The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 — Volume 02 of 55 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 316 pages of information about The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 — Volume 02 of 55.

The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 — Volume 02 of 55 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 316 pages of information about The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 — Volume 02 of 55.
of the master, the pilot, Lope Martin—­the pilot of the vessel that had deserted Legazpi—­and others.  After various insubordinations, of which the captain, in his blindness, took no notice, the latter and his son were murdered.  Soon afterward the two chief conspirators quarreled; and the pilot, forestalling the intention of the master to arrest him, hanged the latter.  Then the pilot resolved to return to Spain by the Strait of Magellan, promising to make rich men of all who would follow him, but intending to abandon on some island those who were not favorable to him.  Under pretext of wintering at a small islet near the island of Barbudos, he contrived to have the greater part of the men disembark.  The ecclesiastic Juan de Viveros, who accompanied the expedition, discovering the pilot’s intention to abandon some of the party, remonstrated with the latter’s chief adviser, saying that “it was inhuman, and he should take them to the Filipinas, and leave them where there were provisions,” but to no purpose.  Each man lost all confidence in his fellows, and certain of the men, forming a counter mutiny in the king’s name, seized the vessel and set their course for the Philippines, abandoning Lope Martin and twenty-six men on this island.  The leader of this second mutiny hanged two men who were concerned in the death of the captain.  Finally, after many hardships, the Ladrones and later the Philippines were reached.  The notary of the ship was tried and executed by Legazpi as an accomplice in the captain’s death.  The others concerned in the mutiny were all pardoned.  This new contingent “made homage anew, and swore to obey his majesty and the governor in his royal name.” [75] The master-of-camp having been sent about this time to Panay to collect the tributes of rice, returned on November 16, without having accomplished his object, and having been compelled to leave his vessel, the “San Juan,” at Dapitan.  He brought news that the Portuguese were coming to the island, sent thither by the viceroy of India “in search of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, who had left Nueva Espana with four ships.”  One ship of the Portuguese fleet was encountered near Mindanao and four others about thirty leagues from Cebu, and two more at a distance of ten leagues out.  On the following day the two Portuguese vessels last seen made their appearance, but almost immediately stood off again, and soon disappeared.  The Spaniards began to fortify their settlement as strongly as possible, and the vessels were stationed in the best positions.  Legazpi bade the Spaniards not to forget that they were Spaniards, and reminded them of the “reputation and valor of the Spanish people throughout the world.”  The natives in terror abandoned their houses, “removing their wives and children to the mountain, while some took them in canoes to other villages; and others took their children, wives, and possessions to our camp, placing them in the houses of soldiers who were their friends, saying they would die with us.” 
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The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 — Volume 02 of 55 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.