Upon this witness going down the river with another
relative of his, named Sicollao, they met a Spaniard
named Diego Martin, and joined a large house which
was there, and below the said river, said to be the
house of a son of the said king of Borney. This
house contained a large and well-finished piece of
artillery, and a number of culverins, frecones,
and other offensive arms. Advancing toward the
houses where it was reported that the old king of Borney
lived, near the said house, they saw a large galley
with more than twenty-four benches on each side.
It contained a large swivel-gun and another smaller
piece, both loaded, and having on them some quinas,
[25] which appeared to be the arms of the king of Portugal,
and each one furnished with two handles. The
said galley contained also four other culverins mounted
in the place where the cargo is stored; and the galley
carried a quantity of ammunition for the said pieces.
Some four or five galleots of sixteen or eighteen
benches each were found also, with many falcons, and
culverins, and one of them with a half sacre.
[26] After disembarking, the said governor entered
a house reported to be that of the old king of Borney.
There he found a large gourd filled with papers, among
which were three letters—two written in
the characters and language of Borney, one bearing
a signature, namely, “Don Leonis Pereyra Martin
Ferreyras;” the third was written in Portuguese,
beginning, “Noble and honored king of Borneo.”
It was dated at Ebora, March seven, one thousand five
hundred and seventy-three, and bore a signature, namely,
“El Rey” ["The King"]. By order of
his Lordship, I, the said notary, took possession
of the said letters. The said governor went also
by land to a house, wherein was kept the gunpowder.
He found there eighteen Bornean jars filled with powder,
twenty-four filled with saltpeter, and many loaves
of sulphur; more than five hundred lances and conpites,
with which the said natives shoot; many shields, pikes
with iron heads, a great quantity of small and large
iron balls of many kinds, and many arrows; and two
or three jars of poisonous herbs. Also at the
door of the said arsenal was a piece of artillery,
a broken swivel-gun (also bearing the arms of the
king of Portugal), with its large handles; four other
fresones, large and long, with four chambers;
two cannon-cases for artillery, one very large and
without any piece; and a stone ball, slightly thicker
than a man’s body. Another large house,
said to belong to Indian chiefs and captains, was
entered. A number of culverins and some gunpowder
were found there. Then the said governor went
to the mosque located in the said town, where he found
a large chair, upon which, they say, sat the preacher
who expounded the doctrine of Mahoma to the said Borneans.
Near this chair was a block of marble containing painted
and gilded pictures of idols. This and the said
chair the governor ordered taken from the said mosque,