The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 — Volume 04 of 55 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 298 pages of information about The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 — Volume 04 of 55.

The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 — Volume 04 of 55 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 298 pages of information about The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 — Volume 04 of 55.
old king of Borney lived.  The said Borneans gave him the said letter in the presence of this witness.  A Bornean Moro read it; and, when he came to the end, the said king remarked:  “So this is the way that your people write to me, who am king; while the Castilians are capie”—­that is to say, in the Bornean language “men”—­“who have no souls, who are consumed by fire when they die, and that, too, because they eat pork;” and after certain other words, the said king asked him what he would do, and if he wished to return to the Castilians.  This witness answered, “No, I do not wish to go now, so that I shall not be killed on the way.”  Thereupon the said king of Borney said to him:  “Remain here; and, after the Spaniards are conquered, stay here, and marry.  I will give you a galley to command.”  This witness, for fear that he would be killed, answered, “Yes, I will do as you wish.”  Thereupon the king asked him as to the ships and people of the Castilians, and this witness told him that there were eight galleys, thirty-two vireys, and seven hundred Spaniards under the supreme command of Captain Bassar.  Then the king asked how many pieces of artillery were in each ship, and their size, and how large a ball each one carried.  This witness answered that each galley carried in its bow three large pieces; and that four galleys threw balls as large as his head, and the others balls about one-half that size.  He asked further if they carried broadside pieces, or if they carried any that one man might take alone; and this witness answered that they did not.  Likewise he asked him what weapons the Spaniards carried, and whether the governor were young or old.  This witness answered that each Spaniard had one coat-of-mail, two arquebuses (one large and one small), a buckler, sword and dagger, and a lance; and that the said governor was not old.  He asked him the governor’s name, and whether he was recently come from Espana.  This witness answered that he did not know his name, but that all called him Captain Basar, and that he had come two years ago to Manila.  Then he asked him for the master-of-camp, Juan de Salcedo, and for many Castilians of Manila.  This witness told him that the said Juan de Salcedo was dead.  He also asked him what Spaniards remained in Manila, about their fort and artillery, whether ships came annually from Espana, and what soldiers they brought.  This witness said that many Spaniards remained in Manila, for ships came from Castilla every year bringing many people, all of whom remained; and that they had built a very large fort containing forty pieces of artillery.  Many other things which he could not remember were asked him, after which the said king dismissed him; whereupon this witness went to the house of a relative of his, on the other side of the river.  As he was finishing his breakfast, for it was early morning, about nine or ten Moros entered, bound him, and took him to the said house of the king, who asked him anew many questions concerning the Spaniards,
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The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 — Volume 04 of 55 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.