In the Morning the Indians, in whose Boat or Proe the Frier came aboard, were sent to the Governour with two Letters; one from the Frier, and another very obliging one from Captain Swan, and a Present of four Yards of Scarlet-cloath, and a piece of broad Silver and Gold Lace. The Governour lives near the South end of the Island on the West side; which was about 5 Leagues from the place where we were; therefore we did not expect an answer till the Evening, not knowing then how nimble they were. Therefore when the Indian Canoa was dispatched away to the Governour, we hoised out 2 of our Canoas, and sent one a fishing, and the other ashore for Coco-nuts. Our fishing Canoa got nothing; but the Men that went ashore for Coco-nuts came off laden.
About 11 a Clock, that same Morning, the Governour of the Island sent a Letter to Captain Swan, complimenting him for his Present, and promising to support us with as much Provision, as he could possibly spare; and as a token of his Gratitude, he sent a Present of 6 Hogs, of a small sort, most excellent Meat, the best I think, that ever I eat: They are fed with Coco-nuts, and their Flesh is hard as Brisket Beef. They were doubtless of that breed in America which came originally from Spain. He sent also 12 Musk-melons, larger than ours in England, and as many Water-melons, both sorts here being a very excellent Fruit; and sent an order to the Indians that lived in a Village not far from our Ship, to bake every day as much of the Bread-fruit as we did desire, and to assist us in getting as many dry Coco-nuts as we would have; which they accordingly did, and brought off the Bread-Fruit every day hot, as much as we could eat. After this the Governour sent every day a Canoa or two with Hogs and Fruit, and desired for the same, Powder, Shot, and Arms; which was sent according to his request. We had a delicate large English Dog; which the Governour did desire, and had it given him very freely by the Captain, though much against the grain of many of his Men, who had a great value for that Dog. Captain Swan endeavoured to get this Governour’s Letter of Recommendation to some Merchants at Manila, for he had then a design to go to Fort St. George,[9] and from thence intended to trade to Manila: but this his design was concealed from the company. While we lay here, the Acapulco Ship[10] arrived in sight of the Island, but did not come in the sight of us; for the Governour sent an Indian Proe, with advice of our being here. Therefore she stood off to the Southward of the Island, and coming foul of the same shole that our Bark had run over before, was in great danger of being lost there, for she struck off her Rudder, and with much ado got clear; but not till after three days labour For tho’ the shole be so near the Island, and the Indians go off and fish there every day, yet the Master of the Acapulco Ship, who should (one would think) know these Parts, was utterly ignorant of it. This their striking on the shole we heard afterward, when we were on the Coast of Manila; but these Indians of Guam did speak of her being in sight of the Island while we lay there, which put our Men in a great heat to go out after her, but Captain Swan perswaded them out of that humour, for he was now wholly averse to any hostile action.
The 30th day of May, the Governor sent his last Present, which was some Hogs, a Jar of pickled Mangoes, a Jar of excellent pickled Fish, and a Jar of fine Rusk, or Bread of fine Wheat Flower, baked like Bisket, but not so hard. He sent besides, 6 or 7 packs of Rice, desiring to be excused from sending any more Provision to us, saying he had no more on the Island that he could spare. He sent word also that the West Monsoon was at hand, that therefore it behooved us to be jogging from hence, unless we were resolved to return back to America again. Captain Swan returned him thanks for his kindness and advice, and took his leave; and the same day sent the Frier ashoar, that was seized on at our first arrival, and gave him a large Brass Clock, an Astrolable, and a large Telescope: for which Present the Frier sent us aboard six Hogs, and a Roasting Pig, 3 or 4 Bushels of Potatoes, and 50 pound of Manila Tobacco. Then we prepared to be gone, being pretty well furnished with Provision to carry us to Mindanao, where we designed next to touch. We took aboard us as many Coco-nuts as we could well stow, and we had a good stock of Rice, and about 50 Hogs in Salt.
