[22] Juan de Salcedo (Salzedo, Sauzedo) was born in Mexico about 1549; his mother was Teresa Legazpi, daughter of the governor.  He came to Cebu in 1567, and, despite his youth, displayed from the first such courage, gallantry, and ability that he soon won great renown—­especially in the conquest of Luzon; he has been called “the Hernan Cortes of the Philippines.”  These qualities brought him rapid military promotion; but his career was brief, for he died at the early age of twenty-seven (March 11, 1576), from drinking too much water while overheated by a hard march.  He died a poor man; but his will provided that what remained from his estate, after paying his debts, should be given to certain natives belonging to his encomienda.

[23] Sangleyes:  derived from hiang (or xiang) and ley, meaning “a traveling merchant;” appellation of Chinese traders in the Philippines.

[24] The prau or parao (a name of Malay origin) was a large, flat boat with two masts, and lateen sails; used for carrying freight, and employed in the rivers and bays.

[25] Cf.  Friar Odoric’s description of the green pepper found in Malabar (called by the Arabs Balad-ul-Falfal, “the Pepper Country")—­growing on vines which the natives plant against tall trees for support, and bearing fruit “just like bunches of grapes;” see Yule’s Cathay, vol. i, pp. clxxvii, 77.

[26] The tael is a Chinese money of account, worth formerly about $1.50; now $1.68, “Tael” is the trade name in China for the ounce of silver; it also designates a weight, of 1 1/3 oz. avoirdupois.

[27] This lake, about seventeen miles long, is the second largest lake in Luzon.  It is also named Taal, after the celebrated volcano in its midst.  Its outlet is the river Pansipit.

[28] Spanish pildoras ("pills"); a jocular allusion to the leaden bullets from the muskets.

[29] The Malay appellation raja or raxa, meaning “a sovereign,” is used of rulers in Manila or Tondo.  See Retana’s note on Zuniga’s Estadismo, vol. ii, pp. 521*, 522*.

[30] Cafre (or Kafir):  a term applied by Mahometans to the heathen natives of conquered countries; it means “infidels.”  From this originated the name Kafiristan ("country of infidels"), applied to the region north of the Punjaub of India and south of the Hindu-Kush Mountains; its people are called Kafirs.  See Yule’s Cathay, vol. ii, p. 554.

[31] Vara:  a measure of length, equivalent to a little more or a little less (in different Spanish countries) than thirty-three English inches.

[32] In the Spanish text, se acordo dar sanctiago en los moros,—­literally, “it was decided to give the ‘Santiago’ among the Moros,”—­the Santiago ("St. James”) being the war-cry of the Spaniards when engaging with Moors and other “infidels.”

[33] Bound up with the MS. of this document, in the archives at Sevilla, are similar official acts for “the islands of Luban, Similara, Baluyan, Helin, and Vindoro.”