The Pacification of Mindanao

Concerning the pacification of the island of Mindanao; in the year 1600

In the relation of the last year you will have learned how occurred the death, in the pacification of the island of Mindanao, of Estevan Rodriguez de Figueroa, who offered to carry out this pacification under the conditions which he stipulated with Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, formerly governor of these islands—­copies of which were sent to his Majesty, and to master-of-camp Juan de Lajara, formerly of the said expedition, who succeeded to his place when the camp was abandoned, and came to Manila.  Don Francisco Tello, governor and captain-general of the said Philipinas Islands, who at that time had taken possession of the government was considering how to aid and stimulate the said pacification at the expense of the heirs of Estevan Rodriguez, and with the agreement of the captains and persons who were long resident and experienced in war in the said islands.  Don Juan Ronquillo was appointed commander of the galleys, to prosecute the said pacification; and in the meantime, in order to be present and continue the expedition, Captain Torivio de Miranda was sent forward to encourage and animate the troops, under orders to keep them in his charge; and in case the post should be abandoned, and a retreat made to Manila, he should detain the troops and return to Mindanao.  The said Captain Toribio de Miranda having arrived at the island of La Caldera, which lies forty leagues from the river of Mindanao, there found the whole camp, which was returning from the said islands.  Conformably to the orders which he had, he turned back and fortified the site where they had first been, which was on the river, four leagues from the forts of the enemy.  Juan Ronquillo, having been despatched to Mindanao, had taken the camp in his charge, and begun to achieve some success.  He achieved a victory in the battle which he fought with the Terrenatans, who had entered with eight hundred men to give aid to the people of Mindanao.  Before these successes, he had written a letter in disparagement of that country (a copy of which was sent to his Majesty)—­on account of which, in a council of war which had been held, the general Don Juan Ronquillo had been ordered to make a last effort against the Mindanaos, doing them all possible damage.  He was then to come to the island of La Caldera, and there build a fort, to be garrisoned with a hundred Spanish soldiers, with artillery, arms, and munitions; and leave them there as a check upon Terrenate and Mindanao, in charge of a good soldier, one of the captains of the camp, and with the rest return to Manila.  Although Don Juan Ronquillo received this order, after having won considerable victories, he again wrote that he would not abandon that place, even if such were the order, because it would not be expedient to retire from the camp and comply with what had been ordered,