[96] The Rio Grande of Mindanao.

[97] The first-born son of Felipe was Fernando, born in 1571; he died at the age of four years.  The town named for him is now called Vigan; it is located on Abra River, and is capital of the province of Ilocos Sur, Luzon.

[98] Of the decrees here referred to, two may be found in Recopilacion de leyes de las Indias (5th ed., Madrid, 1841), lib. viii.  One (tit. iv, ley xxiv) provides that vacancies in crown offices shall be filled by the viceroy, or by the president of the Audiencia; the other (tit. x, ley xviii), that gold and silver found in seaports, which has not been duly taxed and stamped, shall, if there be no smelting establishment in such place, be forfeited to the royal treasury.

[99] See post, p. 286.

[100] Apparently a reference to the custom of taboo (or tabu), of which traces exist among primitive peoples throughout the world, but most of all in Polynesia.  The word means “sacred”—­that is, set aside or appropriated to persons or things regarded as sacred; but the custom, although doubtless originating in religious observances, gradually extended as a social usage.  It is among many peoples connected with totemism, and is considered by many writers as the gradual outgrowth of animistic beliefs.

[101] This was Doctor Francisco de Sande, who entered upon his duties as governor of the Philippines in August, 1575.  He had previously been a member of the Audiencia of Mexico.  While governor, he desired to undertake the conquest of China; but Felipe II ordered him to confine his activities to the preservation of what Spain had already gained in the islands.  Sande was recalled in 1580.

[102] Thus in the original (setenta y cinco); but it must be a slip of the writer, since Legazpi removed to Manila in May, 1571, which was organized as a city a year later—­as is shown by the “Documents of 1571-72,” ante.

[103] The marco was the unit of weight used in weighing gold and silver in the different Latin countries.  In Spain it was equivalent to O.507641 lb.

[104] “Most authors use this nomenclature:  ‘Moros’ are Mahometans, of more or less pure Malay race, in whose civilization are the remains of Oriental barbarism; ‘infidels’ or ‘pagans,’ [gentiles], Filipinos whose only religion is one of the idolatrous rites, more or less absurd, which are natural to savages:  and ‘Christians,’ the Indians whom our meritorious religious have converted to the faith of Jesus Christ.”—­Retana (Zuniga, ii. p. 9*).

[105] Referring to the Tartar chief Yenta, who harassed the Chinese empire from 1529 until 1570—­raiding the frontiers, carrying away rich plunder and many captives (in one campaign, it is said, 200,000 persons), and even threatening Pekin itself.  Finally (1570) peace was restored, Yenta acknowledging the sovereignty of the Chinese emperor, and receiving in return the title of prince of Chuny.  Yenta died in 1583.  See Boulger’s Hist.  China, ii, pp. 141-144, 150, 154.