. The pontifical decrees and propositions authorized in Roma for the Chinese mission are added, and a bull of our most holy father Clemente X, in favor of the missionaries. By the father master Fray Domingo Fernandez Navarrete, professor of morning classes in the college and university of Santo Thomàs of Manila, apostolic missionary in Great China, superior of those of his mission, and procurator-general in the court of Madrid for the province of Santo Rosario of Filipinas, of the Order of Preachers. He dedicates his work to the most serene Don Juan of Austria. Year 1676. With license. Madrid, in the royal printing-house. Printed by Juan Garcia Infançon. At the expense of Florian Anisson, bookseller.”
Domingo Fernandez Navarrete, a native of Peñafiel in the province of Valladolid and diocese of Palencia, and a son of the convent at the same place (December 8, 1635), after having studied in the college at Valladolid became lecturer on philosophy in the same institution. On arriving at the Philippines he was first assigned to the Tagálog missions, and immediately appointed lecturer in theology in the college of Santo Tomás of Manila; but he was sent to the province of Bataan because of his poor health. Soon, however, his superiors were compelled to reappoint him to the chair in the college, for the same reason. Taking advantage of the summer vacation, the zealous father went to the Mindoro missions, where he labored and suffered considerably; and in 1653 he went to Macasar, whence he had to return without accomplishing anything. His ill health continuing, he was forced to try to return to his convent in Spain. He was detained for some time in Macasar, and there, fearing the long journey ahead of him, determined to go to China by way of Macao—reaching the city of Fogan November 3, 1658, after many sufferings. Applying himself to the study of the Chinese language, he mastered it in both the written and spoken forms. Although he could have escaped at the outbreak of the persecution of Christians in 1664, he refused to do so, and was arrested in February, 1665. July 8 of that year he was taken to Peking with other Dominicans. Being condemned to exile, he left Peking, September 13, 1665, and remained in Canton until 1669, when he secretly set out for Manila. On reaching Macao, he determined to return to Europe instead of to Manila, finally arriving at Lisbon in 1672. He reached Madrid in May of that year, and Rome (his objective point) on January 6, 1673. After his return to Madrid (within sixteen months), he exercised the duties of procurator-general for the Philippine province. In 1677 he was appointed bishop of Isla Española, where he arrived in 1678. He died in 1689, aged over seventy. He wrote three volumes of his voyages, but only two of them were printed; these appeared in several languages. He also wrote various things in the Chinese language. See Reseña biográfica, i, pp. 455–459. [↑]
[2] Near the end of the preceding chapter, our author states that the name Acapulco “means, in the language of that country, ‘mouth of hell.’” [↑]
[3] That is, the native has to supply the rice, and is (at least nominally) credited with it on an account; but he receives no return for it until the royal officials choose to pay. [↑]
[4] Spanish arraezes: a term applied to the captains of Moorish vessels; here probably referring to the captains of the champans or other small vessels sent to convey the rice, etc., levied from the natives. [↑]
[5] As much ground as two mules or two oxen can plow in one day. [↑]