CHAP. XI
They resolve to go to Mindanao. Their departure from Guam. Of the Philippine Islands. The Isle Luconia, and its chief Town and Port, Manilo, Manila, or Manilbo. Of the rich Trade we might establish with these Islands. St. John’s Island. They arrive at Mindanao. The Island described. Its Fertility. The Libby Trees, and the Sago made of them. The Plantain Tree, Fruit, Liquor, and Cloath. A smaller Plantain at Mindanao. The Bonano. Of the Clove bark, Cloves, and Nutmegs, and the Methods taken by the Dutch to Monopolize the Spices. The Betel-Nut, and Arek-Tree. The Durian, and the Jaca-Tree and Fruit. The Beasts of Mindanao, Centapees or Forty Legs, a venemous Insect, and others. Their Fowls, Fish, &c. The temperature of the Climate, with the Course of the Winds, Tornadoes, Rain, and temper of the Air throughout the Year.
While we lay at Guam, we took up a Resolution of going to Mindanao, one of the Philippine Islands, being told by the Frier, and others, that it was exceedingly well stored with Provisions; that the Natives were Mahometans, and that they had formerly a Commerce with the Spaniards, but that now they were at Wars with them. This Island was therefore thought to be a convenient place for us to go to; for besides that, it was in our way to the East Indies, which we had resolved to visit; and that the Westerly Monsoon was at hand, which would oblige us to shelter somewhere in a short time, and that we could not expect good Harbours in a better place than in so large an Island as Mindanao: besides all this, I say, the Inhabitants of Mindanao being then, as we were told, (tho’ falsly) at Wars with the Spaniards, our Men, who it should seem were very squeamish of plundering without Licence, derived hopes from thence of getting a Commission there from the Prince of the Island, to plunder the Spanish Ships about Manila, and so to make Mindanao their common Rendezvous. And if Captain Swan was minded to go to an English Port, yet his Men who thought he intended to leave them, hoped to get Vessels and Pilots at Mindanao fit for their turn, to cruize on the Coast of Manila. As for Captain Swan he was willing enough to go thither, as best suiting his own design; and therefore this Voyage was concluded on by general consent.
Accordingly, June 2d, 1686, we left Guam, bound for Mindanao. We had fair Weather, and a pretty smart gale of Wind at East, for 3 or 4 Days, and then it shifted to the S.W. being Rainy, but it soon came about again to the East, and blew a gentle gale; yet it often shuffled about to the S.E. For though in the East Indies the Winds shift in April, yet we found this to the shifting season for the Winds here; the other shifting season being in October, sooner or later, all over India. As to our Course from Guam to the Philippine Islands, we found it (as I intimated before) agreeable enough with the account of our common Draughts.
The 21st of June we arrived at the Island St. John,[11] which is one of the Philippine Islands. The Philippines are a great company of large Islands, taking up about 13 deg. of Lat. in length, reaching near upon, from 5 d. of North Lat. to the 19th degree, and in breadth about 6 deg. of Longitude. They derive this Name from Philip II. King of Spain; and even now they do most of them belong to that Crown.
The chiefest Island in this range is Luconia, which lies on the North of them all. At this Island Magellan died on the Voyage that he was making round the World.[12] For after he had past those Streights between the South end of America and Terre del Fuego, which now bear his Name, and had ranged down in the South Seas on the back of America; from thence stretching over to the East-Indies, he fell in with the Ladrone Islands, and from thence steering East still, he fell in with these Philippine Islands, and anchored at Luconia; where he warr’d with the Native Indians, to bring them in Obedience to his Master the King of Spain, and was by them kill’d with a Poysoned Arrow. It is now wholly under the Spaniards, who have several Towns there. The chief is Manilo, which is a large Sea-port Town near the S.E. [sic] end, opposite to the Island Mindora. It was a place of great Strength and Trade: The two great Acapulco Ships before mentioned fetching from hence all sorts of East-India Commodities; which are brought hither by Foreigners, especially by the Chinese and the Portuguese. Sometimes the English Merchants of Fort St. George send their Ships hither as it were by stealth, under the charge of Portuguese Pilots and Mariners: For as yet we cannot get the Spaniards there to a Commerce with us or the Dutch, although they have but few Ships of their own. This seems to arise from a Jealousie or Fear of discovering the Riches of these Islands, for most, if not all the Philippine Islands, are rich in Gold; And the Spaniards have no place of much strength in all these Islands that I could ever hear of, besides Manilo it self. Yet they have Villages and Towns on several of the Islands, and Padres or Priests to instruct the Native Indians, from whom they get their Gold.